Professional Builder (1993) articles from June 2004

Professional Builder (1993) archives from June 2004

What readers' believe.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... I just finished reading "What Do You Believe" in April's Professional Builder. Nice job. I really enjoyed it and found it, ironically, to coincide with what our company has recently revisited. I have been with our company for 18 years, and when...

Project section praised.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... As a regular reader of Professional Builder, I truly enjoy your Plan & Projects section. It provides light and insight into unique neighborhood concepts being developed throughout the country. It is refreshing to visualize different aesthetics...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2004... D.R. Horton in Jacksonville, Fla., should have been mentioned as having closed nearly 1,400 homes in Jacksonville in 2003 on the poster in Professional Builder's GIANTS supplement.

Affordable housing done right.(Perspective)
June 1, 2004... At Professional Builder, we work diligently to provide readers with information to build profit and not just houses. To those not involved on a day-to-day basis in the business of creating content, this may seem like a small distinction, but to...

Sleepy Hollow Village: at Boardwalk Place.(Plans and Projects)
June 1, 2004... New Urbanism flourishes in pockets of development around the country and recently took root in the town of O'Fallon, west of St. Louis. There, within a 1,100-acre master plan called WingHaven, four of 27 residential villages were set aside for...

Ridgefield.(Plans and Projects)
June 1, 2004... A drive through South Phoenix, Ariz., 10 years ago might not have been a fun ride. Substandard houses and poorly maintained properties outnumbered well-kept, attractive homes in a quasi-rural atmosphere dotted with citrus groves and small...

Chestnut Meadows.(Plans and Projects)
June 1, 2004... This suburban Dallas project is a poster child for move-up specialist David Weekley's new Imagination Homes, a venture into the affordable market where the value proposition rests on limiting selections so the houses can be built very fast. ...

Design sketchbook: resource centers.(Plans and Projects)
June 1, 2004... The demands of managing a household, raising children and dealing with the requirements of our jobs create challenges. Probably the most stressful aspect of our busy lives relates directly to the lack of time available for organizing daily...

Customer surveys' dark side.(Lessons Learned)
June 1, 2004... On the whole, the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey has been a good thing for our industry. Since its introduction five years ago, survey results have risen every year in each city measured. Remarkable. Builders are paying attention. ...

Handle rejections with care.(The H.R. Dept.)
June 1, 2004... Ever wonder how job candidates truly feel about you, your company and your interview process? Some of the top builders in America spend enormous amounts of time and money to attract candidates yet fail to recognize the collateral damage created...

Tie land to business plan.(Bottom-Line Building)
June 1, 2004... Last month we looked at rising land prices in hot housing markets across the country and offered the opinion that now is not the best time to buy land in large parcels. But it's hard to avoid getting caught up in a land frenzy when homes sales...

Manage the expectations.(Customer Satisfaction)
June 1, 2004... Understanding and managing customer expectation is one of the biggest factors in buyer satisfaction. Some builder are establishing customer relations programs to eliminate misunderstandings and get everyone in the process on the same...

Estimating -- Part VI.(Learn)
June 1, 2004... Computerized estimating systems come in three types: spreadsheets, dedicated programs and software/digitizer combinations. All three should produce the same accuracy, so cost, the learning curve, flexibility and your needs will determine which...

Code relief: technology eases pain of regulatory process.(Build)
June 1, 2004... The regulatory approval process--completing a permit, application check-in, plan reviews, fee calculation and collection, inspections and more--can be both frustrating and mind-numbing. A lack of trained inspectors, understaffed departments and...

Selling spaces: television's instant-makeover shows highlight the challenges that homeowners face when decorating a lackluster space. transforming an empty model into a targeted selling tool is equally amazing to watch.(Sell)
June 1, 2004... A model home merchandiser recently invited me to observe the installation of four models in a new Toll Brothers project, The Terraces, a low-rise condominium community that's part of master-planned Dublin Ranch Villages in Dublin, Calif. In...

Making money in affordable housing: it might not make you rich, but builders say it's a key ingredient of a successful, diversified business.(SpecialReport)
June 1, 2004... After World War II, low-interest home loans funded through the GI Bill and given to returning soldiers combined with an unprecedented era of prosperity to boost American homeownership rates significantly. According to the U.S. Bicentennial...

General electric.(Products)
June 1, 2004... GE Profile ovens with Trivection technology combine thermal, convection and microwave cooking. Users enter food type, time and temperature, and the oven automatically applies the correct combination. Available as a single or double wall oven or...

Fisher & paykel.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The top-loading SmartLoad dryer tumbles in both directions to reduce creasing and tangling and to dry more evenly. Other features include a self-cleaning lint screen and lint reservoir, five drying cycles and automatic dryness sensing that...

DuPont.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Japanese design concept wabi-sabi, which celebrates nature's randomness and unpredictability, inspired six new Corian solid-surface colors. They include canvas (a yellow-based neutral), dove (midtone gray), green tea (neutral sage), raffia...

Electrolux.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The stainless steel Icon line debuts with nine products: a convection wall oven, a warming drawer, a 22.6-cubic-foot refrigerator, a dishwasher, 36-inch gas and electric rangetops with six burners (the electric model also has a bridge burner),...

Maytag.(Products)
June 1, 2004... This bottom-freezer refrigerator with French doors is designed to facilitate access to the fresh-food compartment. Other features include an internal water dispenser, adjustable Spill-Catcher shelves and in-door storage for two 1-gallon jugs....

Pollard windows.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Liberty Collection windows combine wood interiors (maple, oak or pine) with vinyl exteriors. Choose one of four standard colors for the PVC exteriors--pearl white, silversand, autumn ivory or cocoa brown--or specify a custom color. Styles...

Crane products.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Made of wood-filled HDPE resin, Fairwood cedar-tone fencing debuts with two board profiles and a steel-reinforced support rail. The 2 1/2-inch-thick boards measure 3 1/2 and 5 1/4 inches wide and have the cedar-tone grain on both sides. The...

OmegaFlex.(Products)
June 1, 2004... TracPipe PS-II flexible gas piping is designed for use under slabs where sleeved and vented piping is required by code. The stainless steel product, which is enclosed within a fully vented polyethylene sleeve for gas-control safety, installs...

Timeline vinyl windows.(Products)
June 1, 2004... These second-generation double-hung, single-hung and single-slide windows have a one-piece pocketed sloped sill. All three have a screen with a full width lift bar, compression springs, a new profile lock and adjustable keeper. They also...

Nevmar.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Hallmark series of laminates includes three new patterns. Inspired by natural elements such as metals, exotic woods and minerals, the pearlescent effect of the Hallmark series reflect and refract light to add dimension, the company says....

Honeywell.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Y8150A fresh air ventilation system optimizes air intake with equipment cycling while providing ventilated air to the home, the company says. It includes the W8150 forced air supply ventilation control to monitor the ventilation through the...

Caesarstone.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Copper abyss is one of four new colors in the company's 36-color line of quartz surfaces. Coffee bean is a rusty brown with light and dark flecks, gold abyss is black with yellow flecks, and absolute noir is midnight black with subtle white...

TEC.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Double Duty Plus all-white non-stick mastic bonds wall tile and stone up to 16 inches square to any number of substrates without slippage. This 100 percent acrylic interior adhesive has a creamy texture and won't stain. Circle 135 on inquiry...

TOLCO.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Figure 4L in-line longitudinal sway brace attachment allows swivel in only one direction. The breakoff head bolt is used to verify proper installation torque. Made of carbon and steel, the Figure 4L comes with a plain finish;...

Genesis cable systems.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The type 1243 cable designed for the home office work environment comes with an 18 AWG copper pair for power and a 22 AWG copper pair for data. Covered in a flame-resistant PVC, this cable is compatible with computer multimedia, high-speed...

Style Solutions.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Thirty decorative exterior brackets have been added to Style Solutions' product line in honor of its 30th anniversary. The brackets range in size from a small cove piece that is 4 1/2 X 21 3/16 to a large post bracket that's 40 X 40. Bracket...

Thermador.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Thermador expands its Professional Series appliance line with a 30-inch wall oven, a 10-cycle dishwasher and built-in refrigeration units (bottom-mount or side-by-side). The wall oven comes paired with a microwave or a microwave/warming drawer....

Bosch power tools and accessories.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The 1700 series of small angle grinders now has a vibration-dampening side-assist handle--which cuts vibration by 60 percent, according to the company--and a tool-free guard. The series includes a 4 1/2-inch 1700 and 1710 units, the 5-inch...

Ilva.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Onyx rectified porcelain tiles come in 20 X 20 inches, 14 X 14 inches, 4 1/2 X 7 inches, 7 X 7 inches and 3.4 X 3.4 inches mesh-mounted mosaics on 14 X 14-inch sheets. These tiles are available in vanilla, cream and honey. The line also...

Knauf insulation.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Jet Stream fiberglass blowing insulation provides R-30 coverage. Contractors can cover 69.7 square feet per 30-pound bag of insulation at a minimum thickness of 10.25 inches. This product is packaged in 30-pound increments as opposed to the...

HomeCrest cabinetry.(Products)
June 1, 2004... A new arts & crafts style hickory door, the Harrison line features recessed panel, modified full-overlay construction, solid wood door frames and drawer fronts. Center panels are furniture-grade wood veneer. Harrison is available in natural,...

Oldcastle architectural.(Products)
June 1, 2004... DUFFERIN stone, a masonry veneer that looks like natural stone, can be used as a full exterior cladding or as an accent. It installs like brick, using mortar, and has a 4-inch veneer. Also part of this line is surround stone, which can be used...

BurkeMercer flooring.(Products)
June 1, 2004... This new line of acrylic color caulk matches with the 86 wall base colors already available. It can be used on floor or wall bases for touchups, to fill gaps or irregularities during installation of rubbery or vinyl finishes. It is moisture-,...

Hakatai enterprises.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Nine colors have been added to the Ashland series of 1 X 1-inch glass mosaic tiles. A custom blend has been added, too, in which a customer can determine at what percentage an already-available color is blended. Each sheet of tile contains 1.15...

Illbruck architectural products.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Contour offers four more patterns of ceiling and wall tiles. The crosspoint, allusion, mosaic and matrix 2 patterns are 2 X 2, made from fire-rated foam and come with a Hypalon coating on tile surfaces. The ceiling tiles come with backerboard...

Studio line.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Puzzle series glass tiles come in 25 shades and on a 12 X 12-inch net backing. The tiles are geometrically shaped to mask grout lines and can be used on walls, floors, borders and accents or in the shower, spa and pool. Circle 150 on inquiry...

Elk premium building products.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Prestique Grand High Definition laminated shingle feature an 8 1/4 exposure. There is a larger nail area of 1 1/4, and the shingles are made with a VersaShield fireresistant barrier. Colors include barkwood, weatheredwood, sablewood and...

Nichiha.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Sierra Premium Smooth fiber cement siding is 60% thicker than average fiber cement lap products, resulting in a deeper shadow line, says the company. Panels are available in two profile sizes: 7 and 8 3/4 inches and are factory primed and...

Wellborn cabinet.(Products)
June 1, 2004... GreyStone (shown, on Savannah maple) and Mocha Creme, a cream-colored, painted finish accented with a chocolate glaze, are two new glaze finishes available in these maple door styles in the Premier and WoodCraft series: Melrose, Harbour,...

Pittsburg corning.(Products)
June 1, 2004... ProVantage glass block morterless installation system uses a spacer system to align and hold blocks in place and joint finish so installers can turn corners, make radius walls, etc. Silicone bonds the spacer and blocks to each other. For small...

Superior plastic products.(Products)
June 1, 2004... All vinyl railing styles now come in profiles with a 3- or 4-foot radius curve. Available in white, ivory, gray or clay, railing sections come with top and bottom rails, balusters, brackets and hardware. Each style is offered in lengths of 4,...

Napoleon.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Patented Flamation technology in the model EF36H randomly adjusts the flame effect, height and speed, creating the illusion of a wood-burning fireplace. A 5,000 Btu heater and fan can operate with or without heat. The fireplace comes with flush...

Quick-step.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Elegance line of laminate features three narrow random length planks that result in less chance of pattern repetition, a telltale sign of faux floors. Planks are individual rather than multiple printed lengths on a standard board. Each...

Weck.(Products)
June 1, 2004... Sculpted pre-formed bases for walk-in glass block showers come in radius (curved) or 90-degree angle (straight corner) wall entrance and a choice of left- or right-hand entry. Molded shower base with non-slip surface measures 50X70 inches and...

Martco.(Products)
June 1, 2004... MoldShield mold-resistant barrier system is an OSB panel made with a custom-blended protective coating. The system is designed to inhibit mold growth before it starts. MoldShield is factory applied and does not require repeat in-the-field...

Blocksom & Co.(Products)
June 1, 2004... The Roof Saver is a rolled ridge vent system that provides ventilation and relief from excess heat and condensation moisture. Roof Saver reduces conditions that allow mold and mildew to flourish in the attic by offering 16.85 square inches of...

Domco.(Products)
June 1, 2004... CustomFlor designs include Stanford, a slate look in a 9-inch-square layout, and Portal, a natural marble visual with an overall speckled treatment. Stanford is available in five colors: new hope gray, stone white, rockies brown, mystic tan and...

Breaking barriers to affordable housing: looking for ways to eliminate hurdles to creating affordable housing in your market? Check out www.regbarriers.org for solutions to common code, process and regulation problems.(NewstoUse)
June 1, 2004... Amaze of state and local codes, processes and regulations delay and drive up the costs of new home construction. In an effort to break these regulatory barriers and improve the stock of affordable for-sale and for-rent housing, the Department...

Equipment not part of CAA.(NAHB Opinion)(Clean Air Act)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... In late April, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld federal Clean Air Act (CAA) provisions that state and local governments cannot set emission standards for new motor vehicles, a provision which also applies to construction equipment. This solid...

Legal landscape hurts affordability.(Building Advocates)
June 1, 2004... Today's legal landscape for home building contributes to the crisis in affordable housing. As cities, counties and states cope with their own mounting fiscal shortfalls, the robust housing sector looks like a fruitful feeding ground for new...

G-P goes paperless.(NewstoUse_Build)(Georgia-Pacific Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... In April, Georgia-Pacific Corp. announced it will no longer manufacture paper-faced exterior gypsum sheathing. G-P points to gypsum board's susceptibility to excess moisture during construction as the reason. If wetted and not properly dried...

Building with metal SIPs.(structural insulated panels)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Builder George Cheshire of Spiral Development Inc. in Pasadena, Texas, can't find the skilled trades he needs to build even a conventional house. So, he stopped building conventional houses. Now, he builds with structural insulated panels...

'Whole-house' training.(Interactive Program)
June 1, 2004... Many of today's consumers demand energy efficient and healthier homes. That market demand joins more pressing issues--callbacks and warranty claims, defect liability suits, out-of-this-world insurance rates and mold and moisture problems--as...

Powder room power.(designing powder room)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... One of the smallest rooms in the home--the powder room--packs a lot of punch these days. Why? It takes fewer extravagant finishes to make an impact in a small room than it does to decorate a huge space. Weissmann Ruvin Design Partnership in...

Recessed light is also a fan.(bathroom fittings)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Many builders and homeowners think of bathroom fans as a necessary evil--necessary to get rid of excess moisture, especially in today's tighter homes, but evil because of their noise and look. Despite improvements in recent years by fan...

Viva Las Vegas.(housing market)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Talk about a hot market! April's statistics from Las Vegas defy description, but Larry Murphy of Sales Traq and Steve Bottfeld of Marketing Solutions, who track the numbers there, report: * Median resale home price, $215,000,...

'See your builder, not a lawyer'.(Home Builders Association of Northern California creates ad to deal with homeowners complaints)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The HBA of Northern California has come up with a great TV ad campaign to encourage homeowners to call their builder, not a lawyer, if they have a problem with their home. The ads aim to combat concerted efforts by attorneys specializing in...

Infill housing boosts urban economy.(Brookings Institution)
June 1, 2004... Powerful forces are aligning to make urban infill housing not only a profitable niche market but one where builders and local governments are natural partners rather than adversaries. That's the conclusion from remarks by Amy Liu, deputy...

Driving targeted leads.(NewstoUse_Sell)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Custom builders, regional builders and remodelers may want to consider ServiceMagic.com as a new resource for driving leads to their businesses. Based in Golden, Colo., ServiceMagic.com is a Web site that connects consumers with pre-screened...

Billboard does the talking.(NewstoUse_Sell)(Diamond Built Homes LLC)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... In an effort to step up its branding efforts, Diamond Built Homes LLC, in central Oregon, with the help of Ad-Web Commutations, has created what is believed to be the first talking billboard in the state. The billboard provides digital audio...

Wanted: salespeople with character.(Recruitment Technique)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... There is a better way to select salespeople and sales managers than the traditional interview, says Gary Denning, vice president of sales for Oster Homes in Lorain, Ohio. Denning has borrowed a recruiting procedure recommended by New Home...

Puget site's sound advice.(NewstoUse_Land)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Site plans are as important as home plans in rural settings where communing with nature is as important as community. John C. Raabe, president of Cooperative Design, Langley, Wash created a step-by-step tutorial, called Landkit, that offers...

Greenscapes: made in the shade.(NewstoUse_Land)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Landscaping can have a huge effect on the energy efficiency and comfort of a home, says consultant David Johnston, president of What's Working, based in Boulder, Colo. Smart planning and planting can take advantage of sun, shade and wind to...

Free feasibility reports put money in the bank.(Market Research)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Atlanta-based Homestar Mortgage Services is luring builders with free feasibility reports. Kelly Allison, vice president of Homestar's National Building division, explains, "We start working with builders from the minute they find a piece of...

Chicago builder Perry Bigelow knows how to bring high-production methods to bear on inner-city affordable housing challenges.(The Last Word)
June 1, 2004... PB: What's the biggest barrier to other home builders producing affordable single-family houses in America's inner cities (see page 88)? Bigelow: There are a lot of barriers--political, social and economic--that are formidable enough to...

Manage supply with demand.(Market Intelligence)
June 1, 2004... This month, we feature two of the most popular markets for GIANTS: Orange County, Calif., and Tampa, Fla. Although Orange County is only the 52nd largest single-family housing market in the country, 14 of the top 20 builders build in Orange...

Have it your way: design centers sprout like mushrooms as GIANT production builders go into retailing options and upgrades for big, big money.(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... With mortgage rates low and existing homes selling for appreciating prices, home shoppers intent on moving up are out in droves nationwide. Their pockets are bulging with home equity cash they'll use to buy a better house, not just a bigger...

Where's a nexer to go?(Analysis)
June 1, 2004... Many in the seniors housing industry thought it only logical that, as the baby boomers aged and the children left home, their next move would be to active adult communities. There was much ado about those communities gearing up for the retiring...