Resources: Blog
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Builder Partnerships welcomes its newest builder members into the program! Not yet a member? Join Builder Partnerships today to benefit from our many programs designed to improve your profits, knowledge and networking. Contact us today to learn more at: info@builderpartnerships.com

New products for 2020 include additions to the TimberTech AZEK, PRO, and EDGE decking lines. TimberTech AZEK’s Multi-Width Decking offerings will add two new 7.25-inch wide boards in the Harvest Collection, brownstone and slate gray. TimberTech PRO’s Reserve Collection will offer four new colors—two grays and two browns—in a matte finish.

Neal Communities has broken ground at Windward in Lakewood Ranch, Florida and is expected to open in summer 2020. The 450-acre gated community will also have a 7.8-acre amenity center with a 9,600-square-foot clubhouse, including gathering spaces, a fitness center, pools, dog parks, a playground, a sports field and multiple athletic courts including pickleball, tennis and volleyball courts.

The Warm Tiles ColorTouch thermostats are compatible with Warm Tiles flooring systems. Emerson has introduced a new line of smart thermostats designed for use with floor warming systems: the standard Warm Tiles ES ColorTouch and the wireless, WiFi enabled Warm Tiles ESW ColorTouch.

Brookfield Residential, Richmond American Homes, D.R. Horton, and KB Home will be highlighted by the grand opening of the Delaney Park's lake and the 12 model homes in five residential collections now selling.

California will give the zero net energy (ZNE) home market a huge kick-start in 2020, when a new state home energy code takes effect. The code’s performance path, used for compliance on most projects, will get 50 percent tougher, moving closer to requiring homes to be ZNE — in other words, to produce as much energy as they consume.

M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MDC), parent of Richmond American Homes, on Monday reported selected preliminary results for the 2019 fourth quarter. New home deliveries increased 31% to 2,389 from 1,827.

From more than 600 entries, the judges selected grand and merit winners in categories including single-family, multifamily, and custom residential.Every year at the conclusion of PCBC (formerly the Pacific Coast Builders Conference), the Gold Nugget Awards ceremony and gala celebrates some of the industry’s top innovators in design, planning, and development.

Japan's largest home building company, Sekisui House, its wholly-owned subsidiary U.S. builder Woodside Homes, and construction industry analyst firm Hanley Wood today unveiled the BUILDER Chōwa Concept Home outside Las Vegas to coincide with the start of CES 2020.The project showcases Sekisui House's proprietary design and construction systems and techniques that are unlike any the U.S. home building industry has ever used.

Goodman Manufacturing, an industry leading manufacturer of residential air conditioning and heating, has received the 5th Annual Builder Partnerships Partner of the Year award. The award was presented during Builder Partnerships' 15th Annual Networking Reception at the International Builders' Show.

During new construction, moisture can accumulate before the construction is dried-in. Have your pest company apply Bora-Care with Mold-Care to help protect newly-constructed buildings from mold growth, wood rot and wood-destroying insects.

Homes for HOPE is excited to announce that Clearview Homes in Harrisburg, PA recently announced their intentions to build their very first Home for HOPE. They will break ground on their project in early December of this year. Having been in business since 2005, Clearview Homes is a family-owned company that has built a reputation for building quality, fully-custom homes for their clients.

Clayton Homes has made a name for itself in a business at best, discounted, and more often dismissed, dissed, and derided for much of its six-decade history, as a builder and purveyor of double-wides and HUD code mobile homes on wheels and platforms. For much of Clayton’s six-decade history, its executive management has been intent on elevating both the manufactured housing business and its customers, raising safety, quality, durability, and energy performance of the homes, and the financial stature of people who buy them.

A new integration between Builder Partnerships and ECI’s MarkSystems® ERP Software. The integration will make it easier for Builder Partnerships members to submit for and collect rebates.

The DuPont Tyvek DrainVent Rainscreen is designed to create a 6 mm/0.25-inch space behind a home’s exterior cladding for water drainage and air movement. This not only allows for drying behind cladding, but protects against moisture damage to exterior walls, including rotting, cracking, and peeling.

Royal Building Products has added a 7-inch smooth clapboard to its Celect line of cellular composite siding. Celect aims to replicate the look of wood and provide a low-maintenance, durable siding option for homeowners. All of the line’s profiles are now available in 15 fade-resistant colors and feature a patented interlocking seam design, which keeps moisture out and eliminates seams.

The new OC No-Mix open-cell spray foam insulation from Icynene eliminates the need to mix the solution, allowing for easier installation and a more consistent product. The benefits of spray foam include complete sealing of wall cavities, attics, and crawlspaces.

BSB Design has developed the 9th edition of inspire, it became evident that the cross section of design has expanded in so many different directions from our original inspiration for this publication founded 13 years ago.

Quishenberry will develop and manage client relationships to help grow the company’s business in the region. Quishenberry brings more than 25 years of experience in new home real estate and development including sales, marketing, general management, and business development.

Century Communities, Inc. announced a new collection of townhome-style condos and flats coming soon to Enclave at Mission Falls—a master-planned 55+ community in Fremont, California. Two other collections from Century Communities are already selling at Mission Falls: a set of single-family homes and an additional set of townhome-style condos.

The ViewPoints Construction Services Blog is published by RubinBrown's Construction Services Group as a value-added approach keeping clients and contacts informed about current, relevant topics affecting the construction industry. Positive cash flow and operating efficiencies are directly related to the skills and motivation of project managers.

The Olson Company is open for sales at Oak Walk, a group of 50 contemporary, new townhomes located in Los Alamitos, California. As with all Olson homes built in Southern California, Oak Walk will place its residents in the heart of the community. Restaurants, retail, and recreation opportunities are all nearby in a walkable distance, with easy access to the 405, 605, and 22 freeways, making the homes ideal for commuters.

GAF has introduced a new series of Timberline shingles, Timberline HDZ, which incorporates the manufacturer’s LayerLock technology to mechanically fuse the shingles’ common bonds. The shingles create a dual-phase shingle-to-shingle seal when used with GAF’s DuraGrip sealant, as well as an asphalt-to-asphalt monolithic bond.

Trane’s new ducted brand includes air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, coils, and handlers. Trane is introducing a new line of ducted heating and cooling products, RunTru by Trane, designed to provide dependable performance at an affordable price point. As of launch RunTru by Trane includes a full line of split and packaged units, including air conditioners up to 14 SEER, heat pumps, furnaces, coils, and air handlers.

Nisus Corporation, a leading manufacturer of sustainable wood preservatives and pest management products, today unveils its new brand identity including a new logo, tagline and website. The new materials are intended to more clearly represent the company’s commitment to innovation and new product development while honoring Nisus’ 30+ years in business.

Check out these four ways to connect with Shinn Builder Partnerships and Shinn Consulting at the 2020 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.

For decades, Trane has been the go-to source for high-end, reliable engineering. While we pride ourselves on this fact, we also know that not everyone needs or wants all the bells and whistles. That’s where RunTru by Trane comes in.

The design trends for the new decade are in many ways reminiscent of the Art Deco movement of the 1920s.

We are excited to announce that our new and improved website is live! You may have noticed that our website has changed significantly since the last time you checked in. We have been working hard to bring you a better online experience. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

During the housing recession, Nathan Cox enticed builders to buy land by offering them construction loans for spec houses. But with so many builders struggling at the time, Cox and a partner—former custom builder Jeff Lane—in May 2011 launched Truland Homes Inc., primarily as a safety valve to monetize Cox’s land holdings. But Truland Homes LLC (as it’s now called) produced its own momentum, partly because it faced little builder competition aside from D.R. Horton (which remains one of Cox’s best land customers). Truland started 46 homes and closed 14 in its first year. Those totals jumped to 100 and 63, respectively, in 2012.

To support their three children, Peter and his wife, who also lost her sight to measles as a child, decided to start a business building rental properties. Every bank turned him away, prejudiced against his disability. But after he learned of Urwego Bank, HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, Peter received a loan and started his business in 2013. In the five years since his business launched, it has grown to include 25 rental properties.

Now in its fifth year, the Everyday Hero Award program was created to honor ECI customers—both individuals and companies—who consistently go above and beyond to make a difference in their communities. Nominations are submitted by ECI employees, customers and partners and evaluated by an independent panel of judges. This year, ECI received more than 70 nominations.

Home builders have begun pre-sales at Hunt Companies is rapidly developing The Colony, a 2,300-acre master-planned project in Bastrop, Texas developed by Hunt Companies, even though the model homes have yet to be completed, Hunt reports. 12 new homes underway and model homes scheduled to open in late 2019 and early 2020.

We are now entering the eleventh year of our economic and housing recovery, which is the longest in U.S. modern history; an economic cycle normally lasts seven years. On the surface, the economy looks strong with above-expected job growth, low unemployment, wage increases, strong consumer spending, and the stock market hitting new records almost daily.

Quote Kitchen & Bath offers 3D visualization software system which is made to give your potential homebuyers the ability to design their dream kitchen or bathroom on your website and social media platforms. The design software system engages the potential buyers and prompts them to enter their contact information which is then sent to the builder directly; so in fact, you have a sales and marketing tool to drive more potential homebuyers to your business.

Your door should always welcome you home – while playing seamlessly into your style. And with design trends moving toward simplistic looks, EnLitenTM flush-glazed designs from Therma-Tru Corp. are the perfect complement for today’s homes. With clean lines and seamless construction, EnLiten flush-glazed designs effortlessly combine indoor and outdoor living spaces. These doors offer up to a 16 percent increase in visible glass area as compared to conventional lite frames.

Airlite Plastics has acquired TRUEGRID, adding the permeable paving grid system to its line of environmentally sustainable construction products. TRUEGRID joins the family of Airlite products aimed at innovating the sustainable construction market. The paving system is a natural complement to Airlite’s Fox Blocks brand of ICF building blocks.

Kwikset, the leading residential lock manufacturer, recently introduced its Halo Wi-Fi enabled smart lock. Available in two styles, a touchscreen and a keypad, Halo pairs to a homeowner’s existing Wi-Fi network, providing smart lock security and smart home security to consumers simply and easily. With an assortment of features, Halo offers three entry modes: through the Kwikset app, via code, or with a traditional key.

C.H.I. Overhead Doors has created a full line of woodtone doors that marry the appeal of real wood with the low-maintenance longevity of steel. Accents Woodtones is meticulously designed and manufactured using full color digital imaging and insulated steel to create the highest quality, most realistic woodtone doors available. Featuring authentic, digitally imaged non-repeating woodgrains, each Accents Woodtones garage door is as colorful and authentic as real wood.

Today’s consumer expects more. Amerock’s Simple Solutions is an inspiring, interactive merchandising experience that streamlines cabinet hardware selection to feature Amerock’s top collections and on-trend finishes. Simple Solutions: Merchandising for every business model. Growing in popularity are appliance-inspired metallics, such as black chrome and graphite. Whether you’re going for high-contrast or that serene tone-on-tone look, decorative hardware creates the polish and pizzazz that turns a space from simple to simply stunning. With Amerock, creating a cohesive look from kitchen to bath has never been easier.

DuPont Performance Building Solutions (PBS) is a global innovation leader in the building and construction industry, providing products and materials for all six sides of the building envelope — from top to bottom, inside and out. By developing solutions for managing the air, water, and thermal performance of homes and commercial buildings, we help our customers build energy-efficient, resilient, and durable shelters.

Lennox has expanded its ultra-low emissions gas furnace line that meets new California state regulations for emission reduction, saving homeowners and contractors energy and money. Lennox developed four furnaces – the SL297NV, SL280NV, EL195NE and EL180NE – to comply with California's South Coast Air Quality Management District's Rule 1111 and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's Ultra-Low NOx Rule 4905, both requiring reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

It takes years for you as a builder to create a reputation for building quality homes. If this issue is ignored, you risk severely damaging that reputation. Additionally, wood decay fungi could present a major threat to your customers’ health and property. For prevention and remediation, Bora-Care with Mold-Care is a product you should consider to protect the structure you are building and the families who will be living there for years to come.

For years, evolving code and building practice have resulted in ever-tighter homes, said David Maruna, an executive at Ingersoll Rand, parent company to Trane, a historic HVAC product manufacturer. Unfortunately, best practice for designing HVAC solutions hasn’t kept up with exterior envelope construction. The lack of coordination often results in a needlessly costly, let’s-overspec- just-to-be-on-the-safe-side HVAC system. That can lead to premature failures, as well as comfort issues, which result in costly call-backs for builders.

Entrematic – manufacturer of Amarr brand sectional doors – received the coveted David Weekley Homes “A, A Partner of Choice Award for Quality and Service” for the second year in a row. Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Amarr is one of the leading U.S. brands of sectional doors for residential garages, condominiums, commercial buildings, shopping malls, warehouses, and other industrial applications. The award recognizes suppliers that have operated at world-class levels through the year, as determined by the home builder’s supplier evaluation platform.

Wayne Dalton, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial door solutions, has expanded its product offerings with additional design selections for Model 9510 Designer Steel garage doors. New options include the new Ridgefield panel that features recessed pinstripes, as well as Desert Tan, Terra Bronze, Gray, and Black premium color paint finishes. Homeowners can now achieve added customization for the ultimate curb appeal boost with the look of a carriage house door, but with the value and maintenance of the Designer Steel collection.

Builders know great ideas are easy to come by. The hard part is making them happen. The 2020 Executive Summit, scheduled for March 10-12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, zeroes in on this issue as we delve into “Superior Performance and Profitability: It’s All in Your Team’s Execution.” Our keynote speaker is Chris McChesney, global practice leader of execution for Franklin Covey and co-author of The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals.

As a consultant with Shinn Consulting, Rick is working with builders across the country to streamline their purchasing processes and procedures, as well as presenting at educational seminars. Rick is also the director of business development for Builder Partnerships, recruiting building material manufacturers, negotiating membership agreements, rebates, and marketing programs. Rick has more than 20 years of experience in the home building industry, with more than 10 years as director of purchasing. He has expertise in product design, costing, and construction management of sales offices, design centers, and community amenities. He is also a speaker at purchasing and estimating seminars.

AMERISTAR HEATING AND COOLING is a value brand under Trane and American Standard. These affordable, efficient HVAC systems and components are ideally suited for entry-level homes, spec homes, production homes, manufactured homes, and light commercial properties. QUOTE KITCHEN & BATH design software gives your potential home buyers the ability to design their dream kitchen or bathroom on your website and social media platforms.

Atlanta home builder SR Homes on Friday said Mark Willis has jointed the company as its CFO. In his new role as CFO, Willis will oversee the financial actions of SR Homes including monetary development, tracking spending and evaluating the company’s financial strengths and weaknesses to recommend corrective actions. SR Homes builds new homes throughout the metro Atlanta area.

Taylor Morrison currently offers single-family and villa homes in its Esplanade and Whitfield Preserve neighborhoods and will now expand its floor-plan selection into the Stansil Park neighborhood. Within the approximately 2,400-acre master-plan, Taylor Morrison plans to offer 230 single-family homes in the Stansil Park neighborhood.

Betenbough Homes recently broke ground on its newest subdivision in West Lubbock.Upland Crossing, south of 19th Street on Upland Avenue. Betenbough Homes is one of three regional production builders in the country committed to certifying 100% of homes to the NGBS, including this one in the Quincy Park community of Lubbock, Texas.

TimberTech AZEK, TimberTech PRO and TimberTech EDGE will be available in new colors and board types. AZEK Building Products has announced its complete lineup of new decking and railing products set to launch in 2020. These include additions to the TimberTech AZEK, TimberTech PRO, and TimberTech EDGE decking lines, as well as additions and changes to its composite railing collections.

Townhomes are featured in Mapleton, single-family home in West Jordan. McArthur Homes, South Jordan, Utah has opened sales at two new communities. Harvest Park in Mapleton offers three townhome floor plans ranging from 2,336 to 2,510 sq. ft. The community is located only 20 minutes outside of Provo and is within reach of the neighborhood's most commonly used amenities.

While preparing for a possible downturn, Epcon Communities is mostly optimistic about the coming year. BUILDER recently checked in with Paul Hanson, president of Epcon Franchising, a subsidy of Dublin, Ohio–based Epcon Communities, which is ranked No. 45 on the latest Builder 100 list. The topics of discussion included the senior market, recession concerns, and why Central Ohio has turned into a hot real estate market.

For years, evolving code and building practice have resulted in ever-tighter homes, says David Maruna, an executive at Ingersoll Rand, parent company to Trane, a historic HVAC product manufacturer. Who says a home builder can’t offer healthy, net-zero ready homes at popular prices? Maruna says his company will soon offer home builders a consultative service called Tranquility by Trane. Tranquility presents builders with scaled whole-home approach to build a healthier, high-performance home affordably. The service will include load calculations, coordinating with other building envelope manufacturers, and facilitating relationships with installers, testers and raters without the price tag expected in a consultative relationship.

Establishing sell-by dates can be a game changer for a builder’s operations. Also known as even flow or slot scheduling, the sell-by date is the procedure whereby you preset the production starts based on the anticipated sales volume for the year. The sales team is then able to sell the production start dates and communicate a reasonably certain completion date to the buyer. The sell-by date is built to the current business plan and will help a builder manage several key pieces in its operations.

Connect with Shinn Builder Partnerships at the International Builders' Show at the 15th Annual Builder Partnerships Networking Reception. Set for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 20, 2020, at the Embassy Suites Convention Center, the reception is often called the best networking event of the show. An intimate event with great food and an open bar, the reception offers you a perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet with manufacturers’ national sales managers in a relaxed environment. Don't forget to stop by Builder Partnerships booth: SU216 in the South Hall!

The force of a lightning strike can damage homes and electrical and mechanical systems, including gas piping. A large custom home builder was one of the first to specify Counterstrike® in all of its homes. Before the switch, the home builder dealt with several lightning issues a year, but since switching to Counterstrike®, there have been no problems with lightning and gas piping.

The POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle is a revolutionary new roofing tile product that combines the performance and protection of a conventional asphalt roof with an integrated photovoltaic system.

Fischer Homes, Erlanger, Kentucky has purchased the majority of the single-family land assets of Cincinnati-based Inverness Homes. Privately held Fischer Homes is the 30th largest home builder in the U.S., with over 27,000 homes built and has been in business for nearly 40 years since 1980. The acquisition expands Fischer Homes footprint in the Dayton, Cincinnati, and Louisville markets. The company is currently the market leader in both the Cincinnati and Louisville MSAs and has a community in Springboro, Ohio, which is just south of Dayton.

Construction has begun on an amenity center at the Texas community called Wildridge, a master-planned community under construction by Ashlar Development in Oak Point. The 340-acre community on Lake Lewisville has been in development for several years, and now has roughly 750 residents in 360 occupied homes. Chesmar has seven floor plans for lots at the development, ranging from roughly 2,400 square feet to 3,800 square feet and priced at $360,000 to $430,000.

Homes for HOPE counts it a great joy to be part of an organization that looks past obstacles to see capacity and promise and has committed to give a one-million-dollar grant in support of HOPE International in 2019. To date, we have already transferred $350,000 of that commitment. As the year is winding to a close, we’re asking you to help us empower entrepreneurs like Astrida. We invite you to be a part of fulfilling or surpassing the remaining $650,000 of our goal this year.For every $1 we send to our microfinance institutions, $15.95 is lent out by HOPE International and its partners.

69 new townhomes are coming to a site in the Blandtown neighborhood of Atlanta about four miles northwest of downtown. The developer, Empire Communities, has already knocked down what used to be the former Lewis and Sheron Textiles building. The new residences will be priced in the $400,000s and sales are scheduled to kickoff in mid 2020.

Kwikset’s SmartKey Security’s patented system allows homeowners to re-key the locks themselves in under a minute. SmartKey Security, for example, is effective against picking and bumping than traditional pin and tumbler locks and can also increase job site security by removing the complexity of a traditional pin and tumbler lock.

As new home builders attempt to meet the increasing demand for affordable housing while remaining profitable, the impact tariffs have on the construction industry can’t be ignored. Here, the construction risk management pros at PWSC outline the facts, analyze data and provide comprehensive solutions to help builders thrive in an uncertain market.

Attention to a home's exterior is important for maximizing both resale value and enjoyment for homeowners. Taking on projects like siding, garage doors, or landscaping can be a homeowner's safest bet to get a high return on investment while renovating their homes. With an increasing amount of attention given to a house's exterior, Royal Building Products shares several projected exterior trends for 2020 with the Sentinel-Tribune.

Three early missteps that shaped HOPE’s ministry. Join our next quarterly stakeholder webcast as we revisit these stories of mistakes, misunderstandings, and closed doors that so critically informed our current models, standards, and safeguards.

Hamlet Homes on Friday unveiled a community mural wall at the grand opening of Granton Square and the new Hamlet Homes headquarters in Murray, Utah. The #bigfishwall is Utah's largest mural. Dedicated 11/1/19, it is some 50 feet longer than a 747 Jet and as large as 10 interstate billboards. The BigFish Wall spans some 300 feet and is 22.6 feet high totaling roughly 7000 square feet! The mural is located in the Hamlet Homes Granton Square development @ 84 West 4800 South in Murray, Utah.

Williams Homes, Inc. has announced the streamlining of the company’s senior-level corporate executive team to support the strategic growth of its family of home building divisions throughout the west. The privately held company established in 1997 is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and is actively building in Southern and Central California, and the Mountain States.

The new community known as Dumont Place, is under construction by Ashton Woods. For $475,000 homeowners can get nearly 3,100 square feet.Beyond sheer size, a few highlights, as Ashton Woods reps pointed out this week, include a versatile “wall of wine” on the main floor, a 15-foot kitchen island, and an overall pallet that blends warmth with clean simplicity. What’s described as “midcentury modern accents” are less apparent.

Your beautiful homes deserve the best. Insist on Bradford White in every home you build. Building quality homes, choose a quality water heater. Bradford White gives your buyers: -Exceptional Efficiency -Impressive Performance -Outstanding Quality

Utah home builder McArthur homes is now offering single-family floor plans in its brand new community, Brundisi Village. The community offers unique and affordable single-family construction.

When your pest company treats your homes with Bora-Care during new construction, it can register them online in our Bora-Care 30-Year Limited Warranty program for damage repair of treated wood.

In the September issue of Monthly Briefing, we discussed the value of becoming a Builder of Choice™ to address labor shortages and what owners and upper management must do to develop the Builder of Choice™ culture in their company. This month, we will look at specific steps your production team can take to put culture into action.

Everything we do at Shinn Builder Partnerships is expressly for the benefit of our members. We recently rolled out a set of improvements to the rebate submissions process and we are happy to say the responses have been great.

Every day, more and more builders across the country are discovering the power of being a member of Shinn Builder Partnerships. We'd like to extend a welcome to our newest members. We look forward to helping each of them achieve a higher level of profitability and success!

Grand Homes has been one of the longest standing partners of Homes for Hope. Their commitment to the mission of Homes for Hope and HOPE International has enabled us to help hundreds of thousands of families around the world. Grand Homes and their trade partners are able to use their god given talents to help support the families of third world countries with micro-finance loans. The micro-finance loans, provided by HOPE International, empower underserved families around the world to pull themselves out of poverty by providing them with access to discipleship, business training, and small loans. These resources enable them to start and/or expand a small business that provides for their families needs without relying on handouts.

Our MarkSystems Community User of the Month is Carrie Roeger with Windsong Properties, located in Georgia. Carrie is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Windsong Properties; they build on average 90 new homes per year and specialize in the Active Adult segment.

Shinn Builder Partnerships was created to help local and regional builders achieve success and be competitive with national builders. We do this by connecting our members with manufacturers for the best pricing, service, and support. In addition to the manufacturers, we are pleased to connect you with a group of service providers that can help you with a host of operational support. We have worked personally with each of these providers and can endorse them unconditionally.

Six new, professionally decorated Coach and Paired Villa model homes – representing a brand-new product line for Mattamy – are now open, as is a new sales center.

Door hardware brand Kwikset has unveiled a new Bluetooth-enabled smart lock that combines the latest smart technology but comes at an affordable price.

With their scale, dramatic designs, and innovation, kitchen spigots get all the love, but manufacturers are stepping up the style of their lavatory faucets as well.

A well-designed deck is still one of the most popular outdoor amenities among homeowners, and one of the hottest ways to install one is with a seamless, hidden-fastener look.

Smart home features are becoming more and more common in U.S. households. While the needs of each home vary, residential tech automation can involve energy management, digital security, app-controlled entertainment, lighting, climate control, smart appliances, and various AI (artificial intelligence) hubs and gadgets. According to a 2019 report by Statista, one-third of all homes in the United States use some form of smart home technology, and it is predicted that over half will have it by 2023. What does this mean for new home builders? Will they be competing with tech companies for business? The structural home builder warranty experts at PWSC take a deep dive into the evolving requisites of residential developers and explain how they can stay ahead of the smart home wave and protect their profits by incorporating risk management solutions.

Do your employees know what you think they do well? Do you have regular coaching/feedback sessions with your team to improve their performance and moral?

Company adopts new brand strategy and unveils its new logo. Arthur Rutenberg Homes, Clearwater, Florida said Wednesday it has changed its name to AR Homes and introduced a new brand identity strategy representing the company’s expansion and evolution while honoring the legacy of its founder.

Fischer Homes just completed a new decorated model in Louisville and is hosting a grand opening to celebrate. The grand opening for the new Avery Coastal Classic model will take place on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 from noon to 4 p.m. at the community of Summit Parks in La Grange, Kentucky.

McCall Homes, along with their participating trade partners and suppliers, recently completed their 2nd Home for Hope project, successfully raising over $100,000 in support of HOPE International. The profits from this home will help provide microloans, savings services, discipleship, and business training to over 17,333 entrepreneurs living in underserved communities around the world, empowering them to provide for themselves by starting or growing a small business.

Bora-Care with Mold-Care is the company’s classic termite-control treatment with added protection against mold and fungi. According to Nisus, the borate-based wood preservative requires a single application to diffuse into the wood in a house and create a protective barrier. It can be applied either directly during the dry-in phase of construction or to high-risk areas after construction.

Like kitchens, homeowners want their bathrooms to be functional spaces where they can clean up with ease. But, today’s buyers are also looking for transitional or contemporary wet rooms that ‘wow’ on first look. Whether you’re looking for products for a spacious master bath or first-floor powder room, the following products showcase the latest trends and innovations in bath design.

Gerber’s Treysta rough-in tub and shower valve offers flexible features that make for easy installation, including: an accessible mounting system; vertical inlets that can be installed next to studs in PEX applications; and quarter-turn service stops that can open and close in the slots with a flathead screwdriver. Treysta also has solutions for applications with cold expansion PEX and Crimp PEX, as well as back-to-back installations and reversed hot and cold inlets.

The Propane Education & Research Council’s Propane Training Academy has a new online course available that provides builders and developers with an overview of community propane systems.

Mattamy Homes on Thursday named a new president for its Southeast Florida Division. Dan Grosswald joined the organization in August, reporting to Pete Skelly, CEO of Mattamy Homes US. Mr. Grosswald will be responsible for all aspects of Mattamy's land development and home building business in Southeast Florida.

As bathrooms increasingly resemble personalized spa-like sanctuaries, stylish bath accessories that keep clutter at bay and maximize storage are in high demand. The classic-inspired Invari Bath Collection includes a single robe hook, cabinet knobs and pulls, an open-post toilet paper holder, and towel bars. A variety of finishes, including a new Brilliance Gold (8-inch towel bar shown) is available.

Vinyl still gets a bad rap, despite recent environmental impact studies suggesting it isn’t as bad for the planet as once thought. And alternative cladding options continue to grab market share.

Icynene’s Classic Ultra spray foam is an open-cell foam insulation with greater cohesion than the company’s past products. The GreenGuard Gold-certified insulation can be sprayed in a wide variety of temperatures, making it appropriate for any climate, the company claims. It achieves an R-value of 3.7 per inch and has a core density of 0.5 pound per cubic foot.