Best Practices
Best Practices
Floodproof on a Floodplain
An impressive addition to the IDEA Home series, the NEWLOOK Experience Home is a master class in engineering and creative design, with builder Michael Freiburger out-thinking an exceptionally tricky lot
Business
Defining Outdoor Living in 2024
Residential experts weigh in on outdoor living trends in new report
Construction
How to Air Seal the Garage
A poorly sealed wall or ceiling between the garage and the main house can let harmful fumes into the living space
Business
Taking Advantage of Incentives Through Weatherization
Industry insider Kristen Lewis walks us through the basics and benefits of weatherization
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Business
Mark Richardson: 'When is it going to get better?'
Successful builders are not waiting for the market to recover. They’ve accepted the current economic environment as the new normal and wake up every day focused on making it happen in these stormy waters. Mark Richardson talks about what sets these builders apart from the rest.
Best Practices
THE ‘HOUSE OF QUALITY’ MODEL FOR THE NHQA
The NHQA consists of a set of eight criteria but how does it actually function? The criteria does not consist of isolated standalone elements, they…
Best Practices
IMPROVING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION THROUGH EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION…. PROVE IT!
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION While it has been long established that organizations with a quality foundation have better leverage to achieve high levels of…
Best Practices
3 vacation homes with style and pizzazz
Not exactly the simple cottages you remember from childhood, these vacation homes in Malibu, Calif., Indian Beach, Del., and Groton Long Point, Conn., are made for getting away — in style.
Leadership
Mark Richardson: How to speak with a remodeling dialect
To help offset the downturn in home building business, many custom builders have taken on remodeling work during the past few years. A key to success in remodeling is understanding the rules of the game. Custom Builder contributing editor Mark Richardson discusses a few key differences in the language of remodeling versus traditional custom home building.
Customer Service
Poll: 70% of homeowners say inspections helped avoid problems
Nearly three quarters (72%) of U.S. homeowners agree that the home inspection they had when they purchased their home helped them avoid potential problems down the line, according to a survey by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).
Green & Sustainable
Kitchen and bath design series: Tips on designing and specifying shower systems
Understanding the mechanics of shower systems is vital to creating a great user experience, according to kitchen and bath design expert Paul Greenspan. He offers advice on shower system design and specification, including when to use a thermostatic valve in lieu of a pressure balance valve.
Leadership
How customer-centric is your company? Take our self-assessment test and find out.
IBM, GE, and American Express are among the Fortune 500 companies that have implemented “voice of the customer” programs to help create a customer-centric culture. How customer-centric is your company? Take our self-assessment test and find out.
Leadership
10 Ways to Value-Engineer Your Building Business Today
Here's a sample of the recommendations of three industry experts from a recent Professional Builder Webcast.