Builder articles from March 2000

Builder archives from March 2000

Column.com.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... As the pace of the digital revolution accelerates, more builders are entering the e-commerce race. SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT, THE GREAT INTERNET DRAMA--with its highly capitalized players declaring huge change in the status quo--has hit the home...

BMAIL.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Praise for the New Look AFTER READING the January issue last night, I felt I needed to congratulate you on the new format. This has to be the best BUILDER that I've ever read. You've done an outstanding job. BOB WHITE CUSTOM HOMES...

McMansions Passe.(huge houses give way to more modest ones)
March 1, 2000... Further evidence that McMansions are out and house sizes are plateauing BOSTON-AREA ARCHITECT GRAHAM GUND recently tore down his brand new monstrous four-story custom home and replaced it with a more modest three-story. Over Christmas he...

Night Moves.(Kaufman and Broad open first-24-hour sales office in Las Vegas, Nevada)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Leave it to Las Vegas, with its round-the-clock lifestyle, to yield the first 24-hour home builder sales office. Kaufman and Broad started the operation in January, after sales people in its Monaco community had customers dropping by in the...

Big Deal.(Lennar Corp., U.S. Homes merge)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Talk about industry consolidation! Mega builders Lennar Corp. and U.S. Home are becoming one. In 1998, Lennar and U.S. Home, both 46-years-old, were the country's 5th and 7th largest builders, respectively. Together, the companies delivered...

Tech Labs.
March 1, 2000... Don't miss Hands-On BUILDER: The Technology Lab for Builders, May 22-23 at Civano in Tucson, Ariz. Cosponsored by BUILDER, PATH, and Fannie Mae, this seminar covers advanced building technologies.

Smarter Fire Alarms.(replace conventional smoke detectors, industry paper says)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... A recent industry paper on smoke alarm technology suggests that conventional smoke detectors are gradually being replaced by "addressable" units, particularly in commercial buildings. Almost 50 percent of installed smoke alarms now fit that...

Making Waves.(San Diego, California builders join city's anti-pollution effort)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Builders Mike and Neal Reynolds, avid surfers and scuba divers, are fed up with polluted water. Co-founders of Reynolds Communities in San Diego, they've decided to combat the problem by signing on with the city's "Think Blue" storm drain...

Water Bill Compromise.(California builders decide not to oppose new legislation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... California legislation requires adequate water for residential projects. BUILDERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE DROPPED their opposition to legislation that makes the approval of some residential developments dependent on the presence of adequate...

BUILDER's editors pick the best, worst, and strangest housing-related news.
March 1, 2000... LABOR LEADER: Dallas-based Centex Homes donated $1 million to the National Housing Endowment's scholarship program for students pursuing home building careers. PC JARGON: PR specialist Jane Wheeler of Roni Hicks Communications in San Diego...

Feng Shui for Dummies?(Andrew Ballantine Technology offers feng shui computer program)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... British company Andrew Ballantine Technology programs "Software for Feng Shui." This interactive feng shui and Chinese astrology computer program is equally accessible for curious first-time users and dedicated feng shui experts. A featured...

Happy Returns.(Web-launch allows builders to do yield management)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Multifamily builders have a new tool. Yield management, the practice of maximizing revenues, is now available online via www.yieldstar.com. Whether used during boom times or not, the Charlotte, N.C.-based Web launch allows builders to do their...

Up In Smoke.
March 1, 2000... Forest City Enterprises breathes new life into Tobacco FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, THE CENTURY-OLD warehouses and factories left over from Richmond, Va.'s, days as the tobacco capital of the world have stood abandoned along the banks of the...

Flat-Dweller Fancies.(builders capitalize on new trends)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Don't miss these key trends in multifamily design as reported by Johannes Van Tilburg URBAN LOFTS ARE HOT LONG waiting lists attest to their popularity. Condos are back. Builders are working our solutions to liability issues as demand...

Fast Track.
March 1, 2000... Don't miss your chance to be on this year's list of fastest-growing builders. To submit your information to BUILDER, fill out and fax to us the Fast Track form on page 112 of this issue, or call 202-736-3455.

Show Us Your Site.
March 1, 2000... We're sponsoring a head-to-head Web site competition for builders, dealers, and manufacturers. We'll submit all the sites to a panel of judges. The winners in each category will be announced on June 13 at BUILDER'S ground breaking ihousing...

Finally Home.(builder Sam Morrow helps older couple buy their first home)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Remember Herman and Julie Jefferson, the couple BUILDER featured in its July 1999 special report on affordable housing? In their 70s, they've finally been able to buy their first home. AT PRESS TIME LAST JULY, THE JEFFERSONS were using...

Did You Know?(NRS Consumer Research provides some building-related answers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... How much business do referrals generate? What percentage of your sales should go to marketing? While statistics may vary, NRS Consumer Research of Madison, Wis., offers its take on these issues and more. (Watch for a more in-depth feature on...

Flower Power.(Kohler co. adds cast iron sink)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... RESEMBLING A BLOOMING flower, this cast iron sink is the latest addition to Kohler's Vessels collection of above-counter lavatories. It can be installed self-rimming or wall-mounted. Designed to be reminiscent of designs from the 1950s, the...

Man of Steel.(introduces collection of hardware)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... HELPING OPEN DOORS AND HANG up coats, man-shaped hardware takes the human form to a functional level in the home. For both interior and exterior spaces and furnishings, this collection of solid bronze knobs, pulls, and hangers ranges in size...

Hot Stuff.(Concinnity offers polished brass sinks)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... THE ADVENT OF HOT WATER dispensers for sinks made it more efficient and economical to get instant hot water. Now Concinnity offers two designs and a new finish: polished brass. The dispenser is compatible with most hot water tanks on the market...

Fast Framed.(wood framing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... PREFABRICATED WOOD FRAMING SYSTEM CAN BE ERECTED IN HALF the time of traditional post-and-beam systems, say their supporters. The KES System uses prefabricated components made of either solid sawn or engineered wood products. A patented...

Jet Action.(jet massage)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... BUBBLES AND JET MASSAGES make these baths popular with customers who are trying to stay sane in their fast-paced lives. Made from cast acrylic, whirlpool baths have jets that produce both strong and soft massage action, backrests with massage...

Sound of Silence.
March 1, 2000... IF YOU'RE BUILDING NEAR FREEWAYS AND AIRPORTS, IT'S NOW EASIER TO provide protection from the roar of engines. This window series achieves some of the highest sound transmission class ratings available in the residential window industry. Units...

Tune Up Your Web Site.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Is your borne page all that it can be? Here's how to make it better. BUILDER RECENTLY VISITED 50 HOME BUILDER Internet sites. We found some great ones. But we also found that the average site doesn't provide enough content to entice a...

Double Your Return.(secondary income from housing design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Got good plans? Find another market for them. BOOM OR BUST, THERE'S NO SAFER FEELING THAN having ancillary profit centers. New Jersey builder and architect Michael Pagnotta, who built 25 homes last year, picked up an additional $150,000 in...

Reward Fidelity.(retaining employees)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... It takes more than a paycheck to retain key managers in this tight labor market. WHEN THE JOB MARKET IS SO HOT THAT managers leave for a few dollars more, it's time to stack the deck in your favor. That's why companies like Jackson...

A Divine Deal.(affordable housing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The Drees Co. found an innovative way to develop affordable housing for the community. YOU'VE SPENT A COUPLE YEARS working through a tough subdivision at a snail's pace when you come up against a few dozen lots at the end that will be...

Public Report Card.(public home builders)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2000... Public builders end the millennium with a bang AS YOU ANXIOUSLY AWAIT BUILDER'S annual ranking of the top 100 home builders, published each May, we offer you this sneak peek at the top 10 public home builders (by gross revenue). These...

Just Ask!(developing amidst anti-sprawl concerns)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Otay Ranch developers won over an anti-sprawl public by soliciting citizen input on a large scale. TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND ACRES: an amount of land that normally causes Southern California developers to salivate. That's the size of the...

Manifest Density.(new urbanism)
March 1, 2000... THE LITE BEER COMMERCIALS BY Miller, once so popular, gained their fame by having ex-jocks and other assorted celebrities stand at a bar, hold up a glass of amber-colored liquid, and repeat the slogan, "Tastes great, less filling." Is New...

Kitchen Recipes.(kitchen design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Q: I am building a new community with several housing types, including a small cottage-like product, a move-up model, and a large plan for a growing family. Can you suggest some kitchen/breakfast nook configurations for each? A: NO LONGER...

Price Hikes.(housing industry)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Highest home prices ever reflect builders' move upmarket. RISING PRICES SHOW THAT BUILDERS continue to enjoy a seller's market in most areas. In the Northeast and in California, according to NAHB economist Michael Carliner, prices are still...

Against the Flow.(low-flow toilets)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... As homeowners look back in anger, they blame the stinkers who installed their lousy low-flow toilets. Are you sitting down? They may be right. HUMORIST DAVE BARRY WANTS TO make low-flow hoppers an election issue this year. "Don't let a...

Lap of Luxury.(home luxury products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Prosperous and healthy, today's booming economy is making luxury options more accessible to buyers. WHETHER THEY'RE BUYING AN entry-level townhouse, a high-end custom home, or something in between, today's customers are looking for a...

Show Stoppers.(kitchen and bath exhibitions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Exhibitors at this year's Kitchen/Bath Industry Show will unveil an array of new technologies and designs that give builders and buyers more choices than ever before. STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCTS, BRUSHED nickel faucet finishes, and quieter...

Get Wired.(electronic news service)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The NAHB Research Center and PATH (Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) recently launched an electronic news service called ToolBase/PATH-news. Through weekly and biweekly e-mail messages, subscribers receive information on the...

Say It Proudly.(building industry's image)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Bob Mitchell encourages builders to participate in his cornerstone initiative to bolster the industry's image. AS BUILDERS, WE TARE PRIDE IN the houses we build and the neighborhoods we create. We hope that our customers will think enough...

Reconsider Lot Strategies.(housing industry)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2000... Seiders suggests lot inventory strategies for small-volume builders in view of the anticipated housing downturn. THE HIGH NUMBER OF SINGLE-family housing starts at the end of the '90s consumed large numbers of building lots. Furthermore,...

Rock the Vote.(building industry and political participation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Strongly support a candidate in this year's presidential election? Want to have a voice at the national level? The NAHB wants you. In an effort to ensure that housing is a top priority in the upcoming presidential elections, the NAHB is...

Troubled Waters.(environmental standards)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... This April, two things will be inevitable: taxes and TMDLs (total maximum daily loads). Every two years states are required by the EPA to submit a list of all the bodies of water in the state that do not meet water quality standards--and April...

March Showcase Project.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Improving lives through education. CHOICE HUMANITARIAN RELIES ON VOLUNteers such as Salt Lake City's MAC Development to meet its mission: improving human lives through education and empowerment. Bruce McMullin, a three-year-plus volunteer,...

Like Fine Wine.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... At K. Hovnanian's Four Seasons, sophisticated active adults wet their palates with such model names as Merlot, Sauvignon, and Cabernet, and are gulping nine units a month in a typically slow selling season. NEW JERSEY'S ACTIVE ADULT BUYERS...

Catered-to Customers.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Everyone knows home purchases are emotional. Wyndham Farm's appeal to buyers' psyches is rocketing sales to 10 a month. WYNDHAM FARM PREFERS "HOMESITE" TO "LOT." ITS SALES staff calls standards "premium included features." Simple but...

Everything Included.(standard home features)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Beating competitors' prices by $10,000 to $15,000 and including standard amenities other builders tack on as extras, California's Highland Ranch has become a sales success. FIREPLACES, TILE COUNTERTOPS, TILED ENTRIES, and half-wall exterior...

SIZZLE AND SPLASH.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... A flair for the dramatic. A keen sense of the pragmatic. That's what it takes to make kitchens and baths stand out in a market glutted with great ones. Tour six fabulous homes that provide awesome places to socialize and spaces for intimate...

BOSTON UNCOMMON.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... A revolutionary harborside infill project raises cheers from Beantown's empty-nesters and young professionals. THE BOSTON AREA IS RICHIN HISTORY, and Chapman's Reach at Marina Bay in Quincy, Mass., is no exception. Named for 18th-century...

MON CAUSE.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... On a sequestered site in rural New England, a handful of small, detail-oriented builders have become part of an increasingly popular alternative lifestyle-cohousing. FROM THIS HIGH VANTAGE point, you can see snow dervishes at play They...

BATHING BEAUTY.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... TODAY'S BATHROOMS MAKE THE GRADE WITH LUXURIOUS AMENITIES AND CRAFTY INNOVASIONS. SECOND ONLY TO THE ALMIGHTY kitchen, consumers rate the bathroom as a sale clincher when buying a new home. Bigger, better, bolder baths are now the rule...

TRADES RULE!
March 1, 2000... Now that trades are in the driver'S seat, how can builders win their loyalty? OR CAN THEY? PAUL WILLIAMS TILE, OF PALM Desert, Calif., turned away $17 million worth of builder work last year. For the first time in its 18-year history the...

Get Real With 3-D.
March 1, 2000... New low-cost software claims to create better virtual home tours than any soft ware now on the market. VIRTUAL REALITY HAS ACHIEVED VIRTUAL UBIQUITY among Realtors. With Bamboo.com offering introductory "whole house walk-through" specials...

Electric Dreams.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Is electrical wiring the answer for home networks? WHILE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR SPEEDY Internet service and in-home networking has created a brisk market for structured wiring, the $2,000 or so cost per home can make some homeowners and...

TND Net.(traditional neighborhood design)
March 1, 2000... The traditional neighborhood design trend has spilled onto the Internet, where tndhomes.com hopes to be your resource for all things TND. The site contains lengthy articles touting TND's benefits, links to other useful Web sites that explore...

Software of Steel.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The North American Steel Framing Alliance has launched a takeoff and estimating software program tailored to residential steel framing, Called SteelXpert, the program "reduces the burdens associated with using steel framing for builders and...

Internet on Demand.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... No more waiting to go online when the phone is busy or someone else is on the Web. OnQ's latest home-wiring entry, an eight-port 10/100 network hub, gives up to eight users simultaneous high-speed Internet access. Now when a teenager is...

Web Pads.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Sears & Roebuck brought consumers kit houses in the early part of the 20th century. In the new millennium, they're purveying the wired revolution to consumers, according to Alan Lacy, Sears' president, and Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun...

Valuable Tool.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... BRIAN ENNIS KNOWS TEAT COMPUTER-ASSISTED design (CAD) can save you time and money and give you more control over the design process. Ennis has change orders down to a science. With a flick of his wrist, he can increase the size of a bedroom or...

Broad Vision.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Panoram makes the case that wider is better HERE'S AWAY TO PUT SOME PUNCH INTO your next virtual-reality presentation: the Panoram PV290. This wraparound computer monitor measures 43.5 inches wide by 12.5 inches tall and boasts 3.9 million...

Tasteful Choice.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The elegant columned entrance and the symmetrical window fenestration on this two-story design create fantastic curb appeal. Once inside, the grand foyer faces the stairwell and leads to the great room or the kitchen. An open and practical...

Peek-A-Boo.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The quaint facade of this narrow design only gives buyers a peek of the beguiling interior to come. The covered front porch protects the glass door with its sidelights and transom. The foyer opens to the dining room and the great room -- their...

Open Door Policy.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... There's no excuse for closing untidy bedroom doors when guests show up since everyone can store their stuff in a walk-in closet. Both formal and casual entertaining spaces fill this classic design. The downstairs bedroom can serve as a guest...

BUILDERPLANS.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Light It Up This design will light up any neighborhood with its abundance of windows and transoms. The volume great room reveals an entire wall of transomed windows that continue around the corners as well. Other highlights include the...

True Blue French.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... This French colonial design is true to style with its two-story gallery covered by the main roofline. The hipped roof, raised first level, and rectangle shape are also typical of the early 17th-century French colonial homes. Multiple sets of...

Bedazzled.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Get ready to be dazzled the minute you step off the endless wraparound porch and into the two-story foyer. A stone fireplace rises to the ceiling in the great room that flows directly into the breakfast nook and U-shaped kitchen. Beyond the...

Dressed Up.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... A facade dressed to impress using fine details that begin with the full-length columned portico topped by a dentiled cornice. Impress homebuyers with the columned entrance to the formal living room, a sweeping curved staircase, a raised hearth...

James Hardie Siding Stands Firm Against Mother nature.
March 1, 2000... There is no question that Mother Nature has a mind of her own. When her temper flares, there is nothing any homeowner can do to stop it. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't help your clients prepare themselves as best they can. A great way...

Lap of Luxury.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Luxurious living is easily accomplished in this well-designed home. The spectacular columned living/dining room greets visitors with bayed windows and a blazing fire. Just beyond is the ingenious angled stairwell that soars to the second story....

Exquisite Taste.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The brick, triple-arched entryway of this home is just one indication of the ageless style throughout. A two-sided fireplace connects the study and massive living area, two galleries join the master suite wing and the casual/family wing, and...

Vaulted Formality.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Two-story windows and triple gables dominate this arresting facade. The living room's vaulted 13-foot ceiling makes another memorable impression. The drama continues with the corner column that defines the dining room. French doors and radius...

Madison Cottage.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... The front gables and a double-columned porch give the exterior of this home timeless appeal. Inside, the front of this plan is devoted to a formal dining room and a secluded study with a cozy fireplace that could double as a nursery. Continue...

Little House on the Prairie.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Or build it on a small lot in a bustling city neighborhood. The interior space is well appointed -- with every visitor being greeted by a two-sided fireplace that also warms the great room. The corner dining room reveals both canted and boxed...

Angled Elegance.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... A lovely covered porch welcomes family and guests to this elegant home. The two-story entry opens to the conventional living room defined by boxed columns. An ingeniously designed kitchen boasts an angled snack bar and corner pantry. The...

Colonel Mustard.
March 1, 2000... In the library. Or was it Professor Plum in the spacious kitchen with an island facing the windowed breakfast area? How about Mrs. Marple in the great room with its corner fireplace, defining columns, and triple doors across the back wall? It...

BUILDERPLANS.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Aptitude For Arches The grandiose arched loggia entry and arched windows are combined for a show-stopping facade. Luxury permeates every inch of the interior with well-designed features in each room. Octagon tray ceilings grace the great...

Belle Haven.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... This Southern belle would be a haven for any prospective buyer. The columned portico is capped by regal pediment and an elliptical window. Interior amenities begin with a two-story foyer, a columned living room, and double sets of French doors...

Gable Fable.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... This home could be right out of a fairy tale with its gabled, dormered, and arched facade. Oversized multi-paned windows and brick accents add to the delightful exterior. This admirable story continues inside with cathedral and tray ceilings, a...

Higher Learning.(home design)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... With a bayed study and convenient master sitting room, a home office is an easy assignment. For study breaks, a huge kitchen with a stovetop island, bright breakfast nook, and separate laundry room serves the purpose. Fireside readings in...

Harbor Town, Memphis, Tenn.
March 1, 2000... ISLAND HARBOR IN MEMPHIS' CITY SHADOW MIGHTY Mississippi flows sweet past Mud Island. Street grid a La Burnham, axial boulevard spiced. For developer Henry Turley, about emotion as much as building, it calls your name. "Neighborhood profoundly...

[0] BUILDERPLANS.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Brilliant Bungalow A vine-covered arbor shades the entrance into this quaint, well-planned bungalow Perfect for a country cottage or a small lot, this compact plan has big character. A galley kitchen provides workspace too with its...

[1] BUILDERPLANS.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Tall Order A tall arched entry creates impressive curb appeal! The sleek facade finished with sturdy stucco would be an asset to any community. Inside, the design is open and bright with all of the contemporary amenities. A considerable...

[1] BUILDERPLANS.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2000... Picture Perfect A fabulous stone and stucco facade with open gables and curved windows creates unbelievable curb appeal. Interior spaces are efficiently designed for free and easy traffic flow Living room and foyer ceilings rise to a...

A Home for the Ages.
March 15, 2000... BUILDER'S LifeStages Home is now available as a house plan We had no idea when we started designing the LifeStages home just how popular this showhome would be. Thousands of people toured the six-unit manufactured home, which was situated...

The People's Home.
March 15, 2000... Christopher Hartke, owner of Hartke and Co., is a custom home builder with a panache for marketing. He was seeking a new twist for Vancouver, Washington's Parade of Homes, when the inspiration hit to design the ideal Washington home using...

Three Part Harmony.
March 15, 2000... When Steve and Ravonda Jones asked Steve's brother, Paul Jones, to build them a home. Paul immediately called Mike Nelson of Nelson Design Group. The two have worked together on projects for over ten years, and Paul knew Nelson would be able to...