Builder back issues from September 2005:
A closer look: are red-hot condo markets really ready for a collapse? That depends on which market you look at.(Editorial)
Sep 01, 2005; ... LOCATED ON A HILLSIDE BESIDE THE CITY AND ITS MArina, San Diego's Little Italy is a delightful place. On this particular perfect summer day; you can hear the sound of an artist grinding metal in a studio across the street from a store that resells lofts and condos. Open-air restaurants ...
Jobsite safety.(B MAIL)(Letter to the Editor)
Sep 01, 2005; ... WHAT A GREAT AND TIMELY ARTICLE BY BUILDER in the July issue ("Working Without a Net," page 108). Thanks to you and your staff for putting safety at the forefront. Many builders and trade contractors don't even think about safety until they are issued a citation or an accident or fatality ...
Large Atlanta-area development prefers integrity[R].(Tributary At New Manchester)(Integrity Windows and Doors product reach)(Advertisement)
Sep 01, 2005 ... Tributary at New Manchester is a new planned community located approximately 14 miles outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Situated on 1,600 acres of land, when complete, Tributary will include 2,500 single-family homes, 3 million sq. ft. of office space, 300,000-400,000 sq. ft. of retail ...
Calendar.(book the ticket)(Calendar)
Sep 01, 2005 ... SEPTEMBER 20-21 American Housing Conference, Chicago This is a high-level event targeted to building product manufacturers and their advertising agencies, as well as the country's top builders and remodelers. The day-and-a-half conference will serve as ...
Default lines: HUD and KB Home reach record deal on mortgage underwriting violations.(Department of Housing and Urban Development)(KB Home Mortgage Co.)
Sep 01, 2005; ... HUD is HOPING THAT THE RECORD $3.2 MILlion regulatory administrative settlement reached with KB Home Mortgage earlier this summer for alleged mortgage underwriting violations will be a warning to other builders that the government will not put up with those who don't follow the rules. ...
Finer finishes.(house blend: Trends, tips, coll stuff)(consumer prefer the quality than quantity)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... A recent NAHB survey finds that new-home buyers are overwhelmingly opting for higher-quality features rather than more space. When asked to choose between a bigger house with fewer ...
Homeward bound.(house blend: trends, tips, cool stuff)(baby boomers survery)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... In a recent survey of 1,802 baby boomers nationwide, nearly half of the respondents expressed a desire to ...
Sunny days.(house blend: trends, tips, cool stuff)(Housing and Community Development Corp. selected Castle and Cooke)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... The Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii chose Castle and Cooke to develop a community of 492 affordable units on 20 acres in the Villages of Kapolei. The Los Angeles-based builder, ...
Project no. 1.(big deals)(Al Hoffman for WCI Communities )(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... When Al Hoffman retired from his role as CEO Of Bonita Springs, Fla.-based WCI Communities earlier this year, he BUILDER, "I intend to have a lot of new project." In July, President Bush presented Hoffman. now chairman of WCI's board of directors, with an ...
One for all.(University Neighborhood project)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... San Francisco Bay-area builder Affordable Housing Associates recently opened University Neighborhood, a rental project that the company claims has the first inclusive, affordable, and universally designed residential units in the nation. The project consists ...
Flower power.(ecoterrorism )(housing development protest by environmentalists)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... In an unusual form of eco-terrorism, activists allegedly planted an endangered species of wildflower to block a housing development in Santa Rosa, Calif. The state Department of Fish and Game says the flowers, ...
Class act.(public schools construction finance management)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Shart developers know how to sweeten an entitlement deal, all the while scoring an "A" for public goodwill. Shea Homes, Centex Corp., and Standard Pacific Corp. have pooled $73 million to build three public schools in RiverPark, a 700-acre traditional neighborhood development in Oxnard, ...
Tough enough: last year's hurricane season propped up a new panelized home builder.(affordable housing )(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... BRIAN BISHOP HAS BEEN BUILDING HOMES IN Florida for more than 20 years, but he'd never been through a hurricane until Charley slammed into the state's southwest side with i45-mph winds last year. "I was dumbfounded by the damage," he says. "It was beyond my wildest imagination." ...
Enter the facade police: an Illinois brick ordinance stirs debate: is it neighborhood preservation or exclusionary.(neighbourhood design)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... CITY COUNCILMEMBERS IN Columbia, Ill., are weighing a proposal that would require the exteriors of all new single-family homes built in Monroe County to be 75 percent clad in brick or stone. A vote is expected some time this month. The ordinance was introduced to "prevent Columbia from ...
Oregon study.(regulations and research)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... State regulators in Oregon and the state's HBA have called for a study of the relationship between an increase in buyer complaints and defects cases and steep increases in liability insurance. The nine-member task force will include representatives of the construction and insurance ...
Body conscious: California towns take five out of 10 top spots in survey of healthiest cities.(healthy living)(survey )(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... CALIFORNIANS MAY HAVE TO CONTEND WITH earthquakes, mudslides, and high housing prices, but they also have some of the healthiest cities in the county a new study reports. San Jose, Calif., was named America's healthiest city in a survey conducted by Bert Sperling's BestPlaces and vitamin ...
Clothes case: Schulte has its design on Web-based closet creations.(internet pick)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... THE CLOSET IS A PERPETUAL issue for Americans: Some can't seem to find enough space for their clothes, skis, and camping gear. Cincinnati-based Schulte Corp. has a solution for those caught in a closet conundrum: A Web-based design tool that allows consumers and builders to customize their ...
Hometown discount.(house blend: trends, tips, cool stuff)(Affordable Housing Trust Fund)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... This past spring, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the launch of the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, designed to help city workers--many of whom are required to live in the city--pay for housing costs. The fund will support down payments, mortgages, and rent payments for ...
Dealers' deals: two suppliers have made recent moves to increase their share of the builder market.(supply chain)(mergers and growth)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... THE HOME DEPOT AND BUILDERS FIRST-Source, a top dealer to home builders, have pursued aggressive growth strategies in recent months. The Home Depot, based in Atlanta, looked to jump-start the growth of its Supply division and its ties to the production builder community with the ...
Go west: major Seattle and L.A. mixed-use projects move forward.(redevelopment)(South Lake Union)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... MASSIVE REDEVELOPMENT projects in Seattle and Los Angeles obtained key approvals recently In Seattle, the city council in June approved a streetcar line from downtown to the South Lake Union area; private property owners along the 2.6-mile line will pay the majority of the cost. ...
Eminent fear: states grapple with eminent domain issue in the wake of the Supreme Court's Kelo decision; builders side with homeowners.(constitutional law)
Sep 01, 2005; ... THE SUPREME COURT'S 5-4 RULING last June in Kelo v. City of New London against the homeowners and in favor of the city's plan to condemn 90 acres of waterfront property is one of the most unpopular court decisions in history. "This issue is the 21st-century equivalent of the ...
Bad dream: HGTV Dream Home winner faces six-figure tax bill.(the straight dope: the whole truth and nothing but the truth)(HGTV Dream Home)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Some dreams make you never want to go to sleep again, like when you owe $600,000 worth of federal gift taxes and more than $30,000 in property taxes. That bill came with the keys to the 2005 HGTV Dream Home, a $1.5 million, 5,000-square-foot mansion with a boathouse at Lake Tyler, Texas. ...
HUD reforms: feds hold roundtables to seek public comment on real estate laws.(Housing and Urban)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... HUD HELD A SERIES OF INDUSTRY roundtables over the summer on the mortgage rules under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). RESPA became federal law in 1974 to provide consumers with advance disclosures of settlement charges and to prohibit kickbacks and excessive ...
Block out.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... NO MATTER HOW WELL YOU SEAL YOUR HOMES, AIR INfiltrates the space around receptacles and light fixtures. EnergyBlock foam insulation is designed to solve that problem. It's molded to fit around standard electrical boxes to help ...
Listen up.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... A WELL-DESIGNED MULTIFAMILY PROJECT DESERVES A hip intercom door panel. This one answers the call. It's made from solid stainless steel and can be recess-mounted so that it's inconspicuous and tamperproof, the company says. Long-life light-emitting diodes ...
Water toy.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... DESIGNER PHILIPPE STARCK IS KNOWN FOR HIS IDIOSYNCRATIC product designs. His latest, the Axor Starck X collection, is no different. Featuring a ceramic-disc cartridge with a joy-stick control, the faucet consists of a stem with an attached flat plane. The plane ...
Air ways.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... WITH THE T-FORCE 1000 PORTABLE WORK-BOTTLE AIR SYSTEM, the manufacturer has invented an alternative to loud compressors and long hoses. The lightweight, carbon-fiber-wrapped bottle holds 3,000 pounds of air per square inch and shoots up to 750 brads, 1,300 micropinners, or 300 ...
Back to basics.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... SOMETIMES LESS IS DEFINITELY MORE. Minimal in design and execution, Practically Basic wood cabinets are made to order with dovetail drawers and a choice of framed, mortise-and-tenon construction or frameless, Euro-style dowel construction. The line includes ...
Round about.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... THIS NEW JIGSAW HANDLE ATTACHment kit transforms nearly any RotoZip spiral saw into a 360-degree cutting tool, the manufacturer says. Ideal for flooring, HVAC, plumbing, or sink installations, the handle attachment eliminates the need to ...
Bubble wraps.(cell foam in construction)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Q: What are the pros and cons of open-cell and closed-cell foam insulations? And where are the best places to use each? A: BLOWN-IN-PLACE POLYURETHANE foams are a blend of isocyanates and urethane resins that are mixed in a spray nozzle, then blown into a wall or ceiling cavity ....
Strength in numbers: the U.S. Census Bureau updates its statistics on the housing industry.(VITAL SIGNS)
Sep 01, 2005; ... CHANGES THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU made to the way it classifies residential construction companies helped the 2002 Economic Census data, released at the end of July, reveal several trends in home building. A new set of data has been released every five years since the economic ...
Great adaptations: as customer demands diversify, manufacturers respond in kind, with larger, quieter, and more durable garage doors.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... ANY MANUFACTURER WITH A FINGER on the pulse of its customers knows that its products must adapt and evolve in order for the company to remain competitive. In other words, you must satisfy your customer base if you want to keep it. This maxim applies to all players in the building industry, ...
High in fiber.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... HIGH IN FIBER: The manufacturer says it's the first to offer fiberglass-clad garage doors. The new doors combine the maintenance and insulation benefits of steel with the look and design flexibility of wood, the company also says. The doors are initially ...
Glass act.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... GLASS ACT: The Avante Collection aluminum-and-glass contemporary garage door is a far cry from traditional units. The product features a 2 1/8-inch-thick aluminum frame that can be custom painted or sealed with a clear, white, or brown finish. It comes with ...
Like a hurricane.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... LIKE A HURRICANE: The Hurricane Frame is the first solid-wood garage door tested to withstand 140 mph winds and impacts and pass Miami-Dade County's strict building codes, says the manufacturer. The door is made with a solid, clear, ...
Banner day.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... BANNER DAY: The new Banner Collection garage doors offer enhanced safety features and quieter performance, the manufacturer says, including pinch-resistant sections and polymer hinges with no metal-on-metal moving ...
Into infinity.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... INTO INFINITY: Because it's made with an aluminum frame and laminated aluminum panels, the Infinity Classic offers the durability of a synthetic product with the styling of a traditional wood swing door, the company says. It comes standard with white ...
Security clearance: take a look at some new technologies that can keep track of your equipment and tools.(theft in industry)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... TOOL AND EQUIPMENT THEFT IS A growing concern on construction sites. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, nearly $1 billion is lost each year nationwide due to equipment and tool theft. Moreover, a recent survey by toolmaker DeWalt found that 77 percent of jobsites have ...
Covert operation.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... COVERT OPERATION: The Titan Equipment Monitoring system can be covertly installed on any piece of construction equipment or vehicle and provides both theft prevention and fleet management. Theft-prevention and GPS location actions are automatically engaged at ...
Tool tracker.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... TOOL TRACKER: The Safe & Sound tool tracking system secures radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within Bosch power tools so the tags can't be damaged, removed, or rendered unreadable. The system also includes RFID-compatible ToolWatch SE tool ...
Quick recovery.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... QUICK RECOVERY: Utilizing radio-frequency signals that are activated by police once a stolen-vehicle report is filed, the Ruggedized LoJack system is designed specifically for recovering stolen heavy equipment and is covertly installed. The rugged one-piece unit features a water-, ...
Portable security.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... PORTABLE SECURITY: The SITE-LOCK portable wireless alarm system uses five different wireless sensors and an indoor base unit to monitor tools, equipment, and defined jobsite areas. The remote sensors are programmed to protect individual property or areas ...
Standard time: although builders are still slow to offer home theater and whole-house audio as standard, the industry is heading in that direction. But not without some glitches.(DIGITAL HOME: SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW HOMES)
Sep 01, 2005; ... SOME HOME BUILDERS ARE FINALLY starting to move past offering only structured wiring as a standard digital feature, with programs at national and local builders now including home theater and whole-house audio systems in the product mix. For slightly under $10,000, Centex ...
New UL marks.(Underwriters Laboratories issues security and signaling marks)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Builders should be aware that Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has issued three new security and signaling marks: a signaling mark for fire and safety alarms; a security mark for intrusion detectors, burglar alarms, and access controls; and a combined security and signaling mark for products ...
Endgame.(Home Director home technology company business fall)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Home Director, the home technology company that signed deals over the past few years with numerous big builders--including Centex Corp., KB Home, Lennar Corp., and Toll Brothers--announced last spring that it had ceased operations. The company tried to offload its ...
Peachy software.(Sage Software Peachtree )(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Sage Software is now shipping a version of Peachtree geared for small builders: Peachtree by Sage Premium Accounting for Construction 2006. Some new features include the ability to track a subcontractor's insurance policy ...
Like a tiger.(VectorWorks 11.5)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... Builders who use Macs to run VectorWorks 11.5 will be happy to learn that Nemetschek's latest version of the CAD software is compatible with Apple's new 10.4 Tiger operating system ....
Berry happy: new applications may drive wider acceptance of Blackberrys into the builder market.(TECH TOOLS: TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MODERN HOME BUILDER)
Sep 01, 2005; ... WIRELESS BLACKBERRY HANDHELDS HAVE become a kind of mania in the business world. The stereotype is of the insatiable "Crackberry" user who can't stop his thumbs from pounding out an endless stream of e-mails. Although Blackberry addicts haven't exactly infiltrated home ...
Sealing the deal.(National Association of Home Builders )(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005 ... The NAHB and Wells Fargo &, Co. are embarking on a three-year relationship that extends and expands an initial package begun in 2004 with title sponsorship of the Housing Market Index and the Housing Opportunity Index. Among the highlights of the deal: * The Housing ...
A sense of community: the NAHB and the National Housing Endowment have created a new award to celebrate the philanthropy of home builders.(FROM THE PRESIDENT)
Sep 01, 2005; ... WE ALL KNOW THAT HOME BUILDERS ARE actively engaged members of their communities. After all, we live in the communities we build. We send our kids to school there, shop there, and enjoy the benefits that a sense of community instills in us, such as establishing relationships with our ...
ARM wrestling: many adjustable rate mortgages offer benefits to lenders and home buyers. Federal regulators are trying to deal with those that don't.(SEIDERS ECONOMY)
Sep 01, 2005; ... SOARING HOUSE PRICES IN MANY AREAS HAVE encouraged the development and use of a variety of ARMs that can stretch the affordability envelope for prospective owner-occupants. That's the good news. On the other side, some ARMs also have provided attractive short-term financing for speculators ...
Good habitats.(NAHB BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005 ... In July testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water, Paul Campos, Northern California HBA general counsel and vice president of government affairs, called on Congress to update the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Speaking on behalf ...
Are you certified? The NAHB Research Center conducts lab tests and certification programs to bring better products to the housing industry.(THE NAHB RESEARCH CENTER CORNER)
Sep 01, 2005 ... FOR OVER 40 YEARS, THE NAHB Research Center has helped improve the quality and performance of building products by testing a wide range of materials in its highly specialized laboratory facility. Recently, the Research Center lab has tested products that claim to withstand ...
House work.(NAHB BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005 ... In July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed four bills introduced by Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.) aimed at easing OSHA burdens on small businesses. The NAHB supports all four bills but highlights two in particular as having a positive impact on the housing industry: * H.R ....
Hot sellers: sold out! Fast-moving communities.
Sep 01, 2005; ... Market Improvement Princeton at Weatherby Place, St. Louis WHY IT WORKED: Returning to the city's reenergized North County, including expansion of a state university campus and new commercial development, the builder hit a growing move-up market. * Focus ...
Bold design: garden crossing, a mixed-income project in Boulder, Colo., offers up vibrant homes with contemporary flair.
Sep 01, 2005; ... EDGY, CONTEMPORARY, AND VIbrant are all words that describe Garden Crossing, a nifty 55-unit for-sale project on the burgeoning north side of Boulder, Colo. But there s another word, one that's red hot in the housing world these days, that also comes to mind. Garden Crossing is affordable ....
Fast Track 2005: not content to coast along with the housing boom, these builders have opted to take to the open road and speed to the front of the pack. In our seventh annual Fast Track list, we spotlight those who have raced ahead in some of the country's most competitive markets.(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... FEW BUILDERS CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RIDE THE housing market has taken them on during the last decade. At times, it's been almost as if speed limits haven't existed, as low interest rates, buyer demand, and price appreciation have combined to accelerate builders' growth well beyond their ...
Leaders of the pack: a combination of good timing, hard work, and market smarts drove these builders onto the Fast Track.(RMP Properties)
Sep 01, 2005 ... ROGER POLLOCK IS MORE CONfident today than he was in 1998. Given his success then, that might be tough to understand. Seven years ago, he was running Portland's top home building company, RMP Properties, closing almost 500 homes and grossing about $30 million annually Then D.R ....
Star clusters: cluster communities slice and dice land parcels differently than typical subdivisions, with an eye toward the common good.
Sep 01, 2005; ... WITH DEVELOPABLE LAND in increasingly short supply, many a municipality has embraced density simply adjusting its single-family zoning laws to allow bigger homes on smaller lots. Too often, the result is a smattering of cramped castles that seem out of place in the context of the existing ...
Is the ride over? The housing boom has climbed beyond heights predicted by even the most daring forecasters. Now, some industry observers are cautioning that a drop is in sight. In a three-part series, Builder examines the strength of the housing market and the factors that could be setting it up for a fall.(HOUSING'S WILD RIDE)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2005; ... YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY: "All good things must come to an end." "Everything that goes up must come down." "Nothing lasts forever." Right? For more than a decade, the housing industry has defied those cliches. Year after year, it has outperformed economists' projections. Each ...
Haunted houses: a look back at past booms and busts in Texas, New England, and California sheds light on how today's housing market is repeating, and making, history.(HOUSING'S WILD RIDE)
Sep 01, 2005; ... TOM NOON REMEMBERS LIKE it was yesterday when California's last housing boom stalled. After unheard-of sales and price growth throughout the 1980s, the state's housing bubble started leaking air in the spring of 1990 and deflated "pretty quickly," says Noon, D.R. Horton's COO-California ....
Mod to the max: what's so bad about modular housing? Not much, architects and builders say. You just need to know how to work it.
Sep 01, 2005; ... MENTION THE TERM "MODULAR housing" to the average person and one of two things will happen: If you're lucky; you'll get a quizzical look of ignorance; a more common reaction, however, may be one of condescension. In the eyes of the public, the reputation that precedes modular housing is ...
Condo mania: if you think building them is different, try selling them.
Sep 01, 2005; ... WHEN CONDO MANIA IN FULL TILT, IT'S become evident to builders that the sales process doesn't mirror the process for a suburban. single-family detached neighborhood. From the product and the buyers to the marketing efforts and the phasing of sales, everything is different. For ...
Consensual communities: building a cohousing community isn't for the faint of heart. But it does have its reward.
Sep 01, 2005; ... NICK MEIMA WAS FEELING INCREASINGLY isolated. "I had a growing sense that as I was working on my house, my yard, my driveway, that I was building a glass wall around my house." The developer and CEO of a large retirement community in Ann Arbor, Mich., Meima found himself one day in the ...
#1 brand leader: Cultured Stone[R] manufactured stone veneer: this brand leader offers curb appeal and style.(manufactured stone)
Sep 01, 2005 ... The results of the 2005 BUILDER Brand Use study are in, and once again Owens Coming Cultured Stone[R] veneer has captured the number one ranking in three out of four possible categories for manufactured stone products. Each year, BUILDER asks its readers to rate the brands they ...