| Builders' Own Homes |
For John Eilermann, Loel Fenwick, Bruce Olson, Stephen Gillis and Steve Kendrick, building their own homes was a fantasy come to life. Using their projects as learning laboratories, each built his own home with tried and true products as well new and innovative selections.
When builder Bruce Olson decided to build his own house in Hawaii, his goal wasn't solely to create a private heaven-on-earth retreat; he had ulterior motives to create a showpiece house for his entry into the Hawaiian market.
Being incredibly organized, more tolerant of clients, and more concise in the selection process for finishes and options were a few of the lesson builders took home when building their own.
Steve Kendrick faced a predicament. He and his wife, Anne, were growing out of their home but didn't want to move out of the neighborhood where they had established their roots for seven years. The couple felt they had little privacy from their young children and neighbors in their old home. They also wanted more natural light.
The 6,000-square-foot house was on the drawing board and in the ground less than 2½ months from the time he bought the land. Gillis had been waiting for the right location and already had the design.
Loel Fenwick's home is in perfect sync with nature; it almost mirrors a giant tree house. This captivating home coexists peacefully with the land and animals on the shores of Priest Lake, an undeveloped part of Idaho close to the Canadian border.
Builder John Eilermann 's wife Lisa was the visionary for their new home. She served as full-time project manager and became known on site as "the boss' boss" who was the creative source of nearly everything that went into the house.
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| Perspective |
The builders featured in the 2006 edition of Builders' Own Homes were able to to mix business with personal, using industry knowledge to build the homes of their dreams.
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| Emerging Issues |
The Gulf Coast housing crisis created by Hurricane Katrina is churning up innovation on a broad scale, and the solutions taking shape in Louisiana and Mississippi may eventually land at your door, wherever you do business.
In many ways, the current housing market slowdown is similar to what happened between 1990 and 1992, although that one had a national economic recession to deepen it. We've avoided that this time — so far.
The sizes of newly constructed homes have grown significantly over the last 30 years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of new homes with 2,400–2,999 square feet has grown 75 percent.
Builders participating in the most recent Harvard Distribution Study significantly downplayed the contribution that improved operating efficiencies have had on their bottom line growth. Yet it's precisely those efficiencies that might end up helping pull them through the current market doldrums.
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| Best Practices |
Taylor Woodrow learned first-hand the impact of implementing off-the-beaten-path marketing strategies.
The idea behind the Open Prototype Initiative — what will be a showcase of four high-quality, economically constructed homes — was to improve the way all homes are built in America. And information learned through the first home and subsequent prototype homes will also be useful for improving in-home treatment of the disabled and older Americans with a desire to age in place.
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| Innovations |
Here's a run-down of Green Products that are energy efficient or environmentally friendly.
ACC can withstand fire and other natural disasters, and since it is lightweight and has its own insulating properties, it can save construction time and energy.
Kitchens have evolved from functioning as just the cooking stage to the actual hang-out hub of the home. TV shows that focus on kitchens or cooking have influenced home buyers who now want personalized, efficient and highly-styled showcases.
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| Plans and Projects |
If you're wondering what kind of product will finally entice buyers back into sales centers, here's our pick.
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| Best Practices |
Before you begin heavy cost-cutting, you should implement a quality improvement program to rebuild your processes and become more proficient. That way, you can make the right cuts without gutting your key resources and jeopardizing your future.
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| Perspective |
Thoughts on the housing market, discounts, incentives and speculative buyers.
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| Best Practices |
Hiring the right people takes thought, patience and skill. Are you holding the right auditions?
My partners and I are in a fascinating line of work. Every day we get to talk to interesting people from across the country about what's going on in our industry. Here're some things we've run across lately that may help you on the HR side.
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| Innovations |
Avi Hornstein shares the products and materials that go into homes built by Omega Homes.
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| Plans and Projects |
Some builders still call it the family room, while others have adopted the contemporary term great room. Labels aside, industry experts agree this multipurpose space is here to stay. In modestly priced production homes or high-end custom residences, today's buyers are expecting more from it in function and style.
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| Best Practices |
What began as a predicted 5 percent slowdown for 2006 has now passed 10 percent nationwide and may reach 15 percent, or more. Some of the nationals are really hurting, with one of the Top 10 builders reporting sales down 45 percent as of August. With a new article coming out nearly every day on the housing downturn, it seems unlikely that things will turn around soon.
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| Letter to the Editor |
Professional Builder readers sound off on fire sprinklers and immigration issues
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| Best Practices |
With rising interest rates and a softening market, many builders face high cancellation rates as customers reconsider and or walk away from their original purchase decision. Although no builder is immune from cancellations, builders and sales agents can use several strategies to minimize cancelled customers.
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| Plans and Projects |
The way he sees it, the blueprint for success was simple. "We've gone back in time to the way people used to live," says Greg Whittaker, president of Whittaker Homes. Taking an old idea and bringing it to life for today's home buyer has thrust his firm forward in a way he could never have imagined.
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