PB October 2009

A friend of mine recently said, "Just applying for the National Housing Quality Awards was the best thing I've done for my company. It forced me to answer questions I hadn't even thought about yet." This month, we celebrate the accomplishments of two companies that answered the questions and proved to visiting judges that the answers were accurate.

Hafele America recently introduced large-scale, 24-inch-long corbels and a line of large-scale posts. Both use design elements found on the traditional, Arts & Crafts and Americana (Rope) collections. These corbels and posts are great decorative ingredients for islands, desks, countertops and fireplace mantles.

Paul Cardis of Avid Ratings discusses why  too much 'survey influence' from home builders can hurt their customer satisfaction scores

Check out these extruded free-foam cellular PVC building products from Kleer Lumber. Made for both interior and exterior applications, the new line features 16 different styles and thicknesses, including base cap, bed, brick, cove, crown, drip cap, J-channel, quarter round, rake, shingle band and sill nosing.

Rodney Hall of The Talon Group discusses the connection between sales and happy, thriving employees -- possible even in the midst of a difficult housing industry.

Joe Duckworth, Professional Builder's 1992 Builder of the Year, is now a successful developer of walkable neighborhoods that outsell conventional projects.

Owners of multi-room audio/video systems assign high value to their home entertainment experience, according to a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association). The study, "Trends in Multi-room Audio Video Usage," found that 82 percent of homeowners with an such a system would recommend it to their friends.

Home builders and designers who want to be successful in the entry-level market must understand the lifestyles, attitudes and priorities of Generations X and Y.

2010 National Housing Quality Awards Gold winner Simonini Builders shows what solid communication and company culture can do for a home builder in a downturn.

Wayne Homes' solid processes and focus on satisfied employees and customers earns it a Silver in the 2010 National Housing Quality Awards.