Builder articles from September 2000

Builder archives from September 2000

Cautious Optimism.(rise in housing starts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Despite the economy's mixed signals, builders and consumers are busy getting on with their lives. ALAN GREENSPAN MUST FEEL LIKE HE'S DEALING WITH a 10-year-old at the dinner table. He's told the kid six times in the last 14 months to...

BMAIL.
September 1, 2000... Call for Reaction HOORAY! WHAT A TERRIFIC ARTICLE ON the permit process (July issue, pages 132-159). If our industry is to survive, we must all become advocates. We must convince the public how we as builders raise, not lower, the quality...

Dot.Com Doldrums.(developing business plans for electronic commerce)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... The dot isn't enough to romance investors. Creativity and solid business plans are needed. NO LONGER IS THE BUSINESS OF DOT.COMS the dot. Solid business plans now recognize that the Internet is a conduit, not necessarily a destination. In...

Road Relocation.(cities improve livability by relocating or removing old freeways)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... As part of the general trend to improve the livability of downtown areas, cities around the country are removing or relocating old freeways, offering opportunities for infill development, and reconnecting areas that had become isolated...

Shades of Green.(Publis Policy Institute of California report dispels myths about public attitudes and environmentalism)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... A new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California peels away many stereotypes about public attitudes toward environmentalism. For example, Latino citizens, often miscast as apathetic, were the group most likely to perceive a "serious...

The Ins and Outs of Active Adult.
September 1, 2000... Forget shuffle board, urged Bill Becker at BUILDER'S Active Adult Conference held in Phoenix in June. Try boccie ball (sometimes called lawn bowling) instead. And water is an even more highly prized amenity than golf. Other preferences of...

Grass Houses.(high costs of building golf courses)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Despite appearances, luxury golf course communities in the Midwest can quickly end up in financial trouble. WICHITA, KAN., LIKE ALMOST EVERY OTHER place in the country, has a population with a growing appetite for golf But as a recent...

HOUSE CHAPLAINS FOR BUILDERS.(Weekley Homes hires chaplains for staff)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... David Weekley Homes is implementing another plan to improve the quality of life for its employees: in-house chaplains. The company will place two ordained ministers with counseling training--one male, one female--in each of 14 regional offices....

WASHINGTON'S BRICKLAYER SHORTAGE.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... After 30 years of popularity, Northern Virginia's last high school bricklaying program has closed. Even though the Washington, D.C., suburbs are enjoying their longest-running construction boom in recent memory and skilled masons are getting...

CALIFORNIA WAKE-UP CALL.(housing shortage)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Professor John Landis of the University of California at Berkeley has released the university's comprehensive analysis of California's unprecedented housing crisis. The study, conducted for the Department of Housing and Community Development...

BUILDER 100 Alert.
September 1, 2000... Do you belong on our expanding list of the country's largest builders? If you build more than 100 homes a year, send your address and phone number to rmaynard@hanleywood.com or by mail to R. Maynard, BUILDER, One Thomas Circle, N.W., Suite 600,...

Mall Protests.
September 1, 2000... The Washington, D.C., Fine Arts Commission's approval of a design and site for the newly proposed World War II memorial has stirred up controversy. While respectful of veterans, many people contend that the massive, closed-off memorial, set to...

Power Play.(Rick Skelton)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... An Atlanta developer creates progressive lofts in an historic shell. THE GE LOFTS ARE MORE THAN A HIP PLACE to live, they're a way of life. Developer Rick Skelton's motto for his new 48-unit building in downtown Atlanta is "the future in...

Spinmeisters.(Emily and Deborah Johnson)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... What every builder needs to know to be his own publicity strategist. SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC RELAtions pros Deborah and Emily Johnson have done what the best do best: teach others how to do what they do. The mother-daughter team has written a...

Costly Mistakes.(investigation of U.S. Home's construction project quality)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... Florida attorney general's investigation continues as two U.S. Home contractor licenses are suspended for poor work. AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOME owner complaints of shoddy construction work against U.S. Home in Sarasota, Fla., is ongoing,...

Rip-Roaring Along.(home construction companies' stocks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... Home builders cool on stock buybacks as industry gains stock value after last interest rate hike. Now that the stock value of most home builders is coming back around, Wall Street analysts expect most of the companies will hold off on...

The San Francisco Treat.(three-blade ceiling fan wins award)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... THE SAN FRANCISCO THREE-BLADE CEILING FAN, AVAILABLE WITH OR WITHOUT A LIGHT, won the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design's Good Design Award and was designated "A Product of Excellence" by the International Interior Design...

Strike a Blow.(titanium-head hammer)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... ONE SWING IS ALL IT takes. This 14-ounce, titanium-head hammer is lighter than wood, allowing for greater swing speed and faster nail driving. The hammer has total deadblow, which protects the user's wrists and forearms by preventing vibration...

Handy Holder.(tool holder for construction workers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... HANG UP YOUR HOLSTER. THE BIG LUGG TOOL holder clips to any tool belt or waist belt to keep tools within easy reach. The hook adjusts to fit most cordless drills, hammers, nail guns, and staple guns. When not muse, the holder slides out of the...

Out of the Blue.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... BLUE BEATS BORING ANY DAY. THE SUPERBA CONTOURED-DOOR REfrigerator offers a bold look and provides 19 percent more freezer space than the company's previous side-by-side models. The unit features an ice dispenser and removable ice bin, a...

Fast Track.(Excelerator garage door)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... THOUGH NOT FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET, THE Excelerator automatic garage door opener does open at a rate of 14 inches per second -- twice as fast as conventional garage door openers. The door closes at the regular speed of about 7 inches per...

Composite Sketch.(Colorado Wood door)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... THE COLORADO SERIES ENTRY DOOR, AN ALTERNATIVE TO smooth fiberglass and steel, is made of high-density wood composite skins and a poured-in-place polyurethane core. The doors combine the appearance and texture of traditional wood doors and have...

Rethink Space.(Roofs designed for heavy use)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Make a flat roof pull its weight. EXPENSIVE BEACHFRONT PROPERTY calls for using every square inch of space, so Florida architect Cary McWhorter and his client Bill Wright decided on a flat roof for Wright's Seagrove Beach home overlooking...

Seek Out Subsidies.(Beechwood Organization)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Tap affordable housing funds to supplement fickle buyer segments. IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE BEECHWOOD ORGAnization builds, "Someone could give you the land for free, but you couldn't sell a house for the amount it would cost you to...

Push Commercial.(Businesses needed in new residential areas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Hook buyers with strong retail. IN A NEW MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY, THE MORE RETAIL AND service businesses you provide early on, the better. That's the strategy that Phoenix-based Del Webb has taken in its Anthem Arizona project, which...

Lean Machine.(Palmer Homes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Pushed by competition from large national builders during a recession, Orlando, Florida's Palmer Homes survived -- and thrived -- by courting first-time buyers and partnering with local Realtors. CENTRAL FLORIDA EXPERIENCED tremendous...

Apocalypse Soon.(advent of Internet threatens to undermine local builders as mega builders gain instant access to raw demographic, zoning and other data)
September 1, 2000... Online access to local information gives big builders new tools for widespread consolidation. If they move aggressively, small builders could face rapid extinction. THE FIRST TIME CHESS GRAND MASter Garry Kasparov challenged IBM's "Deep...

Holding Court.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Q: How can I reorient the house, garage, and walls on a basic plan to create usable courtyard space? A: COURTYARDS OFFER A GREAT ADDITIONAL LIVING AREA AS WELL AS SECURITY, PRIVACY, and transition space. You can create dramatic courtyards...

Soft Landing?(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Buyers' confidence vacillates. CONSUMERS' CONFIDENCE IN THE economy took a tumble in June along with new-home sales, which decreased for the third consecutive month. And many builders around the country confirmed that at mid-year they saw...

Cut the Cord.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... The cordless tool market is on fire -- offering builders more power, better batteries, and more choices for almost every job. IN RECENT YEARS, THE CORDLESS TOOL market has exploded, giving builders greater opportunities to untether...

Light the Way.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... New landscape lighting designs give designers more options. WELL-PLACED LANDSCAPE LIGHTing not only increases security around the home, but also adds an eye-appealing finishing touch for warmth and curb appeal. Thanks to stronger materials,...

Wire Rules.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Do you know what kind of phone wire hides inside your new home's walls? If you don't, spec it for at least Category 3 or better. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted new minimum home wiring requirements for telephone, fax, and...

Crisis Worsens.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Three studies conclude many more low-income households spend more than half their income on housing. THREE INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTed housing studies recently reached strikingly similar and troubling conclusions: A housing affordability...

Slowdown Eases Supply Shortages.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Upside of slowdown is more laborers and lower materials prices. THE FEDERAL RESERVE HAS BEEN tightening monetary policy since mid-1999, and the interest-sensitive housing sector has been losing some ground since early this year. That's the...

Show Doubles.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... The Seniors Housing Show 2000 will team up with The Remodelers' Show, October 19-21, to give industry professionals a double incentive to attend. "Buyers in the 55-to-65 age group are healthier and wealthier than ever and expect their...

Builders Care Honored.(National Association of Home Builders Research)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Significant impact on society lauded. THE NAHB's HOME BUILDERS CARE PRO-gram has been elected to the Associations Advance America Honor Roll, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives. This...

Tony Townhomes.(Orange County, CA)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... In ever-pricey Orange County, Calif., Sare-Regis Homes markets a hot-selling alternative for first-time buyers: attached townhomes that appeal to the desire for low-maintenance living FINDING A HOME FOR UNDER $400,000 IN POSH ORANGE County...

Riviera Rocks.(Ashton Woods' residential construction project in Houston, TX)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2000... Houston-based Ashton Woods is moving in on its move-up competitors by offering California-inspired floor plans, materials, and details at Cinco Ranch. EAGER TO STAND OUT IN A TRADITIONAL "BOXY" MOVE-up market, Ashton Woods of Houston...

FAST TRACK.(Engle Homes Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Loretta Williams contributed to this report. Builders small and large are racking up awesome revenue gains. Check out our list of hotshots. WE'RE BACK WITH YEAR TWO OF OUR Fabulous list of fast-growing builders. Thanks to last...

SMART GROWTH.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Fast-growing builders share their secrets for maintaining top speed without spinning out of control. BILL LUTHER WILL CLOSE 500 homes this year. Just three years ago, his annual volume was 78. And a short seven years back, his company was...

RIVERFRONT REVIVAL.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... New Jersey's "Gold Coast" is booming with new housing. Fueled by Wall Street cash and new employers, the revitalized area is turning into Manhattan West on the Hudson. LONG BEFORE CITIES LIKE CHICAGO OR MIAMI had their "Gold Coasts," New...

ANATOMY OF A HEALTHY HOME.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... BREATHING EASY IS EVER MORE DIFFICULT. INDOOR AIR HAS THE UNWITTING POTENTIAL TO MAKE PEOPLE SICK. OUR QUEST FOR EVER-TIGHTER, MORE energy-efficient houses delivers hermetically sealed homes with amazingly negative consequences. Our...

GROUND BREAKERS 2000.(Larry West builds circular homes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Our first annual award competition for innovation and "out of the box" thinking attracted an eclectic mix of builders, inventors, and marketing creatives. We chose our seven winners for their unique approaches to problem solving, design,...

GRAND ENTRANCES.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION. TOURING A MODEL HOME SHOULD BE A series of pleasant experiences. Once the critical curb appeal test is passed, the next challenge is to impress prospective buyers with a fabulous...

Downsizing Solar.(United Solar Systems Corp.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
September 1, 2000... Whole-house solar collectors may never make it into mainstream housing, but smaller, PV-powered products have a brighter future. IT TOOK A NATURAL DISASTER FOR WADE WEBB TO CONSIDER solar electricity. In the wake of the 1994 Northridge...

Architect-In-A-Box.(Jose Duarte)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... New software may help average homes enjoy an architect's touch. A CURRENT HOME BUILDING BUZZ PHRASE IS "mass customization," the notion that all future homes will be unique and will cost no more than the average tract home. And if a new...

Yearly Check-Up.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Now available online: the annual State of the Nation's Housing report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The document contains 36 pages of charts, tables, and statistics that help track the progress of housing across the...

Spec Site.(ProcureZone.com)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... With a specification engine that will help buyers get the exact items they need for a job, ProcureZone.com hopes to stand out in the thick field of e-commerce Web sites that promise to connect buyers with construction materials and suppliers....

Mouth Free Calls.(Vocalmax)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... If you like to use your cell or cordless phone without your hands but don't want to look like Al Michaels announcing the Super Bowl, check out Vocalmax (www.vocalmax.com). A patented device distributed by Nomatec Technologies of Clearmont,...

Universal Server.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
September 1, 2000... Invensys Network Systems says it has a new device that can "future-proof" new homes and eliminate the need for structured wiring. Invensys vice president John Sharood says the newly introduced Control Server can communicate over phone,...

Sears Summit.(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Retailer wants to get appliances on speaking terms. SEVERAL MANUFACTURERS ARE DEVELOPING Internet-enabled kitchen appliances that promise to do everything from generating shopping lists to searching online for cooking instructions. But the...

Gee-Whiz Grazer.(Friendly Robotics)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
September 1, 2000... Robotic mower offers alternative to tedious lawn care. NOW THAT EVERYONE HAS A WEB SITE (you do, don't you?), how else can you promote your company as a high-tech builder? Friendly Robotics' RL500 Robomow offers an innovative answer. A...

Arkansas.(Mike Huckabee's place)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Manufactured Mansion. Governor Mike Huckabee and his family are moving into a three-bedroom, two-bath manufactured house. The house will be home for Arkansas' first family for two years while renovations are being made to the Governor's...

California.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Sold! San Bernardino County, Calif., is using the Internet to auction vacant land for back taxes. In June, the county listed 200 foreclosed properties at the online auction site of Yahoo.com and sold 27 parcels--just as many bids as it would...

Web Site Watch.(www.lehighgroup.com; www.alkco.com)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... If you're headed online to search for product information, point your browser to these new and redesigned Web sites. * www.lehighgroup.com: This redesigned site contains a complete catalog of various tying, storage, and organization...

Village Homes, Davis, Calif.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
September 1, 2000... IN THE '70S, MICHAEL AND JUDY CORBETT CONCEIVED AN ECO-logical village. This earliest "ecoburb" met the usual resistance: The fire department disliked 23-foot-wlde streets, and public works discouraged mixing home and farm. The 240 homes...

Holding Court.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2000... Courtyard homes are not for the custom market only. Brylen Homes has found a median-price market for this style among move-up and move-down buyers on Florida's Amelia Island. LOCATED ONE MILE FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND NEAR THE HISTORIC...