Used Textures
Appearing to be recycled from a building long exposed to the elements, Stone Mountain Brick Co. introduces four new veneer styles for its brick and stone. "Used textures" have a slightly worn face with a few random indentations in each brick surface. In sharp contrast, the fresh-looking wirecut style has blunt, uneven grooves that stretch vertically across the surface of each piece.
Hitachi Power Tools
A new single-speed router kit KM12SC is ergonomically designed and comes with both a plunge and fixed-base attachment. It's a follow-up to the variable-speed KM12VC kit released in September 2004. Both are designed for precise groove cuts, chamfering, trimming, shaping and pattern cutting, and feature an 11 Amp, 1-1/4 horsepower motor that operates at a quiet 79.
Equestrian Estate
Betting that this delightfully detailed 6,200-square-foot luxury home designed to resemble a classic New England carriage house, would place first in the hearts of affluent empty-nester buyers in his upstate New York market, custom builder John Witt created this one-of-a-kind spec-built model to launch Saratoga Farm, the first equestrian-oriented development to be built in Saratoga County.
Financial Management 101 for Builders
While most builders are passionate about building homes, most aren't particularly passionate about financial management. That needs to change
Health-Care Top Concern Of Small Business
Health-care costs rank as the most critical issue concerning small business owners, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses and Wells Fargo. Nearly two-thirds of respondents to the 2004 survey listed health-care costs as "critical"—up 18 percent from a similar survey conducted in 2000, the NFIB says.
ForSite
Based on the anti-microbial properties of engineered silver, which has long proven to prevent the growth of mold, mildew and odor-causing bacteria, ForSite is a mold prevention product. Suitable for construction materials such as plywood, boards, drywall, osb/sheating, concrete panels and other masonry products, it may be coated before or after installation.
Tight-Spot Townhomes
Urban redevelopment provides numerous opportunities to builders, particularly smaller ones, for whom a small lot can present a world of opportunity. Villa Carabelli Townhomes in Cleveland, for example, turned an underutilized 1.4-acre parking lot into 20 upscale, four-story townhouses. This was a unique lot and a unique development, because Alta House, a pillar of Cleveland's Little Italy neigh...
Away with Impact Fees?
The pressure of raising impact fees remains the same today as 2001 when a superior court judge ruled California's Orange County violated state law by over-billing home buyers and builders for plan check and inspection fees. The judge ruled that Orange County had no legal right to keep the $18.5 million surplus it created from these over-charges.
Weathershield
Warm Edge I spacer conserves energy and maximizes the performances of thermal windows by reducing the transfer of heat and cold air from the outside to the inside of the home. It is engineered to minimize the seepage of moisture into the home. This flexible glass spacer insulator can be used in windows of any size or shape and requires minimal installation.
