Professional Builder (1993) articles from June 2003

Professional Builder (1993) archives from June 2003

Letters.
June 1, 2003... Design story did the trick One of my on-site agents framed the March article "25 Design Tricks That Sell More Houses" and posted it in her sales trailer. What an article! It was an excellent balance of ideas and artwork, with lots of...

Invest in the other side of the desk. (Perspective).(training managers)
June 1, 2003... Does anyone ever forget the feeling that comes the first time you sit across the desk from an individual with the power to determine your professional future? On the outside the image is of a confident, qualified candidate in total control. On...

Being selfish, with the best intentions. (Publisher's Letter).
June 1, 2003... There has been so much talk about "education" throughout our industry. Chatter from the people who want to provide it, to the people who they believe need it, to the customers who will benefit from it, upgrading people and processes is an...

New laws take aim at lawsuits: what you need to know about new 'right-to-repair' laws. (Outfront).
June 1, 2003... It is a sad state of affairs when Legislation is required to resurrect basic civility and common sense. But that is what is now in the offing, and builders stand to benefit. The tendency to litigate against builders, developers and trade...

Ryland pays big for bad land. (Litigation).(Ryland Homes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Ryland Homes is offering to buy back homes for the original selling price from residents of its Lexington Manner subdivision in Butler Country Ohio. after hazardous lead levels were discovered in yards earlier this year. The subdivision...

The new HR model. (The HIR Dept.).(human resorurces)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... After 27 years of working in corporate America, I'm still amazed by how the human resource function is underused. The old HR model had these people in a strictly tactical mode, moving payroll and benefit papers, and posting jobs. Today a...

Gene McKown: auctioneer extraordinaire. (Off Hours).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... As a boy, Gene McKown of Ideal Homes in Norman, Okla., went to a "pie supper" and witnessed an auction for the first time. "The auctioneer took a $1.50 necktie from someone in the first row and sold it for $10," McKown says. "I knew then...

Solid growth in fiber cement sector. (Outfront: Build).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In the fourth study of its kind since 1992, researchers from Ducker Worldwide, an industry market research firm, interviewed nearly 500 residential and non-residential exterior cladding industry participants (manufacturers, distributors and...

Gypsum alternative to parapets. (Outfront: Build).(fire protection)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Builders doing multifamily axe certainly familiar with building codes requiring fire protection that prevents fires from jumping from one home to the other. In some parts of the country, however, multifamily builders are replacing masonry...

Add-on valve prevents water heater leaks. (Home Appliances).(from Water and Gas Safety Valve)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... As with any appliance, a hot water heater has a certain life span and can fail within seven to 10 years of installation. The Water and Gas Safety Valve (WAGS) from Taco, a pump and electronic control manufacturer based in Rhode Island, shuts...

Staron ascending. (Outfront: Design).(Samsung Staron)(StairWorld Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In a bold and unexpected pairing, Samsung's Staron solid surface has teamed with custom staircase manufacturer StairWorld Inc. to create the Staron inlaid staircase. Most familiar to builders as a kitchen and bath countertop material, Staron is...

Color selection too1s. (Outfront: Design).
June 1, 2003... With a typical custom or semi-custom home, the builder is deeply involved with the customer's selection decisions. A few recent innovations in choosing interior and exterior paint mean builders can delegate at least one chore to someone...

Survey shows declines in incentive selling. (Outfront: Manage).(Credit Suisse/First Boston)
June 1, 2003... Wall Street housing stock analyst Ivy Zelman of Credit Suisse/First Boston has come up with an interesting measure to keep her finger on the pulse of the industry. She surveys leading newspapers around the country each week and counts the...

'Road map' targets financial ratios. (Bottom-Line Building).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Colorado-based management consultant Chuck Shinn simplifies the route to double-digit builder profitability with a set of financial ratios that target cost control. In this space over the next six months, we'll detail each ratio - and Shinn's...

Selling the construction process. (Outfront: Sell).(Cydne Combs, Prudential New Homes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Former national salesperson of the year Cydne Combs, of Prudential New Homes in Ontario, Calif., anchors her sales approach in home construction. The idea is to be a guide to help people through a complicated process. "What I really try to...

Family product? Surprise the kids. (Outfront: Sell).(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... From ballet and sailing to rock-and-roll and tennis, merchandising models targeted to families often translates to secondary bedrooms themed specifically to appeal to boys and girls. But builders are grabbing kids attention elsewhere in the...

Rediscovering the full model demonstration. (Tactics).(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The trend in selling over the last decade has shifted toward relationship building, getting prospects talking and telling their life stories. But as some markets across the country cool off, the benefits of a detailed model-home demo are being...

The greening of America. (Outfront: Land).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... It's still a long way from being a common household term, but green building is on the rise. While nobody can argue that green building isn't the right thing to do, local building officials still need to be convinced about the soundness of...

Use entitlement contingencies in contracts. (Outfront: Land).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The difference between a profitable land deal and one that ends up as an expensive mistake is often found in the details of the contract you draft. Lesson No.1, says Tom Stephani, president of Rosenthal Company, Inc., a builder in Crystal...

An alternate financing solution. (Impact Fees).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... With impact fees as high as $60,000 in some parts of the country, moderately priced homes with fees passed on by builders are increasingly out of reach for targeted buyers. That is why the development industry is closely watching an impact fee...

Housing's underdogs live on: part 3. (Lessons Learned).
June 1, 2003... This discussion began in the April column and continued into May, considering predictions made by industry pundits that home building's "Top 20" will achieve total market domination within 10 years -- perhaps as much as 95% or more. ...

Diversify your investments. (Money Matters).
June 1, 2003... The past few years have been good for America's home builders, and I assume many have accumulated excess profits in their business accounts or socked away investment capital in their personal accounts. But to builders who poured some of those...

The anatomy of innovation. (Building Technology).
June 1, 2003... 'To start a journey of a thousand miles takes but one step." It's a favorite quotation of John Wesley Miller who took his first step on the road toward innovative building 30 years ago. Now Miller can count the development of Armory Park del...

How to hire. (Cover Story: Winning the Talent War).
June 1, 2003... Wrong hires cost you at least two times the salary. You'd never skip due diligence on a piece of land or an acquisition, so why trust only your instinct on an investment as costly as people? (Cover Story) So, you've lost two of your best...

Leadership development in overdrive. (CoverStory: Winning the Talent War).(Hovnanian Enterprises Inc.)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2003... Creating strong, skilled leaders internally is an overriding passion at Giant K. Hovnanian Companies--because it has to be. To hear Mark Hodges, K. Hovnanian Companies' senior vice president of corporate operations, talk about the home...

The retirement housing boom: forecast and strategies for appealing to the Boomers of today and the next decade. (Sell).
June 1, 2003... We are on the cusp of a major opportunity in the housing market: for-sale retirement housing. Real Estate Consulting just finished a 300+ hour research project on retirement housing, analyzing the demand in all 3,000+ counties in the country...

Greeting from Southern California: seven standouts professional builder toured this spring in the Inland Empire and Orange and L.A counties. (Design).(model homes)
June 1, 2003... Whether they hail from the East, South, Midwest or the Rockies, most builders recognize that Southern California is where design trends start. In addition, sales there are red-hot. In just one section of the region, the Inland Empire, an...

Countercopia: new countertop products offer the opportunity to forge bold buyer memory points in model home kitchens and baths. (Design).
June 1, 2003... Kitchen and bath countertops are important. "It's one of the first options buyers choose," says Hope Flynn, merchandising coordinator for Houston-based Kathy Andrews Interiors. "They'll change countertops before they upgrade the kitchen floor...

Hidden volume ranch: a single-story, 1,995-square-foot home grows a second floor--and 600 square feet--without changing its streetscape presence. (Build).(Autumnwood by Bassenian Lagoni Architects and Wathen-Castanos Inc.)
June 1, 2003... From the outside, the Autumnwood model in Glovis, Calif., looks like a lovely but still fairly typical ranchstyle home on a small lot -- which it is. From the inside, though, it lives like a spacious four-bedroom, two-story home. Sounds...

Measure what you want to improve. (Metrics).(Column)
June 1, 2003... They say "What you pay attention to, improves." They also say "Inspect what you expect." These are wise thoughts from smart people, but the critical questions for every business owner start well before these answers. For example: 1. What...

Contracts & law: Part V. (Learn).
June 1, 2003... Litigation is civilized society's substitute for violence, and even lawyers consider it a last resort in the resolution of disputes. Litigation is time-consuming and expensive, and it creates a great deal of bitterness and resentment. ...

MemBrain[TM]: the Smart Vapor Retarder.
June 1, 2003... Introducing MemBrain[TM] from CertainTeed. The smarter vapor retarder. It's the bane of every builder and the hidden risk in every home. It's moisture lurking in the wall cavity, creating an ideal situation for mildew, rot and the...

Therma-Tru doors. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Two new Classic-Craft entry door systems combine the appearance of wood with the performance of fiberglass. The Mahogany system surface can be painted or stained. The Rustic system blends smooth-grain panels, arches and rubbed metal accents...

Phoenix door. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Custom entry doors in the New-Tech Century Collection can be designed in cherry, mahogany, walnut, maple, oak, birch, alder and poplar. Doors are available up to 14 feet high and 5 feet wide. The true divided lite, raised molding used in...

Peachtree doors and windows. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Newport fiberglass (pictured) and Avanti steel entry doors now come in 8-foot heights. Door panels and sidelites share a continuous frame to facilitate installation and eliminate sag and shift. Glass is tempered, 3/4 inch and insulated. An...

The stanley works. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Entry and patio door systems come with the Pro-Formance rot-proof sill system. Features include interchangeable rails and a hidden adjusting system. Jambs can be fastened to the sill with staples, nails or screws. A full-width, full-length...

Gadco. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Americana garage doors are offered in seven colors -- white, brown, almond, sandstone, teratone, skyline blue and evening gray -- and dozens of window styles. The raised-panel steel design creates the appearance of wood without warping,...

Crystal window and door systems. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Factory finishing now is available on Opal fiberglass entry doors. A stain coat on wood-grain doors is offered in seven colors -- natural oak, medium oak, dark walnut, cherry, burgundy cherry, mahogany and white frost. Painted finishes are...

Wayne-Dalton. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... The Carriage House series of wood garage doors includes the more affordable 7100 series. All 7100 doors feature a kiln-dried hemlock stile and rail frame with mortise-and-tenon construction as well as various hemlock trim patterns in vertical...

Masonite. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Premvu Series patio doors are designed to provide a better view and more light by offering up to 20% more viewing area with a flush-glazed design. The doors have a polyurethane core for thermal performance and resist cracking, splitting and...

Metecno-aluma shield. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... The Max-R insulated sectional door panel is made with a core of HGFC-free polyurethane inside galvanized steel, which resists corrosion, according to the company. Tongue in groove panel joints seals out wind. This product is offered in a...

Jeld-Wen. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Nord Mission Series exterior and interior wood doors are made of fir, hemlock or knotty hemlock. Of the 10 available designs, two have curved arches and eight have straight tops for a more contemporary look. Exterior doors are offered in one-,...

Weather Shield. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Weather Shield French doors can serve as entry doors that satisfy a desire for a full-lite door and taller door height. They come with 1 3/4-inch-thick, solid wood core door panels, extruded aluminum or wood exteriors and a choice of seven wood...

Marvin windows and doors. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Raised panel doors have been added to the line of French doors. They are available in pine, fir, mahogany, cherry, oak or extruded aluminum-clad exterior. They also can be combined with round top, transom or sidelight and are available in...

Summit door. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Centurion garage doors are made with nonwood products. Every door has 1 3/4-inch insulation and a 2-inch-thick frame as standard. Each roll-formed galvanized component frame has stile/rail joints resistance-welded and allows for 1-inch...

Simpson door. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... In exterior French and sash doors, Invisions glass has a horizontal venetian blind sealed between two pieces of tempered glass. A magnetic guide tilts the blind. The product is offered in full-lite French and half-lite sash that come standard...

ODL. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Lasting Impressions door glass, made of laminated glass and resin, lowers sound transmission into a home by up to 40% and ultraviolet penetration by up to 99%, the company says. It's also designed to be virtually impossible to break. ...

Kolbe & Kolbe millwork. (Products: Exterior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Acore insulated steel entry doors come in various flush and paneled styles. Steel door panels and pre-hung exterior door systems have wood stile and rails, and a solid polyurethane core. Magnetic weatherstripping is applied on the lock jamb and...

Therma-Tru: doors that deliver more than just beautiful entryways. (Special Advertising Section: Exterior Doors).(Advertisement)
June 1, 2003... Special Advertising Section: Exterior Doors Therma-Tru Doors Your homebuyers demand beauty and performance, and so should you. Bring home performance, durability, security and energy efficiency with the industry's most advanced door system...

Craftmaster. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... The Caiman Smooth Door design has a true arch top panel with a straight bottom panel. It comes in standard 6 feet, 8 inches and 8-foot heights and has common passage sizes for both. It is made from molded high-density fiberboard and accepts...

Woodgrain millwork. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... American red oak doors are available in a standard height, as well as 7- and 8-foot heights. These doors come with two-panel square top, two-panel arch top or four and six panel options. French doors come in 1-, 5-, 10-, 15- or 12-lite over...

Masonite. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Palazzo series molded panel doors come in two architectural styles: Bellagio, which features two arched panels, and Capri, which features two square panels. These doors are available in three heights: 6 feet, 8 inches; 7 feet; or 8 feet. They...

Hy-Lite products. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Acrylic block exterior door inserts for 1 3/4-inch-thick slab and panel doors come in two versions - a 3x11 block. that measures 22x70 inches and a 4x11 block that measures 28x70 inches. The pre-assembled inserts require no additional...

Andersen windows. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Andersen has added the forest green color option to its 400 series patio doors. The other three standard colors are white, sandstone or Terratone. Standard and custom grilles also are available now in forest green, including full divided lite...

Pella. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... The Rolscreen retractable insect screen rolls away and out of sight when not in use. The Rolscreen re-tractable insect screen is available on Architect Series and Designer Series casement windows and sliding doors. Circle 146 on inquiry...

L.E. Johnson. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... Johnson Hardware's pocket door privacy lock fits into standard bores and backset openings of a standard door. The locks latch automatically and has a safety release located on the outer side for emergencies. The locks unlatch with a touch...

Weather Shield. (Products: Interior Doors).
June 1, 2003... These multi-panel telescoping sliding glass doors features six 1 3/4 thick panels in 6 foot, 10 inch or 8 foot, 1 inch heights, with flush-mounted glass panels. The four center panels slide to fully open or close the door. Handle sets are...

Masonite. The beautiful door.[TM]: #1 brand leader; Masonite interior passage doors & bifold (closet) doors. (Special Advertising Section: Interior Doors).(from Masonite International Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Masonite's new Palazzo [TM] Series has been designed to add beauty and value to every home. With distinct raised moulding and high-definition panel profiles, Palazzo is the ultimate in elegance. Palazzo provides the weight, feel and richness of...

CertainTeed. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Boardwalk composite decking and railing is made with EcoTech, a patented material that combines PVC with recycled natural fibers for consistent color, texture and quality. Boardwalk is NES-approved, has a Class 1 fire rating and installs with...

OSI sealants. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Pro-Series SF 400 low-VOC subfloor and construction adhesive meets VOC requirements in all California counties, the company says. It's designed specifically to reduce nail pops and eliminate squeaky floors in residential construction, including...

DeWalt. (Products).
June 1, 2003... More than 20 new woodworking saw blades range from 8 1/2 to 15 inches in diameter and from 24 to 100 C4 microgram carbide teeth that plane the material while cutting. The cutting edges are designed to prevent tear-out and reduce edge...

Royal crown. (Products).
June 1, 2003... To make installation quicker and easier, Deck Lok tri-extruded vinyl decking and railing has a snap-connection system with no exposed fasteners. It also has a self-spacing feature. Each side of the deck plank has a different color, and a...

Nafco. (Products).
June 1, 2003... New Generation vinyl flooring includes four designs and 22 colors. ClayStone is a 12x12-inch tile inspired by the Southwest. JaspeStone (shown) also is a 12x12 tile. Both feature Grout-Fit, a two-sided grout treatment designed for a seamless...

Zephyr ventilation. (Products).
June 1, 2003... With a 36-inch oval canopy seamlessly fused to a stainless steel stem, the Torino Island range hood mounts to the ceiling and delivers 715 cubic feet per minute. Features include remote control, six variable speeds, a digital readout and...

Kadant composites. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The GeoDeck composite deck and railing system is made from a combination of recycled plastic and Biodac, a proprietary ingredient made by the recovery of purified cellulose fibers and other minerals. GeoDeck's primary characteristic is fade...

Metabo. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The WE14-125 Plus 5-inch angle grinder is a variable-speed grinder/cutoff machine with automatic electronic speed stabilization. It's designed for applications requiring quick stock removal and/or efficient cutting. The tool's 12-amp motor has...

James Hardie. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Harditrim exterior trim board with XLD technology is a 1-inch-thick fiber-cement board for windows, corners, columns and fascia. While the product is thicker than standard 3/4-inch trim, the technology makes it easy to cut and nail, the company...

H-P products. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Vacuflo ffitered cyclonic central vacuum system operates without bags or filters. Dirt, debris and dust particles are removed through a simple network of tubing that runs through the walls and are deposited into a clear dirt canister while the...

Habersham. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Inspired by the Dutch pottery of the same name, the Delft kitchen island has a carved top with a hand-painted tile design. The island's base has hand-painted blue floral designs and handcrafted details. Designed for larger kitchens, the island...

Louisiana-Pacific. (Products).
June 1, 2003... WeatherBest composite decking and railing is made from a wood and plastic composite, so the product resists termites, rot and decay. Built-in color and graining variations are designed to make the product look more like real wood....

Weyerhaeuser. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The ChoiceDek railing system is made of recycled oak fibers and recycled polyethylene plastic. Components include large vertical posts, which attach to the support framing, and square baluster support blocks for structural stability. Individual...

Alcoa home exteriors. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Mastic Cedar Discovery siding now includes a 7-inch hand-split shake and a 6 1/2-inch half-round shingle (shown in pine needle, a new color in 2003), both made of polypropylene. Shingles have a cedar-like grain with scalloped edges. Cedar...

U.S. gypsum. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Made for use in interior areas, Sheetrock Humitek gypsum panels resist moisture and mold from front to back. They're initially available in a 5/8-inch thickness (a 1/2-inch-thick panel will be available soon) in lengths of 8, 10 and 12 feet....

Shakertown. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Made from Western red cedar, Craftsman one-course panels have concealed nailing and overlocking end joints for a seamless appearance. The one-course design allows for one-person installation, the company says. The 8-foot-long panels are...

Owens corning. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The ProPINK Complete blown-in insulating system is an alternative to roll or batt insulation for walls, ceilings or any enclosed cavity. It's not susceptible to compression or gaps, the company says, and delivers up to R-15 in 2x4 construction...

EcoStar. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Seneca cedar shake tiles are made with recycled materials, rubber and plastic to emulate the look of wood. They are made in widths of 6, 9 and 12 inches and are offered in nine different colors. These tiles come with a 50-year warranty and a...

E-Z Stairs. (Products).
June 1, 2003... These stairs use adjustable parallel brackets for easier construction. It requires six saw cuts and eliminates squeaks and creaks, says the company. EZ Stair brackets also can be used in the preparation of concrete formwork. This product is...

Bruce laminate floors. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Eight colors have been added to the TrueLock collection of glueless laminate floors. These include heirloom pine, Western oak natural, apple, mountain oak chestnut (pictured), red oak natural, Hartford maple natural, olive and black walnut. The...

Georgia-Pacific. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The company's line of MDF molding now includes wider base profiles of 5 1/4 and 7 1/4 inches and wider crown profiles of 4 5/8, 5 1/4 and 7 1/4 inches. The product's exterior is primed for easy painting. In addition to molding, G-P offers...

Kinetico. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The 2020c compact water softener is 191/2 inches high, 18 inches deep and 81/4 inches wide and uses either pellet or block salt. The cabinet comes in a silver metallic finish and a choice of five colors: blue, cherry, lemon, lime and plum. It...

LitesNow. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The Valo low-voltage track lighting system mounts to a wall or ceiling using an adhesive track that can be trimmed to the desired length with a pair of scissors. The track connects to a microelectronic transformer that draws power from a normal...

Build. (Special Advertising Section).
June 1, 2003... Build is a complete design/build software solution, based on the AutoCAD OEM engine. It is a powerful 3D CAD program specifically geared to the residential and light commercial design and construction market. With AutoCad as the base for Build,...

Cadsoft. (Special Advertising Section).
June 1, 2003... Home Design Reinvented Cadsoft is recognized as a premier global developer of software for the residential and light commercial construction market. Our goal is to provide our clients with true business tools, which deliver the maximum...

Envisioneer. (Special Advertising Section).
June 1, 2003... Envisioneer is a conceptual 3D modeling tool that was designed with Ease of Use and Flexibility in mind. Now you can effectively model and convey your Building, Landscape and Interior Design ideas in full 3D, and do it all in minutes instead of...