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.”

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 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.”

My magazine was in need of a pop-up display to promote ourselves at a series of local trade shows I’m attending across the country over the next several months. Our art director did a great job utilizing the tall, narrow space, and the display company did a good job turning around the job very quickly for us. We couldn’t have been more pleased.

And then I took the pop-up display on its first trip with me. Within five minutes in the security line at the airport, the handle on the so-called carrying case rips off. Over the next 24 hours the two holes left where the handles were once attached increased to more than four times their original size. Then, when I get to the trade show and unzip the bag, the zipper handle rips completely off, rendering the zipper useless. Finally, as I’m leaving the show I notice a piece of the display system poking out the bottom of the bag.

Here we have a display company that did an awesome job for us, that turned the project around in lightning-fast speed, that delivered a pretty cool portable display system that looks great and does the magazine proud. But then it’s packaged in a flimsy, cruddy fabric bag not much stronger than a Kleenex tissue.

The lesson I learned is to finish strong. Complete the job to the very end, because sometimes the final impression is the one that lasts.

Am I right? Am I wrong? Can you apply this theory to home building and design? What do you think? 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.”