The American Institute of Architects recently released results from the Home Design Trends Survey for the fourth quarter of 2010, finding consumers are demanding larger kitchens and more accessible bathrooms. Kitchen size had been trending downward the past few years, but Q4 marked a turnaround. Kermit Baker, AIA’s chief economist, writes the larger kitchen is [...]

If your clients are looking for a luxurious heat-and-relaxation thing to add to their home, but a steam room is too impractical and a hot tub is too much upkeep (and maybe too Jersey Shore), how about a sauna? According to the Listed blog, they are among the most requested home improvements currently. Listed says: Saunas [...]

It’s a fact: nothing is certain by death and taxes, and before we die, we will (hopefully!) be old. Old age means various physical and mental changes, and with more and more Baby Boomers joining the ranks of the 65 and over crowd everyday, universal design is something builders and remodelers should be thinking about. It’s [...]

With a new year just barely begun, it’s time to think of some resolutions. In addition to all the personal ones you may have made, it’s always a good idea to think about what sort of professional resolutions you can make. Here are a few ideas. Focus on marketing. Getting the word out can differentiate [...]

Hire Locally Will Become the Law in San Francisco New York Times “Under the ordinance, city contractors and subcontractors working on city-financed construction projects worth $400,000 or more would be required to hire at least 20 percent of their workers from San Francisco. The requirement will increase by 5 percent each year until it reaches [...]

We recently talked about smaller home construction outlasting the current recession. Obviously finances are a concern for many people right now (think of the heating bills on those McMansions!) and a smaller footprint just makes sense. An article called “Downsizing the American Dream” on USA Today gave some more specifics: According to leading architect Sarah [...]

On Friday, this blogger had the chance to attend a forum at the Builders Association of the Twin Cities about women in the building industry. It was a fascinating topic about an underrepresented group. According to the National Association of Women in Construction, women make up only 10 percent of the industry. Amazing! So why [...]

We often think of homebuyers as consisting of couples or families, but there’s a new brand of buyer out there and she has often has purchasing power to burn. According to MSN Real Estate, single women now account for a quarter of home sales, and that number has risen since the mid-90s. So what are [...]

Green Building Goes on a Budget Wall Street Journal “Casa Feliz is one of a growing number of affordable-housing projects nationwide that have been built “green”—that is, with nontoxic materials, highly energy-efficient appliances, and features such as green roofs and solar panels. Thanks to tax credits designed to attract private capital and aggressive cost-cutting on [...]

Remodeling Magazine asks this provocative question: Are you a professional? Here’s a snippet of their argument: “These remodelers may earn a wage for what they do, but is there any profit earned to compensate them for the risks they take in owning and running a company? If the business is not earning a profit the [...]