Builder articles from February 2001

Builder archives from February 2001

X Marks the Spot.(Brief Article)(Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Our exclusive Generation X survey reveals some surprises about a market that's hot for housing. THE FIRST REPORTS THAT CAME OUT ABOUT SO-CALLED Generation X sent an icy shiver up the collective spines of the home building industry. Ten...

BMAIL.
February 1, 2001... Know Your Market I'M AN ARCHITECT/BUILDER IN NAPERville, Ill., and I am framing my second tear-down in the $3--$4 million price range. I was very interested in your theme on market research ("The New Republic," December 2000, page 90). You...

Affordability Divide Deepens.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Gap between household income and home prices grows larger. IT'S TOO BAD WE ALL DON'T LIVE IN SPRINGFIELD. Springfield, Ill., that is, Springfield is the nation's most affordable housing market, according to the NAHB's recently released...

The Bleeding Edge.(city planning)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... When growth control opponents celebrated the mixed results on sprawl-related ballots last November, they may have jumped the gun. State and local planners will soon set precedents for future growth. For example: * In Loudon County, Va.,...

Find Products Online.(ebuild.com)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... This month, ebuild.com, the new Internet subsidiary of Hanley-Wood, LLC, publisher of BUILDER, will launch its new Web site designed to streamline the process of building-product research and selection for builders. The site will contain The...

Coming to Terms.(definition of appurtenance)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... APPURTENANCE: Something that is outside of a property line but is considered a part of the property and adds to its greater enjoyment, such as right or privilege to cross another's land; an easement to dock or park access; or a right of way.

A Housing Legacy.(Habitat for Humanity)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The first millennium house for Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta will be dedicated as part of the new Legacy Program, a collaborative effort that unites the building community and building products manufacturers. Together they will build six...

The New American Cottage.(show house at the International Builders' Show)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Show houses are an International Builders' Show tradition and none is more anticipated each year than The New American Home (TNAH). TNAH 2001 is a showcase sponsored by the NAHB's NCHI and BUILDER. This year, TNAH's theme is "back to town."...

Gas Pirates.(questionable virtues of natural gas)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... For years, energy companies have extolled the virtues of natural gas: inexpensive, clean burning, ecologically sound, safe. But now that prices have suddenly quadrupled in some regions of the United States, most of those claims seem misleading...

Win the Ultimate Truck.(Ford F350 Super Duty Diesel Truck)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... BUILDER'S sister publication, HANLEY-WOOD's TOOLS OF THE TRADE and the Ford Motor Co. have built the 2001 Site Commander work truck, debuting at the International Builders' Show this month. From there the Ford F350 Super Duty diesel truck will...

Lending Continues.(mortgages)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Despite some credit tightening loans for housing are still available. THOUGH THE FEDERAL RESERVE HAS MOVED to lower interest rates recently the belt-tightening affects of increasing rates six times in 13 months in 1999 and 2000 are still...

Toll's Earnings Spotlighted.(Toll Brothers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Wall Street cites Toll Brothers as earnings leader in home building. SALOMON SMITH BARNEY RE-ports that Toll Brothers is the earning leader in the home building group of public companies that the Wall Street investment bank follows. ...

Battle of the Boxes.(space for fireplaces and large televisions in homes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... What will win the struggle for dominance as the focal point of production-home family rooms? FOR SOME TIME TELEVISIONS HAVE BEEN GETting larger and squeezing the fireplace out of the design equation. Not only are they growing in size, but...

ALL SUN, NO RAIN.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Florida's drought is not going away. A record three years of drought in the Sunshine state may well bring development to a swift stop due to water restrictions, the Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel reported first of the year. Lakes in central...

MORE HEALTHY HOMES.(Kaufman and Broad Home Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Centex Homes and Kaufman & Broad, and others announced they are building houses with more energy-efficient HVAC and ventilation systems. Centex's "Performance Plus" houses are being designed with the U.S. Department of Energy.

VA LOANS A MOAN?(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The federal veterans home loan guaranty program has been less desirable to veterans over the years due to changes and amendments to the original 1944 GI Bill of Rights, BankRate.com reports. Vets can get better loans through commercial lenders....

LOAN DELINQUENCIES UP.(Mortgage Bankers Association of America)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Foreclosures rose in the third quarter of 2000 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. More homeowners are paying their mortgages late and had their homes go into foreclosure than in the previous quarter. The delinquency rate...

SAN DIEGO.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The next Bay area? Sales are hot, but San Diego locals are reeling from increasing home prices. More dot-coms are moving in, and in-migration from San Francisco has some citizens worried they will be priced out of the market. Downtown high-rise...

Dot-Coms Raising Money Again.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... In response to severe market corrections, dot-coms are hitting the street--for cash. THE INVESTMENT FAUCET may be on once again. The dot-com rush may have slowed, but some investors are willing to finance in the survivors. Several home...

Deregulation Dilemma.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... California powers down. AND HERE YOU THOUGHT anti-growth sentiment, NIMBYism, and skyrocketing land prices were the major U.S. development downers. Add another to the list: energy shortages and their possible dampening effect on future...

California Condo Craze.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... A California Supreme Court ruling could prod builders back into the state's sluggish townhouse and condominium market. WITH CALIFORNIA'S LACK OF AFfordable housing now at crisis levels, a December 2000 ruling by the California Supreme Court...

Another One Bites the Dust.(G-I Holdings bankruptcy)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Asbestos claims a new victim as another building supply manufacturer files for bankruptcy. Wall Street analysts expect the remaining publicly held building supply corporations to fall after the nation's largest roofing manufacturer, G-I...

Breezy Lights.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... CREATED TO MIMIC HANDKERCHIEFS BLOWING IN THE BREEZE, these acrylic, decorative wall sconces come in brilliant red, white, green, blue, and yellow The 17 1/4-inch-square translucent acrylic shapes subtly bow out in the center and curve in along...

Contemporary Combo.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... THE SCULPTURAL ACAPULCO sink and Baroque pedestal stand blend contemporary and antique designs. Part of the Alegre collection, the aluminum alloy basin is created with an Old World sand-casting method. It's a molded piece of solid metal with no...

Flexible Flashing.(Tyvek FlexWrap)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2001... FLASH IN A FLASH WITH TYVEK FLEXWRAP, AN INNOVATIVE WINDOW AND door flashing product that provides seamless protection against water infiltration. FlexWrap is made of a multi-layered laminate that combines polyethylene film, an elastic fiber,...

Pound for Pound.(FR350MAG nailer)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2001... GET READY TO RUMBLE WITH THIS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT FRAMING nailer. Weighing in at 7.4 pounds, the model FR350MAG nailer is the lightest in the industry but still packs a wallop. It has a 2 3/8-inch to 3 1/2-inch nail capacity and uses standard...

Hot Head.
February 1, 2001... WITH THE MODEL ESI 2000 TANKLESS WATER HEATER, HOT WATER NEVER RUNS out. The system's microprocessor-controlled technology maintains the desired user-selected temperature and prevents scalding. Measuring 16 inches by 13 1/2 inches by 3 1/2...

Disappearing Door.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2001... NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T! THE GARAGESCAPE IS A ONE-piece garage door system designed to blend seamlessly with the rest of a home's exterior. Tailored exclusively for each installation, the system matches the existing exterior's materials,...

More Is More.(luxury home merchandising by Pacific Design Estates)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Luxury merchandising may cost. But it paid--and then some--for Pacific Design Estates. WHEN IT GAME TO SELLING LUXURY housing to wiz kids with dot-com cash, more proved better for Pacific Design Estates (PDE). The builder launched its...

Whispered Success.(Whisper Canyon housing development, Highlands Ranch, Colorado)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Whisper Canyon's textural brochure attracted high-income buyers in the West without a big show. Or even salespeople. You gotta love that. No REALTORS. No SALESPEOPLE. No GENERAL public. No grand openings. No tire kickers. Lots of success....

Sales by the Sea.(Arvida)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Arvida, a St. Joe Co., aims to sell head-to-head with neo-traditional legend Seaside in the Florida panhandle. NESTLED INCONSPICUOUSLY IN THE WATERCOLOR COMmunity's town center is a sales and information pavilion that looks like anything...

Kids Rule.(Jones Companies' marketing campaign)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... The Jones Co. made a huge splash with a lifestyle-centered campaign focusing on children instead of houses. DESPITE A SOFTENING IN THE GREATER NASHVILLE, TENN., home market, The Jones Co. was able to secure a solid stronghold and greater...

Breathe Easy.(Health-E-Community Enterprises, energy efficient homes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... A Virginia builder won the Department of Energy's backing by building houses that use half the energy needed to heat and cool similarly sized homes. JAY EPSTEIN HAS ASTHMA. Two OF his children have asthma. A builder by trade, he found that...

Chicago Hope.(Cambridge Homes finishes Carillon community)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Major up-front expenditures jumpstart abandoned active adult community. BILL SULLIVAN AND HIS NEIGHBORS didn't sleep very well in late 1991. That's when Cenville Illinois Corp., a successful developer of active adult resort-style...

Plumb, Level, and Square.
February 1, 2001... Larger profits mean little when drained away by defect litigation costs. IN THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING MARKET, many home builders only focus on how fast they can build units and how much profit can be made. They often operate on a 10 percent...

Veranda Rights.
February 1, 2001... Q: What makes a good front porch? A: ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO, THE FRONT PORCH WAS ONE OF THE PRIMARY SOCIAL CENTERS OF THE home and neighborhood--an "outdoor living room" of sorts. It was a spot to chat with neighbors on a Sunday...

Housing Slowing.
February 1, 2001... Housing starts slow as builders anticipate the economy's downturn. DESPITE DECLINING MORTGAGE RATES, consumer optimism is falling and driving down home sales as the nation spirals down into--economists predict--a soft-landing recession....

Stanley-Bostitch Introduces the CRN38K Cordless Roofing Nailer.
February 1, 2001... The industry's first battery powered, cordless industrial roofing nailer provides convenience and an unparalleled finish Stanley introduces the Bostitch [R]CRN38K, the only cordless industrial roofing nailer in the industry. The 20.4-volt...

Welcome to the Jungle.
February 1, 2001... New-product preview for the 2001 International Builders' Show. BEFORE TREKKING THE HALF-MILLION square feet of exhibits and seminars at this year's International Builders' Show, take a quick peek at some of the latest and greatest products...

Siding with Fiber Cement.
February 1, 2001... Fiber-cement siding's market share increases. BUILDERS AND HOMEOWNERS ALIKE want a low-maintenance, long lasting siding that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. With the introduction of asbestos-free fiber-cement siding in the late 1980s, such a...

The New Aesthetic.(Bouton Protective Eyewear)
February 1, 2001... Fashion fuses with protection to create stylish safety glasses. PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR'S REPUTATION is about as attractive as a 2x4 is interesting. Traditional "Buddy Holly" safety glasses have made it easy for workers to forget about eye...

The Next Decade for Housing.(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... The first decade of the true millennium (beginning January 1, 2001) is starting out with the U.S. political and economic systems under considerable strain. The incoming President lost the popular vote in one of the most contentious elections in...

TecHOM-Expo.(The NAHB's tecHOMExpo)
February 1, 2001... The NAHB's tecHOMExpo pavilion will be tech central at the 57th annual International Builders' Show, Feb. 9-12, 2001, at Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center. Information technology is transforming not only how consumers use their homes...

Telecom Model.(for accessing multi-tenant buildings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... The NAHB, in coalition with the Real Access Alliance, released in December a 48-page draft model license agreement covering terms and conditions for telecommunications providers accessing multi-tenant buildings. The document outlines best...

Seize the Day.(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)
February 1, 2001... The NAHB plans to serve builders even better in the 21st century. THE YEAR 2001 PROVIDES A UNIQUE time in history and a window of opportunity for the NAHB to "seize the day," assert its leadership role, and implement its housing agenda for...

Housing Under President Bush.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Potential support for housing policy enhancements. THE NEW PRESIDENT MAY NOT HAVE a public mandate, but he does occupy the White House and his party has majorities in Congress, however slim. This political setup virtually ensures that the...

A New Kind of Work/Study.(vocational students help build Habitat for Humanity home)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Arizona builders team with students. IN OCTOBER, THE SOUTHERN ARIzona HBA (SAHBA) co-sponsored a high school vocational program in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity Tucson and local Tucson high schools to build its latest Habitat for...

All in the Family.(Smith Quality Homes)(Company Profile)
February 1, 2001... Second-generation home builder Bruce Smith is creating his living legacy, what he calls his 'footprint in time." BRUCE SMITH REALLY IS WALKING THE family path, leaving his own distinguished footprint. Father Harold, now deceased, was a...

Plymouth Pilgrimage.(Green Cos.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Intensive focus group market research pays of/with hefty sales. EMPTY-NESTERS AND RETIREES ARE DRAWN TO COMMUNITIES THAT PRESERVE open space. Just ask Tony Green, marketing manager of The Pinehills, a 3,000-acre mixed-use project in...

Idaho Oasis.(Hidden Springs in Hidden Springs, Idaho)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Thirty-somethings employed by nearby tech firms find their own private Idaho in a community built around a 100-acre working produce farm. TWENTY MINUTES NORTHWEST FROM BOISE, Idaho, Hidden Springs provides families employed by nearby...

Commuter Ease.(Valimar housing project by Spectrum Skanska)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Valimar offers move-up buyers and empty-nesters lots of versatility and an easy commute. VALHALLA, N.Y., BUILDER SPECTRUM SKANSKA ORIGINALLY envisioned attached townhomes for its Valimar community in White Plains, N.Y. After all, that's...

GEM OF THE OCEAN.(Watermark home in Crystal Cove community, Newport Coast, California)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... Multi-million dollar production homes welcome Pacific coastal breezes on a first-of-its-kind site that enhances and protects nature. MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PRODUCTION HOUSE SEEMS LIKE a dangerous oxymoron. But that is exactly what Taylor...

TOWN & COUNTRY THE NEW AMERICAN HOME 2001.
February 1, 2001... WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF home building. Far from a futuristic science fiction pod, The New American Home 2001 is an in-town infill house that appeals to move up buyers and empty-nesters alike. The house showcases the latest in smart-home...

GEN-XFILES.(home ownership survey)(Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... THE SESAME STREET GENERATION IS ALL GROWN UP AND NOW HANGS OUT IN CYBER-SPACE. BUILDER TREKKED INTO THE E-WILDERNESS TO DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT, IN A FIRST-EVER NATIONAL INTERNET-BASED SURVEY. BIG BIRD AND MR. ROGERS TAUGHT...

AMERICA'S BEST BUILDERS 2001.
February 1, 2001... WHAT MAKES A BUILDER ONE OF America's best? That's a difficult question to answer. Why? Because running a home building company for high profit, as you lavish service on the customer, design great product, strive for zero defects in...

MISSION CONTROL.(J.P. Malone Construction)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... 1-30 units; JP MALONE CONSTRUCTION; Scottsdale, Ariz. For a custom builder team that wanted it all, downsizing delivered the goods: more money, greater balance, and happier customers. KEVIN AND DEBORAH MALONE LIKE to keep pace with...

MARGIN MASTERS.(Harcrest Homes)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... 31-100 units; HARCREST HOMES; Buford, Ga. Exacting, relentless attention to efficiency has yielded profits and big-company benefits for this small builder. JANNA MANSKER MET CARL RIDEN in 1994, and she saw a builder with big decisions...

TOTAL QUALITY GURUS.(Taylor-Morley Inc.)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2001... 101-400 units; TAYLOR-MORLEY HOMES; St. Louis Taylor-Morley willingly rocked its world for the better, not only by embracing a management theory but also by sticking with it. IN THE 14 YEARS THAT TANYA THOMAS has staffed the...

Johns Manville.(Performance Home Builder Program)
February 1, 2001... Attention Performance Home[R]Builder Program At the 2001 NAHB International Builders Show, JM is announcing a unique new program for builders known as the Performance Home[R] Builder Program. JM is the only company to focus on the...

NET GAINERS, net LOSERS.(building industry during the economic slowdown)
February 1, 2001... THE DOT-COM INVESTMENT STREAM SHUT down by the Great Dot-Com Depression stock market collapse this past spring is starting to trickle to life again. But will it come soon enough to Save Scores of home building--related Internet start-ups...

Move Over Vinyl and Wood.(fiber-cement)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Cemplank Fiber-Cement Siding Offers Beauty, Durability and Value Increasingly, builders and architects are discovering a high-quality and versatile alternative to traditional wood and vinyl exterior siding--fiber-cement. By offering the...

Southwestern BALE.(straw bale construction for homes by Casa Verde Custom Homes)
February 1, 2001... A UNIQUE STRAW HOME TAKES SHAPE IN NEW MEXICO. WHAT, YOU'VE NEVer seen a dog climb a ladder before? Well, maybe. But only on ESPN2, in the middle of the night, on a weekday. Yet, here, on an honest-to-goodness jobsite north of Albuquerque,...

Competisys--The Builders Choice.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Imagine building a residential or commercial project and only dealing with one utility company. And this company doesn't require you to shell out capital for laying new utility lines, they foot the bill. And, on top of that you get...

HOUSING FUTURAMA.
February 1, 2001... Housing's best weigh in on the 21st century. WHAT DO HOUSING'S BIGGEST thinkers have to say about its future? BUILDER magazine gathered the industry's preeminent prognosticators last summer to brainstorm. They percolated both practical...

Love at FIRST SIGHT.(architectural design)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... TUG AT THEIR HEARTSTRINGS AND they will come; the proof is in the foot traffic. "Each weekend that we run the photo of this house in the newspaper our foot traffic more than doubles," says Janet Howe, vice president of sales and marketing for...

Emerald City GEM.(architectural design)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... BUILDER PAUL DUFFY OF CONNER Homes in Bellevue, Wash., was elated but not entirely surprised when his Verandas condominium won three separate design honors at the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish counties' MAME Awards last...

Thrilla of a VILLA.(architectural design)
February 1, 2001... WHEN FEATHERING THE EMPTY nest or designing for young professionals, most builders don't place a premium on architecture, but on lifestyle, convenient floor plans, and low-maintenance exteriors. So when a project comes along that's got it all,...

Block PARTY.(developing downtown Chicago)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... CHICAGO'S DOWNTOWN MARKET is red-hot and booming with innovative new architecture and urban planning at every turn. What does it take to stand apart from a sea of cool high-rises and hip townhouses? Developers at the Thrush Cos. might have some...

THE RIGHT MIX.(floor coverings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Pouring a concrete slab that will hold paint, tile, or wood or vinyl flooring requires precise detailing and preparation. "WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, FLOOR COVERINGS ARE MORE susceptible than ever to alkaline problems from concrete slabs,"...

ACTIVE ADULTS UNCOVERED.(active adults as home buyers)
February 1, 2001... A near-national survey confirms many common perceptions about active adult buyers; namely, they offer a prime opportunity for builders. THEY MOVE DOWN IN SIZE, BUT not too far down. Nearly half pay all cash. They want options and upgrades....

Advancing Technology Into Homes.
February 1, 2001... Some home builders are already embracing new home technologies. The rest of the industry will have to follow. THERE'S BEEN A RUMBLING ACROSS THE HOME building landscape in recent years. It started in 1998, when "home networking" reasserted...

One-Stop Tech.(security installation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Partnerships combine structured wiring and security installation. HOME BUYER DEMAND FOR MONITORED SECUrity and other technology upgrades has created a ripe market for subcontractors who can provide them, along with the needed wiring...

Digital Ink.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... New tools electronically capture meeting notes. THE HANDWRITING'S ON the wall... and in your computer, thanks to the latest tools for the conference room. With Mimio, from Boston-based Virtual Ink (www.mimio.com), and eBeam, from...

Low-Impact Geothermal.(heat pumps)
February 1, 2001... Compact heat exchanger promises economical option. RETIRED TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY engineer John Genung wanted to find an economical way to install geothermal heat pumps on small lots. Current systems require a 200- to 300-foot-deep...

Builder Data.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Are you looking for detailed market research? Irvine, Calif.--based The Meyers Group's new B2B Web site, www.meyersgroup.com, features what it claims is "the nation's largest home building data warehouse." The site includes informational...

Gas Gets Real.(gas fireplaces)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Gas stoves with fake logs and one-dimensional flames look about as much to me like real wood burners as aluminum siding looks like cedar. But when Travis Industries tired up its new gas-fueled Lopi stove next to three real wood burners and...

Wiring School.(wire installation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2001... Why does pulling data wiring too hard or bending it too much during installation crimp its ability to carry data? To find out, take a look at "Infrastructure Wiring for New Homes." This 96-minute video, produced by The Training Department Inc....