Custom Home articles from January 2005

Custom Home archives from January 2005

Get to know continuous cast acrylic: easy cleaning and durability make homeowners happy and increase referrals, making more and more contractors want to ...(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... How do contractors please today's customers and increase referrals? When it comes to the bathroom, more and more, the answer is continuous cast acrylic. Recent research identifies two key items that can make homeowners most happy: First,...

Inspiration.(Editor's Page)
January 1, 2005... There are so many of you--CUSTOM HOME is read by more than 40,000 custom home pros-and so few of us in comparison--six staff editors--that we can sometimes feel that our editorial "net" must be missing many inspiring builders and their...

More words from the wise.(Feedback: readers have their say)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... "Words from the Wise" ("On Your Mind," September/October 2004, page 14) made me remember a piece of advice I received many years ago from a plumber friend of mine who is no longer with us. He said, "Don't worry about the jobs you don't get:...

Dissenting opinion.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Regarding the 2004 Custom Home Design Awards (September/October 2004, page 94), I must say I found most all of them antiseptic in design, lacking in traditional architectural detail, style, or elegance. While some of the interiors were of...

Pacesetter message.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Though I was unable to attend the 2004 Custom Builder Symposium and receive my Pacesetter Award, I am honored at the recognition (November/December 2004, page 91). Aside from the recognition, I do feel there is also a greater message here....

Working late: do business worries keep you awake at night?(On Your Mind)
January 1, 2005... It's 3:00 a.m.; did the plumber remember to lock the Petersons' back basement door? It's 3:25; the Johnsons are late on that last payment--is there enough cash on hand to make payroll? It's 3:45 and raining hard; did a tarp blow off somewhere?...

Bidding wars: how one firm declared a truce.(From the Trenches)
January 1, 2005... I've always loved the custom building business, but in the early years there was one part of the process that drained much of the joy out of it for me. This condition frustrated me, reduced my efficiency, and made my company less productive....

Opinion poll: find out what your clients think.(Customer Service)
January 1, 2005... Perhaps the toughest thing about asking for your clients' opinions is that you will get them. Clients observe and evaluate every aspect of your organization--from procedures you plan in detail to behaviors you don't even notice. We all...

Designer referrals: connect with local architects.(Case Study)
January 1, 2005... Scenario: Barry was jealous. A friend from his Builder 20 Club had shown him pictures of a house he had built that was a true showstopper. It boasted exquisite finishes and materials, wonderful spaces, and a generous profit margin. "How did you...

Risk management: plan for the worst.(Strictly Business)
January 1, 2005... Even in the best of times, it's important to remember that a custom building business always faces risks. Most of the custom builders I've met and worked with in the past year have strong volume, increasing profits, and a healthy market. But...

Good impression: quality is job one.(The Top Line)
January 1, 2005... Everyone preaches quality. After all, who in their right mind would fill their marketing brochure with a statement like. "We don't do the best job, but we sure are nice folks?" As a custom builder, your No. 1 goal is to provide top-quality...

Stair expansion.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
January 1, 2005... Expanding the breath and width of treads at the bottom of a staircase for effect as well as ad hoc seating is a practice dating back to ancient Greece, observes architect Steven House. Architect Jan Gleysteen looks back to 1880s Shingle-style...

Cooking show.(K+B Studio)
January 1, 2005... Preparing elaborate cuisine for an audience of friends, family, and even strangers is a frequent form of amusement for these Austin, Texas, homeowners. "The kitchen is set up so that several people can be sitting along the bar while he cooks,"...

Shower evolution.(K+B Studio)
January 1, 2005... Hidden behind a 7-foot-tall, free-floating headboard is a small passage to a simply decadent master bath. The spare design belies the sybaritic offerings contained within this 270-square-foot space. A steel soaking tub contoured to seat two...

Ravishing reds.(K+B Studio/Products)
January 1, 2005... The SC51 line of cabinetry is now available in the vibrant Hibiscus Red Gloss finish. Through the application of several layers of high-quality lacquers, this sophisticated shade of red takes on a glowing patina. The cabinets feature sleek,...

Ebb and flow.(K+B Studio/Products)
January 1, 2005... A gently sloping surface creates an overlapping design, concealing the drain opening in the Ebb basin. The one-piece basin is constructed of 16-gauge stainless steel that comes standard in a satin steel finish, and also in copper or the Mira...

In control: an affordable approach to home automation.(The Wired House)
January 1, 2005... Half of new homes are going up these days with structured wiring, but Will West believes most of those homeowners aren't getting their money's worth. West, CEO and co-founder of a new home control startup called Control4, contends that the...

Ted Visnic.(Gearhead: gear that helps 21st-century custom builders get ahead.)
January 1, 2005... MBVisnic Custom Homes Rockville, Md. These days, when custom builder Ted Visnic is roaming the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., meeting with clients or checking on projects, he's always connected to his office and to all the other...

Walls of clay.(What's New)
January 1, 2005... A combination of clay, aggregates, and natural mineral oxide and ochre pigments, American Clay Original Earth Plaster allows designers to create plaster-like interior wall treatments from super-smooth to highly textured surfaces. Clay's natural...

Fashion forward.(What's New)
January 1, 2005... Heat register grilles are an overlooked opportunity to make a design statement or carry an architectural theme throughout a home using hardware. But that rectangular cut in the floor or along the baseboard can be dressed up with these new...

Mark your calendar: important upcoming events.(Events)(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... Jan. 13-16, NAHB International Builders Show. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. For information call 800.368.5242 or visit www.buildersshow.com, * Jan. 18-21, Technology for Construction (formerly A/E/C Systems). Las Vegas...

#1 brand leader: USG: USG is proud to be a brand leader.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... As a residential builder, your reputation drives your business. With more than 100 years of experience in the building materials industry USG can help you build and strengthen that reputation. Three ways US6 can help build your reputation:...

Clean slate: a second act for a home destroyed by fire.(On Site)
January 1, 2005... Thomas and Kay Crowder hadn't planned on leveling their 1950s ranch house in southwestern Raleigh, N.C. But sometimes fate--or fire--has a way of changing things. Early one morning in 1998, the Crowders and their two children fled out the front...

Power generation: Scott Hobbs juices up the family company.(Custom Builder of the Year)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... Hutch Hutchinson was on a high-end remodeling project, adjusting a sticking door, when the homeowner flew off the handle. Why, he demanded, was this taking so long'? Why wasn't it done right the first time? If he ran his business this way... A...

Garage gear: a place for everything.(State of the Art)
January 1, 2005... The latest hot space has traditionally been one of the least finished and most disorganized--the garage. When homeowners grabbed onto the custom closet craze nearly 20 years ago, they wanted two things: an organized area with a place for every...

Carmen Dominguez.(Great finds: custom builders share their latest product finds.)
January 1, 2005... Homes by Carmen Dominguez, Orlando, Fla. With all the components integrated into me automation and home entertainment systems, just finding the correct remote control to turn on the television can be a challenge. That's why custom builder...

Tedd Benson.(Great finds: custom builders share their latest product finds.)
January 1, 2005... Bensonwood Homes, Walpole, N.H. Custom timber-frame builder Tedd Benson's firm developed a flexible building concept utilizing a unique flooring system, manufactured in its facility, that creates a wide-open space beneath it to allow easy...

Galactic sculptures.(Fine Finishes)
January 1, 2005... Star-gazing at the brilliant night sky is best accomplished far from city lights. Viewing the stars and constellations with all the shimmering and twinkling effects of their light, however, is now possible from inside the home. Legend Designs...

Architectural jewels.(Great Finds)
January 1, 2005... Artist-blacksmith Greg Leavitt crafts ironwork that is both architectural and decorative. The jewelry-like quality of much of his work is strongly influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, although he has rendered pieces in a diverse and eclectic...

Simply Moderne.(Door & Cabinet Hardware)
January 1, 2005... The Avalon series of entry door hardware features house numbers, a lighted doorbell button, and a doorknocker. The Avalon is designed as an updated version of the "Streamlined Moderne" style and is available in brushed nickel, oil rubbed...

Guilt-free ornaments.(Door & Cabinet Hardware)
January 1, 2005... Ivory of Tagua cabinet knobs are hand-carved from Tagua palm nuts, but offer the look, feel, and strength of natural ivory. The knobs will yellow with age, the maker says. Nearly a dozen shapes are available. Providence Artworks. 877.684.3362....

Beach memories.(Door & Cabinet Hardware)
January 1, 2005... The Luminous collection of cabinet hardware features 100 percent recycled glass decorative caps and lead-free cast pewter knob and pull bases. Available in a tumbled, beach glass finish, the knobs and pulls come in 18 colors. SpectraDecor,...

True elegance.(Door & Cabinet Hardware)
January 1, 2005... Available in satin nickel, satin antique brass, oil rubbed bronze, and European pewter finishes, the BelVedere collection of door hardware features smooth lines and rich shapes. Single and double cylinder, as well as dummy sets for entry units...

Totally tubular.(Door & Cabinet Hardware)
January 1, 2005... Available in several finishes, including satin nickel, bright chrome, polished brass, and dark bronze, Tube interior door pulls are constructed of solid brass and feature a sleek, simple shape. The line also includes cabinet and window...

Cedar dreams.(Molding & Millwork)
January 1, 2005... Featuring knots, varied textures, and rich grains, Cedar Natural Match tongue-and-groove paneling is made from kiln-dried Northern White Cedar heartwood. The end-matched paneling comes pre-finished in random lengths to reduce waste. Town &...

Hip to be square.(Molding & Millwork)
January 1, 2005... Poly-Classic square raised-panel columns. constructed of fiberglass-reinforced polymers, offer the look and feel of natural stone, but are weatherproof, hollow to allow for wiring and plumbing, and provide load-bearing capacities up to 18,000...

Inspired Craftsman.(Molding & Millwork)
January 1, 2005... Available in Douglas fir, the Craftsman series of moldings, mantels, and stair parts was inspired by a 1914 Arts & Crafts bungalow. The series includes a variety of molding pieces such as board and lintel casings, wainscot, corbels. plate...

Mantel mantra.(Molding & Millwork)
January 1, 2005... Hand-carved from lindenwood, mantels and mantel shelves feature carved motifs and come unfinished. The mantels, available in four styles, are carved in three separate pieces and arrive with the necessary hardware, ready to install. Six styles...

Wire away.(Molding & Millwork)
January 1, 2005... The WireTracks channel and compatible WindsorOne baseboard 1re designed to provide a flush-installed wiring and molding solution for homes with plaster walls. The mold-to accept a wiring channel cover and then snap onto the surface-mounted...

Pop-up performance.(Home Electronics)
January 1, 2005... Hide-Away-Home-Theater II automated entertainment armoires and credenzas allow media components to be hidden away. A touch of a button raises the display and speakers for viewing and retracts them for storage. Available in a variety of wood...

Winning combination.(Home Electronics)
January 1, 2005... The LS-V955 home theater system is designed to add DVD video and multi-channel surround sound to any television. The System consists of a one-piece surround receiver integrated with a progressive-scan DVD player and speakers. Onkyo. 800.229....

Custom sound.(Home Electronics)
January 1, 2005... Each ViewPoint wall-mounted loud-speaker is built to order and the aluminum enclosure is trimmed and painted to match individual wall-mounted, flat-panel video displays. The unit distributes sound evenly throughout the room, the maker says....

Package deal.(Home Electronics)
January 1, 2005... The Active Adult structured wiring package includes a variety of devices that provide safety and convenience. Hallway lights, a 911 locator that blinks porch lights for emergency vehicles, security cameras, surge protection, motion-activated...

Plasma performance.(Home Electronics)
January 1, 2005... The PD4220V 42-inch wide-screen plasma monitor features a built-in scaler specifically designed for video reproduction, as well as a 160-degree viewing angle. The high-resolution PD4220V is compatible with a variety of digital and analog video...

Fireplaces.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Old Man Winter is here once again, and many homeowners couldn't bear to be without their fireplaces. But the fireplace is not just for winter anymore. Inhabitants of balmier regions love their fireplaces as well, whether on a cool night inside...

Play's the thing.(Last Detail)
January 1, 2005... The owners of this Arlington, Texas, house have three children and a passion for traveling, so it is only natural that they included a room in their new home devoted to sparking their kids' imagination about exotic locales. The client asked...