The International Builders’ Show begins next week in Las Vegas. For those of you who’ve never been, it’s the largest annual gathering of the building world, a carpenter’s Woodstock minus the music. A million-plus square feet of floor space is devoted to every product you could imagine might be associated with homebuilding.
The show is also seen by the industry as a bellweather of sorts. For example, no one at the 2009 show was surprised that attendance was lower than in years-past, given the great hissing sound of air leaving the building bubble.
Model Home Falls Victim to Credit Crunch
This year’s indicator wasn’t intentional, but it sure is symbolic. The annual showcase home, built every year to display the latest in products and innovations, will only be accessible as a virtual tour for attendees inside the convention center, instead of the usual bus ride across town to the real thing. The reason? This year’s showcase house won’t be finished in time for the show, a victim of the credit crunch. According to NAHB’s website:
| “The banking industry’s reluctance to make loans for acquisition, development and construction, coupled with the housing downturn in Las Vegas, made it difficult (for the builder) to find alternative financing for TNAH (The New American Home) 2010.” |
Now, I’m not a fan of kicking someonewhen they’re down, but it seems to me that, given the state of the housing industry over the last two years, someone could have come up with a better model home. They might have seen this one coming.
For starters, perhaps a house that was smaller and more practical—this year’s 6,000 square-footer is touted to be the smallest model home yet, “a model of space efficiency in residential design.”
Yes, it’s a showcase, and there has to be room for all the sponsors that ponied up to have their wares displayed. And this house does have some interesting features—a novel approach to a concrete slab and an innovative insulated concrete block for the walls. But anyone with half a brain should be able to see that the days of McMansions and the Happy Deal are finished. There isn’t a market for these kinds of houses.
Instead, there are a lot of builders out there wondering how they’re going to meet next week’s payroll, and a lot more homeowners wishing that they could find a house of one-third the size that was both affordable and energy-efficient. Where’s the model for that?
P.S. If you have a question about tools, materials, or the future of the home building industry, let us know. We’re taking questions from readers and will hit the show floor with camera and notebook in hand in search of answers. Read more…
| HEADLINES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS’ SHOW | |
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IBS 2010: The Model Home Gets a Reality Check A case study in irony: Construction stops on 6,000-square-foot showcase home dubbed ‘The New American Home’ after falling victim to the credit crunch. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: Schluter Introduces new Foam Core Tile Backer System Structural panels will ease the process of making tile partitions, walls, and structures for bathrooms and more. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: More Bang for Your Flush in Kohler’s 1.28 gallon Toilet With water conservation top of mind Kohler showed off its new 1.28 gallon one-piece toilet at the International Builders’ Show here in Las Vegas. Read more… |
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Generac Standby Generator is Smarter than Me A tour of Generac’s booth left me wondering why more homes aren’t equipped with emergency power. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: Spray Insulation Rigs for the Rest of Us Looking to get into the spray insulation business but don’t want the huge investment? Here’s a new portable unit you might be interested in. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: Promising new water heater GE released the first Energy Star rated water heater that uses heat pump technology and smart controls for significant energy saving potential. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: Stiletto to Introduce New Titanium Square and Knife The maker of high-end titanium hammers and prys shows off prototypes of its upcoming speed square and utility knife, due out later this year. Read more… |
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IBS 2010: Day One Round Up of New Tools and Products From entry-level spray foam applicators to a rainwater collection system to some smaller gadgets and accessories, here’s what caught our eye at day one of IBS. Listen to the audio slideshow… |
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The age of the McMansion is rapidly coming to a close. Apparently, someone didn't get the memo.
View Comments
At least the unbuilt behemoth is copied from Wright's Fallingwater (built during the last Depression) and doesn't look like the mish-mash mcmansions sitting idle across the nation. Other than that, you said it all!
"Copied from Wright's Fallingwater"? What photo are you looking at DingusMcPhee? Just wondered; What happened to the brick? Is that haphazard pattern a new style? Looks more like painted out graffiti. Wouldn't you think the IBS committee would have had enough foresight and imagination to build something more inspirational than this generic multi-gabled stilty-posted-entry McMansion? It looks like the first page from any 1995 home planning magazine. They must not read Fine Homebuilding.
I just received some free promotional literature in the mail from James Hardie, along with a sample of their new Artisan siding, that included a surprisingly well done design book, "The Value of Design", by Marianne Casuto. Builders looking for some inspiration and what-to-do/what-not-to-do ideas can go to James Hardie's Artisan website to request a copy for themselves at: http://www.artisanluxury.com/request.shtml. Just fill out the form and check both literature request boxes.
My mistake, DingusMcPhee. I was looking at the photo posted at the top of the article. I hadn't clicked on the underlined "showcase house" text.