Professional Builder (1993) articles from February 2009

Professional Builder (1993) archives from February 2009

CEO Spotlight: On the Firing Line.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 1, 2009... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor The CEOs of Main Street Homes hope any future stimulus package that banks on entry-level buyers works. David LeBoeuf and Steve Bartholomewhave been home-building partners in Austin, Texas-based Main Street...

News & Moves.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)(sales growth for LGI Homes of Conroe)(Financial report)
February 1, 2009... Staff Texas Builder Refuses to Join Downturn Despite a challenging economy and crashing housing market, LGI Homesof Conroe, Texas (northeast of Houston), just completed its third consecutive year of increased sales thanks in large part...

Get Serious About Storm Water.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)(management of stormwater at construction sites)
February 1, 2009... By BuildIQ How to handle storm water runoff from construction sites has been one focus of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for years. The EPA's goal is simple: to improve water quality by reducing pollutants in stormwater...

Conference Board Says Economy Could Lose Another 2 Million Jobs This Year.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 1, 2009... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor, Business But it's important to note statistics' lag time, Bill notes in his blog, Ear to the Ground. The Conference Board just issued its latest Employment Trends Index, and it's more nasty news. The index...

Winners.(Awards list)
February 1, 2009... Staff Small House, Big Impact BEST SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOME UP TO 1,800 SQUARE FEET Located in a traditional neighborhood development called Habersham, the Erickson residence is designed for livability and entertaining. It's...

BALA: 2008 Best in American Living Award.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff Professional Builder and the NAHB Design Committee present the winners of the housing industry's most prestigious design competition. For the past 25 years, the staff of Professional Builder , the members of the NAHB Design...

Home of the Year: Southern Accents.
February 1, 2009... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design This South Carolina residence is a graceful interpretation of Lowcountry architecture: beautifully detailed, but not overdone. BEST IN SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION BEST ONE-OF-A-KIND, CUSTOM-BUILT...

Community of the Year: Scholarly Smart Growth.
February 1, 2009... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor A community on the upswing and snappy architecture are brought to the forefront by Domus. BEST URBAN SMART GROWTH COMMUNITY Conceived as an urban courtyard building that opens up and engages the...

Room of the Year: Ibiza in Transition.
February 1, 2009... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor This outdoor living room is an impressive transitional style full of Spanish Andalusia influences, minus the heavy elements. It's outdoor living at its best. BEST SPECIALTY ROOM IN A HOME, 4,001 SQUARE...

Region 1: Caped Crusader.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN NORTH ATLANTIC REGION BEST SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOME, 3,001 TO 4,000 SQUARE FEET Residence One at Five Lanterns offers a new spin on the classic Cape Cod style. The home fits into its New England surroundings while...

Region 2: The Urban Loft Revisited.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION BEST MULTIFAMILY HIGH-RISE 6 STORIES AND OVER The Midtown North luxury condominium project has an elegant, urban loft feel that complements the ultra-chic atmosphere of Reston Town Center. The...

Region 4: New Spin on City Living.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN MIDWEST REGION On a city lot zoned for five-story homes with no sideyard setbacks, Chicago architects Osterhaus McCarthy designed a contemporary residence amid existing Victorian-era bungalows that top out at three...

Region 5: Updated Farmhouse.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN CENTRAL REGION BEST ONE-OF-A-KIND SPEC HOME, 4,001 TO 6,500 SQUARE FEET A rural Nebraska site with views of sweeping valleys and rolling hills is the perfect setting for this family home, a farmhouse with a...

Region 6: Developed With Care.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN SOUTH CENTRAL REGION The site was a beauty: about 20 acres of hillside covered with cedar and oak trees and boasting views of downtown Austin. But therein lay a major challenge, because nearly all the indigenous trees had...

Region 7: Severe Slope Solution.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN MOUNTAIN REGION Built for a young couple expecting twins, this home rests on a hillside with a steep slope to the south. Due to its location in a neighborhood of 1950s homes just north of downtown Boulder, Colo., there...

Region 8: Small Plan Lives Big.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN PACIFIC REGION BEST SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOME, 1,801 TO 2,400 SQUARE FEET Presented with the challenge of designing livable detached homes for a tight infill site, Dahlin Group Architecture Planning created a...

Region 9: An Elegant Pair.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff BEST IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION BEST SINGLE-FAMILY ATTACHED HOME This pair of homes in the Seattle suburb of Renton is designed with a Northwest contemporary flair that complements the lakefront site. Floor-to-ceiling...

Codes to Care About.
February 1, 2009... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor Builders on the coasts have been well acquainted with the Miami-Dade County and other hurricane-related codes. However, homes nationwide are potentially subject to high winds and nasty weather, particularly...

Nesting Influences Design.(Survey)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings The cocooning trend may be driving popular home features. When any crisis strikes, there's a natural inclination for people to retreat to the comfort and safety of their homes. It happened after 9/11, and...

Qualified Design Success.(Best in American Living Award)
February 1, 2009... Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director It's easier than ever to learn from the winners of the Best in American Living Award. In today's market, builders are looking for any edge they can get. Without exception, the best edge is...

BALA: Hall of Fame.(Best in American Living Award)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Staff The 25 years since the creation of the Best in American Living Award has brought a lot of change to residential construction and design. Just consider these terms: green building, outdoor living, great room, grand foyer, professional...

Customer Quality.(Capital Pacific Holdings Inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editoral Director A strict devotion to continuous improvement and meeting customer expectations puts Capital Pacific Holdings in the Hall of Fame. How do you earn a Best in American Living Award Hall of Fame nod as...

Global Influence.(Berkus Design Studio)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design Forty-five years of thinking outside the box have made Barry Berkus' name synonymous with innovation. One of the most influential (and best-traveled) figures in residential design today is Barry A....

On the Cutting Edge.(Aram Bassenian and Carl Lagoni)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design Renowned for the aesthetic appeal and marketability of their housing designs, Aram Bassenian and Carl Lagoni continue to push the envelope. After a quarter of a century, the architectural profession...

Group Elevation.(Christopher Homes Development Co. employees awarded)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Christopher Homes employees take pride in the recognition BALA wins have provided over the years. Christopher Homes has a demonstrated commitment to residential design excellence. Building on its roots...

Timeless Design.(J. Carson Looney)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design For J. Carson Looney, residential architecture is all about livability, adaptability and long-lasting value. If there's anything Carson Looney hates, it's an ill-conceived residential design that...

Due Recognition.(Steve Moore)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editoral Director BALA co-founder Steve Moore fought to award builders for great design when others frowned upon it. When Steve Moore worked for NAHB after college, it galled him that builders were not a strong...

Innovation and Comfort.(award for Taylor Morrison)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editoral Director Taylor Morrison delivers cutting-edge design while ensuring the homeowner's comfort. The result? More BALA awards than any other home builder. Taylor Morrison has won more Best in American Living...

A Contest to Educate.(Roy Diez)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editoral Director Roy Diez worked with the NAHB Design Committee to create the Best in American Living Award and ensure it met the needs of the industry. During Roy Diez's 34-year career at Professional Builder , he...

A Foundation for Great Design.(award for Jack Bloodgood)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editoral Director Through multiple efforts, Jack Bloodgood of BSB Design built new demand for better design, and then helped deliver it. The accolades for Jack Bloodgood, FAIA, have been going strong for years now....

The Matriarch of Interior Merchandising.(Carole Eichen)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Carole Eichen's concept of model home design changed the industry and helped buyers see themselves as the best of American living. She was an innovator, a pioneer and expert marketer. Carole Eichen,...

5 Great Land Decisions.(impact of financial crises on land acquisition contracts)
February 1, 2009... By Jane Adler, Contributing Editor A bad market doesn't mean bad land buys. Here's a snapshot of five land deals that worked. If you think great land decisions can't happen in this market, think again. It's more than possible, and as...

Number Crunch.
February 1, 2009... Staff Best in American Living Award Special Edition 25 The Best in American Living Award celebrates its 25th year this year. The program started in 1983 with two magazines, an idea and a guy named Steve Moore. Happy silver...

Everything in Its Place.
February 1, 2009... Staff Eco-Friendly Finishes Staff Christiana Cabinetry's new urethane-based finish is formulated without the use of harmful chemicals, so once the solvents have evaporated, there are no noxious off-gasses from the coating. The new...

Hardware Ties it Together.
February 1, 2009... Staff Don't Lift a Finger Staff Berenson's Bravo Collection of pulls is ideal for contemporary style kitchens and furniture. The collection comes in an array of sizes and modern finishes. The lengths are 13/4, 3, 6 and 9 inches....

3 Pros Weigh In.(Bonnie Alfriend)(Rick Heaston)(Bob Schultz)
February 1, 2009... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director We got three top sales experts talking about tips, closings and what salespeople can do now to improve sales -- and they didn't always agree. Professional Builder held a one-hour discussion...

How to Compete with Foreclosures.
February 1, 2009... John Rymer, New Home Knowledge Don't be defensive when discussing the value of new homes versus short sales, or foreclosures. A fact of life for new home sales professionals in 2009 is that 40 percent of home sales in many markets are...

High-density marketing plan do over.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 15, 2009... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Multifamily land plans are increasing, but their success isn't guaranteed. Learn from these developers' stories and boost your chances of high-density product profitability. In life there is seldom...

Beware Caveats in Case-Shiller Indices.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 15, 2009... By John Burns and Lisa Marquis Jackson, John Burns Real Estate Consulting Be sure to understand these popular indices before you use them. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indexis one of the most commonly referenced indices available to...

News & Moves.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 15, 2009... Staff Home Builders Protest Bailout - Union-Tribune Home builders protested the bailout in downtown San Diego, saying they've been left out. Former Fannie Exec: Housing Solutions from Depression Era More Successful - New...

An army of consultants awaits your call.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
February 15, 2009... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor, Business Eager advisers are banding together to help you cash in on the recovery, Bill observes in his blog, Ear to the Ground. Well-known home builder marketing consultant Bill Becker, based in Teaneck,...