Features Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Residential Contractor

Resolving the Construction Labor Shortage

Three key strategies that can help combat the current labor shortage in the homebuilding industry By DON NEFF The building industry is facing a shortage of skilled labor that needs to be addressed if our goal is ramping up housing production. In California alone, Governor Gavin Newsom has a stated goal of 3.5MM new homes by 2025, or 500,000 homes per year. This production goal is very lofty given the industry’s actual delivery trends over the past 10-20 years. Across all construction trades, the housing industry is constrained by a severe labor…

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…

A Tale of Two Buildings

Withee Malcolm takes on urban infill in Los Angeles, California with two communities and an amenity-rich design approach By Sergio Flores Two new market rate apartment buildings designed by Withee Malcolm Architects (WMA), one in Hollywood and one in Pasadena, Calif., are designed to suit very specific markets. While both multifamily communities include some of the same amenities, each building has a distinct contextual concept within their urban infill environments. Located in the heart of Hollywood, The Highland Residences is a six-story, 30,000-square-foot development comprised of 76 apartments in 22…

California Growth and the Construction Paradox

As the Golden State leads the way in job opportunity, a lack of housing keeps positions unfilled By CHRISTOPHER THORNBERG, PHD It is often said that generals always fight the last war—and this applies to that still highly overused and abused political catchphrase, “jobs, jobs, jobs.” Such rhetoric about creating new jobs continues to be attached to the rollout of almost any new government policy, regardless of the veracity or relevance of the claim. Times change, as do economic realities, and creating jobs is not our challenge or problem today.…

Solutions to the Construction Labor Crisis

According to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), half of surveyed companies are finding it difficult to fill positions in the field as well as in the office BY PATRICK DUFFY In general, it’s a great time to be working in the building industry. Annualized single-family new home sales in November 2017 rose nearly 27 percent year-over-year to 733,000 units, while construction spending for the year rose to a record high of $1.26 trillion. Annualized housing starts reached nearly 1.3 million by the end of…

A Fashionable Facade for this Florida Ranch

This Winter Park, Fla., remodeled ranch home embodies a lakefront view with clean, modern lines and creative accesses that capture its dramatic landscape composition. By Lauren Felechner Photography by Harvey Smith Photography For the homeowners of the Lake Catherine remodel project in Winter Park, Fla., life was a bit off kilter — literally. This 1960s style, Floridian, waterfront ranch may have a lakefront view, but it also had an entryway that was off-center, calling for a much-needed weighted balance. Enter Phil Kean, owner of Phil Kean Designs, Inc., architect, builder…

Creating Excitement with Interior Design

I hate buying a car. My discomfort stems from what I don’t know about cars. But I need a car. I get nervous the minute I step onto the showroom floor and steel myself to face sales people whose job is to compel me to buy. I want to like it – I just don’t want to be sold. This distress makes me keep the salesperson at arm’s length. “I’m just looking.” Well, no I’m not. But then something pretty catches my eye and the knowledgeable rep senses my interest,…

Seattle’s Sustainable Lakeside Remodel

With the help of the Master Builders Association of Washington (MBA), Seattle home builder Sockeye Homes received a 5-Star Built Green Certification. By Evan Lancaster Photography by Todd Sakai Sustainable building practices have become a staple in home building today. Now, builders are utilizing the techniques used to reach maximum energy efficiency for new homes, in whole-house remodels and deep energy retrofits without sacrificing style or location. Washington home builder, Sockeye Homes, was given the opportunity to recreate an outdated 1950’s design, into a three-story, 3,276 square foot, five-bedroom, six-bathroom,…

Extreme Team Takes on Transformations

ABC’s Emmy-award winning “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” collaborates with a team of builders, designers, contractors and hundreds of workers who all have just seven days to rebuild an entire house. By Carina Calhoun “It never gets old. I always make it a point after we yell ‘Move that bus’ to turn my eyes right to the family. I’ve seen the house — I don’t need to see it again,” stated host Ty Pennington of ABC’s hit television show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (EMHE). Known for its popular catch phrase, the…