Insulation is a key element in building a more comfortable and energy efficient home in Boise, Idaho or elsewhere. Insulation materials are rated according to their ability to resist heat flow. The thermal resistance rating is known as an “R-value”. The higher the R-value of a material, the better its…
An effective building envelope – the first floor, exterior walls, and roof – is a key element for an energy-efficient home. Advanced framing techniques increase efficiency and comfort while decreasing costs. Most homes in Boise are framed with wood and wood loses or gains heat more quickly than insulation. In…
The headline read “Construction Worker Rated the 8th Worst Job.” Being a Builder who started out as construction worker, I just had to investigate further. Here is what I found. The headline referred to JobsRated.com’s 2010 Jobs Rated report which the website says “offers a comprehensive analysis of 200 different…
Welcome to the second in my series of blog posts on the Business of Building. We started Part 1 with a quiz. I asked what the average Net Profit for a Builder is in a normal market. The correct answer was C. 3.7% to 8.7%. That was based on the…
For the 80 percent of home buyers who need a mortgage to buy a home, the two major factors that determine affordability are mortgage interest rates and house prices. It appears that many buyers have been waiting for home prices to fall further while hoping that mortgage interest rates will…
I have read several articles regarding this topic in the past several weeks. Trey Langford provided his Top Ten Reasons to buy the right size home (as opposed to a McMansion) in his BuildIdaho.com blog on October 10th. It was also the subject of NAHB’s Chief Economist David Crowe’s article…
Since the beginning of time, man has sought fruitlessly for the Fountain of Youth. An array of studies done on various mammals have shown that it is possible to promote longevity. Far and away the most effective method is restricting caloric intake by as much as 30 percent. In every…
Wonder why lenders are reluctant to make A, D & C loans? Any questions? Chuck Miller GMB CGB CGP MIRM CMP MCSP CSP Presdent / CEO Chuck Miller Construction Inc. www.chuckmillerconstruction.com
