Builder Magazine: Security

Mobile Apps: Kwikset

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:28:35 EST

Help customers determine the appropriate type and quantity of door hardware for their project with Kwikset’s Smart Security tool.

Schlage, Kwikset Embroiled in Lawsuit Over Re-Keying Technology

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:48:09 EST

Kwikset claims patent infringement and false advertising.

Today's Homes Lack Universal Design

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:09:38 EST

Why today's housing landscape isn't prepared to accommodate tomorrow's aging Baby Boomers. One seasoned real estate developer and urban planner shares his perspective.

Construction Fraud Getting Harder to Stop

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:46:08 EST

Vigilance and auditing are keys to thwarting crimes, says leading risk management firm.

Scaling Back Smartly

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:17:12 EST

Integrated home automation systems can maximize space efficiency and make a small home feel larger.

Jeff Click Homes is Incorporating More Technology into its Home Designs

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:32:02 EST

North Oklahoma Citybuilder Jeff Click’s most recent show home has all of the technological turbines, such as media servers and AV power amps, placed subtly, hidden in technology closets and connected to media ports such as the home theater and automation system. Five LG plasma televisions throughout the home are black box–free, with cable boxes and other hardware out of sight. Speakers are flush-mounted.

What Jobsite Thieves Are After

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:10:41 EST

Nothing is safe, and nothing is sacred.

Make Your Jobsites More Secure

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:09:31 EST

Tips from the field on reducing theft.

Builders Plagued By Jobsite Theft

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:10:04 EST

To say that jobsite theft is rampant in home building would be an understatement. In a recent Builder survey, 90 percent of respondents said they had been victims of theft within the past year. Losses ran from lumber and copper wiring to office supplies and diesel fuel. Of those who reported thefts, 60 percent had been hit more than three times.

TOUSA Security Under Scrutiny

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:05:44 EST

It seems that financial covenants aren't the only standards home builders, especially those that are publicly held, need to be especially concerned with during the earnings season. An official at the NYSE's regulatory arm confirmed that home builders are being scrutinized regarding their compliance with quantitative listing standards. The heightened attention comes in light of the sector's continued and well-publicized struggles.

Safe Haven

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:28:29 EST

When Brookfield Homes first laid the groundwork for Mystic Point, a suburban village of 252 attached homes just around the bend from the acclaimed white sand beaches of Carlsbad, Calif., the plan was to target small, first-time buyer families. But when 23 percent of the homes were snapped up by single women (including a handful of single moms), the builder knew it was on to something. Security was a big deal for this buyer group, and one of the features that proved most pivotal was that every three-story unit enjoyed direct access from a two-car garage, “specifically from garage to kitchen,” notes Steve Doyle, president of Brookfield Homes' San Diego division.

Digital Home: Switch Pitch

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:02:19 EST

Volume builders abhor complexity. Complexity means problems, and problems lead to work orders, and work orders to increased costs. This is one reason big builders haven't rushed to embrace whole-house control systems that have flowed onto the market in the past several years (well, that and the fact the average home buyer is not exactly clamoring for them).

Model homes break ins and vandalism

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:13:21 EST

MODEL HOMES ARE ESSENTIAL MARKETING tools for many builders. But these homes can also be among the more vulnerable elements on jobsites, which are often susceptible to illegal entry and theft.

Flawed data does not show falling prices

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:10:19 EST

We've all heard it from industry analysts and experts: Builders are slashing their prices. People are buying new homes for less than they paid a year ago. And builders are continuing to cut prices in 2007, trying to move their unsold inventory before prices fall even further.

About the Project Sponsors

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:29:20 EST

The Insync home could not have been built without the support of its many sponsors, a select group of building product manufacturers and suppliers that contributed to this innovative endeavor.

Digital Home: December 2006

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:20:08 EST

- Sharp's Aquos LCDs now come at 42, 46, and 52 inches; the addition offers builders even greater selection of high-quality HDTVs at competitive prices. - Eaton Corp. makes its products available online at the CompUSA and The Home Depot Web sites.

It's a Snap

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:47:03 EST

BUILDERS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR low-cost, home-tech upgrades that bring the digital lifestyle to life for their home buyers.

Niles' River of Sound

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:48:34 EST

MOVE-UP BUILDERS LOOKING TO ADD profits to their projects may find that the new IntelliControl Integrated Control Solutions (ICS) system from Niles Audio is the differentiator they've been waiting for.

Digital Community

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:46:54 EST

MOST OF THE COMMUNITY INTRANETS that builders have rolled out do a good job of letting homeowners form clubs or sign up for a golf game online, but very few manage security rights well, and even fewer integrate with a homeowner's consumer electronics and home automation system.

First Steps

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:27:34 EST

A NEW JOINT STUDY ON HOME TECHNOLOGY by Parks Associates and Builder finds that 56 percent of home builders look for new products to set them apart from the competition. Leading devices include home controls, security systems, central vacuums, and entertainment systems.