FEATURES

  • Web Extra: Additional Reading Materials for "The New Recruits"

    Got an urge to learn more? Fernando Pagés Ruiz recommends the following books for helping U.S.-born remodelers and builders bridge the gaps between their U.S.-born employees and the foreign-born population.

     
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    Welcoming the immigrant workforce

    The future of the remodeling workforce is alive and well in Lincoln, Neb., where the nine employees of diverse-by-design Brighton Construction are still excited about their careers.

     

  • Test your cultural awareness

    Test yourself with these questions on cultural awareness.

     
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    Hispanics will be significant market for remodelers

    Have you built a presence among Hispanic customers in your market? If not, consider that they are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S., and their incomes are growing rapidly as well. This group will be a significant market for remodelers, if not immediately, then very soon.

     

  • How benefits affect the bottom line

    Benefit costs are skyrocketing, but they're becoming increasingly essential to retaining a loyal and productive workforce. In the first of a three-part series, REMODELING looks at how benefits affect the bottom line.

     

Reader Panel

VIEW POINT

FIRST WORD

  • Keep an eye on all your instruments

    Like commercial pilots, we have analytic tools we can use to determine whether we are still on course and meeting our goals, indicators that tell us if our businesses are functioning properly.

     

News + Notes

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    Drivers of the remodeling market

    A report to be published next month by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University (JCHS) examines the drivers of the boom, where the remodeling market will look to help it bounce back and continue to grow, and where we might end up in 2015.

     

MARKET WATCH

  • Figure This

    Statistical snapshot for the month of January.

     

  • Hot market a mixed blessing

    Although being in a hot housing market sounds like a winning proposition for remodelers, the truth is that there are some downfalls.

     
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    Remodeling index improves

    Remodeling activity increased during the third quarter of 2006, according to the latest release of the Remodeling Market Index (RMI). However, the current conditions portion of the index jumped more than two points (to 47.8), but still remains well below 50, which is the watermark for what is...

     

COMMENTARY

GUEST COLUMNIST

  • Don't be afraid to run from a job that's not right

    Humans are alone in the animal kingdom in their unwillingness to grasp the concept of sunk costs. We would rather throw good money after bad to the point of ruin rather than acknowledge an error. How do you figure out if a situation is untenable, and how do you know when to walk away?

     

LINDA CASE

MARK RICHARDSON

SHAWN MCCADDEN

  • Separating identities from roles

    Experience teaches that until owners, managers, and employees can separate their identities from their roles, they may be personally affected by the comments, attitudes, and expectations of their clients and co-workers.

     

YOUR BUSINESS

Sales and Marketing

  • No compromise on profit

    You want the job, but not at the risk of compromising your profit margins. How do you "educate" prospects and clients that you just won't do certain things, no matter how they ask?

     
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    Differentiating with a showroom

    These are tough times, especially in places like Rochester, N.Y. So a standout showroom can be a differentiator for a remodeling company.

     
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    Actions to keep business strong

    With leads dropping like flies throughout the industry, refining your marketing strategy might be an option you can't afford to ignore in 2007. Here are some of the actions one remodeler is taking to keep their business strong, as well as suggestions from two marketing consultants.

     

BOTTOM LINE

BY DESIGN

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    Designing a better staircase

    Stairs take us places. Solid and sturdy or seeming like they're balancing on air, staircases can be a focal point or a hiding place.

     

FIELD NOTES

  • Resources for learning about remodeling

    Remodeling neophytes have a lot to learn about the trade, and, it seems, a diminishing number of organized outlets for learning it all. The National Center for Construction Education and Research offers several possible solutions.

     
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    Attracting a younger generation of workers

    Undisciplined, uninterested, lazy: We've heard these terms and worse to express remodelers' frustration with young workers. Attitudes toward work may be changing, but the rapid aging of the construction workforce suggests that remodelers might need to change as well.

     

GOOD FORM

  • A decision analysis tool for clients

    Bill Asdal first built this decision analysis tool for personal use, when he was considering building a house for himself and his family. He soon realized its value, and now makes it available to customers on the Asdal Builders Web site.

     

Tech at Work

  • Sending faxes via email

    If you choose the right service, you can keep records of faxes to your content management system and remain paperless.

     

  • Call recording helps build sales

    Ever wish you could build a sales team that you could trust to sell the job as well as you do every time? One way to make that dream a reality is by using call recording software to ensure that sales calls are being handled uniformly and efficiently.

     

Ways + Means

  • Set an ethics standard

    Jake Schloegel and his team in Kansas City, Mo., have worked hard to put ethical behavior at the top of their list of core values. These efforts were recently acknowledged by the Society of Financial Service Professionals, which awarded Schloegel the American Business Ethics Award, a national award...

     

  • Arbitration clauses

    Arbitration clauses in a contract can force a customer dispute into a private forum for permanent resolution, rather than using the court system to resolve it. Arbitration can avoid the risk of runaway jury awards. That also means that a large number of lawyers, who might take a case hoping to get...

     

  • Regulatory compliance Web site

    To help make things easier, the BGI and the Small Business Administration manage a one-stop federal compliance Web site

     

  • Guidelines for bonuses

    Bonuses are a pleasure to give when they improve profitability and productivity. Develop guidelines for when and how you'll distribute bonuses, but be flexible to account for variables such as weather, and to encourage team-work on all jobs, not just those that are clear moneymakers.

     
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    Firm is integrity award winner

    The remodeling industry doesn't always have the best reputation. To change public perception, many companies choose to enter competitions like those sponsored by the Better Business Bureau.

     

BIG50

CLOSE UP

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    Profile of Gary Porter

    REMODELING profiles Gary Porter, owner of G.A. Porter Construction of Dayton, Ohio

     

FACE OFF

  • Teaching safety in the primary language

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations make it crystal-clear that employers have a regulatory obligation to ensure that every employee has been given the necessary information and training to perform their job duties safely. If you think you're going to beat OSHA on this issue...

     

SECOND LOOK

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    Scott Barr profile

    After Scott Barr took over Southwest Remodelers in 1992, he quickly grew the company's volume from $2.8 million to $5.5 million in 1995, the year it was named Big50.

     

KITCHEN AND BATH

DESIGN CLINIC

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    Combining cabinetry colors

    A popular look for today's kitchens involves using a combination of two cabinetry colors to subtly or dramatically change the composition of color in the room.

     
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    Remodel yields storage and natural light

    This bathroom remodel was in a home with 2-foot thick masonry perimeter walls. Demolition revealed a window that had been covered up--leaving a deep opening in the wall. Stewart Davis, design director of CG&S Design-Build in Austin, Texas, decided to design a cabinet to fit the space.

     

SPEC BOOK

Management

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    Kitchen remodels done in a week

    After frustrating experiences with a few kitchen remodeling jobs that took longer than scheduled, contractor Robert Amberson in Tempe, Ariz., decided to streamline his operation, and offer the "1 Week Kitchen." He read about remodelers offering bath remodels completed in one week and thought he...

     

REPLACEMENT

Windows

PRODUCTS

FIRST LOOK

IN FOCUS

TRENDS

  • Web Extra: The Importance of STC

    In explaining how noise-reduction products work to keep homes quieter, representatives from Owens Corning and Quiet Solution both refer to a wall's STC or sound transmission class.

     
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    Facelift for the garage

    Countless garage-worthy vehicles have been displaced by household clutter. To rectify the situation, garage organization manufacturers are helping homeowners store their belongings, alleviating what's become a top home organization headache.

     
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    Products to reduce noise

    Advanced building materials help buffer homes' distracting noises.

     
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    Designs bring new graphic elements

    In the 1990s, cozy homes gave way to sleek designs and less room for clutter. In the 21st century, sophistication is still the word of the day, but homeowners are finding that some pattern here and texture there can bring warmth and style to living spaces without being lavish.

     

LAST WORD

Bench Mark

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    Setting performance goals

    Predictable and recurring net profits result from good management of each of a company's three vital "departments"--marketing and sales, production, and administration. Make a New Year's resolution now to measure and grade performance in each of these departments.