Custom Home articles

Recent articles from Custom Home

You're it.(Editor's Page)
July 1, 2006... In case you didn't get to the 2006 International Builders' Show in Orlando in January or were otherwise occupied during this year's Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago in April, you might not appreciate the fact that there's a race to serve your slice of the business. Manufacturers are...

Sticker shock: coping with commodity price volatility.(On Your Mind)
July 1, 2006... We think of custom building as a productive endeavor, and while that is true enough, production represents only half of the story. Custom building companies are also voracious consumers. Concrete, wood, copper, mechanical equipment, lighting fixtures, appliances, labor, every thing that goes...

Buyer beware: hiring a low-ball builder can be a costly mistake.(From the Trenches)
July 1, 2006... Playing by the roles--carrying insurance, getting licensed, paying taxes--is an expense reputable custom home builders bear. When low-cost, unlicensed, and uninsured competitors take work away from us, we experience frustration at the very least. But the consequences for homeowners who...

Survey time: some lesson come straight from the client.(Customer Service)
July 1, 2006... J.D. Power and Associates' recent survey of home builders' customer service quality has shaken the industry to its foundations--no pun intended. Participating builders in 30 of the largest U.S. home building markets who had previously taken customers for granted have been frantically...

Spec-ulation: what not to do in a downturn.(Case Study)
July 1, 2006... Scenario: Charlie C. builds six custom homes a year, priced from $600,000 to $1 million. He also builds two spec homes a year. While business is still good, Charlie has noticed a recent softening of demand. Buyers seem to be more price conscious, and there are fewer prospects knocking on his...