Professional Builder (1993) articles from November 2007

Professional Builder (1993) archives from November 2007

ProBuilder Product Report: Appliances.(Viking Range Corp's hybrid oven)(Gaggenau USA Corp's cooktop)(DACOR's Microwave )
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek Viking Nick Bajzek The masters of stainless steel at Viking have a hybrid oven to show off: the Built-in Electric Combi Steam/Convect Oven - say that five times fast. The unit sports six cooking options: steam,...

Downtown Dweller's Dream.
November 1, 2007... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design New condos and townhouses in central San Jose bring everything the city has to offer to the buyer's doorstep. The growing number of office jobs in downtown San Jose has sparked a profusion of new...

Satisfaction Power.(construction industry customer relations)(Editorial)
November 1, 2007... Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director It's amazing what happens when you're not watching. From 2001 to 2005, I worked on a business start-up in the housing industry. That kind of activity requires a completely self-absorbed immersion, so I...

The True Value of Loyalty.
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Avid Award winners prove how customer loyalty - and tracking customer satisfaction - affects market share. Each year the Avid Awards Presented by Professional Builder recognizes select home builders...

Better than the Warranty.(Green Company)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. The Green CompanyAvid Diamond Award Winner Closing on a home should signal the continuation of a customer relationship, not the end - especially if you hope to garner future referrals. That's why The...

A Three-Builder Approach.(Ruiz Homes won the award for customer satisfaction)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Ruiz Homes, Avid Award Winner A quality home is often the result of workers who take pride in a job well done. Getting employees to adopt high standards for their work, however, is easier said than...

100% Ready to Go.(Engle Homes Inc. won the award for customer satisfaction)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Engle Homes Orlando, Avid Award Winner The only way to get referrals is to deliver an outstanding customer experience. Many builders seemed to forget this basic tenet of business in recent years when...

2007 Market Focus: Atlanta.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Home building has always been a local business. Even national home builders realize what works in one community doesn't necessarily work in another. That's why the Avid Awards Presented by Professional...

Signature Service.(John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods won the award)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods, Avid Award Winner John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods has been delighting home buyers in Nashville, Tenn.; Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Charleston, S.C. But it...

Quality Measured.(Centex Homes Corp.)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Centex Homes - Atlanta, Avid Award Finalist At Centex Homes, the quest for customer satisfaction starts at the top and is reinforced nearly every day. "It's part of our culture," says Atlanta Division...

'It's Included' Goes A Long Way.(Meridian Homes)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Meridian Homes, Avid Award Finalist Meridian Homes' "It's included" philosophy has gone a long way toward ensuring happy customers. Items that would normally be upgrades such as custom cabinetry,...

Project Partnership.(Touchstone Homes' customer relations)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings Co. Touchstone Homes, Avid Award Finalist Some builders talk about exceeding customer expectations, but Touchstone Homes delivers on that promise. "We spend a lot of time with home buyers to make sure we...

RIF-Raf.(managing layoffs)
November 1, 2007... By Rodney Hall, The Talon Group Tips on implementing a successful reduction in force Laying people off is never easy. If your group has been given that task, there are steps you can take to ease the pain. Here are some things to keep...

Too Much Power?
November 1, 2007... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor, Business They got home builders to start thinking about customer satisfaction. But who is listening to J.D. Power now? J.D. Power and Associates has become a fixture in the housing industry; it's been 11...

Mortgage Mess Pushes Starts Lower.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By James Haughey, Reed Construction Data New home starts lost to deeply discounted auction, foreclosure and inventory clearance sales, as well as buyers of expensive homes who are waiting for lenders to return to the jumbo mortgage market.

ProBuilder Product Report: New Products.
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek Sterling/Kohler Nick Bajzek Align, pivot, click it in and get out. Sterling claims it's as easy as that for subcontractors who use the four-piece Accord bath/shower unit. Made from the company's featherweight...

A Fix to Lower-Level Pitfalls.(basement construction)
November 1, 2007... By Linda Kast, Contributing Editor 10 obstacles to basement construction and how to avoid them Builders can attest to basements' rise as living spaces. Jonathan Smith of Buckeye Basements in Ohio has clients who spend tens of thousands...

Products for the Lower Level.(Meyda Lighting's new sconces)(L and M Construction Chemicals' concrete coloring system)(Boral Bricks Inc's bricks)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Linda Kast, Contributing Editor Meyda Lighting Linda Kast For customers who want a funky, modern look, Meyda Lighting's three new fused glass pendants and wall sconces from its Metro Fusion Collection can be coordinated with...

Paving the Way.(trends in construction industry)
November 1, 2007... By Rick Hunter, For PATH Partners Permeable paving is another option for home builders who want to be green. One of the fastest growing approaches to green site development is permeable paving. There are a variety of options: block,...

Warm All Over.(building insulation)(Column)
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor There's a lot of information and, unfortunately, misinformation about innovations in insulation. Should you stick with traditional methods or try something new? We're building homes smarter and tighter,...

Your No. 1 Sales Tool.(sales management)
November 1, 2007... By John Rymer, New Home Knowledge Is your sales team confident? If not, it's time to take action. At Professional Builder's Benchmark Conference this year, I chaired a panel of top sales agents on the topic of making sales in today's...

How to Handle Your Fear.(Viewpoint essay)
November 1, 2007... By Chuck Shinn, The Shinn Group of Companies You have to be a survivor during tough times - and that means asking yourself some tough questions. As I travel the country, I see builders lost in this new economic environment with no...

ProBuilder Product Report: Tools.(Ridgid Tool Co's stone saw)(Cooper Industries Inc. Cooper Hand Tool Div's wrench)(Channellock Inc's pliers )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek Ryobi Nick Bajzek If you don't love lime green, look at it this way: you'll never lose these latest tools from Ryobi. The company's P813 2-Piece Lithium Power Drill Kit has features that run deeper than the new...

Your Product Wish List.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor Custom Builder reports on the luxurious products you and your customers will be clamoring for. The Best New Luxury Products section in Custom Builder is the first in what we hope will become an annual...

The Envelope, Please.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor The 2007 Best in Class survey for Custom Builder put the microscope on brand awareness, use and preference of the products from top building industry manufacturers. Those products named Best in Class rated...

Learn from the Best.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
November 1, 2007... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design Media reports have the housing market circling the drain, trade contractors ditching home builders for more lucrative commercial work, and hordes of consumers either faced with losing their homes or...

9 Increase Your Purchasing Power.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
November 1, 2007... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Tips to get the best price and value from your building supply vendors. Custom builders are perceived to be at a disadvantage when it comes to getting the best pricing from their building materials...

Widing Custom Homes.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
November 1, 2007... Roger Widing, Owner, Traverse City, Mich. SoJoe The SoJoe 31-Inch Star & Moon fire pit with cover includes a grill attachment for cooking, a stainless steel screen to keep stray sparks from ruining the night, a fire poker, a cooking...

Gentleman's Retreat.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Staff With an elegance that brings to mind English country manors, the study of this Winter Park, Fla., home makes the perfect place for the custom builder's client to catch up on work or unwind. Custom builder Paul Gidus wrapped the room...

Sound Suppression.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Staff The Supress Sound-Proofing Adhesive for wood from Suppress Products is a high-performance, water-based damping compound specifically designed for laminating plywood, OSB, particle board and MDF for floors, walls and ceilings. Each...

Warm Up the Homestead.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Staff The newest collection of stylish, eco-friendly fireplaces from Tulikivi includes the Kajo. The wood-burning fireplaces are made entirely of heat-retentive soapstone. A four-hour fire can warm up to a 1,000 square feet for as long as...

It'll Pump You Up.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Auton Motorized)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Staff The new TV lift with the company's SmartMotor technology from Auton Motorized features a rail-free design that accommodates TVs from 32-52 inches and eliminates the need for pre-specification of television size prior to installation....

A License to Dazzle.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Staff The latest bathroom collection from Danze includes the Corsair. It features a signature scaled single control lavatory faucet that uses the company's ceramic valve pressure system. A two-handled Roman tub faucet can be equipped with...

A Mighty (little) Wind.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)(Unico System)
November 1, 2007... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor The Unico System, which uses high-velocity heating and cooling through a mini-duct system, may be just what you need to pull off unusual custom jobs. Read a few issues of Custom Builder and you'll see...