A husband and wife custom home-building team I recently met inspired me to share their story. They own land near a military base, and foresee an increased need in the near future for housing soldiers and their families. Custom home building has been horrible for them, so rather than letting luck determine their fate, they decided to do something about it.

They contacted an elected official friend of theirs who agreed to help them in their efforts to make something happen for the community. And so began their builder recruitment campaign, which is fresh out of the gate, not yet in full force. The concept is to recruit local builders for a home building bonanza, and also to get them energized about the prospect of building homes again.

Cynical types will be inclined to see nothing more than a land sale with a clever name, but I see a common goal of generating construction activity in the community. Yes, it will generate revenue for the husband and wife team, no doubt. But they will have earned it if they can get some activity going for the community, don’t you agree?

I asked them how the recruitment plan was going and one of them said, “It could be better, but at least we’re not sitting on our butts doing nothing. We’re trying anything we can think of.”

That’s what I like to hear.

Do you know of any efforts like this?
Do you think this will work?
Is this recruitment plan nothing more than a land sale?

Let me know by sending me an e-mail. Or, scroll up to the first paragraph of this blog entry, look to the right and click where you see, “Leave a comment” or “Post or view comments.”

I ran into a former colleague today at the airport. The last time I saw him – which was, again, at an airport – he and his wife were at the beginning stages of building their first home. He was, as expected, excited about the process.

As we walked through the security line I asked him how his house was. A funny smile came across his face, and without him saying a word I knew it was bad news. He then told me that he hasn’t moved in because of all the liens against the house. It turns out the builder – who was his wife’s cousin – wasn’t paying the subcontractors.

He and his wife have been spending all their time, and hundreds of thousands of additional dollars (about 50 percent more than the original budget) negotiating themselves out of lien hell. My former colleague then told me it’s a possibility they might have to sell the house as soon as they’ve removed the final lien to get out from under the financial burden.

After telling him how bad I felt for him and his wife, I asked, “So, what’s the lesson? Never do business with family?” He said, “No. The lesson is never change the way you do business BECAUSE it’s family.”

So I ask you, what’s the lesson here?
Does my former colleague have it correct?
Do I have it correct?
Or are there more than one lesson to be learned from a story like this?
Would this have happened if the builder’s clients were total strangers?
Was there no way to avoid this situation?
What are your rules for doing business with family or friends?

Let me know by sending me an e-mail. Or, scroll up to the first paragraph of this blog entry, look to the right and click where you see, “Leave a comment” or “Post or view comments.”

I’ve been meeting a lot of architects and custom home builders lately at all these Pro Expos I’m attending across the country. And I’ll continue to meet more of you over the next few months.

One of my standard questions I ask architects and builders when they approach my booth is, “How’s business?” Mostly, the response is, “Eh, it’s been better.”

Then I ask, “Are you doing any new construction?” The common response is, “No, it’s mostly remodeling, plus a little bit of this, a little bit of that; whatever I can get my hands on.” These are owners of firms built on new construction work.

So now after four weeks of talking to many of you, I’m wondering if there’s enough work out there for everyone. If all these new-construction firms are doing more remodeling work, and any other work they can get their hands on, I’m wondering where’s the tradeoff?

As more people sustain themselves on pieces of the remodeling pie, something has to give. I know some businesses close their doors, while others of you are telling me you’re forced to conduct layoffs. But are those the only two options out there? Get into another market and lay people off, or close your doors?

Since I haven’t met most of you, my question to you is; Is there enough work out there for everyone? Are market changes and layoffs the only ways to stay in business?

What do you think? Let me know. Let me know. Or, scroll up to the first paragraph of this blog entry, look to the right and click where you see, “Leave a comment” or “Post or view comments.”

If you ever wondered why there wasn’t an association specifically for architects who design custom residential projects, you might be a future member of CRAN.

If you ever wanted to network with leaders of noncompeting custom residential design firms, you might be a future member of CRAN.

If you have been frustrated by your national association’s lack of focus on your needs as a custom residential architect, you might be a future member of CRAN.

CRAN is the Custom Residential Architects Network. It was founded a few years ago by members of the American Institute of Architects who were frustrated at the lack of attention given by AIA to the needs of residential architects. CRAN’s membership now numbers in the hundreds, and continues to grow.

For those of you interested in face-to-face interaction with other custom residential architects, CRAN is planning its first live event in Austin, Texas, to take place Oct. 22-24. For more information on this event, visit the web sites listed in the next two paragraphs, or send an e-mail to the CRAN chairman, Luis Jauregui.

If you’re interested in Internet-based social networking with other CRAN members, go to their group site and join in the discussions.

CRAN also has a microsite on the AIA web site where you can find more information about who they are and how to join.

Are you a member of CRAN? If so, do you like it? If not, would you consider joining? Let me know.Let me know. Or, scroll up to the first paragraph of this blog entry, look to the right and click where you see, “Leave a comment” or “Post or view comments.”