Professional Builder (1993) articles from September 2006

Professional Builder (1993) archives from September 2006

Choose the Right Roofing.
September 1, 2006... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor Climate, slope and cost play a huge part in selection. The first thing a real-estate agent will tell home buyers is "location, location, location." Location should be the first thing on a builder's...

A Good Mix.
September 1, 2006... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Chatham Square has been a triumph of smart development, creative design and social integration - and buyers just can't wait to get in. Built on the former site of 100 units of public housing, Chatham...

Leading the Way to Better Customer Service.
September 1, 2006... By Paul Cardis, NRS Corp. Many home builders invest in customer service training for their staff with the goal of providing an outstanding experience at every phase of the home-building process. As commendable as these efforts are, they...

Community Development.
September 1, 2006... By Paul Deffenbaugh We live in a time of massive divisiveness. Red State, Blue State. Liberal, Conservative. Just turn to this month's letters pages to see how readers have responded to our articles in August about illegal immigration for...

Employee Perks That Work.
September 1, 2006... By Rodney Hall, The Talon Group How to motivate employees without breaking the bank. Few things have kept pace with the rapid growth of our industry as much as employee compensation. Bonus programs tied to division or company...

New Urban Communities.(Toto USA Inc.)(Hambro Composite Floor System)(Tremco )
September 1, 2006... Carol Delonis, Purchasing Manager, Delray Beach, Fla. Toto Washlet C100 Toilet Carol Delonis www.totousa.com Toto was the first to reinvent the humble toilet seat with its line of Washlets - the high-tech personal hygiene...

Self-Induced Labor Pains.(Column)
September 1, 2006... By Scott Sedam, TrueNorth Development The medical and home-building industries have at least one thing in common right now: the debate over self-induced problems. The medical community is at odds over just how much physical illness is...

A Brewing Storm.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Staff Illegal Immigration Hits Home Seldom have issues at the federal level touched my heart so strongly I felt the need to speak out, calling on our federal representatives in Washington to act without delay to resolve an issue that...

When and How to Discuss Price.
September 1, 2006... By John Rymer, New Home Knowledge When visiting a new-home sales center, most customers will tell you they are interested in two things: seeing the model home and finding out home prices. When sales associates hear this, many are only too...

National Housing Quality Award Winners.(Achievements and awards)(Awards list)
September 1, 2006... A Report by Professional Builder Staff In the most challenging award contest in the industry, these companies not only won - they became better companies. Winning a National Housing Quality Award requires more than just operating a...

Gold: Benchmarking the industry.(Estes Builders)
September 1, 2006... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director Gold Award winner Estes Builders establishes clear goals for improvement and benchmarks itself against the entire industry. On the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula in a small town with a...

Silver: Floored by Technology.(Floor Art)
September 1, 2006... By Mark Jarasek, Senior Editor Software and the Internet help this Phoenix-area flooring company and its employees excel. Floor Art, a small residential flooring contractor in metropolitan Phoenix, is intensely focused on customer and...

Silver: Operational Know-How.(Schuck and Sons Construction)(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... By Mark Jarasek, Senior Editor, Electronic Media Schuck and Sons Construction balances employee and business performance. Schuck and Sons Construction Co. operates like a well-oiled quality control machine. With a solid reputation for...

Honorable Mention: Doing it Right the First Time.(Keystone Custom Homes' quality management and tradespeople)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Keystone Custom Homes' mantra bridges communication with trades. Keystone Custom Homes keeps its trades accountable to "doing it right the first time," demonstrating that the pen is mightier than the...

Honorable Mention: Human Touch.(Atlantic Builders Group Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... By Erin Hallstrom-Erickson, Group Managing Editor Atlantic Builders reaps human resources rewards It's not written in a formal statement or printed on any wall, but Atlantic Builders' mission is to instill a sense of ownership in its...

From Trash to Treasure.(managing waste)
September 1, 2006... By Scott T. Shepherd, PATH Partners Managing waste can be a good investment. For some builders, job site waste is an afterthought. Many just rent the dumpster, throw the waste in and forget about it. The NAHB Research Center...

Product Review.
September 1, 2006... By Nick Bajzek AEC Software Nick Bajzek Project management software FastTrack Schedule 9 from AEC Software enables users to schedule and report project information and goals. The redesigned interface can be directly...

Cleaning Up the Clean Water Act.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Writer Lawmakers are pushing to cut back on permit fees, which could make homes more affordable. There are two initiatives underfoot to streamline the Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant...

Gifts that Make a House a Home.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... By Mark Jarasek, Senior Editor If a Picture says a Thousand Words, then Shelia Rummel's gift to her clients speaks volumes about how sincerely she appreciates their business. Rummel's idea won Professional Builder's contest in July to...

Paying the Piper.(public home builders)
September 1, 2006... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor Plummeting shares are shaping public home builders in surprising ways. After a decade of unprecedented growth, the party could be over for America's public home builders. As share prices drop under the...

Not Just Katrina's Fault.(building material price hikes)
September 1, 2006... By Sara Zailskas, Staff Writer The reasons behind materials' price hikes are changing with the prices. Builders have watched prices for building materials rise over the past year and have heard the excuses. But there's more to the...

CFLs Are Shining Bright.(Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb)
September 1, 2006... By Nick Bajzek, Products Editor Builders can use energy-efficient lighting solutions as part of their normal planning as well as a great selling point. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy say the...

Making a Superintendent: Nature vs. Nurture.(project managers or construction managers)
September 1, 2006... By Matthew Power, Senior Contributing Editor Are great site superintendents born or made? Many building firms now hire based on character - not experience. Professional Builder looks at the pros and cons of the latest practices for hiring...

Entertainment Made Easy.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
September 1, 2006... By Marcia Jedd, Contributing Editor Specialty rooms deliver the thrill of entertainment at home. From dedicated home theaters to multi-functional rec rooms, builders are accommodating homeowners who are seeking space for entertainment...

A Well-Appointed Room.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
September 1, 2006... By Ann Matesi, Contributing Editor The great room in this Rocky Mountain luxury home offers plenty of reason to linger. With its rich, warm details, fireplace-oriented conversation area and carefully-planned traffic pattern, the great...

Montana Mountain Living.(Douglas Gamble Development)
September 1, 2006... By Laura Butalla, Senior Editor Details tailor this custom home to its mountain and lake setting. It's hard to beat Montana's mountain region for beauty. But when you add a private golf community at the base of Big Mountain with views...

What Price Process?(Estes Builders)
September 1, 2006... By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director I'm a process guy. I like to figure out the best way to do something and develop a way to implement that on a consistent basis. I think many builders like to do that for construction issues, but most...

Omission.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
September 1, 2006... Staff The AndersonSargent zero energy house in Frisco, Texas, mentioned in the July Custom Builder article, "The Case for Going Green," was designed and engineered by Peter Pfeiffer, AIA and a principal with Barton & Pfeiffer Architects....

Love for the Parade.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
September 1, 2006... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor Word on the "Street of Dreams" is, if you build it right, they will come. Everybody loves a parade. And considering the benefits of a parade of homes, custom builders ought to love them more than most....

Estes Builders.(SUPPLEMENT: Custom Builder)
September 1, 2006... Kevin Estes, President Sequim, Wash. Silestone by Cosentino Through strength and a solid distribution network, Silestone is becoming the choice for countertops and vanity tops. Silestone by Cosentino natural quartz is durable and...

Products.(Swann Communications released Maxi Day/Night, Mega Flood and Super Night Owl cameras.)(Maestro IR remote control dimmer from Lutron Electronics Co.)(M4 Audio Controller from Proficient Audio Systems.)
September 1, 2006... Staff No Ugly Ducklings Here Staff Swann Communications released a suite of security solutions, including three new cameras: the Maxi Day/Night, Mega Flood and Super Night Owl. Designed to operate under extreme heat and...