Go Build Something

Lumber standards to change in June 2012

slohn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:23:27 -0600

Bernanke to discuss housing market at the International Builders Show

slohn — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:08:36 -0600

Texas HB 1711 sets steeper rules for traveling contractors

sarahl — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:30:46 -0500

With the recent Texas wildfires, homeowners, builders and remodelers need to be aware of Texas HB 1711, which went into effect September 1. The bill applies to contractors who remove, clean, sanitize, demolish, reconstruct, or otherwise treat improvements to properties damaged by natural disasters.

Falls are top work-related death among residential construction workers

sarahl — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:14:24 -0500

Falls are the leading cause of death for workers engaged in residential construction.

The following “Fall Protection in Residential Construction” guidance document from OSHA describes various methods that residential construction employers should use to prevent fall-related injuries and fatalities on the jobsite.

Tulsa contractor uses smartphones and social media to reach potential customers

sarahl — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:13:22 -0500

Quick read (QR) codes are popping up all over the place these days. These pixelated squares can be read by bar code reader apps on smart phones and act as web links to videos or pages with more information. One Oklahoma contractor is using QR codes on traditional yard signs to direct prospective customers to their YouTube channel which hosts in-depth videos about his business and the work going on in the neighborhood.

Production homebuilder adopts net-zero in 21 markets

sarahl — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:02:27 -0500

Production homebuilder, Meritage Homes, has debuted net zero energy home options, a first for production homes in the United States.

How will the S&P downgrade affect the housing market?

sarahl — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:27:20 -0500

Standard and Poor’s rocked the U.S. Treasury Monday when the agency downgraded America’s credit rating from AAA to AA+, a move based largely on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s reliance on federal funding.

Free green building webinar starts August 9

sarahl — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:29:21 -0500

GreenExpo365 is hosting a two-day virtual green building conference for architects, builders and contractors next week. And quite possibly the best part about the event is that it’s free!

Construction mistakes happen. Know when to apologize.

sarahl — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:02:13 -0500

Cartoonist Lynn Johnston said, “An apology is the superglue of life. It can repair just about anything.” Construction projects rarely go 100 percent as planned. As contractors and builders, a well-timed mea culpa can keep client relations moving in the right direction.

13 Universal design elements to help homes age with the population

sarahl — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:24:09 -0500

We’re getting older. According to the Population Resource Center, about one in eight Americans are age 65 or older right now. By 2030 that number will be one in five. As Americans age, builders need to incorporate accessibility and universal design elements that will allow homeowners to remain in their homes longer and with more comfort and ease.