Construction at a Record Pace
Construction activity is on pace for another record year in Utah, thanks to low mortgage rates, household growth and a myriad of housing assistance programs. The state Bureau of Economic and Business Research estimates that the total dollar volume for all permitted construction projects rose to almost $3.9 billion during the first nine months of 2004, up 16.3% from just over $3.3 billion during the same period of last year. Nearly three-quarters of that figure is tied to single-family home building. According to the Utah Association of Realtors®, third-quarter home sales totaled 10,736, compared to 9,337 last year. The average price, meanwhile, climbed to $189,281 from $178,063. (www.sltrib.com)
Salt Lake Tribune Online (11/04/04) Mims, Bob
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Some Builders Offering Sweeter Deals on Homes
Increased competition and an expanding inventory of new homes have many builders offering incentives to generate business. According to Rottlund Homes Minnesota president Todd Stutz, "We've become somewhat of a society where consumption habits are formed by what's on sale, and home building is no different." Stutz says incentive packages help builders get an edge on their competitors and prompt buyers to act before the deal expires. His company typically provides financial assistance to first-time buyers and appliance upgrades to those trading up. Pulte Homes is another builder using specials to lure buyers. The company is currently allowing buyers to use a $14,000 package toward the interest on their mortgages, so they can pay only the principal each month for one year. (www.seattlepi.nwsource.com)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (11/06/04) P. E2; Buchta, Jim
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Total Construction Starts Running 10 Percent Ahead of 2003's Pace
Construction starts for the first nine months of 2004 are on pace to set a new record for total construction this year and to post the largest annual gain in the last five years, according to Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge (MHC). MHC reports that construction starts totaled $445 billion as of the end of September, a 10% gain over the same period last year. Residential construction has risen 18%, but non-residential projects have also either matched or surpassed last year's levels. Increases have also been posted in all regions of the country, most notably in the South Atlantic (14%) and the West (13%). (www.enr.com)
ENR (11/08/04) Vol. 253, No. 18, P. 7
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More Home Owners Opt to Stay Put and Remodel
Many home owners are choosing to remodel to add space, modernize or allow them to age in place. Soaring home prices put trade-up homes out of reach for some, but others like their location and local schools and want to stay put. Experts say low interest rates and a surge in home equity have generated interest in remodeling. In fact, Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that home owners shelled out about $129.3 billion on home improvements during the last year. The popularity of remodeling projects has brought out scores of unlicensed contractors, overwhelmed legitimate contractors and sparked a rise in the number of complaints against contractors. According to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, complaints jumped 28% to 3,209 during the 2004 fiscal year, 1,059 of which involved unlicensed contractors. To avoid losses tied to unlicensed contractors, home owners are urged to solicit three estimates, check references and licenses and examine the contractor's work in person. (www.baltimoresun.com)
Baltimore Sun (11/07/04) P. 1L; Erle, Bob
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Your Two-Story Beauty Is a Beast
Home owners are increasingly remodeling their two-story family rooms and foyers to create extra space for home offices, bedrooms and recreation rooms. Though spacious rooms with high ceilings seem impressive at first glance, experts say home owners eventually discover that two-story spaces are difficult to decorate and clean. They are also noisy and costly to heat, and some home buyers consider them to be a waste of space. "People are choosing to bring their living areas down to a more human scale," says Builder magazine editorial director Boyce Thompson. "People are now buying houses that have more defined spaces rather than that totally open floor plan." The desire for extra space means such conversions will not hurt the home's resale value, according to Loudon County, Va.-based real-estate agent Leslye Edwards. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Washington Post (11/06/04) P. F1; Rafter, Dan
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Keeping Workers Safe
Roofing contractors should stay informed about the latest fall-protection equipment on the market and proactively purchase such equipment in order to ensure employee safety, avoid Occupational Safety and Health Administration fines and ensure maximum profitability for each job. Some available options for skylights and hatch openings include: the Bilco's Bil-Guard Hatch rail system, which provides easy-to-install fall protection for hatch openings that does not penetrate the roof membrane and costs between $700 and $1,000; Kee Industrial Products' Kee Guard skylight railing system that stands free without penetration of the roof membrane, avoids blockage of light and costs about $550; BlueWater Manufacturing's SR2K roof hatch system that costs $790 and provides protection for roof hatches, skylights, fire vents and floor doors; and Railguard 200 from Garlock Equipment that provides easy-to-install skylight protection for about $1,150. Some available options for roof anchors include: Protective Roofing Products' PR-600, which is a mobile fall-protection system for use on a low-slope roof that provides fall protection for two workers and restraint for one worker; Guardian Fall Protection's CB series of roof anchors that provide a complete roof safety system for four workers by utilizing bases through which is run a continuous line across the rooftop; and DBI/SALA's permanent and portable roof brace system. (www.professionalroofing.net)
Professional Roofing (11/04) Kazmierowski, Leslie
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Tests Show Brick Withstands Hurricane-Blown Debris Better Than Siding
Recent tests by the University of Tennessee's Richard Bennett reveal that homes with brick exteriors are more impact resistant than those covered with vinyl or siding made of fiber cement. Bennett urges home owners rebuilding after the hurricanes that plowed through the Southeast this summer to opt for brick as a means of protecting their homes from storm debris. He found that windblown debris can push as much as five feet through vinyl and fiber cement. In addition to its impact resistance, Bennett recommends brick for its energy-efficiency and its ability to minimize fire insurance premiums and add 8%-10% to the home's resale value. (www.ap.org)
Associated Press (11/08/04) Bradley, David
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Home Is Where the Hand-Held Is
Home automation technologies are slowly spreading across the Asia-Pacific region, enabled by fast and cheap Internet access. The foundation of a smart home begins with computers linked together by a wired or wireless network, after which other appliances such as stereos and televisions can be networked as well. Once the networking infrastructure is in place, entertainment applications will drive the adoption of home automation, says IDC Asia/Pacific analyst Claudio Checchia. Andrew Merritt, owner of Australia-based home networking hardware vendor Blakemore Integrated Automated Systems, is developing a prototype residence featuring networked entertainment, lighting, heating and security controlled by a central computer or server via a universal remote. Meanwhile, Korea-based LG's HomeNet range uses the Internet to connect a fridge, washing machine, air conditioner, microwave and projector TV. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the lack of standard communications between devices from different manufacturers: Software that can act as an intermediary between various gadgets is one solution being explored, while another skirts intermediaries altogether by reducing complexity; in this vein is the Internet Zero project at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, which proposes that intelligence be inexpensively embedded into home devices without introducing new standards. Speaking at a recent lecture, Center for Bits and Atoms director Neil Gershenfeld remarked, "Our experience has been that the killer app is...managing complexity rather than any one new service." Smart homes are not being designed strictly with luxury or security in mind: Efforts include spaces that monitor elderly inhabitants and provide caregiver services, while even more forward-looking visions include homes that anticipate owner needs and are capable of self-maintenance (www.feer.com)
Far Eastern Economic Review (11/04/04) Vol. 167, No. 4, P. 38; Wagstaff, Jeremy
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VoIP Aids Productivity, Cost Savings, Competitive Advantages for Small Business
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has given small businesses a scalable solution to the telecommunications crossroads they found themselves in by having to choose between too much capacity at too high a cost or not enough capacity due to their phone companies' focus on residential customers and big businesses. "I live on the dashboard Web-based interface," says a commercial real estate agent who recently used his company's VoIP system to finalize a multimillion-dollar deal from a prospective client's boardroom. "And now that our company and our employees are used to it, I don't know how we worked without it." VoIP technology provides high-speed broadband networks over which voice, e-mail, instant messaging, audio conferencing, Web-based conferencing, video, fax and find-me-follow-me functions can be integrated through any single Internet-linked computer. VoIP saves up to 40% in direct costs compared to local phone services while boosting production by providing remote meeting capabilities and allowing the sharing of documents, files and presentations. (www.denver.bizjournals.com)
Denver Business Journal (11/08/04) Doberneck, Megan
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