PB December 2003

Builders faced with a permit fee hike might want to resist the urge to rush in plans before it takes effect.

Demand remains strong, though first-time affordability, tech toys and demographic changes beckon competitive builders.

It has been compared to the video game SimCity, but at $4,995 a pop, CommunityViz 3-D simulation and modeling software is no toy.

A new study from market researcher The Freedonia Group forecasts that U.S. demand for kitchen and bath countertops will grow more than 2% annually to 467 million square feet in 2007.

If you haven't seen your planned tax refund turn into a tax payment, be patient. Your time will come. Virtually every method you have used to reduce your federal income tax works against you under the AMT.

Reduce financing costs by cutting construction times and the number of spec houses in inventory.

Keeping quality people is key to long-term success, but few of the builders who do succession planning go beyond the most senior-level positions.

Despite years of technological innovation, seemingly simple problems such as nail pops, cracks and other drywall problems continue to plague home construction.

Just like a home, the builders and subcontractors can work as a seamless system rather than a collection of workers with separate tasks.

No major window manufacturer's product line currently includes SPD-Smart Glass technology, but a SPD-Smart developer has licensed a handful of companies to distribute SPD-Smart windows.