Blogs

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

Great Solutions for Builders

6 ‘Toll-isms’ to live by

“You Can Buy More Land in an Afternoon… Than You Can Get Rid of in a Lifetime.” This simple home-building proverb sits framed, front...

Building Operations

In 2013, give the gift of MOPFI.

MOPFI (MOP-fee) Make Other People Feel Important The holiday season is rife with platitudes. Things...

Customer Satisfaction

Lessons Learned from Lance Armstrong

There is no question that Lance Armstrong has one of the most unique comeback and sporting histories of all time. He was a little known...

Building Operations

What “The Elf on the Shelf” can teach you about productivity, leadership.

The Elf on my Shelf isn’t working effectively. Instead of duping my 5 year-old into behaving like a Christmas angel, it’s giving...

The Lean Builder

How do you lead a leader? Looking for some answers!

My December column just came out on HousingZone.com and you can read it here: http://www.housingzone.com/scott-sedam-how-do-you-lead-leader...

Quality Management

The number of responses needed for statistically valid customer survey results

It is critical to know what our customers think of living in the homes we build for them and what it was like to be involved in the design...

Building Operations

Spanish Twins: The fastest way to learn Construction Spanish.

1. Metal 2. Material 3. Plan 4. Base 5. Idea 6. Hospital 7. Doctor 8. Vertical 9. Horizontal 10. Diagonal ...

Building Operations

What's in your vocab? 2 words for a smarter vocabulary.

1. Twitter 2. Gangnam Style 3. Like 4. Gronkowski 5. Angry Birds 6. Linsanity 7. Kardashian 8. Middleton 9. 50 Shades ...

Quality Management

Sources of quality defects in construction projects

A recent research study on quality in construction projects established the following Quality Problem Factors as the sources of quality...

Building Operations

Rented profits + 3.5 steps to reduce your risk.

Do you know what the Spanish term for Profitability is? It’s Rentabilidad. RENTABILIDAD (rayn-tah-bee-lee-DAHD) Profitability ...

Building Operations

Are you demographically delusional?

Remember the DeLorean? If the name doesn’t conjure up an immediate mental image, this will: Remember the car from Back to the Future? ...

Lean Design

Two great things IBS can do to help your business in 2013

It is clear that a housing recovery ground swell is underway. In 2013 we will be looking past survival and finally able to focus on business...

Great Solutions for Builders

The design side - Kicking it up a notch

Come January 2013, we’re taking HousingZone’s already stellar coverage of residential design to a new level. Look for weekly blog posts from...

Quality Management

Trade scorecards

Some things to consider when evaluating your trade partners and creating a scorecard include the following: Defects Their scores on...

Quality Management

Which Quality tools are most commonly used?

In a recent study the following quality tools were found to be the most commonly and successfully used: Identification and leverage of...

Quality Management

Study supports the use of Baldrige Criteria for improving construction management of LEED projects

This study provides further evidence that that integrating quality tools and methods into green building creates greater leverage! In this...

Quality Management

The impact of Six Sigma

In a new study on Six Sigma the savings to cost ratio ranged from 2.6 : 1 through to 2 : 1. As for cost savings as a percentage of...

Quality Management

A high level, 7 step process for improvement

Where to start with trying to address improvement. Here is a high level approach. Identify the area for improvement Establish your...

Customer Satisfaction

The Teamwork Fable - 4 Oxen & The Lion

We all know that teamwork is an important ingredient in building great homes and great relationships with our customers. This importance is...

Lean Design

The Lean design builder profile is changing

For the last several years Scott Sedam and I have been spreading the word about Lean design. Lean design is based on creating home designs...

Quality Management

Don’t create a bad impression with the simple things in sales

Don't turn a potential customer into someone who turns around and leaves

Great Solutions for Builders

Housing’s virtuous circle

As an editor of one of the nation’s largest business publications covering home building, I’m frequently asked about the state of the...

Quality Management

What do you call someone who doesn’t purchase from you?

An ambassador for your company! Just because you don’t close that sale doesn’t mean that you should disengage with that potential...

Lean Design

The British are coming! Why English exteriors are making a huge comeback

If you were ever fortunate enough to have had a pair of parachute pants, checkered Vans or a headband then you probably remember the super...

Quality Management

Voice of the customer VOC

How are you listening to the Voice Of your Customer? A survey finds that 52% of organizations use 3 to 4 methods to gather VOC data and 22%...

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