Builder articles from June 2006

Builder archives from June 2006

Turbulent times: rampant discounting and flagging sales underscore the need to promote real value to potential home buyers.(EDITOR'S NOTES)(Editorial)
June 1, 2006... IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE DENVER MARKET WOULD seem to be in good shape: Job growth is outpacing the country, and new homes remain relatively affordable because price appreciation has lagged behind the red-hot coastal markets of the last...

Calendar.(BOOK IT)
June 1, 2006... JUNE 10-July 23 Street of Dreams, Spokane, Wash. Street of Dreams will present five spectacular show homes located on a beautiful culde-sac at the top of a hill overlooking the Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake. Contact:...

Callbacks.(BOOKIT)(Correction notice)
June 1, 2006... IN THE 2005 BUILDER 100, THE LISTING for Pulte Homes (May 2006, page 158) failed to note that the company builds in the West region. Also, the 2005 BUILDER 100 and Next 100 list did not include Landstar Development Corp. and Peachtree...

Minnesota compromise: builders in Minnesota work with owners to get NOR bill signed.(LEGISLATION)(notice and opportunity to repair)
June 1, 2006... In A UNIQUE COMPROMISE, LAWMAKERS IN MINNESOTA crafted a bill that included a notice and opportunity to repair (NOR) law that builders sought for two years and also contained assurances for homeowners that they can make a warranty claim even if...

Buddy system.(HOUSE BLEND)(Whirlpool Corp. acquires Maytag Corp.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Benton Harbor Mich.--based appliance giant Whirlpool Corp., which manufactures the Whirlpool and KitchenAid brands, has completed its $1.7 billion acquisition of Maytag Corp., the Iowa-based company whose brands include Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana....

EED by example.(HOUSE BLEND)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards by U.S. Green Building Council )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The U.S. Green Building Council is looking to lake its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards to the next level. An expanded rating system for whole neighborhoods is set to launch in 2008, integrating principles of smart...

Modular mover.(BIG DEALS)(Champion Enterprises Inc. acquires Highland Manufacturing Co.)
June 1, 2006... Champion Enterprises, a manufactured home production leader, announced March 31 that it acquired Worthington, Minn.--based Highland Manufacturing Co. in a deal valued at $23 million in cash. Highland produces manufactured and modular homes and...

Water study.(Environmental Protection Agency study about water consumption by new homes)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A new study by the EPA and six water districts in the West and three in the South seeks to find out how much water new homes consume. The $530,000 study will look at water usage by collecting data from billing records, surveys, and meter...

One coat.(HOUSE BLEND)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In April, Pulte Homes inked a five-year supply agreement with Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams, which will now be Pulte's exclusive supplier of paint products. Despite the very specific preferences that paint contractors can have for certain...

Lab work.(California Polytechnic State University opening a new facility)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo, has broken ground on a new Center for Construction Excellence. The 58,000-square-foot complex, slated for completion in mid-2008, will include a one-of-a-kind materials demonstration...

One fell swoop: a federal raid on construction sites in Kentucky raises uncomfortable questions for builders about who will be held accountable for verifying subs' legal status.(GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN)(illegal immigrant workers)
June 1, 2006... BUILDERS IN THE FUTURE MAY WELL POINT TO May 9, 2006, as the day when the immigration debate stopped being academic for the housing industry Early that morning, federal agents raided three of Fischer Homes' jobsites in Kentucky, Fischer's...

Boom and bust.(HOUSE BLEND)(population decrease of hispanic americans in metropolitan areas)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Almost one-third of the nation's 361 metropolitan areas have seen declines in their white populations this decade as minorities bring ethnic and racial diversity to vast sections of the United States, USA Today reports. Blacks, Hispanics, and...

Accessible to all.(HOUSE BLEND)
June 1, 2006... Moline, III.--based architect Charles Schwab has self-published a home plans book with an eye toward universal design. Recognizing the needs of people with disabilities and an aging population, the 102 floor plans address such issues as space...

Cottage industry: kit houses are poised for a comeback in the wake of Katrina.(laws on permanent housing for disaster victims)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ALLOW FEMA TO provide permanent housing for disaster victims could catapult panelized construction into the mainstream and effectively put an end to "trailer ghettos." Under federal law, FEMA is limited to providing...

Candyland: a Massachusetts candy factory gets a new life as luxury condos.(real estate development)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... BOSTON-BASED LEGGAT McCall Properties is giving new meaning to the expression "home sweet home." That's because the developer is transforming a former candy factory into One First, a mixed-used project with condos as well as commercial and...

Boycott a bust? Builders take demonstrations in stride.(immigrant workers)
June 1, 2006... A MAY 1 NATIONAL BOYCOTT Designed to demonstrate the economic power of immigrants had varying degrees of impact on home builders, many of whom depend on immigrants for the bulk of their workforce. The boycott, dubbed by organizers as "A Day...

Help not wanted: fewer mortgage originations lead to layoffs.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... MORTGAGE BANKERS HAVE BEGUN to hit the point in the housing cycle that they didn't welcome, yet knew was coming: layoffs. Mortgage rates have finally headed north, leading to a drop of about 10 percent in mortgage purchase originations since...

Sail away home: a new condo cruise ship combines vacation and day-to-day living.( )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Arizona developer Randall b Jackson says that he saw the need for a luxury residential cruise ship while sailing through the Straits of Magellan during a family vacation. Never mind that several already exist. Jackson's ship--appropriately...

Cart wheel.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... TRADE TITAN INDUSTRIAL WORK CARTS are designed specifically for the construction trades, so they deliver serious productivity, the company says. The carts are constructed of heavy-duty structural foam with steel-reinforced decks....

Guard duty.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... SILLGUARD SILL PAN OFFERS BUILDERS A WAY TO minimize the potential for moisture penetration around windows and doors, the manufacturer says. The pan sits under a window or door to direct moisture out of a rough opening and onto housewrap or...

Watch it.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... DEADBOLTS ARE FINE AT offering protection, but this manufacturer takes them a step further. The NightWatch deadbolt, the company claims, has a lockout feature that, when engaged, prevents people from getting in even if they have the key. From...

Hold it.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... CARRYING TOOLS AROUND THE JOBSITE JUST GOT A LITTLE easier. Gunook is a simple tool holder that swivels 180 degrees and locks in three positions. Made of solid aluminum (the base) and solid steel (the hook), the tool holder can support more...

Horse sense.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... AT ANY GIVEN TIME, A CONTRACTOR NEEDS A PLATFORM TO WORK on, and the manufacturer says that its portable sawhorses help create the perfect surface. The product consists of two pairs of collapsible steel legs onto which a 2x4 can be clamped at...

Turbo charged.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BULDING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... THE MANUFACTURER OF TURBOCHEF BELIEVES THAT CONSUMERS have a need for really fast cooking, which is why the company has translated its own commercial technology into the TurboChef residential oven. It cooks food 15 times faster than...

On second thought ...: disappearing investor demand and nervous buyers drive cancellation rates higher.
June 1, 2006... A YEAR AGO, A BUYER CANCELING A CON-tract on a new home wasn't all bad news. It often meant that the builder could capitalize on rapid price appreciation by reselling the home at a significant increase. Today increasing cancellation rates...

Step on it: think ceramic tile is just for kitchens and baths? manufacturers say think again.
June 1, 2006... CERAMIC TILE IS SO DURABLE THAT IT is likely to outlast the houses you build--which may explain why home buyers love the material so much. Ubiquitous in kitchens and baths, ceramic is water resistant, hard wearing, and (relatively) easy to...

Kitchen magnets: could induction technology finally be the next hot thing in cooking?
June 1, 2006... INDUCTION COOKTOPS--WHICH USE A magnetic field to generate heat--were introduced to the American market nearly 20 years ago. Popular in Europe, where natural gas is generally expensive, induction technology has been unsuccessful in this country...

IP in the house: Net Streams makes it easier for home buyers to run consumer electronic devices and more over Internet protocol.
June 1, 2006... NETSTREAMS OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, IS among the few home-tech providers that can offer builders a distinct path to creating home systems that run over Internet protocol (IP). For non-techies, IP is the basic protocol--of language--of the...

Mobile security.(wireless security service )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Alarm.com, maker of a wireless security service that builders use during construction and then turn over to new homeowners, now offers connectivity to PDAs. By logging on to www.alarm.com/pda, homeowners can use their PDAs to arm or disarm...

HAI's back.(DIGITAL HOME: SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW HOMES)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Home Automation Inc. took a major hit from Hurricane Katrina last year, but the company is back in action. It recently introduced Lumina, a low-cost lighting product geared for home buyers that want the security and comfort of automated...

First steps: a new study shows that builders are embracing home tech, though not completely.(DIGITAL HOME: SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW HOMES)
June 1, 2006... A NEW JOINT STUDY ON HOME TECHNOLOGY by Parks Associates and BUILDER finds that 56 percent of home builders look for new products to set them apart from the competition. Leading devices include home controls, security systems, central vacuums,...

Field focus.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Latista Technologies is now offering software applications that help builders work more effectively in the field. Latista Field Service lets quality managers run inspections, supers manage punch lists and scheduling, and service techs run...

SAP win.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Software maker SAP may be finally turning the corner in the home building industry: John Laing Homes recently announced that it will use the software SAP for Engineering, Construction, and Operations. The large home builder is looking to SAP to...

Swift service: builders use the Web to automate warranty management and customer service.
June 1, 2006... THE WARRANTY MANAGEMENT PROCESS AT GL Homes of Florida used to be bogged down by paper. "Under the old system, the customer would give us a piece of paper with a warranty request on it, somebody had to write more information on that piece...

Expert advice.(NAHB BRIEFS)(Sweet Success in New Home Sales)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... Whether they are builders, salespeople, or Realtors, professionals in the business of selling new homes constantly strive to improve their tactics. In Sweet Success in New Home Sales, industry expert Bill Webb shows how to maximize sales...

Seeing green: sustainable construction is moving from niche home builders to the mainstream and the NAHB's model guidelines are one reason why.(FROM THE PRESIDENT)
June 1, 2006... WHEN THE HISTORY OF U.S. HOUSING IS written, 2006-2007 is likely to be characterized as a watershed, marking the start of an era when green building moved into the home builder mainstream, according to a new study by the NAHB and McGraw-Hill...

Change of course: cancellations and inventories are up for builders as investors retreat.(National Association of Home Builders survey)
June 1, 2006... HOME PURCHASES BY INVESTORS/SPECULATORS surged in 2005, and hot "sellers' market" conditions showed up in record sales, soaring prices, minimal cancellation rates, and thin inventory positions. But eroding affordability conditions and fading...

Getting modular.(National Association of Home Builders introduced "Modular Homes: The New Face of Home Building" brochure)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Builders and consumers who want to learn more about the benefits of modular homes now have a new resource. "Modular Homes: The New Face of Home Building," a free brochure from the NAHB's Building Systems Councils, provides an overview of...

To your credit.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... NAHB members looking to keep more profit on every credit card sale are encouraged to take advantage of a free savings analysis offered by Solveras Payment Systems, the newest addition to the NAHB Member Advantage discount program. Program...

In-depth survey: the Research Center's annual report on builders' purchasing habits for new-home construction products and materials is an invaluable resource.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... EVERY YEAR, WITH THE PARTICIPATION of thousands of builders nationwide, the NAHB Research Center's annual Builder Practices Survey (BPS) documents materials usage in new-home construction. Recognized as one of the most comprehensive sources of...

Custom news.(e newsletter from National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Custom Home Builder Quarterly, a new, easy-to-read e-newsletter sponsored by the NAHB's Custom Home Builders Committee, offers a glimpse of custom home builders and their businesses; tips to help your custom home building business run more...

The teardown ambassadors: in the land of single-family infill, design diplomacy is everything. Meet two builders that have mastered the art.(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... IF YOU WENT TO THE CIRCUS AS A KID, YOU NO DOUBT REMEMBER one of the old standbys--elephants riding bicycle that barely support their lumbering Haines. This is how some' home, owners view the teardown projects now proliferating in their...

No fly zones: shortages of developable land prevent growth-minded builders from soaring in certain markets that sometimes are just too quirky to fit their expansion plans.
June 1, 2006... IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH JIM MIGLIORE, CEO or BILL CLARK HOMES IN Greenville, N.C., when he boasts that land for new-home construction "usually comes to us." Last year, the builder acquired the land assets of developer Bledsoe Properties in...

Local leaders.(top ten builders)
June 1, 2006... [GRAPHIC OMITTED] ROOM TO GROW: This year, markets were ranked by total permits, not just single-family permits, as in the past. This leads to a clearer view of which markets were most dominated by their top 10 builders (see chart at...

Backroads tour: off the beaten path to visit some of America's best-selling communities.
June 1, 2006... WHAT DO BEST-SELLING COMMUNITIES have in common? It's not price point, product type, location, or lifestyle. Those are all over the place, from true starter homes to high-end luxury living. What the builders of these communities share is a...

A hidden gem: a unique duplex community pulls buyers in.(real estate development)
June 1, 2006... THE SALES STAFF AT CROMWELL PARK knew that once people arrived and saw what the community had to offer, they'd fall in love with it. The hard part was getting them there. "Most of our sites are off of main arteries," says Martha Schantz,...

Ultimate makeover: an industrial site gets converted to starter--home heaven.(real estate development)
June 1, 2006... THE MUNGO Cos. OF COLUMBIA, S.C., didn't have to do much to market the master planned community of Brookhaven, also in Columbia. Ideally located for commuters to both Columbia and Charlotte, N.C., the site had been watched by builders and...

Side-yard living: Pulte introduces zero-lot line homes to a new city.(Pulte Homes)(contracts of housing development)
June 1, 2006... NOT MANY BUILDERS--OR HOME BUYERS-get the chance to be part of a new city. Mountain House is the first city to be developed in California in the last quarter century Organized into villages on roughly 5,000 acres near Tracy, Calif., it will...

Going it alone: maintaining control helps indigo ranch stand out.(real estate development)
June 1, 2006... WHEN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO., builder/developer Classic Homes purchased 650 acres for a master planned community, one of the first questions was whether to remain the sole builder or to let other builders in to spread the risk--and the reward....

Carved in stone: a reputation for quality and firm closing dates help a custom builder achieve success.
June 1, 2006... BOB SHUSTER, PRESIDENT OF RWS Custom Homes, says he knows that if he needs to get to a jobsite in Franklin Farms in a hurry, he'd better take the truck. "People wave at me when I drive through the community," he says. "It takes too long to walk...

Shoe-leather selling: Rysar hits the pavement to sell the American dream.(residential construction project)
June 1, 2006... BEFORE CLEVELAND BEGAN REDEVELOPING Ward Five, it was home to the city's highest level of unemployment, crime, cancer, and public housing. "Ward Five was historically left for naught," says Rob Name; director of development for Cleveland-based...

Shining a spotlight: a three-pronged strategy propels a slow-moving neighborhood.(residential construction projects)
June 1, 2006... SOMETIMES, A GOOD PRODUCT NEEDS A little push to become a best-seller. That was the case with Waterford Village, a community of single-family homes full of desirable features. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was in a great location, and the...

Island camp-out: Lenox Homes grabs buyers' attention--and headlines.(real estate development)
June 1, 2006... CAMP-OUTS MAY BE COMMON IN CALIFORNIA and Florida, but in Memphis, Tenn., it was unheard of until Island Point hit the market--and it was big enough to make the news. Located on Mud Island, a peninsula in the Mississippi River, Island Point by...

Peacemaker: a builder offers a quiet neighborhood for military buyers.(residential construction)
June 1, 2006... LOCATED JUST FIVE MINUTES FROM Tinker Air Force Base, Liberty Trails had a simple mission, says Carol Williams, director of single-family homes for Oklahoma City-based builder GT Homes. "We really cater to the military;" she says. "During...

Riverfront makeover: a site with a tough history gets a new look.(Harborage on Braden River in Bradenton)
June 1, 2006... IT'S AN OLD STORY IN HOME BUILDING: One builder's disaster becomes another's dream development. That certainly was the case for The Harborage on Braden River in Bradenton, Fla. An old guava grove that had been overrun by Brazilian peppers, it...

Feel free to contact us builder.(website addresses)(Directory)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... One Thomas Circle, N.W., Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: 202-452-0800 Fax: 202-785-1974 URL: www.builderonline.com To Submit: * Letter to the editor:. BOYCE THOMPSON, editorial director bthompson@hanleywood.com *...

What's new on Builder Online: experts on our Web events gallery.(Website overview)
June 1, 2006... OUR REVAMPED AND RELAUNCHED WEB Events Gallery is up and running on BUILDER Online. With an improved interface, the Web Events Gallery is the place to view and hear the collective wisdom of home building pros. SEE IT NOW Using the free...

Oakwood, Raleigh, N.C.(North Carolina)(economic development)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... ALTHOUGH TAKES ITS NAME FROM A NEARBY CEMETERY filled with fallen Confederate soldiers, historic Oakwood is a vibrant community and the only remaining intact 19th-century neighborhood in Raleigh, N.C. Raleigh was planned from its conception to...