Builder articles from September 2006

Builder archives from September 2006

Keep 'em happy: it will take some tough measures to prevent cancellations.(EDITOR'S NOTE)(Editorial)
September 1, 2006... "WHAT CAN I DO TO IMPROVE MY CANCELlation rate?" That was a question asked at the end of a presentation I gave to a group of 150 battle-ready builders in Phoenix this summer. Sales of new homes there are off 33 percent through May "For...

America's immigrant workforce.(B MAIL)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... IN THE JULY EDITION OF BUILDER MAGazine I read with great interest your lead editorial ("Tough Choices," page 21) and multipart special report ("Into the Limelight," page 88) on illegals working in our construction industry. I must respond...

Callback.(B MAIL)(Correction notice)
September 1, 2006... IN THE LOCAL LEADERS CHART FOR the Myrtle Beach/Conway/North Myrtle Beach, S.C., metro area (June, page 146), the number of closings listed for Centex Corp. (No. 2 on the chart) was incorrect. The correct number is 927, which makes Centex the...

Calendar.(BOOK IT)(Calendar)
September 1, 2006... SEPTEMBER 12-15 JLC Live Midwest, Minneapolis Presented by the JOURNAL or LIGHT CONSTRUCTION, TOOLS OF THE TRADE, and REMODELING magazines, JLC Live provides the perfect showcase for this high-growth residential construction...

Impact fee relief: two important impact fee decisions give builders more ammo to fight similar cases nationwide.(LEGAL TRENDS)
September 1, 2006... HOME BUILDERS ARE MAKING SOME HEADWAY in their long fight to prove that impact fees are nothing more than illegal taxes as two recent decisions--one in Mississippi, the other in North Carolina--ruled in favor of the builders. The courts...

ARM wrestling.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS COOL STUFF)(Adjustable Rate Mortgage)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Once a financing option tapped largely by the wealthy, ARMs are now more likely to go to people in the lowest income categories--i.e., those who are least able to afford the investment risk-according to a new study by the University of...

Rental rebirth.(new condos to rental properties )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... As the real estate market cools, a huge number of new condos could be converted to rental properties over the next 18 months. In Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Washington, and much of Florida, an estimated 25 percent to 40 percent of condos...

I do (want a house).(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS COOL STUFF)(a survey on American adults prefernce on spending for Wedding or House)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A new survey from KB Home reports that given the option, American adults would rather have a house than a fancy wedding. In a telephone survey, 92 percent of 1,000 adults said that if they were about to get married and were also in the market...

Trust worthy.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The city of Milwaukee should put up $5 million next year to start a housing trust fund to help provide much-needed low-income housing, according to a task force assigned to research the issue. The 13-member task force, formed earlier this year,...

Gulf Coast blitz.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS COOL STUFF)
September 1, 2006... Habitat for Humanity founders Millard and Linda Fuller will host a 10-house blitz build in Shreveport, La., from Sept. 17 to 23. The Fullers, who were fired from the organization in 2005, promptly started The Fuller Center for Housing to...

Scholarly appraisal.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS COOL STUFF)(ifluence of Educational standards on land values)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... School performance has long been a factor in home buyers' decisions about where to live. But how much of a premium do homes in "good" school districts command? One recent study by researchers at Ohio State University and Louisiana State...

Property wars: a copyright case with far-reaching implications for big builders is back on the docket.(COURT ACTION)(Rottlund Company Inc.)(Town and Country Homes Inc.)
September 1, 2006... AT WHAT POINT DOES A COMPETITOR'S ARCHITECtural design pass beyond "similar"? An ongoing court dispute between Minneapolis-based Rottlund Co. and Town and Country Homes (which builds in Minnesota and Illinois) could illuminate the tipping point...

Saving a safety net: Florida's insurance crisis hits home builders.(INSURANCE MARKET)
September 1, 2006... RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCtion in Florida received a temporary reprieve in late July; when Citizens Property Insurance Corp. agreed to continue writing builders risk policies through the end of 2006. In June, the nonprofit insurance company...

Pricey parks.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The cost of constructing public parks has grown as cities and towns respond to residents' desires for walking trails, community facilities, and ball parks. According to Sacramento, Calif., consulting firm Economic and Planning Systems, local...

Kitchen confidential: Consumer Reports puts the spotlight on kitchen design and appliances.(DESIGN NOTES)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... THE KITCHEN IS CONSIDERED THE MOST IMportant room in the house, so it is imperative that it be efficient. The August issue of Consumer Reports identifies the five worst goofs people make when designing kitchens and offers advice on how to fix...

Home safe: a new Web site offers practical advice on building healthier homes.(INTERNET PICK)(www.saferbuilding.com)(Website overview)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... UNLESS THEY'RE WAY AHEAD of the curve, most builders don't know much about making homes healthier. A new Web site, www.saferbuilding.com, hopes to change that. Aimed at builders, Realtors, and consumers, the site is a clearinghouse for...

Gate keepers.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... More private homeowners are eschewing the white picket fence in favor of the electronic gate, The Wall Street Journal reports. The trend is fueled by safety concerns as well as the desire for more privacy. National statistics are unavailable,...

Elbow room.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(rules and regulations for residential and commercial zone)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Planners in Charlotte, N.C., have proposed new rules that require more distance between homes and industrial businesses, as well as buffers of shrubs and trees. The regulations would also keep the heaviest industries such as junkyards and...

Will the new deal fly? The U.S. and Canada settle their lumber quarrel--or do they?(LUMBER AGREEMENT)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... THE ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN LUMBER TRADE deal between the United States and Canada may be off again, say Canadian officials and industry executives. Trade reps from both sides trumpeted a breakthrough agreement in April after Canada's Conservatives...

Fed up with the feds: employers are targeted as states and municipalities pass their own laws to address illegal immigration.(IMMIGRATION REFORM)
September 1, 2006... AS CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE ON immigration reform drags on, states and municipalities from coast to coast are taking matters into their own hands. Dozens of state laws and local ordinances have been passed, many of them targeting business owners...

Long road home: a year after Katrina's devastating hit, Gulf Coast builders and communities are still in the early stages of a tough struggle to remake their region.(REBUILDING DIXIE)
September 1, 2006... IT TOOK ONLY A FEW HOURS ON AUG. 29, 2005, for Hurricane Katrina to scrub whole towns off the shores of Mississippi and Louisiana. Weeks were spent rescuing stranded citizens from the rooftops of New Orleans. As months go by, the worst-hit...

Flame on.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... THE FUEGO OI IS A MODERN DEPARTURE FROM THE traditional outdoor grill. Measuring 42 inches wide, the unit has a fully retractable stainless steel lid, a modular storage system, electronic controls, and a teak and slate countertop. Hidden swivel...

Zip it.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... THE ZIP SYSTEM, ITS MAKER SAYS, MEANS YOU NOW CAN BUILD A house without roof underlayment. ZIP consists of 1/2-inch OSB panels with a built-in moisture barrier and tape for seams, valleys, and ridges. It eliminates roofing underlayment, felt...

Column cover.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)(Column)
September 1, 2006... WRAP 'N' SNAP COLUMN COVERING TRANSFORMS A treated post into a finished unit. The product has premitered corners and locking grooves. It is made of cellular PVC, so it will not peel, rot, or dent, the company says. The product is available in...

Redi made.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... A BUILT-UP MASONRY SHOWER PAN IS AN EXCELLENT OPTION for tile installation, but it is time consuming and labor intensive. Tile Redi offers a solution. Offering a lifetime leakage warranty the product, a one-piece shower stall pan, allows tries...

Magnetic attraction.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... THIS TAPE HAS A MAGNETIC TIP THAT ALLOWS ONE PERSON to take and record measurements over longer spans on steel studs. The company says the tip can also be used to pick up screws, nuts, and bolts. It also has an end hook that can be used to...

That's a wrap.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... DELTA-DRY IS PERHAPS THE MOST UNUSUAL HOUSEwrap on the market. Unlike traditional products, the heavy polyethylene sheet has dimples and channels to block and drain moisture. Impervious to wind, the silver membrane reflects radiant heat, the...

Nowhere to go but up: EH Building Group transforms a run-down neighborhood.(URBAN UPGRADE)
September 1, 2006... SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LOT OF VISION to see what a community could be. That was definitely the case when Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based EH Building Group first looked at the development near West Palm Beach that would become Wyndam Park. The...

Stalled job engine: Builders' rose-colored view of the economy gets blurry after unemployment rises in July.(VITAL SIGNS)(Statistical data)
September 1, 2006... IT IS CONVENTIONAL WISDOM AMONG builders that the strength of the U.S. economy particularly its ability to create new jobs, will prevent a prolonged downturn in buyer demand for new homes. But it seems counterintuitive to put one's faith in a...

Silent night.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... Rated at up to 16 SEER, the Dave Lennox Signature Collection XC15 air conditioner (pictured) and XP15 heat pump feature Silent-Comfort technology for quiet operation, the company says. An Operations Monitor continually checks system performance...

Pure on.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... The manufacturer says Infinity System is the first to use a single control to integrate and manage temperature, humidity, airflow, ventilation, indoor air quality, and zoning. It also provides longer heating and cooling cycles at lower fail...

Energy savers: important HVAC changes that affect you and your buyers.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... AIR CONDITIONING A HOUSE IS THE costliest part of owning it. Though this has always been the case, rising energy costs mean that an efficient system is more important than ever. The fight to conserve energy took a giant leap forward earlier...

High efficiency.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... The SEER 19.50 XL19i line of air conditioners and heat pumps has one of the highest energy-efficiency ratings on the market. The unit features dual compressors, a variable speed outdoor fan motor, and an all-aluminum spine fin coil that...

Small time.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... This 13 SEER [mc]2 air conditioner is the smallest 13 SEER air-conditioning system in the industry, its manufacturer says. It is available in 1- to 3-ton sizes and is ideal for applications where space is limited. The unit has an aluminum-tube...

Split up.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... The ultraquiet and compact 13 SEER high-efficiency unitary split air-conditioning systems range from 1.5 to 5 tons and are sized for slab or rooftop mounting in single or multifamily homes. The units have some of the smallest footprints in the...

Fiberglass menagerie: the industry's most basic insulation gets an update.(products: products and tools every builder should know about)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... FIBERGLASS IS THE MOST COMMON insulation in the United States, accounting for at least 75 percent or more of the market. Though the product is effective at insulating a home, manufacturers have found ways to make the product work even better....

Spider fibers.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... Made of inorganic fiberglass that does not support mold growth, Spider is a formaldehyde-free sprayed product that completely fills wall cavities and increases the energy efficiency of a home. The company says the product reaches R-values of 15...

Inside perimeter.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... Specifically designed for use with the Blow-in-Blanket System, Perimeter Plus is a blow-in insulation that offers consistent coverage within a wall cavity and results in a high R-value, the company says. It delivers up to an R-15 in 2x4 walls...

In the pink.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... PROPink R-30 is specifically designed to provide thermal performance in attics and cathedral ceiling applications. Available unfaced or with a kraft vapor retarder, the product is dimensionally stable and will not slump within the ceiling...

Right stuff.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
September 1, 2006... DryRight is a combination of fiberglass insulation faced with breathable MemBrain film, whose pores open under moist, humid conditions during the cooling season and close to block vapor transmission when humidity is low inside during the...

It's laundry time: a new Internet Home Alliance pilot program looks to use technology to ease the pain of doing laundry.(smart technology for homes)
September 1, 2006... THE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES ARE finally starting to get it: Except for the hardcore geeks--who always have to have the latest gear--many homeowners are looking for technology that will help make basic household tasks easier. A couple of years...

Remote control.(DIGITAL HOME: SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW HOMES)
September 1, 2006... This fall, Cooper Wiring Devices plans to start shipping its Aspire RF line of wireless lighting controls, which are compatible with products from the Z-Wave Alliance. Z-Wave is a wireless mesh networking protocol that lets homeowners manage...

Triple play.(smart technology for new homes)(Carter Grove Plantation to have voice, data and video facility with the help of fibre-optic network)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Bell South's community technologies group has signed a voice, data, and video deal with Carter Grove Plantation, which plans to build 3,500 homes in Cartersville, Ga., over the next 10 years. Under the terms of the agreement, Bell South will...

Grande standard: a condo developer in Philadelphia offers a full home-technology package as standard.(smart technology for new homes)(Grasso Holdings)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... SOMETIMES, You JUST HAVE TO DECIDE THAT your company is different. "Everybody does granite countertops, and we do, too," says Dilan de Silva, IT director at Grasso Holdings, which put a home-technology package as standard into all 60 units...

Book Smarts.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)
September 1, 2006... Builders looking to get up to speed with VectorWorks 12--the latest version of Nemetschek North America's popular CAD software--now have a full line of training workbooks to choose from. Prices start at $54.95 for a fundamentals manual and go...

Handy Tool.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Kimball Hill Homes is rolling out AirWavz, the handheld scheduling application from AirToolz Software, to all of its operating divisions, located across nine states and 17 major markets. Chief information officer Frank Scaramuzza says the...

The big picture: a new version of QuickBooks gives builders a better view of their business.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... WITH QUICKBOOKS: PREMIER CONTRACTOR Edition 2006, Intuit has moved firmly into the visual age. The program's starting page features icons of popular work tasks, and everything is just a click or two away from an easily identifiable icon....

Stay on track: new project management software is geared for small and midsize builders.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)(AEC Software Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... FAST TRACK SCHEDULE 9 FROM AEC SOFTware just may be the project management software that will convince you to stop using that old white board. The software runs on both PCs and Macs, and at $349 for a single-user license, it's roughly half the...

Build ESL skills.(NAHB BRIEFS)(English as a second language learning tool developed by Home Builders Institute )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Home Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of the NAHB, has partnered with Retention Education to develop Sed de Saber--Home Builders Edition, an English as a second language (ESL) learning tool for the residential...

A week of giving: thanks to the efforts of many, Habitat for Humanity's Home Builders Blitz 2006 was a great success.(FROM THE PRESIDENT)
September 1, 2006... IT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT HOME builders are extraordinarily generous and caring people. In just the past five years, the housing industry has donated more than $12 million to help people rebuild their homes and their lives following...

History repeats: responses to an NAHB survey on affordability issues echo those of the early '90s, suggesting that builders need to pull out all the stops.(SEIDERS ECONOMY)
September 1, 2006... HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CONTINUED TO weaken through the middle of 2006, falling to the lowest level since the late 1980s, and many of the investors/speculators that entered the market in 2004-2005 were canceling sales contracts and reselling...

Ditching a rule.(NAHB BRIEFS)(National Association of Home Builders Research Foundation files lawsuit against Army Corps of Engineers )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to stop enforcing the so-called Philadelphia Ditch Rule, in which the Corps had asserted its jurisdiction to regulate common roadside ditches as "navigable waters" under the Clean Water Act. The NAHB,...

Key resource.(NAHB BRIEFS)(quarterly e-newsletter introduced)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The NAHB has created a new, quarterly e-newsletter exclusively for consumers. NAHB HouseKeys will include helpful household hints and tips from builders, remodeters, and product manufacturers from across the country, as well as the latest in...

New horizons: the Research Center begins construction of a new specialized material and structural testing laboratory.(THE NAHB RESEARCH CENTER CORNER)
September 1, 2006... TO SUPPORT ITS BURGEONing role as a full-service building product commercialization consulting firm, the NAHB Research Center recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to start construction of a new material and structural systems testing...

Safe at work.(NAHB BRIEFS)
September 1, 2006... Applications are now being accepted for a new award program--the Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE)--that recognizes home builders who develop outstanding jobsite safety programs. Fannie Mae is sponsoring the award in support of the NAHB's...

Hot sellers: sold out! Fast-moving communities.(villas' special features)
September 1, 2006... Tuscan Appeal Castellina at Covenant Hills, Ladera Ranch, Calif. WHY IT WORKED: These attached villas offer up great architectural design and a location that can't be beat. Covenant Hills is the last--and most prestigious--village to...

A happy ending: for once, a builder and a developer are the good guys in what could have been a Washington NIMBY battle of epic proportions.
September 1, 2006... ANY NUMBER OF CLICHED SUPERLATIVES COULD be used to describe the Washington development team of Jim Gibson and Sam Dunn: heroes, white knights, last-minute saviors, men among men. The terms would all be appropriate for a duo who recently...

Uncharted territory: starts and sales in many previously hot markets are way down, and the situation probably will get worse before it gets better. Here's how some local markets are faring.(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... EARLIER THIS YEAR, PARK SQUARE HOMES pulled out of a project in Claremont, Fla., that the Orlando, Fla.-based builder had spent the previous 18 months resolving with local officials and homeowners. Development costs were heading north of $50...

Waiting game: Builders say sweeter sales incentives add value to their products. But buyers are still holding out for better deals.(Holiday Builders)
September 1, 2006... ON JUNE 1, HOLIDAY BUILDers launched a monthlong sales promotion covering virtually all of its houses, built or presold, in Florida, where buyers who plunked down a deposit received a card entitling them to free gasoline for a year, a $2,000...

Fast track 2006: experience has never been more valued than right now, as builders deal with the double whammy of robust competition and weakening sales. In our eighth annual Fast Track list, we examine the secrets of fast-growing builders' success--and what they're doing to keep the pace.(Industry overview)
September 1, 2006... HALF OF THE COMPANIES ON THIS year's Fast Track opened shop after 1993. More than one fifth have started since 2000. That means many of the fastest-growing home building companies have known only good--or great--times. That's changing. In...

Urgent care: with sales slowing, cancellations need to be avoided at all costs. Here's how to keep the deal alive.
September 1, 2006... NOT TOO LONG AGO, A CANcellation wasn't really a bad thing. If a buyer bailed and the house came back to the builder, all the sales agent had to do was call the next person on the interest list. And chances are, prices had gone up since the...

What's new on Builder Online: blogs away!(MISSING LINKS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD bloggers. Blog: What an unlovely word for a lovely concept. A "blog," shorthand for "weblog," is defined by the online encyclopedia Wikipedia as "a type of website where entries are made,... displayed in a...

Builder plans: featuring new plans from the nations leading designers.
September 1, 2006... Family Focus PLAN: HWB7500001 FIRST FLOOR: 1,988 sq. ft. SECOND FLOOR: 1,136 sq. ft. TOTAL: 3,124 sq. ft. BONUS SPACE: 499 sq. ft. BEDROOMS: 4 BATHROOMS: 3 1/2 + 1/2 DIMENSIONS: 68'-0" x 62'-8" Life in...

Boulder, Colo.(WALK THROUGH)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... THE TOWN OF BOULDER, COLO., WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1859 on the site of a supply camp for gold seekers. The developers laid out 4,044 lots at a cost of $1,000 each and, in an early case of discounting, quickly dropped that price to attract more...