Builder Blog from Integrity Windows and Doors » construction costs

10 Products, Practices, and Systems for the Future

Laura Scherer — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:00:24 +0000

This week’s Builder Blog post examines what the next ten years will bring for building trends, practices and products. New ideas and technologies will be shaped by consumer needs and wants for the home, builder preferences and societal trends. The environment will have a say, as well; as our growing population requires more resources and energy, sustainable homes and practices will move to the forefront.

Writer Nigel Maynard surveyed a variety of professionals (LEED architects, sustainable builders, the works) to obtain an accurate prediction about the future of the industry. Furthermore, his article is enhanced by various facts and quotes regarding energy use and new building practices.

In future years, there will be a strong emphasis on the home functioning as a system. This applies to everything from plumbing to insulation; all parts are interconnected and can make a difference in energy and cost savings. Another change on the horizon is regulation of water usage and a strong emphasis on conservation.

Most important, the article discusses the role human behavior will play in these new practices. There is to be a much stronger focus on “educating green” and teaching homeowners how to properly use the sustainable features of their home, garnering greater cost savings and protecting mother earth. There is even a new feedback system available that reports energy usage levels within the home using red, yellow and green lights. “Studies have shown that when people see how much energy they are using, they will alter their behavior.”

Obviously, change is coming. Which of these trends, technologies, products and practices do you think will become most established in the next 10 years?

Image courtesy of Builder Online, Brian Stauffer

Talking About Building Green

Berit Griffin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:00:22 +0000

Green is everywhere these days. It’s easy enough to drop the word into your website, brochures and other marketing materials, but how can you really make your customers understand? A recent survey from the Mature Market Institute discovered that among homeowners over 55, energy efficiency ranked among the top five desired home features.

It may seem like everyone has a slightly different definition of what green means, so you will need to provide some concrete examples of what green can do for them. It’s a balance between talking about the lowered impact on the earth and the lowered impact on their wallets. Everyone will respond to those ideas differently, as everyone has different motivations for building and/or remodeling green.

Something you will want to emphasize is the $1,500 energy tax credit–it only lasts until December 31 of this year, so there’s not much time to waste. Now, this tax credit might sound simple, but there are important things to remember. You’ll want to educate your customers about what they can and cannot do to receive this tax credit. Integrity’s site has information about replacing windows and doors for the tax credit. Or go to energystar.gov/taxcreditfor complete information.

With a little education for your customers, you can help them think about what green means to them.

Industry news round-up for Jan. 28, 2010

John Kirchner — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:00:25 +0000

The window of opportunity on construction costs is gradually being closed
Reed Construction Data
“The latest data show a considerable drop in construction material costs from October 2008 to October 2009 (-6.5%). However, from July to October, they actually climbed (+2.3% annualized). … Clearly there were huge bargains to be had in construction costs in the fall of last year. But circumstances are changing. Exceptional gross domestic product growth rates in China, India, Brazil and other emerging nations are causing commodity prices to edge upward.”

Remodeling – A Product or a Service?
HousingZone.com’s Case Studies blog
“When a doctor performs surgery, are they providing a product or a service? When an insurance agent helps you buy life insurance, are they providing a product or a service? When a real estate agent works with you to buy a home, are they providing a product or a service? … So when you renovate a home, are you providing a product or a service?”

Top 10 Must-Know Real Estate Trends for 2010
HGTV’s FrontDoor.com
“Signs of improvement make 2010 a promising year, but more challenges are yet to come.” 2010, they say, should bring more buyers entering the market (still a buyer’s market), a conflicted construction market and still-tight lending standards, among other things.

After weak start to 2010, non-residential construction should start to gain strength
Reed Construction Data
“Non-residential construction will continue to shrink through the first half of 2010. … However, the recent quarter-over-quarter increase in corporate profits, a marked strengthening of commodity prices and the steady strengthening of investor confidence should cause business non-residential spending to accelerate in the second half of 2010 and strengthen further in 2011.”