PB January 2005

Stories of unhappy new home buyers seem all too common today. Whether it be problems with the building experience altogether, part of the process in building their home, or in the final product, too often it seems nothing can transform - or quiet — an angry home owner back to the excited home buyer he or she once was.

Accessory units, or living spaces that are secondary to the main home, are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Also called "granny flats," especially when located above a detached garage, these units have unique advantages for the builder and the buyer. (See Taking Granny (Flats) To Market, p. 179.) From a design point of view, builders should consider two main aspects: the site and the floor ...

 

…

As seasons change, the national mood changes from time to time too. With the mood shifts come changes within the home and a shift in the color palette buyers respond to. In order to keep up with the times, paint maker Kelly-Moore constantly changes existing color palettes by staying in close contact with the design community.

Delta Simply PUR Water Filtration System is a partnership between Delta and PUR. This filtration system brings bottled-water quality through your kitchen faucet. The all inclusive filtration system processes water through three stages of filtration to reduce the amount of sediments and contaminants in drinking water while retaining fluoride and minerals.

Some builders view the electronic gadgetry associated with home automation systems as part of a distant, hi-tech future. But for many others, the future is now. This third article on the PATH Concept Home (see sidebar) focuses on modern home automation systems. With its "disentangled" utilities, the Concept Home provides fewer impediments than traditional homes to installing and upgrading a hom...

 

…

Tile has long been the selected material of designers, architects and home owners to provide a rich, luxurious look. How about adding personalized images or photos to create custom tiles? Imagine adding a family portrait to the tiles located in the foyer. What about adding the beautiful sunset captured on film while on vacation to a tiled bathroom wall? Coastal Murals, LLC specializes in transf...

S88 Compact Sub is a free-standing, small footprint subwoofer. Designed with an enclosure that enhances its performance. Engineered to provide optimal corner-loading, the S88 works with the walls in a room to deliver sonic performance. It is offered in several sizes depending upon the size of the room and the homebuyer's budget.

For many high-end custom builders, selling spec houses is an alluring alternative to the hassles of dealing with well-heeled clients: Build what you want and sell it later...Of course, there's that catch. You have to carry the spec until it sells. Here's a Texas builder with some great ideas on how to market highly visible specs, and use the notoriety that brings to drive more custom clients to...