Building Materials
What to Select? Wood vs. Engineered Lumber
For years, builders have used traditional lumber to build homes, but ever since engineered wood products came into the picture, builders have been left wondering, Which one do I use for my projects?
EPA Raises the Bar, Lowers Utility Bills
Builders will have to significantly increase the energy efficiency of their homes to meet new Energy Star requirements scheduled to take effect July 1, 2006. The NAHB has expressed concern that the July date will not give builders sufficient time to transition to the new standards. They prefer a timetable specified in an earlier draft that gave new communities until July 1, 2006 to state their intention to go Energy Star, and until January 1, 2007 to qualify under the old Energy Star standards.
Going Automated
Imagine having complete access to your iPod tunes and favorite satellite radio shows at the touch of a button on panels located throughout the home via a distributed audio system. Picture being able to see who is at the front door with a security camera you can view from your television or home PC.
Rising Tides
Katrina. Rita. Wilma. The hurricanes of 2005 dramatically illustrate the importance of building durable, disaster-resistant homes. As rebuilding begins in the South, the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) suggests some changes in building materials and practices that will make new homes more flood-resistant.
Urban loft living done right
Eric Brown of Artisan Homes took a sketch on a napkin for developing loft living in downtown Phoenix to William Hezmalhalch Architects. The result was the winner of the Home of the Year in the Best in American Living Awards — Artisan Homes' Lofts on Central. "It was that vision of creating a loft style unit," William Hezmalhalch Architects' Jeff Chelwick, principal in charge f...
Why Employee Satisfaction?
Everyone's abuzz about the J.D. Power home builder rankings, and rightfully so. Regardless of your personal stance on the data, more potential home buyers are making it part of their research prior to making a buying decision. And if they're not, you can bet the salesperson of any well ranked company is bringing it to their attention.
Reaching Move-Up Buyers
The problem with plan According to the builder, Juniper Hill is currently selling at $425,000 in Charles Town, W.V. Although the plan currently has some weak spots, the price needs to increase when built in the next location, Loudoun County, Va., which means the plans need to be adjusted to make this happen.
The Customer Delight Honor Roll
Find out about five home builders that get customer satisfaction right. If you have not yet spent time on the J. D. Power public Web site and perused the rankings by builder and by city, you should. The data is both fascinating and revealing.
Beauty, Brains and Brawn
No matter the size of the home, the kitchen is indisputably the hardest working room in the place. Gone are the days when having plenty of counter and cabinet space was the primary concern for potential home buyers. Top design experts and builders from across the country agree that these days, people expect, and are getting, more performance from their kitchens than ever before.
