Leadership
Leadership
A compilation of HousingZone's articles, surveys, ideas, trends, and tips on leadership for residential builders, remodelers, and architects serving the residential construction industry.
HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge Announces Forthcoming Resignation
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge has said that she intends to leave office later this month
Custom Builder
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
Custom Builder
Why Start a Custom Building Business?
In this Taking Care of Business segment, expert coach and trainer Scott Beebe joins our host Duane Johns to talk about where custom builders could be getting off on the wrong foot
Custom Builder
3 Questions Answered About Reliable Energy in Home Construction
Energy expert Bryan Cordill makes a case for why and how propane is an answer to growing concerns about reliability and resilience in home construction
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Leadership
Green Payback
Nearly half the consumers considering a new home purchase or a significant home — that responded to a recent NAHB Research Center survey — say they would incorporate green products into their homes, especially if they save them money. For those respondents who don't plan on investing in green or energy-efficient products, 56 percent attribute that response to a lack of awareness of ...
Leadership
Color Blox
Color Blox, Corssville's next generation of color tile is a porcelain stone tile that saturated through with a choice of 20 colors. Color-infused neutrals and darks, such as silvery Slinky, ivory Sand Box and bluish-black Night can be combined in a multitude of combinations with Yellow Brick Road, Limeade and Caboose red.
Leadership
Typical Home Mold Defined
The data on mold in homes in the last few years created concern among home builders, fear among their customers and cash for many businesses — home inspectors — that didn't exist before the mold threat. Trouble is, all of the data on mold in houses and all of the related news stories stem from homes that experienced significant water damage.
Leadership
Piazza Personality
An extraordinary open-air courtyard inspired by the charm and character of an old world village square defines this Mediterranean-style luxury residence in Naples, Fla. With a magnificent two-tier swimming pool as its focal point, flanked by an intimate outdoor kitchen that resembles a quaint street-side café, the home's outdoor entertaining space is as functional as it is beautiful.
Leadership
Sound Success
From its postcard-perfect vantage point overlooking Puget Sound, this striking custom home in Blaine, Wash. is a dream fulfilled for its active retiree owners who plan to enjoy their dramatic surroundings and ultra-accessible floor plan with family and friends for years to come. Designed by Seattle-based architect, Nils Finne, the home is remarkable not only for the extraordinary team work that...
Leadership
Lab Living
Some people can't help but take their work home with them. Take, for instance, Charles Page, who trades in his house every five years for a new one. For this Chicago architect and builder who has been creating dream homes in Chicago's North Shore suburbs for more than 40 years, the thrill isn't just that of reinventing himself twice a decade; it's business as usual.
Leadership
Business Evolution
As years roll one into the next, successful businesses evolve to reflect changing market conditions. The December issues of the newsstand business magazines all include articles — most likely cover stories — on how to prepare for prosperity in the New Year. The message: what worked in 2004 must evolve — change — into a new business strategy to ensure the same level of su...
Leadership
A House Without Right Angles
Architect Matt Schlueb, principal of Schlueb Architecture, recently designed his own home in Pittsburgh, Pa., with virtually no right angles. Villa Vuoto features 2,600 square feet of living space, three levels, and simple and compounded curves, sloping walls and circular rooms. Designed to provide a stimulating environment for the architect's young son, the project was a prototype for explorin...
Leadership
Creating a Community Theme
A sense of place matters just as much to luxury home buyers as the details of the floorplan and the quality of the finishes. To deliver on this desire, custom builders can borrow a page from their production builder counterparts. Here Terry Smith of architecture firm Bloodgood Sharp Buster gives a quick tutorial in creating a community theme.
Leadership
Insurance Woes Top Concern List
The price of general liability insurance and the ongoing shortage of carriers willing to write such policies for builders pushed these issue to the top of NAHB's annual critical issues surveys. On a scale of one to five, where one equals not at all critical and five equals very critical, general liability insurance cost scored 4.