Articles

Like Reese Witherspoon in a romantic comedy, this house flat out exudes charm. It’s a simple ranch that hits all the key marketing hot spots for today’s buyer. The open plan and long site lines also help it to live a whole lot larger than what it is. Let’s take a closer look: Read More &nbs...
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The overriding principle of Lean Design is marketability. The winning combo is to make the home simple and efficient to build while having an elevation that will blow your face off. Make the design current with all the hottest trends, but hold the complexity of multiple foundation jogs, improper b...
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As I travel the country working with builders I am always on the lookout for emerging trends. There is a hot one cooking right now—decorative ceilings. This trend is borne from another—the open floor plan. Consumers love the open floor plan concept. One room flows into another. The kitch...
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Sept. 20, 1977, was the day that I breathlessly awaited the conclusion of the shark-jumping episode of "Happy Days." All week long I had fretted about Fonzie’s mid-air cliff hanger. While Fonzie (clad in leather jacket and water skis) successfully made the jump and lived to be cool another day, t...
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After my January 2013 article in Professional Builder, “3 Ways to Huge Profits Through Lean Design,” was published, I was thrilled to get a shout-out from a faithful reader regarding a costly insulation mistake. It was too good not to share. Here is what he wrote:   Mr. Hallett,   I w...
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During a recent Lean design implementation, Ernie, a solid project manager of nine-plus years, shared his pain with me.   “A few weeks ago, I got this call from Tim, our concrete guy, saying the plot plan for lot 10 did not match the foundation plan. He had his crew on site and nearly at a st...
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This little plan has really been a high producer. It is simple to build, lean, and has great curb appeal. As a result this plan has sold very well for several builders. It reminds me of the quote, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The bits and pieces of this seemingly simple plan...
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