For its annual “State of the Industry” survey, Builder Magazine tapped a group of345 readers for their take on the building industry. The general sentiment: Maybe the sky isn’t falling after all. The survey suggests resiliency and a willingness to adapt among builders who now understand the industry isn’t going through temporary turmoil, but rather [...]

Green Building Megatrends for 2012 BUILDER “Yudelson unveiled a list of 10 other green megatrends destined for growth in 2012, both in the U.S. and abroad. And while, like the rest of the home building industry, green building will certainly face headwinds in coming days—such as squeezed budgets among families and governments—the market is poised [...]

This week, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) delivered another good news/bad news combo platter. The good news: The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, which measures U.S. home builder sentiment, rose to a score of 25 — the fourth consecutive month of improvement and the highest score since June 2007. The not-so-good news: A [...]

What does 2012 hold for home building? Best as anyone can guess — more uncertainty. But builders should take heed of Builder Magazine‘s list of 10 business trends to look for in 2012 as they gather themselves and strategize for the year ahead. After all, one shift in strategy could be all it takes to [...]

Green Codes and Red Flags Daily 5 Remodel “Building codes in your jurisdiction: Do you think they go too far or not far enough to encourage energy-efficiency and sustainability?”  NAHB Builder Confidence Index increases in October Calculated Risk “The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports the housing market index (HMI) increased in October to 18 from 14 [...]

According to new research from Professional Remodeler, optimism is waning among builders who once thought remodeling might provide a steady revenue stream while new construction slumps. Among optimists, there were many reasons to support the theory. Chiefly, with home prices down, owners are expected to be more likely to make alterations and stay put rather [...]

Two Big Builder Failures Show We’re Not Yet Out of the Woods BUILDER “Just in the last few days, in a reminder of how treacherous home building remains, two of the biggest companies in the business have gone under. First, Minnesota’s Rottlund Homes, during its heyday the 40th largest builder in the country, announced that it would liquidate. [...]

Multigenerational housing is experiencing a comeback as financial woes and unemployment have forced many families to share the same roof. Or, roofs, rather. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are popping up across the country. As secondary homes built on residential lots, ADUs are sometimes referred to as backyard cottages, granny flats or mother-in-law apartments. They are [...]

Hold the Salt BUILDER “But perhaps the coolest aspect of this luxury residence is its water story. In an area where fresh water is often scarce, it’s got the requisite low-flush toilets (which use salt water) and a side yard and third-floor deck outfitted with synthetic turf. To keep the natural landscaping healthy and prevent [...]

Could You Design a House That Can be Built for $300? Home Design Find “Here’s a challenging assignment for innovative designers out there. A professor at Dartmouth is offering a $25,000 prize for a design for a $300 house to replace the sort of ramshackle housing that the world’s poorest are currently stuck with.” Lens [...]