About two weeks ago, I was at PCBC 2010 in San Francisco. This is a regional trade show for the home design and construction markets. Before arriving at the show, attendees were surveyed about business conditions, the housing industry in general, the recession and what they expect to take away from attending PCBC.

The results are interesting. Even in California, one of the hardest-hit states in the housing market, 76% of PCBC attendees say their businesses are no longer contracting. Of those, 44% say their businesses are growing. In addition, 64% of show attendees say they have become more competitive as a result of the recession, while 60% say they are more adaptive.

I wonder where your business would fit into these survey results, which are illustrated in the following charts that were displayed on the show floor.

If you have thoughts to share after digesting the information in these charts, please either send 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.”

Click on the photos below to view larger versions of the charts.

Chart 01 - Effect of the recsssion on business

Chart 02 - Effect of the recsssion on attendees

Chart 03 - Effect of the recsssion on the industry

Chart 04 - Building activities performed by company

Chart 05 - What attendees are looking for at the show

Chart 06 - Who attendees are meeting with at the show

I had lunch recently with some builders and architects. The conversation turned to architects who also build. We pondered how many residential architects are also responsible for buying and installing products. These types of businesses are, of course, also known as design/build firms.

The two architects at the table were design/builders so they certainly were qualified to comment on the topic. After discussing the value of building their own designs, the conversation focused on the impression this leaves on the homeowner. Both architects at the table said that, in the end, their clients view them as builders. This, they said, is neither right nor wrong; it’s simply the reality, and they are fine with it.

The homeowners’ perception of these two architects as builders reflects a job well done. These architects did such a good job designing and constructing their clients’ homes, they successfully blurred the line between architect and builder. The role of architect and builder are separate and defined, and each brings value to the table, but they are also interrelated. So, from the client’s perspective, does it really matter how they remember you, or is the quality of your work what matters most?

As an architect who also builds, would you be upset to be remembered by your clients as their builder?

As a builder who also designs, would it upset you if your clients thought of you as their architect?

Share your thoughts 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.”

The results of a survey of homeowners who had completed remodeling work within the past two years clearly indicate homeowners place a high degree of value on keeping the jobsite clean and having their expectations managed. The survey is conducted annually by my sister publication, Qualified Remodeler.

With question after question, the survey reveals that if you focus on certain aspects of a construction project such as cleaning up at the end of the day or managing your clients’ expectations about the project’s progress, they are much more happy with you. As a result, they will be much more likely to call you again for work or refer you to someone else who needs your services.

The first thing you can do is clean up the jobsite. The majority of your clients live in their homes during remodeling projects, and are on site several days a week on new construction jobs, checking on progress. Some contractors go so far as fining their subs if it’s learned they didn’t clean up the jobsite at the end of the work day. Clients who said their contractor kept their home clean were more satisfied than clients who experienced a dirty jobsite.

Regarding your clients’ expectations, it will pay dividends if you stay in contact on a regular basis while letting them know exactly what they’re in for. Before the project begins, tell them about the excitement they’ll feel at the beginning, when they see walls enclosing their home and the roof going on. Then tell them they will become frustrated soon after while the visual reminders of progress become hidden behind these new walls. Let them know what’s coming next at every stage of the project, and they’ll come out happier on the other end.

While these survey results pertain to remodeling jobs, there is no doubt that the principles contained within them can and should be applied to new home design and construction. Your reward for paying attention to these areas of customer satisfaction is repeat and referral business, which we all know is the lifeblood of most construction businesses.

Do you have any tricks for creating satisfied customers?

Share your thoughts 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 have been traveling around the country since February giving a presentation titled, “20 Ways to Boost Your Marketing in 2010” to builders, designers and remodelers. It’s an hour long, and the first 25 minutes are devoted to social media and Internet marketing. When I got to the point in my presentation about YouTube.com, a builder in Detroit raised his hand and said, “Why would I want to do any of this Facebook or YouTube stuff? It seems kind of silly.”

Thankfully, I had the perfect answer, thanks to Bob Burnside of Fireside Home Construction in Southeast Michigan, a custom builder I met about an hour before my presentation. Bob had been telling me about the extensive social media marketing efforts he and his marketing director Eve Pidgeon had embarked on, one of which was a company page on YouTube.com.

Bob told me, “I got a phone call a few weeks ago from a client who said he had spent the past hour watching the videos on my YouTube page. He said, ‘I watched all these videos about the green homes you’ve built, and your approach to green building, and I want you to build my next home, Bob.’” I congratulated Bob on being so progressive about Internet marketing.

As you might have guessed, I told this story to the guy who asked me that question during my presentation. When I was finished, he – and half the people in the room – raised his eyebrows, nodded his head, smiled a little and mumbled “Hmmm, interesting.” I added the point that this is only one success story and it’s not going to work like this for everyone, but you never know what might happen if you give it a shot.

Thanks, Bob, for that perfectly timed assist. I’m glad I met you.

Do you have a similar success story?

Share your thoughts 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.”