Design
Design
Clever design solutions for unique residential projects.
Floodproof on a Floodplain
An impressive addition to the IDEA Home series, the NEWLOOK Experience Home is a master class in engineering and creative design, with builder Michael Freiburger out-thinking an exceptionally tricky lot
Custom Builder
3 Questions Answered About Reliable Energy in Home Construction
Energy expert Bryan Cordill makes a case for why and how propane is an answer to growing concerns about reliability and resilience in home construction
Business
Custom Builder to Talk Color Design with Becki Owens at IBS
At this year's IBS, renowned designer Becki Owens will sit down with host James McClister, editor of Custom Builder, to discuss a variety of topics from basic color play in design to the Allura Spectrum palette, a collection of Sherwin-Williams colors curated for the benefit of pros
Business
PERC Highlights Sustainability and Efficiency at IBS with 'Clean Build Conversations'
Hear from industry standouts Matt Blashaw and Anthony Carrino at this hour-long Show Village event
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Design
Help for Haiti
I have been fortunate enough to be working with Jeff Rutt and Matt Collins from Keystone Custom Homes, Perry Bigelow from Bigelow Homes, and several…
Technology
gUnit - Unit Converter
This tool helps construction professionals convert the following unit categories: area, energy, temperature, time, length, weight, speed, pressure,…
Design
My biggest eye opener relating to the building business — Lean Tuesday with Todd Hallett
We all have our eye opening moments in life. When I was 17 my dad would often remind me to keep checking the oil in my 72 Bonneville. I did check the…
Green & Sustainable
High-end green: 4 projects that prove lavish homes don't have to be wasteful
Big, expensive custom homes don’t have to be wasteful of energy and other resources, as long as builders educate themselves and their clients about green features and technologies.
Design
Design checklists made simple
Check yourself before you wreck yourself. This delightful saying comes from a rap song by Ice Cube. Mr. Cube’s message urges us all to make use of a…
Design
6 elevation tips that will help your framer ‘make it look like the picture’
Have you ever heard a framer say, “I just make it look like the picture”? I have — far too often. They are referring to a lack of elevation detail…
Best Practices
Lean means cheap, ugly houses – NOT!
Todd Hallett and I are working with a fantastic smaller builder in California this week. They really “get it” and are very open to input from all of…
Design
Construction drawings – starting right — Lean Tuesday with Todd Hallett
As I sit on a plane bound for Fresno I am procrastinating. I know I have to put together this week’s blog but there are a few things to handle first…
Design
Elevations: Butt ugly to beautiful for zero cost — Lean design with Todd Hallett
*/ Last week, I wrote about updating plans. The same concept applies to updating elevations. The best elevations are those designed with scale…
Design
Add horsepower to your existing plans — Lean Tuesday with Todd Hallett
Growing up near Detroit, I know that old plans are like old cars —sooner or later they start costing you more money than they are worth. It is…