Abby Pittman, Author at Residential Contractor

BHMA Certified Secure Home™ Program The First to Certify Locks and Deadbolts for Security, Durability and Finish Performance

(NEW YORK) – Residential contractors can now assist homeowners and renters in evaluating the safety and security of their homes with the new BHMA Certified Secure Home™ program. The first step to a secure home is having a sturdy lock on the front door; the BHMA Certified Secure Home program is the first of its kind to make it easy for insurance industry professionals – as well as homeowners and building professionals – to identify locks and deadbolts that have been rigorously tested and certified to the highest hardware performance…

Home Developer Partners to Build 80 Single-Family Homes on 15 Acres

San Joaquin Valley Homes (SJV Homes) and Presidio Residential Capital recently closed on 15 acres of farm land in Porterville, California. The partners plan to build Cambria, a new neighborhood with 80 single-family detached garden homes. The project is expected to break ground in September—and will begin model construction in January 2019. The retail value of this project will exceed $18 million. “The housing market in Tulare County continues to sizzle, and we know that’s because this is such a great place to live,” said Danny Garcia, vice president of sales at…

Pardee Homes Inland Empire Breaks Ground on New 1,500-Acre Master-Plan Community in Banning

Atwell will provide more than 4,400 new single-family residences, including 480 new homes in phase one BANNING, Calif., Sept. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pardee Homes Inland Empire announced today that development is underway at Atwell, the first master-planned community to rise in Banning in more than two decades. Phase one of development consists of 480 home sites, two commercial retail pads and one K-6 school site.The entire master-planned community of Atwell in Riverside County will span 1,528 acres and is slated for more than 4,400 single-family homes across approximately 40 neighborhoods.…

R.D. Olson Construction, TCA Architects renovate Olive Crest residential home

R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contracting firm in Irvine, Calif., partnered up with TCA Architects and local subcontractors to renovate nonprofit Olive Crest’s short-term residential therapeutic home in Santa Ana. “Demo day” occurred Saturday, Sept. 1 at 8 a.m.and kicked off the renovation of the 1954 home’s kitchen and living areas. Improvements will include new flooring, appliances, water heater, AC and other amenities to provide a more comfortable environment for the six young women living in the house. Founded in 1973, Olive Crest provides safe, residential facilities to house Orange County youth. R.D.…

Five Construction Tech Tools to Increase Efficiency

More and more contractors are utilizing technology to increase efficiency than ever before by Dale Thornberry Contractors and tools go together better than macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and spaghetti and meatballs. And while many construction industry professionals have certain tools they prefer over others, whether it be a specific brand or a favorite app, there are always opportunities for improvement – especially when it comes to new and exciting technology. The introduction of technology to the construction industry paved the way for the creation of tools to…

Navigating High Performing Building Envelopes

Homeowners will have the best long-term results when their homes are designed, engineered and built as a system rather than as individual components by Allan Burk and Brian St. Germain Year over year, new homes are being built to higher energy standards. Organizations like the U.S. Department of Energy, RESNET, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are holding builders to higher standards. The numbers show that these energy codes and incentives have proven effective. According to RESNET, over two million homes have now been energy- rated and homes built to…

Improving Construction Quality in Seven Steps

For perfect building production, all team members must have the big picture in mind by Don Neff Delivering high quality production homes on schedule and within budget, following approved plans and specs, can be achieved, but requires coordinated focus by all stakeholders. This article explores seven organizational interventions helpful to builders in minimizing defect litigation risks. 1. Organizational Reporting We recommend that the builder’s Quality Assurance/Customer Service team members report through a different chain of command such as the Warranty Department, or Sales and Marketing Department of the company, not…

The Evolution of Land Development

Builders need land, and land needs to be developed by Manuel Lazerov There have been dramatic changes in the land development business, especially since the financial crisis of 2008. The recent focus on land development is due to a shortage of finished lots, which is impairing a normal recovery in the housing market. At one time, the business was dominated by entrepreneurs who would buy land, take it through the review and subdivision process, and sell the lots to builders who had neither the patience or temperament for that kind…

Building a Better Home

Energy efficiency takes on larger role as builders compete for buyers who value conservation By DON NEFF Designing and building an energy efficient home is not rocket science, but requires knowledge, experience, and expertise, including careful coordination of your team. According to a National Association of Home Builders survey, energy efficiency is becoming the most sought-after feature for homebuyers. In response, builders are creatively embracing new technology solutions and re-engineering old processes. Re-engineered Practices Quality construction by skilled workers is important and necessary, but alone it is not enough. Achieving…

BIASC Building Industry Show to Highlight INNOVATION with Insights on Home Automation, Artificial Intelligence, U.S. Infrastructure and Personal Success

The Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) will focus on the theme of INNOVATION at its upcoming Building Industry Show (BIS) set for Oct. 3-4, 2018, at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif. A notable roster of thought leaders will bring attendees up to date on next-generation technologies and the latest trends impacting todays homebuilding industry.Keynote speakers will include: – Jay Symonds, Senior Manager of Marketing and Advertising for Amazon, on initiatives for home services and smart electronics in an integrated ecosystem from central control of entertainment,…