Builder articles from July 2003

Builder archives from July 2003

Conference at-a-glance *. (Special Advertising Section).(Calendar)
July 1, 2003... Wednesday, September 24 8:00 am - 9:00 am Continental Breakfast, Registration & Exhibits 9:00 am 9:30 am Welcome Address/Introductions 9:30 am - 10:30 am Keynote Presentation 10:45 am - 11:45 am General...

Workforce solutions: cities are starting to address the pressing need for workforce housing. (Editor's Notes).
July 1, 2003... THE SUBJECT OF OUR SPECIAL REPORT THIS MONTH, workforce housing, strikes particularly close to home. The inability of rank-and-file workers--retail clerks, nurses, janitors, and factory workers--to afford housing not only threatens to curtail...

BMail.
July 1, 2003... A Share Thing AS A DEVELOPER IN KANSAS CITY, MO., I'm always amazed at how fragmented our market is. Your May article on the top 50 markets ("The Dominators," page 192) revealed that Kansas City's top 10 builders don't even come close to...

Calendar.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
July 1, 2003... July 16-20 American Institute of Building Design, 53rd Annual Convention, Seattle Custom residential and light commercial building designers interact in educational sessions, leadership meetings, tours, and social events. Contact:...

Scrambling for coverage: insurance becomes increasingly costly and limited for builders. (Insurance Crisis).
July 1, 2003... THE INSURANCE HORROR STORIES NEVER SEEM to end. Premium increases that seem to defy reason. Hefty deductibles and minimum coverages, Wrap policies that end up costing, not saving, money for builders. "It's a mess," says Tom Sattler,...

Silent sell. (House Blend).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... With all the focus on boomers reaching retirement age, builders may be forgetting the current makeup of the retirement market, says marketing consultant Sharon Brooks, of Sharon Brooks & Associates in Richmond, Va. Boomers won't even begin to...

Spin zone. (Big Deals).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... BankAtlantic Bancorp, the owner of Florida active adult builder Levitt and Sons, plans to spin off the Levitt Corp. and all its associated businesses by year's end into a separate publicly traded company. Last year, Levitt and Sons closed 880...

Best Builders. (House Blend).
July 1, 2003... Think your company does a great job? Let us know: Enter the 2004 American's Best Builder contest. Each year, BUILDER and the NAHB honor the top builders in the country based on their performance in finance/operations, customer service/quality,...

The end of Section 8? (House Blend).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Bush administration has announced its intention to dismantle and transform the nation's 30-year-old public housing assistance program--Section 8 rent vouchers. The Bush team describes Section 8 as 'fundamentally flawed," and inefficient,...

Building drought. (House Blend).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Builders throughout the Southwest must control dust or be in violation of air pollution standards. And most control dust by spraying water as they grade. In many areas, such as Coachella Valley, Calif.--home to Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and...

Lightweight concrete vs. wood framing: new research on the life cycle of lightweight concrete homes examines energy use over a 100-year period, under various climates. (The Long View).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... A RECENT CRADLE-TO-GRAVE STUDY FROM THE Portland Cement Association (PCA) compares the long-term environmental impact of lightweight concrete houses with conventional, 2X4 wood-framed houses, and finds a close race. Using guidelines set...

Golden system: builder takes savings from New Star deployment of from support departments. (Cost Cutter).(Suncor's Golden Heritage homes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... SUNCOR'S GOLDEN HERITAGE Homes in Tempe, Ariz., reports annual cost savings in excess of $500,00 in salaries alone after switching to New Star's Homebuilder integrated. Construction management system. But instead of laying off all those...

Big boom. (House Blend).(Mortgage Bankers Association of America)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Driven by the lowest interest rates in more than 40 years, mortgage originations will hit a record $3 trillion this year, according to the latest forecast from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Purchase originations represent more...

Master site. (House Blend).(Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties in Washington state)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish counties in Washington state has launched masterbuilderinfo.com, a Web site that helps consumers research home building issues. The site, launched during the Seattle Home Show earlier this...

Buy it on eBay? Online auctioneer wants builders to think of eBay business for construction gear and supplies. (E-Business).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF EBAY, but the average builder wouldn't readily think of eBay to buy tools and accessories--until now. Recognizing that its business is changing, the online auctioneer launched the eBay Business brand in...

Instant railings: this online shop specializes in a handy system to help you address OSHA fall safety guidelines. (Editor's Internet Pick).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... EVER SPENT HALF THE DAY PATCHING TOGETHER a wobbly, temporary handrail for an open stairway or balcony? Safety Maker Inc., based in Houston, has created a simple solution with its Safety Boot product. The company Web site (www.safetyboot.com)...

Sprinkle payback. (House Blend).(Highland Real Estate)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... A Florida developer has found a way to make residential sprinklers more than pay for themselves. Highland Real Estate worked with Lake County, Fla., fire officials to install sprinklers in each of its new homes, eliminating the need for an...

Lawsuits up: lawsuits multiply in California after construction defects bill passes. (Suits on the Rise).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... THE TIMING SEEMS A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS TO Brendan O'Neill, executive vice president and CEO at Beazer Homes in Northern California. During the past eight years, Beazer has built 8o communities in the region without legal trouble. "I don't think...

Who's Next?(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... WHO'S NEXT? RIGHT TO REPAIR: Ten states have recently passed laws that give builders a change to address construction defects before being sued. Three other states (Michigan, Nevada, and Texas) have similar procedures to resolve...

Builders' rally: California builders meet to make sure legislators hear their message. (On the Steps).(California Building Industry Association)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING AND THE defeat of "dream-killer bills" were the focus of building industry participants as they rallied at the state capitol in Sacramento, Calif. The California BIA held its sixth annual rally May 14. Some 650...

Top job. (House Blend).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The home building job to have right now? Division president. According to Specialty Consultants, a construction and real estate recruiting firm in Pittsburgh, salaries and bonuses for division presidents are rising as private builders up the...

Growth on hold: heard of the "farmland security perimeter"? If not, you may soon. (Development Issues).(Madera, California)
July 1, 2003... No GROWTH FANS ARE LAUDING the "farmland security perimeter" in Madera, Calif. Funded through an initiative of the American Farmland Trust, farmers have been paid to keep their farms out of the reach of home developers. The Madera story...

Builders get a break: Bush tax plan delivers lower rates and investment incentives. (The Straight Dope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... THE $350 BILLION TAX cut President Bush signed this spring may be great for builders because it lowers tax rates, encourages investment, and promises to deliver funds for much needed transportation and school construction projects. The...

Clearing the air: critics say room-sized air cleaners rarely live up to their marketing. (Inside Story).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... WITH THE WELL-DOCUMENTED increase in allergy-sensitive individuals has come a predictable increase in stand-alone devices claiming to remove allergens from indoor air. But national health organizations, such as the American Lung Association...

Spin cycle. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... SPINNING WHEELS AREN'T JUST FOR amusement parks and bicycles. This 7-inch round showerhead has five spray heads that spin for water massaging action. Featuring solid brass construction, the head requires a minimum of 40 pounds of water per...

Freeze draw. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... THESE DRAWERS DON'T HOLD SILVERWARE. OPEN them and you'll find the 2075 DWRR doubledrawer undercounter refrigerator instead. At 24 inches wide, the unit has a total storage capacity of 5.5 cubic feet. Designed as a built-in appliance, the unit...

Clean Slate. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... FOR A NICE RUSTIC LOOK IN A BATHROOM, TRY TUMBLED MOSAIC Slate instead of ceramic floor tiles. The pieces have a 3/8-inch thickness, and the manufacturer says the smaller sizes are designed to stimulate acupressure points so it feels good to...

Step up. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... THE NEXSTEP SYSTEM WILL REDUCE STAIRCASE CONstruction time by 70 percent, says the manufacturer, because the stringers and stairways arrive fully assembled at the jobsite. NexStep components are made from lineal strand lumber and oriented...

Custom comfort. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... AS A REPLACEMENT FOR ONE-SIZE-FITS-all trowels, try this Dial A Grip number with an adjustable handle for individual comfort. The user pulls back the handle, turns it to the desired level, and releases. Designed for setting large floor tiles,...

Light station. (Top Shelf).
July 1, 2003... CORDOVA SKY IS A WORKHORSE IN ANY CUSTOM BATHROOM, incorporating three elements in one: warm lighting, a hand-sanded wood frame mirror, and a mirror defogger. The wood-frame lighting station is available in various finishes to match different...

Flash points: a bold use of colors and a bit of old world charm create memorable models at mansion ridge. (Market Smarts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... IN MERCHANDISING, THE PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE ALL OF the senses," says Gabe Pasquale, vice president of marketing for Spectrum Skanska, a builder in Valhalla, N.Y. "Color engages both emotion and feel. You hit two senses at once." At Mansion...

Seeds of success: a direct mail campaign overcomes bad timing to create a winning seasonal event. (Market Smarts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... VILLAGE HOMES OF COLORADO IN LITTLETON, COLO., DEvised a clever direct mail idea to get prospects to the then-empty site of its Village of Five Parks in Arvada, Colo., prior to the project's opening in early 2002. An oversized envelope...

Passion play: Hedgewood Properties promotes its earthcraft affiliation with a print ad that really hits home. (Market Smarts).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PART OF A SERIES OF THREE ADS AND AN OVERALL BRANDING campaign, this color print ad for Hedgewood Properties entitled "... square feet are not the only feet in your home," sent the message that bigger isn't necessarily better. Though...

How-to forces of nature: why not minimize the environmental impacts of new construction and at the same time save money on paving and irrigation?(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Low Impact Development Center)
July 1, 2003... THESE DAYS, PAVING A DRIVEWAY OR A STREET IN A NEW COMMUNITY costs about $15 per square yard. What's more, that impervious surface amplifies the volume of rainwater that has to be carried away in storm gutters, drains, and culverts. Exceed a...

Fire storm at Freddie Mac: after Freddie Mac fires president for lack of "candor," controversy erupts over its accounting and heavyweight role in housing. (The Numbers).(Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.)
July 1, 2003... AFTER A WEEK OF REVELATIONS ABOUT management changes and accounting practices at Freddie Mac, the country's second-largest buyer of mortgage loans, two questions loomed: Was the housing market going to deflate like a bubble popped by the pin of...

Successful builders know, Silestone fits in any home. (Special Advertising Section).
July 1, 2003... Lennar Homes, a division of the Lennar Corporation, is THE largest homebuilder in Houston and one of the largest in the nation. Actively building in over 30 of the most popular communities in the Houston area, Lennar offers homebuyers a little...

Flashy fixtures: improved performance and technological advances have taken bath fixtures to the next level. (Products).(Whitehaus Collection)(Toto USA)
July 1, 2003... REMEMBER WHEN FIXTURES WERE white and boring? It wasn't that long ago. But as with many building products, these bland bathroom elements have taken on a level of style and sophistication the industry has never seen before. Fixtures might still...

Luxe life: no matter the category, luxury products rule the roost. (Products).(Julien)
July 1, 2003... DESPITE THE SEEMINGLY ENDLESS Decline of the Dow and the NASDAQ, manufacturers are still betting that consumer demand for luxury products will remain high--or at the very least stable. As a result, a batch of new players and existing...

Call to advocacy: housing's own promote the mission to build the American Dream. (From the President).
July 1, 2003... EVEN IN THE BEST-HOUSED NATION ON Earth, housing is not something you can take for granted. Housing needs advocates, and in Washington and across the country there is no better housing advocate than the NAHB. MISSION On behalf of our...

Open trade. (NAHB Briefs).(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The NAHB supports the bipartisan resolution introduced at the end of May in the House of Representatives calling for "open trade between the United States and Canada on softwood lumber, free of trade restraints that harm consumers." In...

Tree health. (NAHB Briefs).(Healthy Forests Restoration Act)(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... On May 20, the House approved the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. The legislation, endorsed by the NAHB, would reduce the risk of wildfire in national forests and areas administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It enables federal land...

Based on faith. (NAHB Briefs).(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The NAHB has joined with Nueva Esperanza, the nation's largest Hispanic faith-based community development corporation, in an affordable housing coalition, It will work to remove barriers to homeownership and expand home buying opportunities for...

Fame. (NAHB Briefs).(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... H. Daniel Pincus, Franklin D. Raines Nicolas P. Retsinas, and Peter W. Segal are the latest inductees to the National Housing Hall of Fame. They join some 200 other housing luminaries--builder/developers, public officials, land and...

U.S. is not Japan: don't worry about deflation in housing prices. (Seiders Economy).
July 1, 2003... THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS DEEPLY CONCERNED about the possibility of price deflation in the U.S. economy, a phenomenon that has helped keep the Japanese economy in the tank for more than a decade. While deflation may be a legitimate concern in...

Response up: online survey increases response five-fold. (The NAHB Research Center Corner).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... THE 2001 ANNUAL CONSUMER PRACTICES survey garnered a respectable 8,200 responses--but when. the NAUB Research Center put its annual consumer survey online to gather the data for its 2002 survey, it collected more than 40,000 responses. ...

Groups unite. (NAHB Briefs).(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the NAHB formed an alliance in May to advance jobsite safety. "Through the alliance, we will be able to leverage our association's resources and focus greater attention on...

Crown jewels: BUILDER teams with Habitat for Himanity to develop a prototype for sustainable urban living.
July 1, 2003... NOW THAT THE JOBSITE SIGNS are gone it's hard to imagine that 58 and 60 Clay Street in Annapolis Md easily the nicest homes on this gritty block were built by. Habitat for Humanity with volunteer labor. Yet they were. The Arundel (County)...

Habitat for Humanity[R] & Whirlpool Corporation--a partnership that provides decent, affordable housing where needed. (Special Advertising Section).
July 1, 2003... Whirlpool Corporation agrees with Habitat for Humanity International[R] founder Millard Fuller that, "Every family deserves a simple, decent place to live." Millions of volunteers and dedicated partners such as Whirlpool Corporation are...

Stanley responds to builder needs with innovative new products. (Special Advertising Section).
July 1, 2003... Introducing Rot-Proof Sills, Expanded Patio Door Offerings And An Exclusive New Lite Design After hundreds of one-on-one conversations with builders nationwide and extensive market research, Stanley has launched several better performing...

Locked out work force blues. (Special Report: Workforce Housing).(Center for Housing Policy)
July 1, 2003... AS MIDDLE-CLASS WAGES STAGNATE ACROSS THE NATION, housing costs continue to rise, leaving millions of hard-working families unable to afford adequate housing. At the same time, federal support for affordable housing has swindled, forcing city...

Living proof falling behind: the people priced out of today's homes in your area are running your fire department, feeding your kids, and keeping your streets clean and safe. (Special Report: Workforce Housing).
July 1, 2003... TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, maintenance workers, bartenders, gas station attendants, store clerks, dry cleaners, barbers, firefighters, sanitation workers. The list of occupations that fall short of housing's high costs grows longer every day,...

Follow the money no single solution: whether tapping into credits, tax reductions, or special employee incentives, reducing the financial burden on buyers calls for innovation and flexibility. (Special Report: Workforce Housing).
July 1, 2003... WHILE APPROACHES TO workforce housing must vary by region and even by city, most successful projects stay in the black by tapping numerous funding sources and partnering with nonprofits and (less frequently) private enterprise. To get started...

Bridging the gap: successful workforce housing projects from Georgia to Seattle show how builders and others have used creative solutions to overcome the most daunting obstacles. (Special Report: Workforce Housing).(Lee Homes)(Westfield Homes)
July 1, 2003... IN THE REAL WORLD, GETTING workforce housing off the ground requires compromise at almost every turn. But in Maryland, California, Illinois, Georgia, and many other states, examples can be found of builders who worked successfully with city...

Secret opportunity: every day you may unwittingly turn away current sales and future referrals. (Market Expansion).
July 1, 2003... DO YOU AVOID LOOKING Latino shoppers in the eye or back away while speaking to them? Do you look first-generation Asians directly in the eye? Depending on culture, the same behavior that is welcomed by one group may be disdained by another. You...

Fypon helps builders mold houses into homes with style. (Special Advertising Section).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Fypon, LTD continues to win accolades with builders and is recognized again as a Brand Leader in the Decorative Millwork category according to the 2003 BUILDER Brand Use Study. Over 30 years ago, two business partners developed a...

No easy pass.
July 1, 2003... Builders face increased fees on all fronts as state governments struggle to offset one of the worst budget seasons in decades. BACK-ROOM NEGOTIATIONS OVER LAND-USE PLANNING, FBE INCREASES, and even building moratoriums are taking place...

Web makes work flow: new web-based system slashes cycle time seven days. (Builder Tech).
July 1, 2003... ABOUT-FOUR YEARS AGO, THE DREES Co. IN Ft. Mitchell, Ky., knew it wanted to grow, but unlike many other builders, Drees understood that the way to manage increased workload and keep costs down was through technology. So in 1999, Drees...

Future proof? (Builder Tech).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Most builders may think that pre-wiring their communities with Cat-5e cabling, which supports I-gigabit voice and data transmission, is more than enough. But Genesis Cable Systems is pushing the standard even further with the release of CatLink...

Plus for Portals. (Builder Tech).(Plus Consulting)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Plus Consulting, which spent the past few years as a reseller of customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, and business intelligence software, has developed a new portal product, Plus Construction Power Portal 1.0. Steve...

Bass-ic speakers. (Builder Tech).
July 1, 2003... Your audiophile customers will love the bottom end from Sonance's new CR801 speakers. The CR801s feature a higher-quality bass output and a shallower mounting depth than traditional in-ceiling speakers. The speaker's high-flux magnetic assembly...

Design training. (Builder Tech).(Design Center Solutions)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Design Center Solutions is offering a Web-based training program geared to help design consultants sell more upgrades and improve customer satisfaction. The training helps design consultants prepare for appointments by walking them through the...

Virtual models pay off: Shea's virtual presentation system saves on model-home costs. (Builder Tech).(Shea Homes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... SHEA HOMES FOR ACTIVE ADULTS, A DIVIsion of Shea Homes, had such a positive experience using Alpha Vision's virtual presentation system for sales presentations during its initial 18 months using the tool that the builder integrated Alpha Vision...

File management strategies: low-cost tools can get your company sharing files quickly. (Builder Tech).
July 1, 2003... IT's NOON ON FRIDAY, AND THE COMPANY'S PROject manager copies an important spreadsheet from the network file server to her laptop before heading out to the jobsite. Meanwhile, the president of the company returns from lunch and spends the rest...

Hope for technology: slow but sure, more builders embrace home technology as a potential profit center.
July 1, 2003... THERE'S AT LEAST THREE WAYS BUILDERS CAN DEAL with the rise of home technology. First, builders can do nothing and wait until more customers demand home networks, distributed audio, integrated security, or lighting and HV AC systems....

New look, new features on builder online. (Visit Us Online!).
July 1, 2003... JULY 4 BRINGS FIREWORKS TO THE NAtion. This year, July also will bring fireworks to BUILDER Online. Later this month we unveil our new design for the Web site, with a cleaner layout and reorganization of content so you can quickly and easily...

Builder plans.
July 1, 2003... Vaulted Master Bedroom Low-maintenance siding, a convenient front-entry garage, and architectural details such as gables and half circle transoms make this narrow-lot charmer perfect for beginning families and empty nesters. An abundance...

With Jeld-Wen, you can welcome years of reliability into your homes. (Special Advertising Section).
July 1, 2003... JELD-WEN [R] VINYL WINDOWS THE SUMMIT [R] COLLECTION Our vinyl windows are designed to be visually appealing and reliably enduring. We offer colonial double-hung and single-hung windows to complement traditional architecture. All our vinyl...

Roofing and siding. (Special Advertising Section).
July 1, 2003... Roofing and siding products serve a very important dual purpose--they protect a home from the elements and they add to a home's exterior beauty. These products not only must stand up to the harshest conditions and help keep energy bills low,...

Concord Greene, Concord, Mass. (Walkthrough).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... BIRDING, BUTTERFLIES, AND COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE AMONG the virtues of this 1978 Sensible Growth Design & Planning grand-award winner. Judges in the NAHB/Better Homes and Gardens competition lauded Concord Greene's "traditional two-story New...

Colour ways. (Products).
July 1, 2003... Designed around the concept of color therapy, the Nymphaea basin changes color, ranging from red, blue, green, yellow, purple, and orange, based on the temperature of the water that hits it. Light-emitting diodes positioned under the sink...

Seated Luxury. (Products).
July 1, 2003... The Luxury Lavage Luscene is a toilet seat that turns a bowl into a bidet and cleansing system. The remote-controlled unit has a variety of features: a wash nozzle, feminine wash nozzle, heated seat, occupied seat sensor, dryer, and seat lid...

Bionic toilet. (Products).
July 1, 2003... The Nearest toilet/bidet is perhaps the most technologically advanced toilet on the market. The unit has a streamlined look because the tank has been eliminated. It includes a Cyclone flush engine and a dual flush mode and it incorporates...

Air apparent. (Products).
July 1, 2003... The Mito 5 Air Bath is one of several new products featuring built-in heaters and electronic controls with automatic purge systems that keep t the e bath and air channels clean and dry. Made from continuous cast acrylic and reinforced with...

Pure and simple. (Products).
July 1, 2003... The new line of fixtures from Marc Newson includes this 6-foot freestanding bathtub, a pedestal lavatory with a generous surface area, and a bidet. The porcelain ceramic products have simple lines and clean forms. The collection also includes...

Island life. (Products).
July 1, 2003... With a measurement of 72 inches long by 36 inches deep, the stainless steel Kitchen sinks and island offer a co complete workstation. The unit has two sinks with integrated drain board and divider, two large drawers, and lighted shelves. It has...

Grill test. (Products).
July 1, 2003... This 39-inch, built-in grill features six burners, an additional burner for the integrated smoking system and infrared rotisserie burner, and a warming rack that expands to accommodate meals, It has a slide-in design, similar to an indoor range...

Range rover. (Products).
July 1, 2003... The 36-inch dual fuel range is the manufacturer's first residential product. Manufactured from high-quality stainless steel, the range has sealed 16,500-BTU burners and dedicated simmer burners that go as low as 500 BTUs. The oven holds an...

Loft living. (Products).
July 1, 2003... Michael Smith's For Loft kitchen land with pot rack is perfectly at home in a modern home or loft with n open floor plan. The island comes complete with adjustable poles that reach to the ceiling, a carrara marble countertop, and a fireclay...