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  • Call for Entries - 2013 Design Excellence Awards
    By Rob Heselbarth - Monday May 20, 2013
    Call for entries! Get the recognition you deserve. Enter your award-worthy project in the Residential Design + Build 2013 Design Excellence Awards , honoring architects, designers and custom builders for excellence in the design and construction of custom homes. Application deadline : July 26, 2013 Click here for the online application . Projects must be completed between Jan. 1, 2011, and July 26, 2013. Click here for entry rules and guidelines . Binder deadline : Aug. 9, 2013 Benefits to award winners include: Article in RD+B magazine’s October special issue Industry recognition Customized award trophy Exposure on RD+B website Press release for local distribution Advantage in local market Use...

  • Pondering the next four years
    By Todd Vendituoli - Wednesday December 5, 2012
    Well, the election is over and some people are happy and others are not. I can’t say exactly what will happen with the economy over these coming years, but as a contractor for almost 30 years I know it’s going to be interesting if nothing else. However, from my perspective I think the construction industry as a whole is in for more rocky times, and here’s why.   We still have unemployment that is way too high, with no signs that it will come down to reasonable levels at which more people are employed and can afford homes. Many countries around the world have many monetary issues that are major problems, such as Spain, which has an unemployment rate of almost 25%. The United States is no longer a country of prosperity and...

  • My firm is (skeptically) moving to BIM
    By Todd Mather - Wednesday November 21, 2012
    My firm just lost a project. I should say another project, because we do not always receive the contract (or commission) on all of our proposals. This one was more abrasive. The reason? Revit does not find a Home at my firm. At least not yet.   We have been holding off from the BIM movement for years. There are a few key reasons for this. One, cost. Two, our projects – custom residences and remodels/additions – don’t seem to demand it. Three, why fix what isn’t broken?   I know all three reasons have been diminished by the CADD gurus of our time in every blog on this topic. Still, we are not alone at our firm … but we’ll be making the move very soon now that we did not receive this large commission based upon this...

  • Walking the line between architect and showoff
    By Rob Heselbarth - Friday November 9, 2012
    I expect to see architecture on the cover of architecture magazines. Sometimes, however, I see photos that perpetuate a stereotype that many architects I’ve met in the past nine years tell me they wish didn’t exist. This stereotype is one of design professionals who are more interested in selling their vision rather than an ability to make their clients’ vision come to life.   As one might expect of articles that follow such cover photos – photos in which only people are shown with no architecture – the editorial focus is on the person, his or her vision, awards, education, portfolio and interests. These interests might include architectural styles he or she is “into” these days. Rarely is a client’s dream listed as...

  • Why 13 is lucky in home design
    By Todd Mather - Friday October 19, 2012
    I love numbers. Not math necessarily, although that does intrigue me. I find an unusual pleasure in hosting parties on dates such as August 8 in 2008, and this past week on 10/11/12. My car features the plate 6022AV0 . For those with a chemistry background, I challenge you to point out its origin. One of my favorite books is The Nothingness That Is: The Natural History of Zero . Fascinating! I even go so far as to use a prime number whenever I can. Why not? I like the larger numbers like 113, 311 or 3001. Call me strange but I have a web site bookmarked on my phone for those opportunities in which I might use one (http://www.calculus.info/tables/prime/prime.html). No one really knows…or probably cares, but it humors me...

  • My 9 predictions for housing in the year 2100
    By Rob Heselbarth - Thursday October 4, 2012
    Every now and then an airline magazine publishes an article that interests me, far more than what some celebrity enjoys about his or her favorite city. A recent issue of American Way magazine published an article based on an interview with string-theorist and part-time futurist Michio Kaku, which interested me more than usual. Kaku, who has published many books including his most recent book about science and technology’s influence on life in 2100, shared his predictions for life during what remains of this century, including…   …People will surf the web via eye glasses or contact lenses.   …The walls of one’s home will be intelligent, and capable of simulating a shopping experience in three dimensions, or visiting...

  • Five ways to prepare for housing's recovery
    By Bonnie Pickartz - Thursday September 27, 2012
    Housing is beginning to recover. New home sales are up significantly over last year, and prices continue to rise. Now we have to make sure we are not only ready for a full-scale recovery, but are ahead of the game.   It's time to grow your online presence. If you haven't developed a website and social media profiles, then you need to start now. If you have already done that, you need to take time to freshen it all up and promote yourself. Your competitors are out there, setting up pages, growing their follower lists, showing off their work, so keep up.   Following are five ways you can get ready to succeed in the housing recovery.   1) Brand yourself. Make sure your website gives the world a good picture of who you are and...

  • Clients running the show? Never again
    By Todd Vendituoli - Friday September 21, 2012
    Years ago when I was starting out and in a slow period I received a call from someone that was building a new home. They wanted me to give them a price on a kitchen, which of course hit me as odd because if they were building a new home why wasn’t the contractor doing it? But being that times were slow I decided to go and see what they wanted and maybe find out why their contractor wasn’t doing it.   When we got together they explained that the contractor wasn’t fulfilling his duties in a way they wanted and so they wanted to get someone else to finish the kitchen which was one of the last things to be done. They also had a few other things that needed doing so I proceeded to listen. The clients also informed me that they were...

  • Ahh, the simple joys of sketching
    By Todd Mather - Sunday September 9, 2012
    As an architect and designer, the skill and/or talent of sketching is paramount. However, not all need this skill. I am reminded of so many positions within the profession of architecture and building for which the need for using a pen and paper is limited. To me, though, it is invaluable to be able to quickly sketch the essence of an interior, a change to an exterior under construction, or to take their idea of a fireplace detail, for instance, and translate my client’s words into a picture on paper. They appreciate this.   Contractors appreciate it, as well as the structural engineers with whom I work. The ability to take mental pictures or words from a discussion and create a three-dimensional image allows design solutions...

  • Can good customer service make you better?
    By Bonnie Pickartz - Friday August 24, 2012
    You know your trade. You know that you offer quality and value. So how do you define that in a way that the client will understand? That you are their best choice? You enhance your service and/or product by backing it up with customer service that goes above and beyond. Customer service often takes a back seat. The salesmen sell your services, the craftsmen do the work (and often both of these are done by the same people), but the person who backs everything up and answers all the questions is secondary. However, great customer service is usually the best sales tool you have. When a potential client makes contact with you, you aren't selling, you are providing information and assistance. The client is either impressed with your...

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