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Performance Management of Workers, Contractors
By Natalie C. Holmes
Use regular appraisal, feedback, to head off terminal problems
While most employees can be fired “at will,” terminating someone is still a painful process—for management as well as the worker involved. Three keys to avoiding this outcome are:
Even the smallest home building company, one with no employees except the principals, benefits from having a human resources management system that includes:
Clear expectations and training on the front end will help you avoid performance problems on the back end ... read the rest of this article here.
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Last Chance to get Free Copy of Cost of Doing Business Study
Attention Builders – June 20th is the absolute last day to submit your Cost of Doing Business Survey.
Submitting a completed survey gets you a free copy of the Cost of Doing Business Study (a $99 value) when it’s published!
Don’t have a survey?
Go to: http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=75376 … print out the survey, fill it out and fax back to the toll-free number on the survey.
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Increasing Efficiency with Checklists
Jennifer Elder
With pennies hard to come by these days, every step you take to improve your productivity can add dollars to your bottom line. A simple way to increase your efficiency is to use checklists. Checklists ensure that tasks get done the same way every time, in the shortest amount of time possible, and with a minimum of errors. They can help keep different departments on the same page. Checklists can even be used as a training tool for new employees. The benefits of completeness, consistency, and timeliness can be felt immediately. Read the rest of this article here.
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Help NAHB Help You With Software and Technology Issues
In an effort to continually improve NAHB’s software & technology resources for members, The Business Management & Information Technology Committee is conducting a software & technology survey. Members who take the survey will receive a copy of the results so that they can see how other builders are using software & technology in their businesses.
We need to hear from builders about their software and technology needs,” says Steve Lewkowitz, Chair of the IT Work Group for NAHB’s Business Management & Information Technology Committee. “Once we know their needs, we can create education and resources to help builders use technology to make their businesses more efficient and profitable.”
Remember, the survey runs through July 31st and participants will receive a copy of the results via e-mail. Click here to take the survey.
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Discover Hidden Treasures
You do not want to miss this year’s Custom Builder Symposium Oct. 26-28, 2007 at the luxurious Naples Grande Resort & Club in warm and sunny Naples, Fla. Why? Because this year’s theme is “Discover Hidden Treasures” in custom home building and NAHB has put together a program that is filled with hidden treasures that you can use to improve your business and your life.
You won’t find these “treasures” anywhere else.
Reserve your spot at this unique educational and networking event so you can take advantage of the great sessions, home tour, golf tournament, Custom Home Builder of the Year Award dinner and all the other excellent networking opportunities available to you when you register and attend the only national event for custom home builders like you.
Registration is open now, so why not take a moment to “Discover Hidden Treasures” and reserve your ticket to this world-class educational and networking event.
Tell a friend – The Custom Builder Symposium is more valuable and enjoyable when you’re surrounded by friends and colleagues … just point them to www.nahb.org/custom so that they too can “Discover Hidden Treasures!”
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Short Sales Can Have Tax Consequences
When the outstanding debt against a property is more than the amount it is worth (often referred to as a "short sale" in the real estate industry), there can be tax consequences.
If the property is sold and a lender agrees to cancel the remaining debt, the amount forgiven is generally taxable income.
Related Links:
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Understanding Depreciation and the Section 179 Expense Deduction
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Computing deductions for property you use in your business can be challenging.
In general, if business property is expected to last more than one year, the entire cost cannot be deducted as a business expense in the year you place it into service. It must be depreciated over the property’s useful life (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code).
Most types of tangible property (except land) such as buildings, machinery, vehicles, furniture, and equipment are depreciable. Likewise, certain intangible properties such as patents, copyrights, and computer software are depreciable.
You can elect to recover all or part of the cost of certain qualifying property (not buildings), up to a limit, by deducting it in the year you place the property in service. This is the section 179 deduction.
Related Links:
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NAHB Research Center to Help Move New Products Into Housing Market
The NAHB Research Center, one of the nation's leading housing research institutions, on June 5 announced the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art product testing laboratory and market research facility.
Part of a major expansion effort to advance housing technology research and improve the quality and durability of homes, the specialized facility will provide home builders and building product manufacturers the industry’s broadest array of third-party product testing, quality assurance and market research services available under one roof.
Since its founding in 1964 as a subsidiary of NAHB, the Research Center has been the home building industry’s leading source of technical information and analysis on housing construction and development issues and an integral component of the NAHB federation’s overall housing advocacy, education and research mission.
Driving Innovation in Housing Technology
Noting that there is a wide array of obstacles to moving new products into the housing market, Michael Luzier, NAHB Research Center president and chief executive officer, said that the Research Center is working to improve the situation with its testing and market research. Constructing the new facility is an essential part of the company’s business strategy and will help to leverage its position as a research authority in the residential construction industry, he said.
“This new facility will enable the NAHB Research Center to further integrate our engineering and market research expertise and provide our clients specialized and comprehensive product commercialization services to help them overcome the many barriers to innovation in the home building industry,” said Luzier.
The NAHB Research Center is recognized as a test laboratory, quality assurance agency and certified product listing agency by many building and plumbing code agencies, and by national, state and local code enforcement authorities.
New capabilities supported by the 42,000-square-foot lab include large-scale thermal testing, acoustic performance testing, and two-story shear wall testing. Its increased size will also make it possible to simulate natural forces such as wind-driven rain and wind-blown debris on whole-house models, which was not possible in the previous facility.
A unique feature of the laboratory is an integrated 1,000-square-foot market research suite and observation gallery overlooking the testing floor that will provide applied market researchers, focus groups and roundtables with real-time observation capabilities.
The NAHB Research Center provides the following specialized material and structural systems testing, research and certification programs for public and private clients:
- Products and Systems Testing. The Research Center works with builders and manufacturers to test the performance of products and subsystems used in homes today, with both controlled laboratory tests and evaluation in the field.
- Product Certification. The center’s laboratory certifies products to nationally recognized standards. The NAHB Research Center certified seal assures builders, code officials and consumers that products meet or exceed the applicable industry standards.
- Builder and Trade Contractor Certification. Through its National Housing Quality Program, the center has established quality assurance requirements for builders and trade contractors to help these professionals implement Quality Management systems that are evaluated and audited annually to tightly control the construction process and improve customer satisfaction.
- Services for Manufacturers and Industry. The center provides proprietary and customized market research services, including roundtables, focus groups and interviews to help builders and manufacturers understand customer preferences.
For more information about the NAHB Research Center available on its Web site (www.nahbrc.org), click here.
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BuilderBooks.com Portable DVD Player Giveaway During Safety Month
June is Safety Month and BuilderBooks.com is giving away a Zenith® Portable DVD Player, perfect for delivering “tailgate safety training” at the job site, or for your personal use.
To enter the drawing, simply purchase a safety product or register on BuilderBooks.com® between now and June 30.
BuilderBooks offers a variety of safety products, available in English and Spanish.
New Releases
Best-Sellers
To order visit www.BuilderBooks.com/Safety. Make safety a priority on your jobsite.
Buy Big! Save Big! Bulk pricing and customization is available on all safety products. To learn more, contact Jackie Barnes at jbarnes@nahb.com, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8588.
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Solveras Payment Systems Offers One Month Free Credit Card Processing
Solveras Payment Systems, the exclusive credit card processing program for NAHB, is offering a special deal for members for a limited time. If you sign up before July 31, 2007 they will give you one month of credit card processing absolutely free. Add this to the program’s regular discounts, simplified monthly billing, and an easy-to-read account statement, and you’ll find an unbelievable opportunity for you to keep more profit on every credit card sale.
Take advantage of the free savings analysis to see in writing how this program could cut your monthly costs and streamline your billing process. This tool consistently uncovers savings for two out of three businesses, finding average projected savings of 17%. To receive your free customized savings analysis, call 800-613-0148 or visit www.nahb.org/ma.
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