Professional Builder (1993) articles from March 2004

Professional Builder (1993) archives from March 2004

Cost redefined.(Letters)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... "Affordability Redefined" in the January issue is exactly the kind of article to which we refer our builder-members because it's so convincing in spelling out the new economics of energy-efficient construction. However, I was struck (actually,...

Office space.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Having designed many home offices over the years and being well-versed in using "healthy space" as a home office, I find that the "office" shown in "Builder Tucks Away Tech Zone" [January] would have been better used as a closet. It is neither...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2004... * In the 101 Best Companies list in the October 2003 issue, History Maker Homes should have been listed as being in business for 55 years. * In Professional Builder's 13th issue, CertainTeed should have been credited with the cover...

The genesis of invention.(Perspective)
March 1, 2004... Builders crowded the aisles in record numbers at the recent NAHB convention in Las Vegas. They walked the trade show row by row and booth by booth looking for the elusive product or tool to help improve business operations front end and back,...

Heydon Hall.(Plans and Projects)
March 1, 2004... Re-creating the classic architecture of 1920s American homes is a tough nut to crack, but Simonini Builders took on that challenge and more at Heydon Hall, the firm's latest high-end masterpiece in Charlotte, N.C. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Rivermark.(Plans and Projects)
March 1, 2004... In Silicon Valley's heyday 2 1/2 years ago, when high-tech companies were turning 20- and 30-somethings into millionaires, Centex Homes, Lennar Homes and Shea Homes got together to buy one of the sweetest pieces of property the area had to...

The Village at Bear Trap Dunes.(Plans and Projects)
March 1, 2004... By building The Village at Bear Trap Dunes, Carl M. Freeman Communities in Ocean View, Del., brought golf closer to the beach and a master-planned resort community farther from it, to a place where other developers hesitated to invest....

Design sketchbook: garages.(Plans and Projects)
March 1, 2004... While developers keep carving out smaller and smaller lots, builders face a challenge: how to create impressive homes with the outstanding curb appeal that the marketplace demands. When a 20-foot-wide garage with front-facing doors dominates a...

Does the critic count?(Lessons Learned)
March 1, 2004... Now and then in response to this column, I get a letter that really gets my attention. This one arrived via e-mail late one evening and got me thinking about the building industry and my role in it. Now that I'm entering my seventh year as an...

Use an interview checklist.(The H.R. Dept.)
March 1, 2004... Using a checklist for interviewing provides the same benefits as using a construction schedule for building homes: You have an orderly process for achieving a desired result and don't overlook important details. Not using a checklist severely...

Watch staffing to control G & A.(Bottom-Line Building)(General and Administrative expenses)
March 1, 2004... Fast-growing builders often throw additional staff into overburdened systems and processes, driving up general and administrative expenses with little impact on the core problems. We target general and administrative expenses at 4.5% of...

Develop your wow factor.(Customer Satisfaction)
March 1, 2004... How do you forge a relationship with your home buyers that makes them remember the value in doing business with you? In other words, what does your company do to "wow" customers throughout the building process and develop intense customer...

Estimating -- Part II.(Learn)(real estate appraisal - check list)
March 1, 2004... Professional estimating is a fluid science continually being upgraded, changed, re-proofed and reviewed for accuracy. The degree and frequency with which you look forward and backward will depend on your company, available time and need. Only...

Can it: code changes and consumer demands for energy efficiency might affect how you use those omnipresent recessed downlights--aka cans--in new homes.(Build)
March 1, 2004... If you're like many home builders, you install recessed downlights or "can lights" more than any other light fixture. These simple fixtures have become more prevalent during the past 15 years, and many new homes today have 20, 30 or more of...

Green building goes mainstream: indicators show that 2004 will be the year residential builders try new techniques.(Build)
March 1, 2004... Several indicators point to 2004 as a vanguard year for the green building movement. Here's what we see that suggests that green building practices and technologies will make great strides into mainstream home building this year. * The...

Invent this, please! Builders get in touch with their inner Thomas Edison and envision the products that would solve their problems.(SpecialReport)
March 1, 2004... Who hasn't been at a desk or on the job and wished for a better way or better tool to complete the task at hand? "If only I had..." most often floats through our minds, slips through our lips and leads nowhere. But sometimes wishing turns to...

Only Disney could invent these.(SpecialReport)
March 1, 2004... While some of the builders' ideas could be only an inventor away from reality, others came straight out of Fantasyland. Still, wouldn't it be nice if... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

High-impact insurance press.(SpecialReport)(Forbes-Capretto Homes )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... David Capretto, president of Forbes-Capretto Homes in Getzville, N.Y., hopes someone will invent a big press to squash liability insurance costs. "One thing that has a tremendous impact on us is liability insurance," he says. "On the hundred...

MOB-fighting energizer.(SpecialReport)(Mobilization/Mobilize/Mobility )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Steve Wall of Choice Homes cites the need for an invention that would address a social issue affecting the industry. "For every builder, it's become very difficult to provide that affordable entry-level home," he says. "There are a lot of...

Building code decoder ring.(SpecialReport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Roland Gammon isn't alone in wishing for an invention to combat government interference. David Capretto wants to invent "some magical thing to cut through the BS on the approval process on our subdivisions." A building code decoder would...

Automatic lot development calendar.(SpecialReport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Steve Wall says Choice Homes could use an invention to speed land development. "If there were some magical answer to shortening the development process, where you could wave a wand over a piece of dirt and turn that into delivered lots, that...

Zoning and planning rationality serum.(SpecialReport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The attitude limiting affordable housing carries over into the entitlement process, Roland Gammon says. "Municipalities are expanding their planning process. They're adding planners. They do more long-range planning and that sort of thing. That...

Genesis Homes' IBS showcase redefines 'state of the art' in off-site construction.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Genesis Homes demonstrated the superior value of off-site construction with another groundbreaking exhibit at the 2004 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas this past January. Since 2000, the company annually has presented the only fully...

Moldings & trim: add value to your new homes by incorporating these decorative details indoors and out.(Product Report)
March 1, 2004... Think back to the moldings and trim you might have had in your home while growing up. Now compare that with the options and uses of those elements today, and it's easy to see why many home buyers are eager to include moldings and trim in their...

Irwin.(Products)
March 1, 2004... This 26-inch toolbox features structural foam construction that withstands below-zero temperatures, the company says. To ensure dry tools, no attached hardware penetrates the interior. The metal latches resist rust, and a built-in eye is...

Owens Corning.(Products)
March 1, 2004... Available in cherry, oak or poplar, QuietZone Acoustyle coffered wood ceilings integrate sound absorption into a custom millwork style. The pre-finished panels and trim pieces are incorporated into a standard metal T-rail grid mounted over...

Tendura.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The TenduraPlank Solids Collection debuts with a battleship gray porch plank that requires no priming or painting and contains UV inhibitors to prevent fading. Made of high-density polypropylene, the color-through product is designed to produce...

Laticrete.(Products)
March 1, 2004... SpectraLOCK grout with Microban combines the application ease of port-land cement grout with the performance of epoxy grout, the company says. It locks in color, while the Microban inhibits the growth of stain-causing bacteria, mold and mildew....

Stanley.(Products)
March 1, 2004... The one-piece design of the FatMax high-tension hacksaw allows tension settings up to 330 pounds, Stanley says. Users can direct and push the die-cast saw with both hands. Thumb-dial tensioning and a quick-change mechanism provide tension...

CraftMaster.(Products)
March 1, 2004... Reflections doors have a textured, raised-panel design on one side and a mirror on the other. They come in five CraftMaster designs: Coventry (four panels, square top), Classique (two panels, arched eyebrow), Carmelle (four panels, sculpted...

Bosch.(Products)
March 1, 2004... This 30-inch, free-standing convection range comes in gas, electric and dual-fuel models and in black, white, biscuit and stainless steel. Features include up to nine programmed cooking modes, a 25-inch oven cavity, six rack positions and a...

Mid-America.(Products)
March 1, 2004... Made of low-maintenance polypropylene copolymer, four-board Board-N-Batten arch-top shutters are available in 18 shutter colors as well as a paintable version. The Board-N-Batten line also includes previously available two-board through...

Here we go again: proposed amendment would take Florida land-use decisions away from elected officials and put them on the ballot.(NewstoUse)
March 1, 2004... A political fight brewing in Florida looks much like the battles the housing industry and others fought and won in Arizona and Colorado in 2000. No-growth forces will not go away, but this time they look more dangerous. [ILLUSTRATION...

The Villages unseats Summerlin as top-selling master-planned.(NewstoUse)
March 1, 2004... After six consecutive years as the top-selling master-planned community in the nation, Summerlin in Las Vegas dropped to No. 2 in 2003 behind The Villages, an active-adult community between Orlando and Ocala, Fla., according to Robert Charles...

Top priority: affordability.(NAHB Opinion)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Countless teachers, firefighters, police officers and other moderate-income American workers work two or three jobs to meet their monthly housing expenses or live 50 miles or more from their jobs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 2004, the...

Ensure cold weather safety.(NewstoUse_Build)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... March soon might go out like a lamb, but it's never too late to look at protecting your employees and subcontractors who work outdoors from the cold weather lion. Prolonged exposure to cold weather can cause frostbite, hypothermia and...

PATH picks the top technologies.(NewstoUse_Build)(Partnership for the Advancement of Technology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Partnership for the Advancement of Technology in Housing, made up of government entities, home builders, product manufacturers and others, has chosen the top 10 home building technologies to develop further and bring to a wider market in...

Kitchens show their metal.(NewstoUse_Design)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Buyers see metal surfaces as the new kitchen neutral, able to fit any decor, and they want them everywhere: range hoods, countertops, backsplashes, wall tiles, wainscoting, ceilings and floors. Stainless appears expensive and impressive to...

Georgia coalition offers voluntary 'visitability' program.(Certification)(easy living home programms)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... While a handful of municipalities across the country require new homes to meet "visitability" standards, a Georgia coalition is taking a broader tack. AARP Georgia, Concrete Change, the Home Builders Association of Georgia and other public and...

Lumber price spikes a boon to big builders?(NewstoUse_Manage)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Recent price spikes for framing lumber, wood structural panels and oriented strand board have led some Wall Street stock analysts to conclude that private builders are an endangered species. "Not able to negotiate with vendors, private...

Builder coalition to drive new HomeSphere software.(NewstoUse_Manage)
March 1, 2004... Builders often lament that software vendors don't speak their language or understand their business. Now, four midsize production builders have formed the Technology Enhancement Project to define what they want software to do and have...

Spa theme makes lasting impression.(NewstoUse_Sell)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The 33 home sites in the community of Newport Harbor sit tucked away on a nature preserve in north Jacksonville, Fla. Twenty-two of them back to water navigable to the St. Johns River. The marketing challenge: how to draw traffic to such a...

Fast response time is e-ssential.(Internet Sales)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... When it comes to converting e-leads into e-sales, there's no substitute for speed, says builder sales consultant Meredith Oliver, MIRM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The single most important factor is the speed of the builder's response to...

EPA to soak storm-water scofflaws.(NewstoUse_Land)(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on storm-water compliance, beginning with enforcement against larger builders. "They're saying to the industry, 'We've done the education, and there's still low compliance, so now...

A method to monitoring madness.(NewstoUse_Land)(National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Monitoring Land & Housing Markets: An Essential Tool for Smart Growth details a new method for monitoring land. Gerrit Knapp, executive director of the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, prepared the report for the...

State rallies allies for smarter growth policy.(Government)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... What can builders do when faced with opposition from anti-growth groups and a governor's unfriendly smart growth policy? "Build coalitions to advance balanced housing and work within the political climate," says Kendall Buck, executive vice...

2004 Show Village.(Special Advertising Supplement)(Residential real estate industry and home appliances exhibition)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... THIS IS POWERFUL STUFF A great rush of energy leads into Show Village each year. Having opening day of the International Builders' Show as the firm completion date for every aspect of Show Village leaves no room for error. When we arrived...

Ray Killian of Simonini Builders talks about the special challenges and rewards of developing carefully crafted neighborhoods rather than just building luxury homes.(The Last Word)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... PB: What's the most important lesson you learned from Heydon Hall (page 18)? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RK: At that price level, above $500,000, buyers want a home that will appreciate in value at a high rate. The best way to maximize the...

Million-dollar homes: once rare, they're now a fast-growing segment of the housing market.(The Details)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Million-dollar homes have become one of the most studied segments of the U.S. housing market. Where are they? Who owns them? What's in them? A new study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University that draws on Census Bureau...

Set it and forget it.(The Details)
March 1, 2004... California Faucets has introduced the thermostatic shower system, which allows users to take a shower at their ideal temperature--every time. The high-flow thermostatic valve, offered in 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch sizes, controls everything from the...

Magic lantern.(The Details)
March 1, 2004... The Lake Avenue series of lighting fixtures from Old California Lantern Co. includes this lantern that mimics the look of a Craftsman bungalow with each dormer window having its own gabled roof. Three narrow horizontal lines complete the...

Partnership generates heat.(The Details)(solar power roofing tiles)
March 1, 2004... Whether it's in a high-end custom home or an affordable production house, customers search for value. One way to offer that is by installing photovoltaic panels on the roof. Xantrex Technology, maker of the SunTie XR grid-tie inverter, and...

Concrete idea.(The Details)(Sonoma Cast Stone kitchen sinks )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Designers are turning to concrete as an alternative to granite or solid-surface countertops and sinks. Sonoma Cast Stone kitchen sinks are available for color, size, edge and finish customization. The ChefSink below has a perforated stainless...

Island escape: oceanfront construction pays off handsomely for a builder willing to accept the challenges it presents.(The Tour)(Bald Head Island vacation homes)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... This spec-built oceanfront vacation home nestled among the dunes of Bald Head Island, N.C., beckons family and friends, promising respite from everyday cares. Its roomy, 1 1/2-story interior accommodates group gatherings and personal retreat...

Engaging connections.(Kitchen / Mud Room)
March 1, 2004... This kitchen, part of a 5,300-square-foot Greek Revival custom home built by Albert Cummings in Williamstown, Mass., invites family and friends to mix it up. With a family-friendly design and upscale finishes, the space is comfortable enough...

Entertaining options.(Indoor Kitchen / Outdoor Space)
March 1, 2004... Taking full advantage of a hillside setting offering a magnificent mountain panorama and an equally great climate, this custom home in Paradise Valley, Ariz., features a view-oriented floor plan that includes a high-end outdoor kitchen, five...

Opening statement.(Entryway)
March 1, 2004... Interior designer Anne Evans of Impressions Design characterizes this builder's Dream Home Showcase residence in Folsom, Calif., as "a collision of California architecture with the Far East," but it was no accident that the project, complete...

Captivating curves.(Library)
March 1, 2004... Elegantly appointed yet warm and inviting, the study in this 6,660-square-foot estate residence is no mere showpiece. It's intended to serve as a personal retreat or working office, says Joe Pease, assistant vice president for builder Toll...

Spectacular spa.(Master Bath)
March 1, 2004... Mom and Dad can treat themselves to a pampering spa experience without leaving home thanks to this master bath in an 11,092-square-foot custom residence in Canton, Ohio, designed for a professional couple with young children. [ILLUSTRATION...

Built to last.(Home Plans)
March 1, 2004... A mix of traditional neighborhood design concepts--a properly proportioned facade and a downplayed garage, for starters--and a thoughtful floor plan that fosters easy living for all ages and abilities makes this home one that will last your...

Extra luxurious.(Home Plans)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... This luxurious home comes with every imaginable amenity: a game room, a pub with a sit-down wet bar, two media centers, a media room, and even an elevator for the ultimate convenience! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A nostalgic veranda...

Boldness reinvented.(Home Plans)
March 1, 2004... This exceptional design has taken a dramatic approach and successfully applied it to how you want to live. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Enter through the gorgeous arched veranda to the foyer and you'll notice an impressive elevator standing...

Perfect Harmony.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... As elegant as it is functional, the solid-bronze Harmony Vessel sink is available in any finish or combination of finishes offered by Elite Bath. The pictured vessel has a mirror exterior with a satin interior cast in nickel bronze. Each...

A new ritual.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... Inspired by the ritual treatments popular at day spas, Ritual matte-finish glass tiles by Oceanside Glasstile provide a smooth surface while suggesting the depth of translucent glass. Offered in nine colors, they're designed to serve equally...

Loewen behold.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... The Loewen push-out awning window is designed to complement the company's push-out casement and has the same features: operating handles in nine finishes, friction hinges to maintain the window in an open position and an optional wood-frame...

Instant Classic.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... A modern version of the massive black canopies used to vent wood-burning stoves of yore, the Classic range hood by Abbaka is fusion-welded to eliminate joints and accented with bands attached from the interior. A 1/2-inch reveal emphasizes the...

Skirts issued.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... The Laurel, which features a diamond motif, is one of three new cast-iron bathtubs with metal skirts from Sunrise Specialty. The Piedmont's plain exterior is designed to blend into virtually any decor, and the Montclair adds stately elegance...

As good as wood.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... Direct-vent gas fireplaces from Town & Country Fireplaces provide design flexibility while mimicking the look of wood-burning units. Design-friendly features include interchangeable firebrick inserts in a herringbone pattern or a Tuscan-style...

Well-bilt.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... Amarr Garage Doors based the six designs in the Biltmore Estate collection of carriage house doors on the 250-room Biltmore House and other structures on the 8,000-acre estate in Asheville, N.C. For the base of each design (Vanderbilt is...

Cool viewing.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... The 26-cubic-foot TV refrigerator by LG Electronics includes a cable-ready, 13 1/2-inch television as well as an AM/FM radio, two speakers and an NTSC tuner. The left side of the side-by-side has an automatic ice maker, a water dispenser and a...

A yen for design.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... A samurai sword maker and a symbol for a sake purveyor are among the pieces shown from a Japanese-style collection of 31 cabinet knobs and pulls by North River Mint. All 31 are miniatures of shop signs from the 11th century, when signage used...

Entrance elegance.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... This cast-brass lantern from New Metal Crafts is decorated with cast leaves and scrolls reminiscent of a king's crown. The cage, offered in seeded, clear or antique water glass, can be removed for re-lamping. The three candelabra lamps come in...

Backyard bonanza.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... A la carte grilling centers, part of the Dynasty line of custom-built outdoor cooking products from Jade Products, accommodate a choice of burner carts or prep areas to fit the cook's style. The stainless steel Dynasty line also includes...

Lights at variable heights.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... By lowering the crossbar with fingertip control, homeowners can adjust the height of these W.A.C. Lighting pendants from 3 feet to 6 feet to provide decorative or task lighting as needed. Each shade in one-, two- and three-light designs can be...

Sweet Lorraine.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... The Premier Collection of handmade vanity cabinets by Cole & Co. includes the Lorraine, a French-influenced bombe chest with two working drawers, curved side panels and cabriole legs. All pieces in the collection are made of alder solids and...

Installer-friendly.(The Products)
March 1, 2004... Made of 18-gauge, powder-coated steel, the Titan enclosure from Greyfox Systems has a depth of almost 5 1/2 inches, giving installers of low-voltage structured wiring extra space for wire management and cable drops. Available in heights of 32...