Builder articles from November 2000

Builder archives from November 2000

Home on the Web.
November 1, 2000... BOYCE THOMPSON Internet services have already begun to revolutionize--and simplify -- our everyday household routines. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO BUY THEIR GROCERIES ONLINE. THEY say it took a few hours to build the list of items they purchase...

BMAIL.
November 1, 2000... NIMBY-Minded THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT "GETTING it Built" article (July, page 132). I enjoyed it-the information is a wake-up call to all of us. It reminded me of the obstacles we face and how the anti-high-density urban sprawl citizens...

Callback.
November 1, 2000... ON PAGE 146 OF THE SEPTEMBER 2000 issue, we incorrectly stated the telephone number for Larry West and circle of Life Homes. The correct telephone number is 970-302-3082. We apologize for the error.

Predatory Loans.
November 1, 2000... Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae crack down on loan scams in 12 U.S. cities as predatory lending practices increase. LOAN SHARKS BEWARE: FREDDIE MAC AND 12 major U.S. cities are uniting to stem the rise in predatory lending practices nationwide,...

Lawn Litmus Test.
November 1, 2000... Looking for the conservative corporate shark on your street? Find the guy with the shortest, neatest lawn. To locate a creative artist, keep an eye out for the wild grass and flowers of a cottage garden. A new survey conducted in Toronto by...

Timely Term.
November 1, 2000... Less Than Freehold Estate: An estate or holding that has a predetermined time span, most commonly a leasehold. For example, a five-year lease on land is considered a less than freehold estate.

Web Users Multiply.
November 1, 2000... Think you're just reaching young techies with your Web marketing? Think again. Internet researchers at International Data Group predict the number of people online will almost double by 2004, from about 107 million to 210 million--meaning the...

New IHOUSING Fund.
November 1, 2000... Hanley-Wood, LLC, publisher of BUILDER and other magazines, has formed an investment fund named IHOUSING to invest in Internet companies targeting the home building and remodeling industry. The fund has made five investments to date, totaling...

A New Kind of Family.
November 1, 2000... Builders who haven't yet reconsidered the disappearing "Ozzie and Harriet" demographic should take note of a study by Rutgers University's National Marriage Project: It reports that the nation's marriage rate has fallen 43 percent over the past...

Mile-High Sprawl.
November 1, 2000... Colorado group's "Sprawl of Shame" list targets housing developments. RAMPAGING GROWTH IS PLAGUING COMMUNI-ties throughout Colorado, according to the "2000 Sprawl of Shame" report released by the Colorado Public Interest Research Group...

ATTENTION, PLEASE.
November 1, 2000... Workers get injured because they lack the ability to control their attention, asserts Robert Pater of Strategic Safety Associates in Portland, Ore. "Attention is as crucial as performance, productivity, and safety," he says. Pater developed a...

CITY SHELTER.
November 1, 2000... New York's Mayor Rudolph Giuliani says he is looking for solutions to the shortage of affordable housing that is forcing middle- and working-class residents to flee city life, reports The New York Times. Guliani's remarks were made in response...

BREEZES BLOW.
November 1, 2000... Research shows that oceanfront homes, formerly dependent on sea breezes, now use air conditioning more than ever, thanks to overbuilding. With the building of vacation homes on the rise, builders, architects; and consumers need to put more...

Perk Alert.
November 1, 2000... At the NAHB's Spring Boards futurist Edward D. Barlow Jr., reported on companies' use of a variety of benefits and perks to attract and retain employees. Among the most popular: * Stock options * Telecommuting * Adoption subsidy...

Harlem Renaissance.
November 1, 2000... Urban partners find a new way to maximize housing opportunities. Do you KNOW WHAT I LIKE TO Do?" ASKS JUNE Broxton. 'At night I turn on my porch light and cross the street to look at the homes. They are so beautiful." Broxton lives in the...

Fires on the Fringe.
November 1, 2000... Wildfires increase with population growth. THIS SEASON'S RECORD-BREAKING western wildfires once more have raised concerns about building on the fringe of the frontier. More than six million acres of grass, brush, and forestland burned this...

In the Pink.
November 1, 2000... Owens Corning's bankruptcy insulates it from spiraling asbestos claims as the company continues business as usual. IF HIS SEARCH FOR THE EVER-ELUSIVE Pink Panther took him through Toledo, Ohio, Inspector Clouseau would find Owens Corning,...

Dueling for Del Webb.
November 1, 2000... Industry consolidation continues as Wall Street predicted. The consolidation of The home building industry continued to accelerate in October as a European construction company announced its $465 million merger with Engle Homes, the...

Keep on Truckin'.
November 1, 2000... IT'S LIKE A GIANT TOOLBOX ON WHEELS. THE ROYAL SPORT TRUCK BODY FEATURES a large bed and up to 34 cubic feet of out-of-sight, lockable storage Space. The bed is large enough to hold a 4-foot-by-8-foot sheet of plywood, and includes eight...

Lock 'n Load.
November 1, 2000... THESE EQUIPMENT LOCKS, PART OF THE STRONGHOLD SERIES, protect construction equipment and other items from theft. The inground model (top) has reinforced steel anchor bars that can be buried up to 10 inches deep and secured with concrete....

Guiding Light.
November 1, 2000... GET A HANDLE ON THINGS, EVEN IN THE DARK. THE ASTER BRASS INterior door handle includes a phosphorus insert that makes it glow in the dark. The handle measures 5 inches long and comes in finishes of polished chrome and matte chrome. The unit is...

Below the Belt.
November 1, 2000... IF YOUR TOOL BELT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE Swiss cheese, try these on for size. This complete line of tool belts is offered in a lightweight, heavy-duty ballistic nylon that is abrasion- and moisture-resistant, and in thick, durable top-grain...

All Fired Up.
November 1, 2000... THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT CAN keep going and going with this B-vent gas unit. The fireplace is made with soapstone, which stores heat and slowly releases it to provide continuous warmth. A three-hour fire will provide heat for eight to 10 hours....

Hot Hues.
November 1, 2000... SEE THE LIGHTING ON THE WALL WITH BRIGHT SElections from the Linear Wall line of sconces. The fixtures are made with mouth-blown Murano glass and are available in cobalt blue, mint green, white, red, and amber. The mounting screws have a...

Sticks & Bricks.
November 1, 2000... As work proceeds on Live/Work 2001 in Atlanta, hidden costs take their toll. WORKERS IN METRO ATLANTA GET to enjoy the sunrise every morning. That's because commuter traffic has become so dense that if they don't reach the jobsite by 6:30...

Baltimore Bounces Back.
November 1, 2000... Once the gritty but prosperous manufacturing center of the Mid-Atlantic, Baltimore became the poster child for urban decay. Now a high-tech renaissance is underway. FEW AMERICAN CITIES WERE MORE badly battered by the collapse of the old...

Bath Class.
November 1, 2000... Q: How can I create interesting upgrade options in basic master bathroom spaces without increasing their size? A: LET'S FACE IT, SMALL HOMES PRESENT A BIG CHALLENGE WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING THE MASTER BATHS interesting. The basic three-piece...

Cheaper Lumber.
November 1, 2000... Builders exult, manufacturers wince as prices drop. IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS OF GOOD news for builders as lumber prices continued a slide that began last April. By the third week of October, the composite lumber price reported by Random...

Sound Off.
November 1, 2000... Sound control fiberglass insulation is a hard sell, but as buyers change their lifestyles, styles, it's become an option worth promoting. SOUND CONTROL INSULATION IS something your buyers can't see, but its presence can make a real...

Pull On This.
November 1, 2000... Pullout kitchen faucet sales are climbing, thanks to new styles, lower prices, and higher quality. AS FAR AS KITCHEN OPTIONS GO, pullout faucets are becoming an easy sell. New designs, better quality and lower prices are helping to make...

Strudler Inducted.
November 1, 2000... The NAHB inducted Robert J. Strudler into its Housing Hall of Fame on September 19. Strudler, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Lennar Corp., joined US. Home in 1972 and became its chairman in 1986. He pioneered the formation of the...

Checked List.
November 1, 2000... The NAHB Research Center has prepared a list of questions potential remodeling customers can ask previous customers to gauge the quality of the remodeler. Use them yourself to make sure you measure up. Once you're sure you do, give the list to...

Remodelers Report Card.
November 1, 2000... * Is the finished project what you thought it would be? * Was the project completed on time? Were there any big surprises along the way? * Did the remodeler keep you informed and address concerns? Did you have to ask him to correct...

Stop Regulatory Excess.
November 1, 2000... Some rules meant to protect inadvertently harm. REGULATION PERVADES OUR SOCI-ety, affecting virtually everything we do. From the federal government down to town councils, various agencies have the authority to tell us what to do and when,...

Labor Woes.
November 1, 2000... A soft landing means persistent labor shortages. BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN ECONOMIC expansions were followed by recessions, shortages of construction workers were temporary and labor surpluses developed quickly as the economy headed downhill....

Kalamazoo Care Cam Records.
November 1, 2000... Webcast blitz wows. IT TOOK 30 HOURS AND THREE MINUTES FOR THE HBA of Greater Kalamazoo, Mich., to "blitz build" its Habitat for Humanity house from the foundation up. Anyone could log on to http://fastbuilt2000.hbagk.org and see the...

Smart Growth.
November 1, 2000... Between now and 2010 the U.S. population will grow by 30 million. That fact of life means the nation needs between 1.3 and 1.5 million new homes per year just to meet demand. The NAHB has identified these smart growth initiatives. Keys to...

Spanish Treasure.
November 1, 2000... Beazer Homes strikes gold at Tesoro with Spanish-influenced architecture and modern TESORO--SPANISH FOR "TREASURE"--IS BEAZER HOMES' HOT-SELLING NEW CALIFORNIA coastal community that's attracting move-up and move-down buyers to San Marcos....

Tropical Chateau.
November 1, 2000... Classic Palm Beach--inspired styles and open floor plans created a sellout success for Puder-Siegel Homes' prosperous Mizner's Preserve. THREE HOT-SELLING MODELS AND ONE COMPLETE product sellout within a year have markedly boosted sales...

Saratoga Seduction.
November 1, 2000... Custom-style touches, privacy, and a country club lifestyle lured buyers away from local custom builders to Asbton Woods homes' spacious Saratoga model. SNAGGING BUYERS FROM CUSTOM BUILDERS isn't easy, but it can be done. Just ask the...

TOWNHOUSES GROW UP.
November 1, 2000... AS THE URBAN LIFESTYLE GAINS RENEWED RESPECT AND POPULARITY, AMERICA IS EXPERIENCING A TOWNHOUSE REVIVAL. FROM THE TERRACE HOUSES OF LONDON TO THE SWELL-FRONT bricks of Boston's Beacon Hill, New York's brownstones, Baltimore's modest rows,...

Earth SCIENCE.
November 1, 2000... DIRT IS PROBABLY MANS OLDEST BUILDing material. Adobe (mud brick) and earthen structures house one-third of the global population. Straw, perhaps the most renewable construction material, has a nearly 100-year-old legacy on our treeless Great...

RED ROCK REVERIE.
November 1, 2000... Sunrise Colony's Red Rock Country Club nestles sweetly between Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the proposed Western Beltway. "MASTER PLANNED, PRIVATE, EXclusive. Unmistakably the most prestigious address in all of Las...

A New Standard.
November 1, 2000... Providing high-speed Internet access to a new home isn't an option anymore. New Realities Computer ownership and use of the Internet has gone way past the hype stage; even the most conservative government data shows that the number of...

The DTE Solution.
November 1, 2000... A comprehensive, state-of-the-art telecommunications system, designed and installed at no cost to the builder, with revenue generated from each home sold. No, there's nothing wrong with this picture. Think about the process you as a builder...

Benefits to Builders and Developers.
November 1, 2000... Secure a competitive edge by offering the latest in telecommunications technology--and then profit form the home buyers who use it. There are several advantages to the DTE solution for builders and developers, offering tremendous potential...

Opportunities After Closing.
November 1, 2000... After the Sale Historically, a builder's profit from a home sale gets chipped away after close of escrow. Service call-backs, follow-up surveys, and other chores are necessary and costly, and there's no more revenue coming from that house...

Benefits to Homeowners.
November 1, 2000... Builders can become heroes to their home buyers with the latest technology and a choice of services and features. Under traditional circumstances, most home buyers have little or no choice of telecommunications services, especially their...

Taking the Next Step.
November 1, 2000... From the largest national builderdevelopers to 30 unit development builders, DTE offers the opportunity to boost your competitive edge and generate revenue after the sale of each house you build. Any project or subdivision equipped with DTE's...

MALE ORDER.
November 1, 2000... PROFANITY IS SPOKEN HERE. FOOTBALL GAMES OUTRANK OTHER ACTIVITIES. FOR MALE BUYERS, A DECKED-OUT BASEMENT CLINCHES THE DEAL. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE CHERRY cabinets and overstuffed furniture. These elaborately finished basements owe their...

Home Networking.
November 1, 2000... Consider this a home networking primer. We cut through the jargon to tell you what you, the builder, need to know. PLENTY OF BUILDERS SEE HOME NETWORKING technology as one more thing to complicate their ever-tightening schedules and cut...

Raising the Bar.
November 1, 2000... Experimental house brings innovation to manufactured homes. THE NEXTGEN MANUFACTURED HOUSE, A project built recently in Danbury, Conn., challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding HUD-code housing while introducing clever energy...

Cut and Paste.
November 1, 2000... A new Web site, www.symbolsexpress.com, gives CAD users a library of downloadable symbols that accurately represent actual building products. These symbols can then be placed into CAD drawings. The site has detailed drawings of more than 1,700...

Redladder Folds.
November 1, 2000... Just four months after paying a promotional visit to the BUILDER offices, San Francisco-based Redladder.com has closed up shop. Billing itself as the "contractor's place on the Web," Redladder.com claimed to have more than $20 billion in...

Paperless Partnership.
November 1, 2000... Timberline Software and e-commerce company ChanneLinx are teaming up in an effort to add various document-sharing capabilities to Timberline's upcoming Office software, which the company plans to release in the first half of 2001. This suite of...

Portal Play.
November 1, 2000... Thejobsite.com joins the battle for home builder transactions online. THEJOBSITE.COM, LAUNCHED IN MAY, IS A B2B e-commerce site based in Laguna Hills. Calif., that seeks to facilitate transactions and project management duties through its...

Light Speed.
November 1, 2000... New wiring technology blends best of coaxial and fiber. FIBER OPTICS ARE THE GOLD STANDARD OF data wiring, but if a new Cambridge, Mass., company has its way that could change. Founded by three professors at the Massachusetts Institute of...

California.
November 1, 2000... Coveted Coves. Orange County, Calif., is in the process of approving plans to develop several coastal parcels. Some 6,200 homes could be built along the county's 42-mile coastline, along with hotels, a convention center, and commercial...

Texas.
November 1, 2000... Polluted Projects. The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Dallas have released a three-part report on public housing and pollution. The research focuses on the number of federally subsidized housing projects that are within one...

Web Site Watch.
November 1, 2000... If you're headed online to search for product information, point your browser to these new and redesigned Web sites. * www.glulambbeams.org: Builders and design professionals will find the latest information on structural capacities, design...

Stairs, Molding & Millwork.
November 1, 2000... A Step above the Rest Craftsmanship is clearly evident in elements like stairs, molding and millwork where fine woodworking and elegantly crafted materials never go unnoticed. Details such as these draw people's attention and are rarely...

Southland Log Homes: Building on a Rich Heritage.
November 1, 2000... "Daniel Boone didn't build a log house because he was on the cutting edge of technology. He mastered this form of construct-ion because it's easy," says Joe Taylor, President of Southland Log Homes. But, just because it's easy and people have...

Riverside, Ill.
November 1, 2000... GREENBELT, GARDEN CITY, NEW TOWN. FREDERICK LAW Olmsted and Calvert Vaux pioneered their concepts in 1869 along picturesque Des Plaines River banks, 20 rail minutes from Chicago's Loop. Gas-lamped streets weave scenic passageways through town...

Only the Best.
November 15, 2000... Looking for the right house plan? Chances are we have it At BUILDER Magazine, we work hard to bring you the very best builder-oriented house plans in the market today. We strive to publish plans from the very best designers in the business,...

Carrier Corporation.
November 15, 2000... When you offer Puron[R], you get something back. Named America's Best Builder in 1998 by Builder magazine, the Drees Company values being a quality pioneer. So their Cincinnati office decided to install only air conditioners with Puron, the...

DuPont STAINMASTER[R].
November 15, 2000... DuPont STAINMASTER [R] carpet is unmatched by other products and has the the Advanced Teflon[R] Repel System. It is specially formulated to keep carpets 40 percent cleaner by repelling liquids and dry particulate matter that can cause staining...

Delta[R] Faucet.
November 15, 2000... The new pull-out spray wand from Delia Faucet, available an its Waterfalls[R] and Signature[TM] kitchen faucets, is ergonomically designed far ease of operation. It features an enlarged spray pattern, providing a powerful and robust spray. The...

G-P PrimeTrim[R].
November 15, 2000... Prime Trim[R] engineered wood trim by Georgia-Pacific is designed to replace lumber in non-structural exterior trim applications. Since PrimeTrim is engineered, it is free from defects found in lumber, such as knots, splits, checks and wane....

Society Brass Collection.
November 15, 2000... Make a statement of permanence and style -- fit your doors with solid forged-brass designs that came in a selection of six unique finishes. Distributed widely and offering a superior value over anything comparable, Society Brass Collection...

DuPont Corian[R].
November 15, 2000... Home buyers ore looking for ways to personalize their new home -- before they move in. Conan[R] solid surfaces offer the design flexibility for customized, inviting living spaces that are easy to care for. Authorized Distributors of Corian[R]...

Heatilator[R].
November 15, 2000... Ease of installation just got easier with the addition of two new Novus[R] fireplaces. The depth of these direct vent fireplaces measures 16 inches, allowing for installations where space constraints are an important factor. The option of top...

LASCO.
November 15, 2000... Available in an array of shapes and sizes, our oversized models will easily accommodate two relaxing bathers. Corner installations like the Kayla also offer decorative, efficient use of space. IASCO Bathware offers more features, more power,...

Masonite Corporation.
November 15, 2000... CraftMastere[R] Door Designs by Masonite, offering beauty and durability, outperform solid pine doors. Available in a variety of styles, sizes and finishes, doors made with CraftMaster designs are an ideal fit with today's trends of painted...

Marvin Windows and Doors.
November 15, 2000... The Marvin Clad Ultimate Double Hung has a state-of-the-art window design combined with the style and beauty of an earlier era. The exterior cladding looks like finely milled wood. The interior offers authentic looking lines and hardware, plus...

MonierLifetile.
November 15, 2000... MonierLifetile carries a broad range of concrete roof tile products to meet the vast needs of building markets across the county. MonierLifetile offers an industry-best, limited lifetime, fully transferable, non-prorated warranty, a proven...

Sub-Zero.
November 15, 2000... Built-in home refrigeration never looked so good. From the classic lines of the 600 Series to the innovative approach of point-of-use refrigeration with the 700 Series to the creative and stylish design of four new wine storage models, Sub-Zero...

Therma-Tru Doors.
November 15, 2000... New 8' tall Classic-Craft[R] fiberglass doors are breathtaking. They're available in a traditional six-panel style, measuring 42" in width, and a variety of nine panel styles, measuring 36" in width. Backed by a lifetime-limited warranty, the...

GRAND MANOR.
November 15, 2000... Designer Stephen Fuller has created a place for his parents where every room reveals his character and the spaces are livable as well as out-of-this-world beautiful. This Georgian-style home was crafted to blend Fuller's sophisticated design...

Inner Space.
November 15, 2000... Each year, builder Jeff Junkert finds a plan that impresses him, then qualifies the design for entry into the local HBA-sponsored Parade of Homes. One of the top-rated builders in Billings, Montana, Junkert views the Parade as one more...

Designer Profiles.
November 15, 2000... We'd like to introduce you to some of BUILDER's top-notch designers. They are the talent behind the innovative house plans featured in the Best-Selling House Plans section on pages 27--40. This section displays their creativity, ingenuity,...

Screened Porch.
November 15, 2000... Vaulted and volume ceilings highlight this extraordinary one-story design. Amenities include a spacious family room with a fireplace, a formal dining room, and a breakfast area with access to the screened porch. The master suite features a...

Open Interior.
November 15, 2000... Here's a European Country home that builds anywhere. Open interior spaces and great amenities such as a rear courtyard and spa create a livable and ultra-2001 environment. Formal rooms flank the foyer, and the dining room features a...

Heart of the Country.
November 15, 2000... This wonderful design begins with a wraparound porch. The great room includes a wall of windows and a fireplace. Upstairs, the owners suite. contains corner windows and a whirlpool tub. Two secondary bedrooms have interesting angles and a third...

Suite Home.
November 15, 2000... This country plan boasts arch-top windows, classic dormers and paired wood columns. The foyer leads to a spacious living room, which provides a two-story ceiling, central fireplace and access to the breakfast nook. Nearby, the kitchen features...