Custom Home articles from March 2005

Custom Home archives from March 2005

Modern times.(Editor's Page)
March 1, 2005... Do you remember how popular French Country houses were in the 1980s? Before that architectural look went mainstream, tony Pierre Deux furnishings stores were stoking the desire of upscale consumers for this warm, traditional style. Then the...

The builder/architect rift.(Readers have their say)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I was quite impressed with "Designer Referrals" (Case Study, page 32, January/February 2005) by Al Trellis. He hit the mark in identifying the ebb and flow of architects and their interactive nature with building professionals. As a design...

Words of wisdom.(Readers have their say)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I enjoyed your article "Words from the Wise" (On Your Mind, page 14, September/October 2004). I am a second-generation home builder (now a construction consultant). My father told me, "Building the house is easy. Selling it is the trick." The...

Intellectual property.(Readers have their say)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Thanks for your "Property Rights" story (From the Trenches, page 20, September/ October 2004) about the builder who had to sue a homeowner over unauthorized use of his house plans. My company has just filed two lawsuits in response to a very...

Get clients involved.(Readers have their say)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... "Making Allowances" (From the Trenches, page 20, November/December 2004) was a good article. In our company we use a couple of "allowance" variations. The easiest is a hard-and-fast contract for the shell, with an estimate for finishes. We...

On deck: where will the next generation of your company come from?(On You Mind)
March 1, 2005... We know that custom builders are a varied lot, but a surprising number of those we meet match a rather distinct profile. They are in their 40s to late 50s, grew up in middle class families, and came to building pursuing an ideal of traditional...

Bounce back: a bad check yields some good lessons.(From the Trenches)
March 1, 2005... The one and only time I have ever had problems with a bounced check taught me some valuable lessons that I later incorporated into my contract and my company's operating policies. In the early winter of 1988 I received a telephone inquiry...

Turnkey entry doors.
March 1, 2005... A BEAUTIFUL ENTRY DOOR SYSTEM SHOULD BE A PRIORITY TO BUILDERS. NOT ONLY DOES IT GIVE BUYERS A FIRST IMPRESSION OF A BUILDER'S QUALITY STANDARDS; A WELL-CRAFTED, ATTRACTIVE ENTRY SYSTEM IS A MINIMAL INVESTMENT COMPARED TO THE PROFIT MARGIN IT...

Keep a secret: balance the expectation/performance equation.(Customer Service)
March 1, 2005... Customer satisfaction begins (or ends) when customers compare their expectations to your performance. Because of this reality, a common refrain in the home building industry is to "under promise and over deliver." For the most part, however,...

Transition time: prepare your company for the future.(Case Study)
March 1, 2005... Scenario: When Barry got up in the morning, he realized that he wasn't as young as he used to be. He still enjoyed the building business, but its long hours and the total concentration it requires had certainly taken its toll. It would be nice,...

Smart growth: make the most of a booming market.(Strictly Business)
March 1, 2005... Over the past several years I have seen many custom building businesses grow in both volume and profits. However. I've seen other companies with growing top lines but stagnant or even declining margins and net income. These straggling builders...

Value added: attract the customers you really want.(The Top Line)
March 1, 2005... To get the most bang from your marketing buck, focus on keeping current clients happy and attracting attention from the type of clients who are most likely to buy from you. Concentrate on meaningful, top-quality interactions with a small...

Why diversify? Diversifying your business can cut your risk--or raise it.(Business)
March 1, 2005... When clients or friends ask my opinion about "diversification," small alarm bells begin to ring in my head. I want to know what the person means by diversification, and find out the underlying reasons for this change in focus. The...

Entertaining outbuildings.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
March 1, 2005... Relish a night out without worrying about traffic, rude service, or whose turn it is to be the designated driver. Designate a building in the backyard instead, like the ones on these pages, for a change of scenery and a daily escape. Custom...

Natural progress.(K+B Studio)
March 1, 2005... The owners wanted a house that respected their 8 wooded acres in urban Charlotte, N.C., rather than competed with it. So they turned to William McDonough + Partners, a Charlottesville, Va.-based firm known for its commitment to environmentally...

Background check.(K+B Studio)
March 1, 2005... Albeit serene, this master bath overflows with interesting detail. The walls are monolithic in response to the owners' distaste for grout lines, so architect Katherine Grove speced hand-troweled plaster in an earth-tone color. The finish is...

Cooked to perfection.(K+B Studio/Products)
March 1, 2005... Offering cooking flexibility the new Jade slide-in gas cooktop features a continuous-grate top available in a mix-and-match selection of sealed 12.500- to 18,000-BTU commercial-sized burners, an 18.000-BTU steel griddle, and an 18.000-BTU...

Wall to wall.(K+B Studio/Products)
March 1, 2005... Constructed of precision-machined stainless steel, the T45 series of bath and shower faucetry is designed for a sleek minimalist look that is at once simple and stylized. The in-wall thermostatic shower set (shown) features a single tube-like...

Beyond luxury: structured wiring's extravagant side.(The Wired House)
March 1, 2005... These days high-end home buyers expect to have music in every room and a palette of viewing options at every TV. Internet in every room isn't far behind, making cable and data outlets as much a part of the room planning as the AC wiring. As...

Jerry Levine: The Levine Group, Silver Spring, Md.: gear that helps 21st-century custom builders get ahead.(Gearhead)
March 1, 2005... Silver Spring, Md., builder/remodeler Jerry Levine has a serious addiction: He can't stop using his Direct Connect walkie-talkie service from Nextel. "Out of all the tools available to us, that ability to get the instant communication weaves...

Perfectly grilled.(Trend Lines/What's New)
March 1, 2005... Why install basic stamped-metal return-air grilles next to all the hand-picked products in a custom home? Why indeed. Worth Home Products' new Architectural Series wooden return-air grilles offer the perfect way to coordinate return-air...

Fiery element.(Trend Lines/What's New)
March 1, 2005... Enabling designers to use fire as a decorative element, the Cyclone vertical fire features a whirling flame inside a concentric glass cylinder that can be viewed from any direction. A fan at the bottom of the fire unit creates the tornadic...

Mark your calendar: important upcoming events.(Trend Lines/Events)(Calendar)
March 1, 2005... April 27-30, Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference (formerly Restoration & Renovation). Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia. For information call 781.779.1560 or visit www.traditionalbuildingshow.com. * April 29-May 1, Midwest...

Change order: midway through construction, a custom home switches direction.(On Site)
March 1, 2005... It seemed a typical San Francisco story. In 1999 a pair of dot-com millionaires won a ferocious bidding war over a 4,000-square-foot Edwardian-era house in Pacific Heights, the city's started in on their renovation with gusto, hiring architect...

Mineral spirits: concrete inspires a different kind of custom home.(Portfolio)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... Of all the materials that go into a custom home, it would be hard to find a pair more different than wood and concrete. Wood is light, resonant, flexible, flammable. Like us, it has cells; it was once alive. Wood has more in common with a...

Clothing care cachet: laundry appliances step into the limelight.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... Home buyers are realizing that laundry rooms should be located where the laundry originates, not buried in a dark basement. In response, builders and architects have begun to elevate the room's status by locating the laundry room near the...

Sears, Roebuck & Co.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... Designed to wash up to 23 towels in a single load, extract water by spinning at up to 1,300 RPMs, and to use 69 percent less water and 64 percent less energy than a conventional washer, the Kenmore HE4t washing machine also makes a style...

Bosch Appliances.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... With 15 wash programs including a sanitize cycle, the Nexxt washer features paddles that lift clothing gently while raining down water on the load. Suds sensors detect detergent residue in fabric and ensure complete rinsing. The Logixx control...

Miele.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... The Touchtronic washer features a stainless steel wash drum that has 80 percent fewer water extraction holes and a network of water channels that create a thin water layer to cushion clothes as they spin, the maker says. The super-capacity...

Whirlpool.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... The DryAire drying cabinet features two fold-down shelves for flat-drying items, a top wire shelf from which up to eight garments can be hung, and three door racks for accessories and small items. Five cycles--air only, super delicate,...

Maytag.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... With removable mesh shelves, hooks, a WrinkleRelease rod, and ShapeSaver hangers in its upper compartment, the Neptune Drying Center pairs a traditional tumble dryer with a drying cabinet. The drying cabinet speeds up the drying process while...

Siemens Home Appliances.(Products/State of the Art)
March 1, 2005... The ultraSense plus washer boasts 15 wash cycles, all monitored by the system's technology to care for a wide range of fabrics. Asymmetric paddles and an inclined drum create a three-dimensional tumble action, providing optimum water saturation...

Art Lenard: Hill Country Integrity Homes, Kerrville, Texas: custom builders share their latest product finds.(Products/Great Finds)
March 1, 2005... Custom home builder Art Lenard has been using radiant floor heating systems from Warmly Yours for about 10 years in a number of his homes and has enjoyed very good success with them. "We don't require much radiant heat in Texas hill country,...

Michael Cook: Heritage Homes, Stevensville, Mich: custom builders share their latest product finds.(Products/Great Finds)
March 1, 2005... Custom builder Michael Cook has found an innovative way to elminate expansion cracks on inside wall and ceiling comers in drywall installations by using the Magic Corner from Trim-Tex. This co-extruded vinyl product combines rigid PVC flanges...

Faux fantasies.(Products/Fine Finishes)
March 1, 2005... Hester Decorating Co. specializes in unique faux finishes effects such as Venetian plaster, marbleizing, plaid-effect linen-textured striating, gold and silver leafing, metallic washes, damask, crinkled paper applications, custom murals, and...

Sculptural vessels.(Products/Fine Finishes)
March 1, 2005... Carved from exotic African hardwoods such as teak, jambir, and umbila, Adagio's basins feature a selection of structured and organic shapes that showcase the tone and grain of the woods. Teak's natural antiseptic qualities and waterproofing...

Curve appeal.(Products/Flooring)
March 1, 2005... Available in walnut and maple. Ouila Olde Boards solid hardwood flooring featured a complex basketweave pattern with no straight lines or 90-degree angles. The flooring arrives at the jobsite prefinished with the maker's proprietry Coat of Arms...

Double click.(Products/Flooring)
March 1, 2005... Marmoleum Click lineoleum flooring panels and tiles click together for glueless installation. Available in 18 colors, the tiles and panels are backed with with water resistant HDF and a layer of cork. Panels come 12 inches wide by 36 inches...

Natural aesthetic.(Products/Flooring)
March 1, 2005... Geologica NewStone Pietra Serena engineered technical ceramic slabs feature a fine-to-medium grain and uniform appearance in a soft gray that resembles stone. Available in polished and honed finishes, Pietra Serena is chemical- and...

Easy to be green.(Products/Flooring)
March 1, 2005... Studio wide-plank bamboo floating flooring installs using a patented self-locking, glueless system. The bamboo wear layer is supported by a hevea core and backed by FSC-certified eucalyptus or pine. Available in both vertical and flat grains,...

Character preservation.(Products/Flooring)
March 1, 2005... Produces from reclaimed and remilled antique American oak and Southern yellow pine. Bunkhouse planks feature a deep patina and rough sawcut texture. The maker preserves the wood's original surface, showcasing nail holes, weathered cracks, and...

Antique illumination.(Products/Period Pieces)
March 1, 2005... The Hathaway Old English/Tudor single-chain lantern utilizes compact fluorescent technology and high-output electronic ballasts. The Hathaway has a 9-inch diameter, a 7 1/4-inch ceiling canopy, and ranges in length from 26 to 36 inches. Twelve...

Classic hinge.(Products/Period Pieces)
March 1, 2005... Commonly used on wood screen doors, the Classic adjustable-spring hinge features a cogged hinge pin that allows the spring tension to be adjusted. Made from cast steel and painted black, the hinge measures 3 inches wide when open. Lee Valley...

Historic authenticity.(Products/Period Pieces)
March 1, 2005... The Authentic Designs series of interior doors comes in nine popular architectural styles (including Arts and Crafts, shown) designed to complement the architecture of today's homes. Doors are available in 12 stain-grade hardwoods, as well as...

Racy and retro.(Products/Period Pieces)
March 1, 2005... Inspired by the styles of the 1950s, the Northstar line includes convection ovens and stoves with electric radiant elements, sealed gas burners, high-powered superburners, and optional warming drawers. Refrigerators are Energy Star-rated....

Copper top.(Products/Period Pieces)
March 1, 2005... European Copper chimney pots designed by architect Jack Arnold are lightweight and come in five styles named for chess pieces: King, Queen, Pawn, Bishop, and Knight. European Copper by Jack Arnold. 800.391.0014. www.jackarnold.com Circle 186...

Therma-Tru: Therma-Tru's fiberglass doors outperform, outlast competing materials.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... For style, performance and affordability today's best choice is fiberglass. Builders can rely on Therma-Tru fiberglass door systems for their wide selection of styles and decorative glass configurations to fit any architectural design,...

LaHabra[R] and Parex[R]: custom builders choose LaHabra and Parex for quality.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... LaHabra Stucco and Parex have the distinction of once again being recognized as the brands home builders use for quality. In the past, merchant builders gave this recognition, but these products are uniquely suited to the needs of the custom...

CertainTeed: industry pioneer CertainTeed offers style, variety in roofing.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... Not so long ago it was easy to choose a shingle for a particular job. After all, there was only one basic style on the market, and it had little variation in color or style. This is no longer the case. Today, through creative product design and...

USG: make your homes stand out with the USG Drywall Suspension System.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... Nothing captures a homebuyer's eye like sophisticated features, such as drywall barrel vaults and domes. And there's no easier way to achieve these dramatic details than with the USG Drywall Suspension System. With pre-engineered metal...

AZEK[R] Trimboards: AZEK[R] Trimboards rated #1 in quality by Custom Home reader survey.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... AZEK[R] Trimboards was rated as the highest quality product in CUSTOM HOME Magazine's 2005 Brand Use Study in the Decorative Mouldings/Trim/Columns category. In the same category AZEK was also the second most used brand and ranked fourth in...

Superseal Window & Door Company: details provide quality custom builders demand.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... Superseal Window and Door Company has been producing quality vinyl windows and patio doors for over 40 years. In the 2005 CUSTOM HOME Brand Use Study, builders ranked Superseal number one in quality, which is no surprise given that Superseal is...

Star struck.(Last Detail)
March 1, 2005... Sleeping under the stars in the comfort of a well-appointed bed is no longer just a fantasy for an Indian Hills, Ohio, homeowner thanks to the ingenuity of Cincinnati-based John Senhauser Architects. "The client originally asked for a...

Fuzzy logic.(Editor's Notes)
March 1, 2005... The line between indoors and outdoors grows fuzzier all the time in high-end houses. Kitchens and media centers are no longer confined to the indoors, while water features and putting greens are no longer restricted to the outdoors. No,...

Warming trend.
March 1, 2005... Fireplaces are becoming as important to outdoor spaces as they are to indoor ones. They extend the season in northern climates and take the chill off when the southern sun goes down. But while an indoor fireplace can make a room, an outdoor...

Strong & fancy: decorative concrete offers endless design possibilities.(In Depth)
March 1, 2005... Concrete is the most widely used construction material. If the mix design is right and worker skills are good, concrete serves the homeowners' needs for long periods of time with little or no maintenance. It can be molded easily into any shape,...

Radiantly warm swimming: in-floor heating adapted for pools.(Problem Solved)
March 1, 2005... Innovation doesn't always mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes it's just finding a new way to use an old product. That's what Michael Giovanone, president of Latham, N.Y.-based Concord Pools, did. The 33-year veteran pool builder...

Party central: poolside pleasures in the desert.
March 1, 2005... If the producers of MTV's "Real World" ever want to shoot in Palm Desert, Calif., designer/builder Judson Davis has just the place for them. The home, christened Desert Castle by the company that rents it out on occasion for the owner, is an...

Site specific: a phenomenal lot calls all the shots.
March 1, 2005... "Do no harm" is a phrase that's normally associated with doctors, but it's a directive that was eagerly appropriated by a couple in Arlington, Texas, when they set out to build on a suburban, 1.37-acre site. "We had this really phenomenal lot,...

Creative caps.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Ornamental post caps are made with weather-resistant polystone bases and are cast into shapes such as pineapples, cherubs, doves, artichokes, squirrels. and pyramids, some with PVD metallic finishes and stained-glass decorative tops. The post...

Slate aesthetic.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Available in field tile and mosaic sizes, Indian Slate unglazed porcelain tile can be used for exterior applications and is resistant to outdoor climates, solar radiation, thermal shock, abrasion, and freezing. Five colors in a matte, rectified...

Copper cone.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Utilizing a 20-watt G4 halogen lamp, the BB-23 path light has a cone-shaped shade with a 7 1/2-inch opening, spreading light across a wide area. Standing 23 1/2 inches high, the fixture and shade are constructed of copper and retain a polished...

Step safely.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... The SL730 wall-recessed step light measures 4 1/2 by 11 inches and uses an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp. Its louvered faceplate, constructed of die-cast aluminum, delivers glare-free lighting and has a weather-resistant polyester...

Sandy surface.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Designed to provide the feel and appearance of a sand beach. Beach ceramic wall and floor tiles come in two styles. Beach Sand uses varying particulate sizes and random patterns to create the appearance of a sandy expanse. Beach Shells tiles...

Light-ly grilled.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Professional outdoor grills feature a 50,watt halogen light incorporated into the rotisserie motor to illuminate the grilling surface. The grills also feature two stainless steel storage drawers, a slide-out LP tank tray, condiment shelf,...

Thoroughly refreshing.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... The maker's 41-inch-wide Outdoor Refreshment Center incorporates a variety of work features, including a sink with a pro-style faucet, a storage trough for large containers, and a sliding ice bin. Other accessories include a high shelf, speed...

Walking on shells.(Outdoor Products)
March 1, 2005... Made from natural shell and fossil aggregates mixed with Portland cement, SeaStone exposed shell surfacing can be used for vertical, horizontal, wet, and dry exterior applications, including pool surrounds and stairs. The surface is milled to a...

Nana Wall Systems, Inc.(Backyard Living)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... * Bring the outdoors in with the NanaWall[TM]: elegant precision-engineered folding glass wall system that makes large wall openings a possibility * When open, it provides beautiful vistas and when closed, the NanaWall[TM] allows for...

Super Vision's Galaxy Light.(Backyard Living)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... * Super Vision's Galaxy Light is a color changing LED replacement lamp that screws into most existing pool or spa housings. * An on board chip controls the 10 different color changing and single color modes by a flip of the existing pool...