Blogs

Residential Products Online content is now on probuilder.com! Same great products coverage, now all in one place!

Quality Management

Challenges for 2015

In a survey of private builders in 2015 Charlie Scott found 3 top challenges. 1. Employee turnover 2. Cycle time increasing ...

Quality Management

Risk Management Tips

Risk management tips to consider as you benefit from green improvements and construction. http://riskconversation.com/blog/business/2015/03...

Quality Management

Cost of Quality: The Math Behind $10K

Initial research suggests there could be as much as $10,000, or an additional 2.5 percentage points in margin, that can be gained per house...

Quality Management

NHQA Best Practices

NHQA recipients provide example of the best in our industry. Applying takes work and being open to receiving feedback on how to improve...

Quality Management

There is always an Excuse

There is always an excuse why not to use NHQA to drive improvement in your business or why not to apply The same excuses are used in other...

Quality Management

DOE Report Recommends NHQA

A US Dept of Energy Study recommends NHQA as a key step in driving Quality “The (NHQA) feedback reports and the site visits are invaluable...

Quality Management

Successful Project Management

64% of projects are successful 17% of organizations have a high maturity level of project management 13.5% of every dollar is at risk in a...

Sponsored

Remodeling

Increased Residential Remodeling Impacts Interior Paint Projects

Check out these style and color trends, creative paint techniques, and new technologies for interior paint jobs

Residential remodeling interior painting project

The Lean Builder

Trade Shortage Dilemma

There is a way for builders to overcome the labor shortage

Design

Making Way for Bicycles and Pedestrians

A closer look at the walkability component of sustainability

Bike storage in a home located in a walkable neighborhood

Sponsored

Products

Reconfiguring with Windows

An unprecedented amount of remodeling activity not seen since 2007 is anticipated by the third quarter of 2015. More than 1/3 is projected...

windows over kitchen sink admit plenty of natural light

The Lean Builder

Merge With Caution

Last week’s big announcement of the merger of StanPac and Ryland Group, creating a new member of the Top 5 Homebuilders, spawned a flurry of...

Sponsored

Builders

Are you ready for PCBC 2015?

Have you made your flight arrangements, booked your hotel and reserved your spot for PCBC in San Diego yet? This year’s PCBC promises to be...

The Lean Builder

Trade Shortage Heats Up. Looking for Love (and Relief) in All the Wrong Places

The shortage of qualified trade contractors is a problem that vexes the entire industry and finally people are waking up to it, largely for...

The Lean Builder

Fear of First-Timers?

This week I read that Ivy Zelman, generally acknowledged as the top homebuilding financial analyst, was laying it on pretty heavy to...

The Design Side

Lean Lessons From the New Urbanism

Small, infill multifamily projects like this one exemplify the tenets of Lean Urbanism, a growing movement that was born out of New Urbanism...

Small, infill multifamily projects like this one by nderson|Kim Architecture & Design, in Chico, Calif., exemplify the tenets of Lean Urbanism.

Sponsored

Windows

3 Window Trends to Watch in 2015

Long gone are the days when windows were merely an afterthought in the construction process. Today, clients and designers are seeking...

Quality Management

Most Economists say there is no Housing Bubble, but do YOU have a plan?

Below is a quote from an online article by Professional Builder Magazine. While this is interesting the real issue here is: What lessons...

Sponsored

Advice for Pros

Evolving World Of Nailers Shifts To Meet Demand

The housing market is enjoying some good tailwinds, which typically mean positive things for residential construction. As work picks up –...

Sponsored

Customer Satisfaction

9 Steps to Prevent Floor Squeaks

A beautiful, high-performance floor starts with what you can’t see—a stable floor frame and subfloor underneath. Simple installation...

Sponsored

Products

Marine Applications Expand Deck Options

Deck projects can expand to include a wide range of applications, such as light-commercial projects at restaurants or hotels as well as a...

Quality Management

Facilitating Roundtable Meetings

Here are some tips for running a successful Roundtable event. 1. Ensure you email those attending in advance so that they know the...

The Lean Builder

Higher Growth/Lower Margins ... 'It's Happening'

One of my “guilty pleasures” – you know, things that you should be embarrassed to admit you love – is the John Travolta movie, The...

Sponsored

Best Practices

3 Common Field Mistakes to Avoid

Above: Squash blocks installed to support load from above. Right: Load from above without squash blocks or blocking panels caused this...

Squash blocks installed to support load from above. Right: Load from above without squash blocks or blocking panels caused this web to buckle. Blocking panels should have also been used to provide lateral support to the joist ends.

The Design Side

Get Ready—the Millennials Are Coming

If the Boomers were a tidal wave, the Millennials are a tsunami—there are 92 million of them, compared with 77 million Boomers. The...

Home Builders Institute's Schools to Skills Grant Application Open Through December

As Mortgage Rates Rise, Buyers Lose Purchasing Power

Renters Are Choosing Single-Family Homes for These Features