Custom Builder | Design/Production, Writing I wrote and designed the product review section for this bi-monthly publication, Custom Builder. This was for the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show Issue.
Custom Builder | Product Review Section
IBS Annual Product Showcase
Innovations >> PRODUCT REVIEW, CABINETS
Vitra
Vitra has added the Serenade Collection to its Classic Product Line. The Serenade line has a classic country look and is available in cherry wood with raised panel edging and interior half shelving. Optional marble and granite counters and drop in sinks are available. Vitra furniture is hand made and ships fully assembled. www.vitra-usa.com Circle 134 on inquiry card
Yorktowne Cabinetry
Yorktowne is offering an enhanced Appliance Panel Program. This customization program allows for easy ordering of panels for the most common brands of refrigerators, dishwashers and warming drawers. The pre-engineered and pre-priced program incorporates a form that contains model numbers and panel shapes and sizes for common appliance manufacturers. Panels can be ordered in an integrated, overlay or framed style. Custom quotes are available for models not included on the form. www.yorktownecabinetry.com
Circle 135 on inquiry card
www.ProBuilder.com
Timberlake
03.2006
Omega Cabinetry
professional builder
Timberlake has added five new decorative glass inserts to its collection. Four of the designs have a leaded, stained-glass pattern design. The fifth glass design, Meredith, has an open, smooth beveled edge. These new additions can be used in Timberlake’s mullion or open-framed door lines.
Omega has also added a locker cabinet to its furniture cabinet series. The locker cabinet has three storage sections with a fixed vertical, middle partition that can be extended through to the top of the cabinet. The middle section, which is ideal for hanging coats, is anchored by either a single or sideby-side drawer configuration. The entire unit has an open cavity at the bottom for shoe storage. The locker cabinet measures 36 inches wide, 80 inches tall and 18 inches deep. Doors are optional.
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Omega Cabinetry now offers stainless steel doors. This new option is offered in either a smooth, flat recessed panel or as a glass-ready frame. The overlays have a 3-inch frame width which match the frame widths of the Mannheim, Madrid, Monterey and Monroe door styles. These doors are constructed from the same heavy gauge stainless steel used for appliances.
www.timberlake.com
Circle 137 on inquiry card
www.omegacabinetry.com
Circle 136 on inquiry card
Professional Builder | Production; Writing Wrote and designed the product review section for this monthly publication.
Innovations >> BY RHONDA JACKSON, BUILDINGPRODUCTS@REEDBUSINESS.COM
Bathroom Fixtures � American Standard
The Cascada Furniture Collection from American Standard provides stylish bathroom storage. This contemporary vanity sports three large drawers and a birch solid and veneer exterior. The vanity is offered in 30- and 21-inch sizes with either a tobacco or maple finish. The collection includes matching mirror, stool, wastebasket and floating shelf. The Cascada vanity is designed to house American Standard’s Newbern integral clay sink and countertop. Circle 130 or go to http://pb.ims.ca/5144-130
� Moen
Moen introduces custom showers with the ExactTemp Thermostatic Valve. The ExactTemp is a flexible shower system with individual temperature, force and flow controls for the shower head, body sprays and hand shower. This flexible shower system can be installed on one, two or three walls. The trim comes separately in chrome, oil-rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, pewter, wrought iron and antique nickel. A 7-inch rainshower head is also available. Circle 131 or go to http://pb.ims.ca/5144-131
professional builder
07.2006 www. p ro b uilder.com
� Vitra
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Vitra introduces the ADA Corina V3 toilet for projects requiring American Disabilities Act compliance. An addition to Vitra’s V3 line, the ADA Corina V3 toilet seat sits 17 inches above the floor. This two-piece, gravity-fed toilet has a 3-inch flush valve with V3 technology: vortex, velocity and vacuum. Circle 136 or go to http:// pb.ims.ca/5144-136
Innovations >> PRODUCT REVIEW, IBS
IBS Product Review Bradford Products
The Southport from Bradford Products is a stainless steel portable spa. The Southport features 12 hydrotherapy jets, handrails and underwater light. The stainless steel and ceramic tiles are engineered for prolonged exposure to the elements — they won’t warp, crack, blister or deteriorate. The Southport can be delivered fully assembled or in prefabricated pieces for on-site assembly. www.bradfordproducts.com
Circle 130 on inquiry card
Crown Heritage
Crown Heritage has developed a patent-pending alignment system and corresponding proprietary tool, EasAlign, for stair system railing and fitting installations. The EasAlign system works with all Crown Heritage stair systems and features invisible magnetic fastening elements. This method for connecting stair parts eliminates wood plugs, nuts, bolts and glue. EasAlign ensures a smooth, strong, completely aligned railing connection and eliminates misfits between handrails and fittings. The EasAlign tool provides the exact method for drilling the fittings for the system. No glue or no sanding is required. www.crownheritage.com
Circle No. 131 on inquiry card
www.deltafaucet.com
Circle No. 132 on inquiry card
The NanaScreen is an operable insect screen system. These collapsible, pleated, screen panels can work in tangent with the NanaWall or separately to provide clear, open views and breezes. The screens are comprised of 4-inch wide vertical cassettes that are installed on a single 1/4- inch x 1/2- inch floor track. Each panel can be ordered with full-height magnetic catches and can expand up to 4 feet, 3 inches wide and 8 feet, 6 inches tall. The screen is available in white, clear aluminum and bronze anodized framing. www.nanascreen.com
Circle 133 on inquiry card
03.2006
NanaScreen
professional builder
A new tub/shower valve system from Delta Faucet simplifies installation by permitting functional and stylish trim changes without having to change the valve in the wall. The new MultiChoice Universal Valve offers three function options: single- and dualfunction pressure balance, as well as a new dual-function thermostatic valve cartridge. Delta offers the ability to install both pressure balance and thermostatic cartridges in one valve. The Universal Valve works with any of the Delta Monitor pressure balance tub/showers. The MultiChoice Universal Valve allows for easy shower upgrades, eliminates the wrong valve from being installed and uses existing Delta brand trim packages.
www.ProBuilder.com
Delta Faucet Company
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Innovations >> APPLIANCES
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624-5299
Jenn-Air
Jenn-Air’s new slide-in ranges are ideal for island installations. The new family of slide-in ranges comes in gas, electric and dual-fuel models. The ranges are 30 inches wide with warming drawers and a curved front floating glass design. These ranges are available in black, white and two versions of stainless steel. www.jennair.com Circle 134 on inquiry card
Jenn-Air
Jenn-Air’s under counter built-in Ice Maker creates ice cubes from pure mineral water. Jenn-Air’s Clean Cube system creates ice cubes by continuously circulating water over a 32degree frozen plate until the required amount of ice is produced. This ice maker is available in black, white and stainless steel and custom panels and can make up to 35 pounds of ice a day. www.jennair.com
Circle 135 on inquiry card
Wood University Attend Online By By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Editor March 31, 2005 Wood University, the free online education portal of the APA-The Engineered Wood Association, now offers a course on building structurally sound wood-framed structures. WU 201: Design of Wood Connections is broken down into four successive/progressive /consecutive units: Connection Design Theory, Fastener Types, Connection Techniques and Connection Design Examples. Each unit focuses on a specific area of wood joinery and can be completed in one hour. The course begins with the guidelines for wood construction and ends with a finale of 14 demonstrations of common design examples of connections and configurations. Those who take the test at the end of each course can earn one continuing education credit for each unit through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and/or the American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD). Participants can register for free at www.wooduniversity.org. Like
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9/27/12 12:21 PM
Supersize It Americans don't just want their food super-sized — their homes are getting bigger as well By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Writer September 30, 2006 Americans don't just want their food super-sized — their homes are getting bigger as well. 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. Homes measuring more than 3,000 square feet doubled in amount from 1978 to 2005, from 143,000 homes to 286,000 homes. Although the number of new homes with 2½ bathrooms or more has increased by 200 percent, the number of new homes with 1½ bathrooms has decreased by 81 percent. The tables here chart the super sized house movement over the last three decades. The data tracks the number of bathrooms and bedrooms and square footage for new homes sold in 1978 and 2005. % of Market SQUARE FOOTAGE 1978
2005
1979
42,000 32,000 5
2
-23.8%
1200–1599
177,000 204,000 20
16
21%
1600–1999
204,000 272,000 23
21
33.33%
2000–2399
167,000 234,000 19
18
40.1%
2400–2999
146,000 255,000 17
20
74.7%
3000+
143,000 286,000 16
22
100%
BATHROOMS
1978
ersize It | HousingZone
2
2005 Percent Increase/Change
Under 1200
% of Market 2005
1979
1½ bathrooms or less 181,000 34,000 23
3
-81%
2 bathrooms
419,000 458,000 51
36
9.3%
2½ bathrooms
153,000 464,000 19
36
203%
25
417%
3 bathrooms or more 63,000 326,000 8
http://www.housingzone.com/business-man
2005 Percent Increase/Change
% of Market BEDROOMS
1978
2005
1979
2005 Percent Increase
2 bedrooms or less 74,000 130,000 9
10
75.6%
3 bedrooms
523,000 612,000 64
48
17%
4 bedrooms or more 219,000 514,000 27
42
134.7%
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Home > Business Management > Cleaning Up the Clean Water Act Print
Cleaning Up the Clean Water Act Lawmakers are pushing to cut back on permit fees, which could help make homes more affordable By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Writer August 31, 2006 There are two initiatives underfoot to streamline the Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System of the Clean Water Act, which regulates storm water pollution on construction sites. The first initiative is a plan to reform current EPA policy, and the second is a Congressional bill following close on its heels. Both moves are intended to reduce the number of times builders pay permit fees for state, local and national regulation policies. Such a change could mean lower construction costs and more affordable homes. According to a 2005 NAHB Member Survey, builders pay on average $312,298 per site to comply with storm water runoff prevention regulations — an estimated increase in housing cost of $1,400 to $7,000 per unit. Leading the Way This past May the EPA issued a missive to its regional offices saying the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans that builders submit to the federal government can meet local and state requirements, too. "This policy has always been around but is now being enforced," says Jim Tobin, staff vice president of government affairs for the NAHB. On the Congressional Front
aning Up the Clean Water Act | HousingZone
http://www.housingzone.com/business-management/cleaning
Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.) is spearheading an effort to revamp the EPA's water permit and enforcement policies. While Duncan's proposal, H.R. 5558, would also minimize
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duplication of permit fees and plans, it proposes more comprehensive changes. The bill aims to educate construction site managers on regulatory requirements; provide a vehicle for responding to EPA requests for building site information; give builders an opportunity to correct certain permit deficiencies; and provide for more leadership9/27/12 of EPA regulation on a state-level. As of late August, the bill was in a House subcommittee; sponsors hope to present it to the President before the end of September. Like
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Remodeling Sales > Steeling Home Home > Business Management Remodeling Marketing Print Email NAHB Nationals Managing Finance An innovative Human solutionResources for an age-old quandary Customer Satisfaction By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Editor March 31, 2005 Management Focus Land Development Many a builderEconomics has faced the quandary of building homes with steel, which can be costly but more consistent or building with wood, which can warp and be labor intensive. Regulatory Compliance One company has brought an innovative solution to the marketplace. FrameMax, a company specializing in steel framing technology, provides a viable solution to the wood versus steel dilemma. National Housing Quality (NHQ) The turn-key process provides automated production of pre-fabricated steel walls, floor joists and roof trusses directly from architectural plans with automatic frame labeling of each piece/part — all of Products this is done prior to the slab being poured. This factory production-line process continues on-site, where the pre-fabricated assemblies are delivered with specified layout plans. The components are Green then screwed together using pre-punched holes. This is the kind of editorial statement we need to watch out for in press releases.The 6-step process includes: New Construction Articles Newarchitectural Constructionand Products Step 1. Importing structural CAD plans directly into FrameMax's design software. Remodeling Articles Step 2. An engineering analysis and a 3D design model is generated for all walls, floor joists and roof trusses in compliance with structural plans as outlined by the relevant building code, loadings, wind Remodeling Products and seismic conditions. Energy Efficiency (Topical) Building machine Technology Step 3. A roll-forming then produces all component parts, accurately cut to length, punched and notched as required and labeled for fabrication. Data & Research Step 4.Tech All components are riveted into finished frames and each frame is labeled for easy erecting on-site. Add-on products such as door headers, hold-downs and shear bracing are installed. The product then passes through a final quality control inspection. Awards Step 5.Education Fabricated frames are delivered to the job site with directions and layout plans provided from the design system. Case Studies Step 6. FrameMax framing crews assemble the steel structure. The crew also completes other ancillary items typical during interior finishing. HZ University House Plans
Steeling Home
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Home > Business Management > Second Home Purchases for Investment are on the Rise Print 0
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Second Home Purchases for Investment are on the Rise By Rhonda Jackson, Staff Editor March 31, 2005
9/27/12 12:23
A National Association of Realtors' (NAR) study of second home purchases recently revealed a wave of new speculators in the real estate market. With investment home sales making up 23% of the real estate market, homebuyers are turning to real estate more and more as a vehicle for financial investment to diversify their portfolios. According to NAR's chief economist, David Lereah, "Given the size of the market, we can assume that many individual owners have more than one investment property." NAR's subsequent e-mail survey supports these initial findings revealing that 21% of second homes are occupied by renters and not by owners.
While vacation homes comprise 13% of the second home market, there are some key demographic differences between the homebuyers that purchase for investment purposes versus vacation homes. Most second home purchasers fall within the Baby Boomer generation with investment purchasers having a median age of 47 and earnings of $85,700 and vacation home-buyers having a median age of 55 with earnings of $71,000. Thirty-eight percent of the survey participants indicated that they would probably buy another home within the next two years (with 47% for investment and 16% vacation). Since Baby Boomers are still peaking in their earning years and second home properties are still consistently appreciating —12.8% for vacation and 25.4% for investment — according to the NAR, it is likely that second-home sales will remain high over the next 10 years. Second Home Purchases 2004
2003
Home Sales (in millions) % of all homes purchased for the year Home Sales (in millions) Increase 2nd Home
$2.42 M
16.3%
Investment Home $1.80 M
23%
$1.57 M
14.4%
Vacation Home
13%
$850,000
19.8%
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$2.82 M $1.02 M
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9/27/12 12:24
To Repair or not to Repair? Rhonda Jackson, Staff Editor The NAHB is spearheading a national campaign to pass and or enhance existing Notice of Opportunity to Repair (NOR) laws in every state. NOR laws are aimed at giving builders the opportunity to repair or resolve legitimate home owner construction issues without going to court. Attached housing has long been the target of construction defect lawsuits. But detached housing communities nationwide have become increasingly embattled by construction litigation. According to data collected by NERA, an economic consulting firm, in Colorado alone the annual number of lawsuits increased by approximately 10 percent for the three-year period starting in 2000. This string of lawsuits has led to rising, limited or, in some cases, unobtainable liability insurance for builders. As a result, builders face higher costs and consequentially a higher price tag for homebuyers. According to the NAHB, in 2004, home builder liability was calculated to costs between $2,700 – $15,000 per housing unit. NAHB estimates that for for every $1,000 price increase, 260,000 households are being priced out of the market. Staying Out of the Courthouse To stop the litigious wildfire, the NAHB is spearheading a national campaign to pass and or enhance existing Notice of Opportunity to Repair (NOR) laws in every state. NOR laws are aimed at giving builders the opportunity to repair or resolve legitimate homeowner construction issues without going to court. Strategic Alliances The NAHB, in collaboration with NAHB's High-Production Home Builders Council and state and local homebuilders associations, has created The Civil Justice Reform Initiative (the Initiative). The Initiative supports the lobbying activities and judicial educational programs that provide the impetus for the acceptance of NOR legislation. Additionally, in 2002 the NAHB collaborated with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to devise a model for NOR legislation. This model legislation has been successful in paving the way for adoption of NOR laws. Too Early to Weigh In? So far, the NAHB has succeeded in advancing the adoption of new NOR legislation in 21 states and the acceptance of enhanced NOR legislation in six other states. It is too early to measure the national impact of NOR laws’ on the homebuilding industry, but preliminary findings back the premise that NOR laws can decrease the number of cases going to court.
PATH, HUD Partner to Showcase Concept Homes Concept homes transform and grow with changing lifestyles By Rhonda Jackson, Staff writer June 30, 2006 The Partnership for Advanced Housing Technology has partnered with HUD and several private sector businesses to build two concept homes that transform and grow with the changing lifestyles and needs of its inhabitants. The Concept Homes will focus on flexible design and improved time-saving production processes. The homes will feature movable walls, which enable homeowners to create an extra room or enlarge a small room by adding or removing a wall, and organized, accessible utilities. Highlighted production processes will focus on building quality homes in shorter time frames by manufacturing prefabricated panels and fully panelized envelope systems through integrated software design. The production processes will also integrate green building PATH, HUD Partner to Showcase Concept Homes | HousingZone http://www.housingzone.com/business-management/path-hud-p... products and processes, universal design and affordability.
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This is the third phase of the Concept Home program. The first two phases provided the market research, outreach and development of the building plans.
9/27/12 12:21 PM
The first home will be a single family home and the second an urban townhouse project. Lincoln, Neb.-based Brighton Construction will build the first concept home. Fernando Pages, the principal of Brighton Construction, has been applying innovative building practices to build affordable housing. This first home will be an infill project in Omaha, Neb. PATH officials hope the concept homes will provide floor plan designs that can be customized based upon the site and climate and refined for particular areas of the country. The homes are scheduled to break ground late this summer. Like
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