Builder back issues from January 2006:
Closing the loop: getting regular feedback from customers and potential buyers can be tough but rewarding.(Editorial)
Jan 01, 2006; ... OUR 2006 REALITY SHOW HOME FEATURED ON THE cover this month--with its kitchen island for multitasking, fully functioning home office, and nook for recharging cell phones--speaks to the power of customer feedback. That's something that every builder could use more of this year as we head ...
What is a builder?(B MAIL)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I AM A HOME BUILDER DOING ABOUT 50 infill homes per year in multiple-dwelling buildings of different sizes. Here in my area of Albuquerque, I am working with others to go further than just the house; we're trying to create a real neighborhood, an "urban village" where walking and transit ...
Comforting words.(B MAIL)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... THANKS FOR your article on wintertime concrete pours ("Pour It On," November 2005, page 150). I am a small contractor looking to build my first spec home in the middle of winter. The article was ...
Calendar.(BOOK IT)(Calendar)
Jan 01, 2006 ... JANUARY 10 National Stormwater Summit, Orlando, Fla. The National Stormwater Summit--workshops created in response to the growing need for quality stormwater compliance training and straight talk from experts--stops in Orlando. The summit provides risk ...
Post-hurricane industry aid.(BOOK IT)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Many industry businesses have been helping in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane season: * Through the American Rental Association Foundation's Rental Industry Relief Fund, grants totaling $190,000 were distributed to 20 rental equipment businesses that incurred severe damage ...
Scaling new heights: Dallas-based D.R. Horton is the first in the industry to close and sell more than 50,000 homes in a 12-month period.(RECORD BREAKER)
Jan 01, 2006; ... IT TOOK D.R. HORTON 27 YEARS TO GET ITS Annual closing rate up to 50,000 homes. But at the pace it's going, the nation's largest home builder would double its annual closings within the next five years. When the Dallas-based builder completed its latest fiscal year on Sept. 30, ...
Pay up.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(developer fees )(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Many California municipalities have made headlines in recent years for hiking developer fees sky high, but not Fresno: Its bargain-basement fees have held steady for decades. But a new plan, adopted by the Fresno City Council in September, will increase fees for parks, police, and fire ...
Texas tycoon, 1917-2005.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(Ray Ellison Sr.)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Ray Ellison Sr., the founder of what was once the largest home building company in Texas, died in October after suffering from Parkinson's disease. Ellison began building in San Antonio in 1949 and grew Ray Ellison Homes through the development of dozens of subdivisions. Over time, he ...
Best practices.(HOUSE BLEND: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The Homeownership Alliance, a coalition of 19 organizations, including the NAHB, released a report that offers an overview of the most effective strategies for delivering affordable housing. The report, "Affordable Homes: Best Practices for America," ...
Private business.(BIG DEALS)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Lumber and paper giant Georgia-Pacific Corp. (G-P) agreed in November to sell to conglomerate Koch Industries in a $21 billion deal that includes a cash payout of $48 a share; also, Koch will assume about $8 billion of G-P debt. The sale will ...
Vertical integration.(Building Materials Buying Cooperative)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Four of Canada's leading modular home builders have formed a purchasing organization, the Building Materials Buying Cooperative (BMBC). What's intriguing about this is that one of BMBC's partners, Kent Homes, is a subsidiary of J.D. Irving, the conglomerate whose owners might be Canada's ...
Santa Fe's housing trail: stiff inclusionary zoning requirement may spread from the city to the county in the Santa Fe, N.M., region.(AFFORDABLE HOUSING)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... THE CITY OF SANTA FE HAS A new 30 percent affordability requirement for all new developments, an ordinance that at press time was under discussion in the county as well. The new city ordinance, which was passed last summer, requires all new developments in Santa Fe to offer 30 ...
From the hip: tile industry writes new installation guidelines for tile roofs in Florida.(INSTALLATION CODES)
Jan 01, 2006; ... THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE HAS ADOPTED an extensive set of installation guidelines for hip and ridge tiles after a tile industry survey revealed that damage to many roofs during the state's 2004 hurricane season resulted from poor installation. "A lot of the roofs we surveyed had ...
Good wood.(HOUSE BLENDS: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(Wood floors)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Wood floors are increasingly popular with new-home buyers. The NAHB reports that since 2001, about 11 percent of the flooring in new homes is solid wood or engineered wood. Last spring, American ...
Counter measure.(HOUSE BLENDS: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Larger kitchens, bigger baths, and remodeling mania are expected to fuel increased demand for countertop material to the tune of 509 million square feet by the year 2009, according to The Freedonia Group, a ...
Builder stocks slide: home builder stocks retreat in the second half of 2005.(PUBLIC HOME BUILDERS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... THE WILD SWING UPWARD FOR HOME BUILDER stocks has come to an end. The negative news just kept coming for the public home builders late last year. In mid-October, NVR's stock fell 10 percent one day alter the company posted quarterly earnings that missed Wall Street's ...
Vision quest: a new Web-based tool makes land acquisitions easier for builders.(INTERNET PICK)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... DIGITAL MAP PRODUCTS (DMP), a Costa Mesa, Calif.-based company that develops Web geographic information system software, says its new LandVision product will help builders with the land acquisition process, from researching acquisition opportunities to locating a property and the ownership ...
Green wheels.(HOUSE BLENDS: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Los Angeles-based Pardee Homes is taking its environmentally friendly philosophy on the road, switching to hybrid autos in "selected field vehicles." As leases come up for ...
Tech check.(HOUSE BLENDS: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)
Jan 01, 2006; ... We have seen the home of the future, wired with appliances that talk to each other, and it will bug the crap out of us. In November, Wired.com asked professional futurists about which sexy-sounding technologies ...
Have mercy: a million-dollar grant from Pulte Homes gives Mercy Housing a boost as it approaches its silver anniversary.(NOBLE NONPROFIT)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... MOST NONPROFITS THAT CONSTRUCT AFFORDable housing aren't donor magnets like The Salvation Army or United Way So Pulte Homes' $1 million pledge to Mercy Housing last October was, if anything, noteworthy "Pulte recognized that people with lesser means have the right to decent ...
Builder shot: shooter claims he acted in self-defense; builder dies from a single gunshot wound.(POLICE BEAT)(Brian Gregory Epp)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... A HOME BUILDER IN COBB County, Ga., was fatally shot Tuesday, Dec. 6, after a heated argument with a new homeowner turned ugly. The slain builder was Brian Gregory Epp, 35, of Epp Elevations, based in Powder Springs, Ga. Epp was a home builder for the better part of his adult ...
Easy does it.(HOUSE BLENDS: TRENDS, TIPS, COOL STUFF)(mortgage loan)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Bank regulators are concerned that obtaining a mortgage loan is becoming a bit too easy, putting everyone from homeowners to certain bond investors at risk. Lenders have grown less demanding about the amount of proof borrowers must provide about their earnings and assets, which has ...
Unclogging the pipeline: nonprofit gives excess building supplies a new lease on life.(CREATIVE PHILANTHROPY)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... WHAT'S A DISTRIBUTOR TO DO WITH 2,000 units of last year's hot faucet model, now lukewarm, or the 1,500 gallons of lavender paint claiming squatters' rights in the warehouse? More than 300 building products companies have found away to move excess inventory;, lighten their tax ...
Lights, camera, marketing: Builder Homesite debuts television show in Orlando, Fla.(New Home Lifestyles)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... BUILDERS HAVE LONG RECOGnized television's ability to tell compelling stories, but have shied away from it because of the expense. Now, the consortium that created Builder Homesite has pooled its collective resources to produce New Home Lifestyles, a 30-minute "infotainment" show featuring ...
Delta[R] continues to innovate with the multichoice[TM] Universal Valve.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
Jan 01, 2006 ... For over fifty years, Delta Faucet Company has been manufacturing products that enhance the look and functionality of kitchens and baths. From creating the first successful single-handle ball valve design in 1954, to the innovative e-Flow[TM] hands-free electronic bath faucet and popular ...
Read our lips: the housing industry stands unified against a tax panel's recommendation to replace the home mortgage interest deduction with a tax credit.(FEDERAL POLICY)
Jan 01, 2006; ... BY THE TIME PRESIDENT BUSH'S TAX reform panel issued its recommendations Nov. 1, the housing industry's counteroffensive was well under way Both the NAHB and the National Association of Realtors had devoted sections of their Web sites to fighting the proposals, and other groups, such as ...
No kids allowed: new survey of active adult buyers says most want their own space.(housing)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... After extensive research reporting that active adult buyers had abandoned the concept of age-qualified communities that prohibit younger residents, a new survey suggests that may be exactly what they want. In the summer of 2005, Mature Living Choices magazine surveyed more than ...
Condo concern: some banks are taking a closer look at their commercial lending practices.(INSIDE STORY)
Jan 01, 2006; ... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- BASED BANK-Atlantic made its last loan for condo construction nearly two years ago. Speculators in the market, other banks willing to make the loans, and a high proportion of condo loans in its commercial lending portfolio led the bank to take the step, says Alan ...
Under cover.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... FRESH DRYWALL TENDS TO SOAK UP BOLD PAINT COLORS AND ALTER their appearance. That's why it helps to have an undercoat that's designed to handle stronger hues. Gripper Grey primer is such a product. Designed for use under dark and vibrant shades, ...
Magic carpet.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... A RANGE HOOD SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE IT BELONGS IN industrial space. The Wall Carpet certainly doesn't. Sporting undulating lines, the unit measures 36 inches wide and comes with a 450-CFM blower and triple-illumination ...
Ambidextrous.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... WHEN IT COMES TIME TO BUY DOOR hardware, you no longer have to stress over whether your door swings right or left. The Tustin reversible lever has taken the pain out of the process. Part of the company's Maximum Security line, Tustin can be mounted on left-handed or right-handed doors. The ...
Two in one.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... IT USED TO BE THAT YOU COULD HAVE one or the other: a cast-iron classic soaking tub or a whirlpool for relaxation. Not any more. The manufacturer says this tub satisfies both requirements: The 61-inch tub can be used as a traditional soaking product, but concealed under the base is an air ...
See no evil.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... SMOKE DETECTORS SHOULD BE HEARD (WHEN APPROPRIATE) BUT NOT SEEN. USUALLY, they are both. The FCP-500, however, adds a certain level of stealth to a product that generally has none. Designed for architectural applications where aesthetics are important, ...
Plate tectonics.(TOP SHELF: THE LATEST AND GREATEST BUILDING PRODUCTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... THE MANUFACTURER HAS INTRODUCED THE FASSADA LINE OF stainless steel wallplates to coordinate with its black dimmers, switches, and accessories. The two-piece unit has a small toggle opening, rounded edges, and no visible ...
Halfway house: this California builder stakes a claim midway between custom and production home building by using the best elements of both.(HYBRID BUILDER)(Structure Development Group)
Jan 01, 2006; ... WHAT WOULD YOU GET IF YOU could blend the consistency and control of a production home building operation with the flexibility and customer focus of a custom builder? Structure Development Group in Woodland Hills, Calif., claims to have done just that--and, like any true innovator, it has ...
Eliminating attic vents.(HOUSE CALL)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Q: Can unventing and insulating an attic solve interior moisture problems? A: BY CREATING A PATH FOR AIR TO MOVE, structural vents are supposed to prevent the buildup of moisture in an attic. But a vocal group of building scientists says that, in hot and humid climates, vents ...
Return visit: readers ask our experts for follow-up information.(HOUSE CALL)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Q; I'm a computer-aided drafter at United Builders in Yakima, Wash. I'm very interested in the research on closed crawlspaces ("Closing the Crawl," October 2005, page 87). We live and do most of our building in an area that has very cold winters--20 to 35 degrees. We have summers that ...
A tale of retooling: HarborView in Port Washington, N.Y., had a lot going for it, but clumsy floor plans and a lackluster marketing strategy got things off to a slow start.(TEAM EFFORT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... IF YOU THINK FLOOR PLANS AND A SAVVY marketing strategy don't matter in a hot real estate market, consider the tale of HarborView, an active adult, gated community in Port Washington, N.Y. Here's a project that had everything going for it--golf course location, 33 acres on Long ...
It's all about the brands.(CONSUMER TRENDS: The key is knowing what the homebuyer wants.)(Advertisement)
Jan 01, 2006 ... While every new home doesn't always offer custom details, the need for individuality and personal expression is in--especially in the kitchen. People don't want the same commonplace stuff that everyone else has. They want their home to stand out and show off their unique personality. They ...
Under the hood: this Boston lawyer has immersed himself in the details of building science.(LEGAL SLEUTH)
Jan 01, 2006; ... DAVID GOVERNO LIKES TO talk about when he was 16 and rebuilt the engine on a 1964 Chevy Bel Air. "I've always liked taking things apart and putting them back together." Today, the 49-year-old Boston attorney has a thriving law practice defending builders against construction defect claims ...
Blending elegance with nature in Colorado.(Keystone Project Profile)(Advertisement)
Jan 01, 2006 ... It's luxury on a grand scale. The owners of a beautiful five-acre property south of Denver had a specific vision for the landscaping on their new property and the tools to make it a reality. Dave Kline of wall contractor CourMeg landscaping, was charged with meeting two ...
A welcome effect.(FIRST DRAFT)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006 ... GUEST DESIGNER: DAVID KENOYER KDK DESIGN, RALEIGH, N.C. 919-422-7742 Q: How can I spruce up the front elevation of a plain, boxy house to give it more character? A: TURNING A SIMPLE FACADE INTO A SHOW-STOPPER IS OFTEN A MATTER OF CONCENTRATING CRAFTSMANSHIP where it ...
Wow factor: the Starpointe Residents Club at Estrella Ranch, near Phoenix, is proving its worth beyond the sales pitch.(MARKET SMARTS: NEW MARKETING AND SALES TECHNIQUES WITH PROVEN RESULTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... SURE, A COMMUNITY CENTER ANCHORING YOUR AMENITY package is nearly an essential sales tool, but how many of them actually get used? At Starpointe at Estrella Ranch in Goodyear, Ariz., near Phoenix, the multipurpose Residents Club not only draws in prospects, but keeps them coming back once ...
Park place: joint-use parks help enable Shea Homes to achieve its development goals and foster community activities at RiverPark.(MARKET SMARTS: NEW MARKETING AND SALES TECHNIQUES WITH PROVEN RESULTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... IT SEEMS LIKE A SIMPLE IDEA, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY IT WILL work. At RiverPark, a just-opened, 702-acre, 2,800-home, mixed-use community in Oxnard, Calif., the grounds serving the two elementary schools and one middle school planned for the development will be shared with the city's ...
Giving back: a six-figure donation to build a YMCA helps establish Hubble Homes as a pillar of the community.(MARKET SMARTS: NEW MARKETING AND SALES TECHNIQUES WITH PROVEN RESULTS)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006; ... BUILDERS AND DEVELOPers always talk about "giving back to the community," but Hubble Homes, a Nampa, Idaho-based developer and builder, put that mantra into motion with a $100,000 donation toward the construction of a new, 50,000-square-foot YMCA facility in nearby Caldwell, about 27 miles ...
Aftershocks: housing markets where hurricane evacuees settled continue to feel the storms' effects.(VITAL SIGNS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... LAST YEAR'S GULF COAST HURRICANES displaced upward of I million people, many of whom sought temporary shelter in Baton Rouge, La., and Houston. As the months have passed and uncertainty about rebuilding on the coast remains, thousands are choosing to stay put, creating a new surge in ...
More control, better communications, and increased productivity--all on schedule: Hyphen Solutions brings schedule management into the 21st century.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Brief Article)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Today's large homebuilders employ hundreds, perhaps thousands of superintendents in multiple cities and multiple locations. These superintendents, in turn, are each tasked with managing the building schedules of hundreds of suppliers & subcontractors, often with little more than a ...
Solar flair.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... SOLAR FLAIR: Solar Block Plus is an acrylic block with a nonmetallic tint that produces a smoky color. The manufacturer says the result is a product that is more energy-efficient than regular glass or acrylic products ....
Bug block.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... BUG BLOCK: The 6-inch Impasse termite blocker now allows home builders to offer pre-construction termite protection for foundations where 6-inch PVC pipes go through the slab, the manufacturer says. The product is an effective solution that stops ...
Eye candy: the International Builders' Show is the perfect place to spot the next labor-saving or jaw-dropping product.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... WELCOME TO WHAT IS ARGUABLY the single most important event in the home building industry--the International Builders' Show (IBS). In addition to the general spirit of camaraderie, people come to learn business strategies and marketing tips and to keep abreast of the latest technologies ...
Pod jobs.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... POD JOBS: The jobsite just got hipper, thanks to the new Power Box jobsite entertainment radio with a docking station for an iPod music player. The new dock plugs directly into the Power Box's 12-volt auxiliary outlet and 3.5-millimeter input jack to play music or ...
Line judge.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... LINE JUDGE: The SpeedMeter electronic measuring wheel is available in 4-inch and 13-inch wheel sizes to accommodate almost any job situation, the manufacturer says. It has an LCD display with selectable backlight, an electronic brake ...
Rock on.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... ROCK ON: Durock-brand mortars, mastics, grouts, and accessories are designed for use with the company's cement board and Fiberock Aqua-Tough tile backer board. The four latex-modified mortars are intended to ...
Door store.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... DOOR STORE: Made from 25-gauge stamped steel, Oak Summit Collection garage doors feature a carriage-house appearance with a bead-board profile. The four-section unit has a centerline that gives it the appearance of an out-swing garage door, and it has an ...
Roof toppings.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... ROOF TOPPINGS: Inspire synthetic slate roofing is made of 50 percent resin and 50 percent natural materials. It has six edge and surface designs, a Class A fire rating, and resists winds up to 110 miles per hour. The company says the product minimizes color ...
New view.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... NEW VIEW: Insight windows are made with cellular composite technology, so they have the appearance of wood and the durability of vinyl. Free of weather-related problems such as rotting and warping, the windows have better thermal properties, screw retention, and ...
Ride the rails.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... RIDE THE RAILS: RadianceRail offers the attractiveness of white vinyl railing but provides the structural feel of a wood product, says the manufacturer. Made of a precision-engineered composite and capped with ...
Natural by design.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... NATURAL BY DESIGN: Natural Fusion resilient vinyl flooring comes in popular looks such as bamboo, stone, and exotic wood. Available in 35 versions, the flooring is made using a technology that yields realistic textures and gloss for a natural ...
Clean lines.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... CLEAN LINES: Designed for transitional interiors, the Trinity Collection offers the simple, sweeping, minimalist forms that are popular at the moment. The lights come with or without etched-glass shades and in brushed nickel, polished ...
Arch find.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... ARCH FIND: The Madison Arch door style features detailed door- and drawer-front edges with a raised center panel and an eyebrow arch in a full maple overlay. The style will be offered in five standard and 17 ...
Fingertip control.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... FINGERTIP CONTROL: This new TPI-ID touchpad employs capacitive technology, allowing homeowners to use just one unit for multiple configurations, the company says. Capacitive technology allows the unit to react to and execute commands with a single touch, so one tap can operate ...
Ratchet up.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... RATCHET UP: The Sheerline ratcheting base trim can be adjusted to fit 4-inch and 6-inch posts, the manufacturer says. Designed to be used with the company's Sheerline posts, the trim easily locks into place and ...
Go with the grain.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... GO WITH THE GRAIN: The company's two new railing systems complement its EverGrain composite decking products. Made of a wood composite, the railings are low maintenance and come in colors to match the decking products. The traditional 2x4 railing system ...
Color theory.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... COLOR THEORY: Two new color blends have been added to the manufacturer's line of residential bricks for home exteriors, fireplaces, paving, and more: Prairie Gray and Plum Creek. Plum Creek features a heavily ...
Edges of reason.(PRODUCTS: PRODUCTS AND TOOLS EVERY BUILDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT)
Jan 01, 2006; ... EDGES OF REASON: These square-edged Traditional balusters look like ordinary products, but they are made of metal, so they offer some maintenance advantages. Measuring 1 inch by 1/2 inch and 32 inches long, the products are made of powder-coated ...