Plattsburgh Housing Outlet

Some pretty tasty pizza

2012-01-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

Our first home building seminar of the year is coming up soon. We are happy to offer these workshops 5 or 6 times a year because there is so much to learn when building a new home. We often have folks come who have owned homes before but never built- it's much different.

Some of the things we talk about are how to finance your home and what a lender is looking for, the differences and advantages of manufactured and modular homes, and how to find and develop land.

Over the nine years we have been offering the seminar, we have never had one person sorry they spent the time to come. They don't all ultimately decide that building is for them, but at least you know and understand the process!

If you'd like more details you can visit our website or give us a call. If you decide you'd like to join us, there is no cost or obligation, we just ask that you RSVP so we can save you a seat- and properly plan dinner, after all it is some pretty tasty pizza.

A new beginning

2011-12-07T07:50:00.000-08:00

This has been the year of water. On the same day as our spring open house in March at PHO, our personal basement flooded due to a big run off at Consumer Square coupled with our sump pump giving out. While it was a couple of weeks of hard work and frustration, and at the time felt horrible. But it proved to be nothing to what came later in the spring for our area. Lake Champlain rose to over 103 feet- it had never happened before, and the loss and heartache was substantial.

And then, at the end of August, Hurricane Irene came through upstate NY and especially VT with a vengeance. My cousin's home had 7 feet of water in it. She lives in Waterbury, VT and nowhere near the Winooski River, but it made it's way to her house. She is among the lucky that were able to recover (relatively) quickly due to a good FEMA and friend response. They are back in their home. We just received a thank you from them, that is a photo of their back yard- the play gym all but under water- and tall sunflowers in the back. The sunflowers survived, and had the water stains up their stems to prove their resilience.

A week or so later, Hurricane Lee ravaged the Binghamton NY area, and up the center of PA. As a result the Manorwood Homes facility was lost. The homes they had built that were ready to ship, homes that were being built, their parts, tools....everything....gone.

Their response to such adversity has been amazing and they have shown their strength as a company. They too were lucky, that they have a sister facility in Western PA that has been able to take over their production so their name and way of doing business will survive. And while I'm sure this hasn't been easy on anyone, they have tried to make the transition as easy as possible for their builder base.

Eric and I needed to see the facility first hand to make sure we were comfortable with everything- our brand and reputations were on the line too. And we were blown away by the product but mostly the people. Their level of professionalism and enthusiasm was contagious. It was a long couple of days there and back with the logistics of managing a business and kids proved difficult, it was worth it.

We are looking forward to this fresh start in a brand new facility. The thought of every details when designing this facility from the ground up, which was exciting to see. Here is a YouTube video showing the new facility. They move the module down the line on 'air bearings'. These air bearings enable them to push the sections from one station to another on air bags, similar to a hovercraft. Quite impressive. http://www.youtube.com/user/toddgriffith7?feature=mhee.

So this year, we have seen the worst of mother nature, and the best in people. It proves that good can come out of bad, afterall.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

Sounds corny, I'm sure, but we are blessed.

Thank you to all of our great staff, who have had to do more with less in these economic times. We are truly grateful that you are part of the team.

Thank you to my great friends and family, who help pick up kids, watch animals, and help around our office when needed. With Eric and I working together, we often have the same work functions etc to attend, and we couldn't possibly do it without you. To my dad especially, is my go-to guy to help me with my never ending projects :)

I have a great support system of friends who keep me motivated to exercise when necessary and remind me to enjoy my life and accomplishments.

And we are lucky indeed to have a fun, healthy family to enjoy this crazy, hectic life with. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Wishing you the best for the holidays.

Giving back

2011-10-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Our family has been blessed.

Our kids were born, one on their due date and one before without complication.

They have grown up healthy and happy.

But sometimes a child is born with a disability or develops an illness and in addition to the stress of having a sick child, there are often concerns about how to pay for transportation or hotel rooms near the hospital.

The Foundation of CVPH has a travel fund that helps support the needs of North Country families who have to travel for treatment. I (Michelle) am on the Board of Directors to help fund this and many other health education and wellness iniatives.

But this weekend, is an event particularly near and dear to my heart. Tomorrow is our 12th annual Halloween Festival. This all began in 2000 when a small trick or treat day was planned at Plattsburgh Housing Outlet where kids could come run around and the parents wouldn't have to worry about traffic or tainted candy.

It has evolved into a fundraiser that with any luck will have reached $40,000 in donations for the Ronald McDonald House in VT. They have told us that about 70-75% of the families that utilize that facility are from our three counties in NYS.

It is a place that you can stay for little or no cost and be near your child in need. They will feed you and provide shelter and a shoulder.

And for that reason, we will continue all the hard work that goes into the months of planning. I am forever grateful for the support of our local businesses and civic organizations who help out every year. Without them, this day would not be possible!

Great Article in North Country Scene

2011-10-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Michelle LaBounty stood outside the Plattsburgh Housing Outlet’s facilities and envisioned a small community, decorated with ghosts and ghouls and able to provide families with a safe place, worry free of traffic, to trick or treat.

“At the same time, the Ronald McDonald House in Burlington said a lot of people use their facility from our side of the lake and they could use a little assistance,” she said. “I thought if I just charged a dollar people could afford it and it could be a fundraiser too.” That birthed a yearly Halloween tradition that this year hopes to exceed $40,000.

“This is our 12th year,” said LaBounty, Marketing Director for Plattsburgh Housing Outlet.

She and her team start work each August to prepare for the Halloween Festival, which this year is being held on Oct. 29, from 1-4 p.m. for children 12 and under. Children 12 and under are encouraged to come in costume to the Plattsburgh Housing Outlet.

The model homes are displayed in a community setting, offering children a controlled environment for trick or treating.

Local businesses and civic organizations sponsor individual homes, staffing them and handing out candy and treats.

The festivities include a magician named Ishkabibble, who will be next door at Della Honda at 2 p.m.

Photo from previous
Plattsburgh Housing Outlet’s
trick or treating events.
Photo provided.

Also on hand at the Halloween Festival are arts and crafts, a raffle and an array of 25-cent games.

“Participants can bob for apples and enjoy cider and munchkins, LaBounty said.

Adirondack Safe Kids Coalition will also support the event and provide Halloween safety advice and car-seat checks.

District 3 plans to display a fire truck and offer tips, while the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department will conduct fingerprinting and ID service.

Plattsburgh Housing Outlet will contribute all proceeds from the Halloween Festival to the Ronald McDonald House in Burlington. The Housing Outlet has raised nearly $40,000 since the festival started.

“My kids are now 12 and 16 and they will help out that day,” LaBounty said. “It is important as a parent to be present in your community and to show kids by example by helping people sometimes less fortunate that yourselves.”

LaBounty is keeping her fingers crossed for good weather and is eager for a day of fun for families and their children.

But she encouraged families to attend no matter what the weather.

“On a bad year we get around 250 kids and on a good year 600 to 700,” LaBounty said. LaBounty described it as two-fold event that is a fun and safe place for people.

“We have been lucky in the North Country, but on Halloween at the end of October, it is dark when kids go trick or treating and sometimes they are in dark clothing walking on the highway where cars drive quickly,” she said. “Statistically, it is a dangerous night, and this eliminates that worry of going around the roads and relieves a lot of pressure for parents.”

Full details are available at
www.plattsburghhousing.com
Parking is available on site as well as Della Honda, which is where car-seat checks occur.

Stephen Bartlett spent 13 years as a journalist but left to pursue a career in direct support for individuals with developmental disabilities, inspired by his son, Samuel, who has 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. He also has a 16-year-old daughter and has lived in Plattsburgh for the past 12 years. Besides spending time with his children and his fiance Erica, Stephen enjoys writing fiction, snowboarding, martial arts, running and playing guitar. Despite leaving journalism as a career, Stephen continues to freelance for the Press-Republican and is passionate about relaying the community’s stories to its readers.

What makes our jobs worthwhile...

2011-10-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

Building a home is really only part of it for us. We love when our clients keep in touch after they move in. Here are a couple of emails we have received this week.

"We simply love the house. We have received so many compliments on it."

"Here is why I hate going home" (To Long Island after being at camp on Fern Lake)

A picture is worth a thousand words...

It takes a village

2011-09-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

As I was getting organized at my desk this morning, I looked over at the banana bread I brought for breakfast. And started thinking about how lucky Eric and I are to have our families pitch in when we need help at the office.

You see, Eric and I had a business trip last week, and with two kids still at home, we not only have to worry about the logistics at PHO when we are gone, but also kids and pets. Eric and I are so lucky that his mom is willing and able to watch the boys when we are gone. Truthfully, they are probably pretty disappointed coming home. She made them eggs for breakfast every day before school, to which they replied "mom never does this." It's true! They are on their own for weekday breakfasts- cereal, maybe toast, but never eggs! I do try on Sundays, but...

And we had some bananas left at home, so MaryAnn made us a banana bread.

Equally as awesome, I am lucky to have a handy Dad that whenever I have something that I need help with at work, he is able to help me. He replaced all the ballasts in our lights with newer more energy efficient ones to save money. Yesterday, he helped me put together a table. In a couple of weeks, I will solicit his help getting all the tables and chairs for our Halloween Festival- and the list goes on.

I don't know how we would ever get all that's needed done alone. So in case it is not expressed enough, thank you from the bottom of our heart!

Your education shouldn't end after you graduate.

2011-09-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's quiet early in our house tonight, in anticipation of the first day of school for the city schools.

Backpacks are ready, lunch checks written, shower schedule has been discussed... so far, so good.

But it occured to me that there are always reasons your entire life to continue your education. I have some sort of book going at all times, for a while I was reading books on training for triathlons, I have read numerous books on business and there are lots of great blogs and trade journals to continue to better our craft. As the kids have grown, I was always reading up on their development. The more I know, the more I realize there is to know!

And we try to do our part by offering our home building seminars. For the past eight years, we have offered these workshops at no cost or obligation to the participants. Our adage is really, an informed customer is a happy customer. And you are welcome to come time and time again. (The pizza really is good.) But chances are one session will be at the time you are just thinking about building, another might be right after you have completed a mortgage application, and then next during the construction phase. There is something new to learn each time!

The next session has just been scheduled for Thursday, October 6th. If you'd like to join us, we'd be happy to get you all the details.

So continue to learn and grow, and hopefully I get the kids to school on time!

What a difference a day makes

2011-08-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well it's not every day that we are faced with a hurricane. Or I guess by the time good ol' Irene made it here, she was a tropical storm. I'm not sure anyone sent her that memo because she wasn't very kind to us.

Her havoc was felt all across the region, and while we feel lucky no one we knew was injured, her devastation ran deep. I am watching my cousin's boys this week so that she and her husband can clean up from the mess in Waterbury VT. They ended up with 5' of water in their basement and 4" of mud across their entire upstairs. I figured it would be at least one less thing to worry about if we watched the boys.

Stories from Keene Valley to Peru to Beekmantown have all come in from our staff and customers.

And while we joke around at our seminars on how long it will take to get power for new constuction after a storm, no one really thought it would be like this.

The irony in all of this, is another cousin lives in NC right where the hurricane came ashore. They lost power for about 18 hours only, and not a single shingle on their roof.

So once again, we'll dust ourselves off and start again. The North Country folks are hearty for sure. We lost a couple of days in the clean up but will pick back up where we left off. Like the ice storm before it, some day this will make for a good story.

We wish all of our friends and neighbors well as they clean up...

A story years in the making

2011-08-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

This story started way back in the early 1940’s when my wife’s Grandfather purchased a few pieces of property near the Bob Sled Run in Lake Placid, NY. That being said, I won’t bother with the details – but suffice it to say that my wife and her family enjoyed many summers on the property with her Grandparents. Back in 1997 when we were married the property on which my wife had spent so many wonderful times with her family came up for sale. Her Uncle was retiring to Arizona and couldn’t use the property as often as he’d like. We approached her Uncle Walter and were able to purchase the property.

That’s where our part of the story begins. Being newlyweds and full of the ‘I can conquer’ anything spirit, we instantly started visiting our ‘property in the Adirondacks’ and developing our grandiose plans for rehabilitating the camp and putting a cabin on the property that we could share with our children and family in the years to come. Once our first child, Gabrielle, was born, we knew that it would take a little longer to come to realize our dream. Our second child, John Jr., came shortly thereafter and our lives were enveloped in love and starting new ‘stories’. Unfortunately this left only a weekend here and there to visit our property to start the memories. Our busy calendars coupled with the expenses associated with ‘vacationing’ in the Adirondacks made it difficult to visit more often.

All the while we visited home shows, spoke with builders and were continually met with the realization that there was no one out there that would help us meet our vision in the budget that we had. One day someone at work mentioned that their Uncle had worked with a group in the Plattsburgh area and provided the contact information. I reached out to this group via email and within what seemed like minutes received a response from Michelle. Subsequent fact finding led to a conversation, then numerous exchanges of floor plans and more discussions.

Finally, we felt like someone was understanding the dream, our vision and even more so was willing to work with us to leverage patience, compromise and further understood the concept of building memories with one's family.

We drove up to our property to meet Michelle and her team in person to get a lay of the land. From that meeting we came away with the same ‘can do’ attitude, and an overwhelming feeling that we were on the right track with the right builder.

We had developed a floor plan and were very close to ‘pulling the trigger’ when Michelle called and said ‘I couldn’t sleep at night if I didn’t provide you this new plan’. Ultimately, it was this new plan that we went with – with some modifications and what we ended up with was something in between what we wanted and what we could afford. A plan that saved us substantial money with limited compromises.

Here's what we think is the best part. Throughout this whole process, mind you it was a matter of 6 months or so, we received the utmost in personal attention, understanding and an overall feeling of 'family'. Working with Michelle was just a wonderful experience. We found that we both had children around the same age and started sharing stories of our sons escapades on the baseball field. Our sons even have the same nicknames... Too close? - not at all. Michelle welcomed us, worked hard on our behalf and instilled a feeling of trust that we hadn't received before. Being over 4 hours away and doing 90% of this by phone you'd think there'd be some level of apprehension - there was none. We felt like our Sister was building us our dream.

A few days before we were supposed to take delivery of the house and have it set, Michelle called. She knew that we'd taken time off from work to come up and watch this spectacle; and she also knew of the pending weather event that might shut it down. She was proactive and called with the bad news that she thought we should delay the set, knowing that we'd be disappointed to some degree. That said, she was able to move things around so that the delay would be less than a week and our plans were amended and back on.

The day finally came and we were there bright and early only to meet the set crew busy readying everything for the day's events. within a matter of hours the house was set and they were on to weathering it in. Our dream was a reality.

Michelle made a special trip down that day to meet us and share in our joy. Talk about personal service.

It's been about a year now since that day. We've been given our dream - a beautiful home in the Adirondacks that we can share with all of our friends and family, creating lasting memories of our own. In addition, we have gained a great friend and member of our family in Michelle and her family. Our boys have met in person and shared a few frames at the local bowling alley and have acted like best friends fooling around at the dinner table. Yes, Michelle and PHO have made our dream a reality and helped to make our house a home.

We cannot tell you how wonderful and experience this has been. We were able to create our own dream with the help of a wonderfully talented staff and a dedicated builder. Again, all done electronically, over the phone and through the wonders of the internet; Michelle took the time out of her schedule to answer every question, and make things happen. She worked with the builder, the town and all other needed parties to make this all smooth and seamless. We never had a reservation or concern about this endeavor regardless of the distance between us and the site - Michelle and her team took care of it all.

We look forward to many years of enjoyment with our family and to our new friendship with Michelle and her family, and would recommend PHO without reservation to anyone -whether near or far.

Thanks Michelle - you will always have a place at the table in our new home.

The Garizio's, Brookfield, CT

A first

2011-06-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

We have been sent cookies, cakes, flowers and thank yous. We have gotten Dunkin Donut cards and other restaurant certificates thanking us for our work. But we have never been invited over for dinner...until tonight.

We had a lovely evening at Mary's new home. She wanted to get settled, and then wanted to get her AC in before having us over, and then it was baseball season so we got very busy at dinner time- but finally the stars aligned today and we enjoyed dinner today.

Mary built a new 2000 sf home for she and her cat. Some may call her eccentric. Perhaps she is, but she lives the life she wants and doesn't have a mean bone in her body. We got to see the many collections she had tonight. We got to hear the stories behind each wall color she chose, and the talents until tonight I didn't realized she possessed. She is an accomplished artist- watercolors, oils and sculpting. She has awards after awards from local county fares rewarding her work. It was heartwarming to see.

And we spoke of our families, and the chicken she made reminded me so much of a family recipe from my mom's side. All pretty cool.

And I have to admit, all the colors of carpet and paint, the window locations- all the things that I may have had some doubt over- I was wrong. It all is perfect and works. She was right and she has created her perfect safe haven. Her vision came true. And we are pleased in some small way to have played a part in its creation.

Pizza and Prizes

2011-05-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

It seems like we just has a seminar, but yet here we go again! We try to have a workshop every couple of months, because our clients come in throughout the year and we never want them to have to wait to long.

The seminars at the very beginning of the year tend to be the best attended- we had 54 in January. Which for my ego is nice, but this time I think we will end up with 15-20 in attendance, and I actually really like that size as after the session is over we can all spend really good one-on-one time with those who came.

If you are considering coming, please try to make the effort. It is an educational environment not a high pressure sales setting. Of course we would like the opportunity to earn your business, but not because you got pressured in, but for the right reasons.

If you are not available for this session, there will be more in July and October! Come enjoy dinner on us and learn before you leap!

How to stage your current home for a quick and profitable sale!

2011-04-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Once your home has been scrubbed, de-cluttered, and repaired, staging your home is the last step you take before your home is ready to show. Think of staging as the difference between you getting ready for work on a regular day, and you getting ready on your wedding day.

You are clean and presentable every day, but the day you got married you went above and beyond.

We often describe our model homes as being “staged.” It is how we try to show the homes in their best light with carefully selected furnishing and décor, minus life’s day to day clutter.

Staging can help sell your home quicker and for more money so it is worth the effort.

It is all about evoking an emotional response from potential buyers.

Staging can be done by professional companies, but here are a few tricks of the trade to help you accomplish the same result:

• Use silk or wool throws over a side chair to add dimension

• Display knick-knacks in odd grouping (3,5 etc– that kind of odd– not Use plants, twigs, pinecones etc to bring in natural elements

• Re-luster furniture and cabinets to make them look richer

• Use a large bowl and fill it with fresh fruit for a focal point on your kitchen island

• Add a basket of bath products to the corner of your soaker tub

• Tie new towels with a pretty ribbon

• Use potpourri and fresh cut flowers to make your home smell pretty. Consider baking bread before a showing.

• Arrange some potted flowers or patio tomatoes on your deck and by your front door.

An informed customer is a happy customer

2011-03-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago we started our home building seminars. The first one was held in May at the Holiday Inn, Plattsburgh. We weren't sure what to expect-whether customers would be interested in taking time out of their busy days to come listen and learn.

But while the content has evolved over the years, and the venue is now Dino's Pizza, one thing has stayed the same- our customers are appreciative of the information we provide.

The first year we did one seminar, the second year we did two, and since then we have done 4-5 every year. We space them out so that there will always be a new learning opportunity in the not too distant future. We go over how to finance a home and what a lender is looking for to qualify you for a mortgage, the differences and advantages of manufactured and modular homes, and how long the building process takes.

One of my favorite points in the evening is the question/ answer portion because it changes each time. I "bride" the attendees with little prizes for asking a question because people are shy at first, but it always gets going and sometimes gets pretty animated.

And while we offer this service with no cost or obligation, and while its primary intent is to educate our clients on what to expect during the somewhat daunting home buying experience, there has been an interesting unexpected effect from these workshops. An informed customer is a happy customer. It has also helped us as the builder when a new client has been to the home building seminar. They have an idea of what happens next and aren't surprised when we talk about things like appraisals or NYSEG delays.

Our second session of the year is scheduled for tomorrow. We have a couple "second timers" who are now a little closer to building who wanted to come learn a little more and several new faces- some have been into our see us, and some who saw the advertisement in the paper and tomorrow we will meet for the first time.

So as long as we have continued interest, we will put in the effort to host them!

A special thank you

2011-03-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

We received a special acknowledgement of our and our contractors work yesterday. It warmed my heart. Our customer, Mary, came in and presented us with a beautiful play-by-play photo album of her home's completion from start to finish.

It was done with love, and she was so proud of her work, which made it even more special.

On a busy day, in a busy week, it was nice to get a thank you. It reminds me of why we work hard at what we do.

February is American Heart Month

2011-02-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Heart disease has probably already affected you or someone you love. In fact, it is the #1 killer of women. Learn more and share your knowledge with those you care about- you could be a lifesaver!

Check out http://www.goredforwomen.org/ and order a GO RED healthy heart kit for up to 5 women you love!

Share heart healthy tips for Valentine's Day!

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Heart-Healthy-Valentines-Day-Tips_UCM_322023_Article.jsp

For every free Valentine you send on the Heart Association's website, Macy's will donate $1 up to $250,000 to GO RED for women!

Take care of your heart and help protect the hearts of those you love.

Your family needs you!

Home again, home again...

2011-01-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

We just returned from Florida where our buyer’s group met. It is a mandatory annual meeting where the group must have a quorum of its membership to act on items.

It is interesting to see how others in the industry are doing both personally and professionally. It was nice to see some old familiar friendly faces who asked about the boys. They were surprised when they heard that Josh just turned 16. Many of them met him when we first joined the group in 2000, after taking ownership at PHO. A few met him even before that in '97 on a Fleetwood Homes cruise (photo.) He was just two then and we were the only ones who brought our kid. Needless to say, he got a lot of attention from the moms in the group missing their own children. I’ll never forget when he said to me after returning home “Mom, when are we going back to the boat?” Funny kid.

It was nice to see some new faces too, mostly the next generation in a family owned business. There were a couple of young men in their early twenties clearly trying to get out of their father’s shadows and make a name for themselves. And there were other young families that looked like ours when we first started. Amazing how fast this all goes by.

I was surprised by the optimism in the room. This is not a naïve group of people. Many have been building homes for 3 or 4 decades, and they represent all areas of the country. While most thought there were still challenges ahead, they were excited by the traffic at their sales centers and number of commitments to build they have received. We too are feeling excited about the opportunities that this year will bring. With 54 in attendance at the seminar, we felt like most folks have realized they need to take advantage of these low interest rates. And while not everything is necessarily perfect, that’s life. We have often found that when people wait for everything to be just perfect, they never achieve their dream, because perfect rarely comes.

So, it’s back to the cold as I write this on the plane, and I am looking through the new agreements we forged with our building partners, pleased about what was accomplished and excited to pass on our efforts to our customers for a great housing value.

Oh, and there was a celebrity sighting to report- we saw Johnny Damon at Margaritaville enjoying lunch with his wife and kids. Eric says he signed with Tampa. Pretty cool.

What is your inspiration?

2011-01-12T17:48:00.000-08:00

Beyond the walls and R-value or our homes, what I find most interesting is the story behind a new home. Each home is different, and the reason to do so varies as well.

Sometimes, like today, its to celebrate an expanding family. I had the pleasure of having a great yong couple in today with their new baby daughter. They have a 2 year old son at home as well. They have the land and now we are helping to design their new home!

Other times, customers come to see us later. I had a great phone conversation with a customer today and her husband passed away a couple of years ago. She is now ready to start a new chapter in her life, and she has someone interested in their current home and business. The new home will offer her peace of mind as she will have little upkeep in a new home.

Regardless of the reason, we would be honored to help you. A home is where you feel most safe. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to assist you.

Start the new year on the right foot!

2011-01-05T18:21:00.000-08:00

Our first home building seminar of the year has been scheduled- and if this year your resolution is to finally build your dream home, then consider yourself invited!

There is no cost or obligation to join us- and even if your plans are for some point in the future, the information will stay with you. We have built homes for folks who came to seminars two years before!

We hold the workshop at Dino's Pizza so it is a relaxed environment- not high pressure "condo sales!"

You will learn about financing and lending requirements, how to find land and develop your property, how long building takes and more.

The best part is often the question and answer section- if you have a question, chances are the person next to you is thinking the same thing!

So mark your calendar for Thursday, January 20th! We can't wait to see you there! All the details are on the website.

Do you ever outgrow report cards?

2010-12-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

The day before Christmas both our boys got their progress reports. We also have a sign on the wall at the holidays that reads "Dear Santa, define good." Lucky for them, they both had all A's so Santa made a trip to our house after all. Apparently the lost science homework made its way into school in the nick of time.

In today's mail we received a Customer Satisfaction Survey from one of our customers. After a couple of months in their home, or in this case, camp, each of our customers receives this in the mail along with a self addressed stamped envelope. It's not designed for us to pat ourselves on the back, though that feels good from time to time, but it is a snapshot of what went well and areas that we could improve for next time.

It asks about our client's experience from the beginning to end and asks about honesty- a huge thing for me, helpfulness, knowledge and more.

We really appreciate the time it takes our customers to fill it out and we look at each one carefully because we should always strive to do better next time- even when it went well. Without change and improvement even the best companies can eventually falter so each of us involved talks about the "report card" and the opportunities for the next time.

Wishing you each a happy new year!

It was time for a facelift!

2010-12-23T07:17:00.000-08:00

I am just so excited! I spent much of the week adding, modifying and deleting information from our company website.

It's funny that what felt so perfect at one point in time, now felt outdated. So I spent some time on other websites figuring out what I liked or disliked about them, talked to customers, and my colleagues about what should be on mine- and while it will always be a work in progress, I think we have it!

I sent off the new tabs for my wizard designer to work on. We added information on project management and separated out our house plans from the models we have on site. And made a space for "getting started" which remains blank, but that is my next project!!

So take a peek at the new and improved http://www.plattsburghhousing.com/ and please tell me what you think. I really do welcome your suggestions!

Best wishes to you and yours for the holidays and may all your dreams come true in the new year!

In with the new

2010-12-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

We have made the final changes to our new chalet plan, and are now trying to figure out if we are best served with a winter or early spring set to have our new model come in.

A sneak preview... we are just bursting at the seams to share it with you!

We have decided to borrow from the Craftsman styling of the 30s and 40s. Classic, simple lines, but elegant in its own right.

It will have a beautiful lofted living room and dining room which will feature a
beautiful wall of windows to see the mountains, a lake or stream- whatever you desire!

And we are pleased that we worked and worked the plan and were able to encorporate a formal foyer with great guest closet in the entry.

The floorplan design will be posted on the website soon, and is available now by request. We can't wait to show you more!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2010-12-01T17:35:00.000-08:00

All I could think today in the pouring rain, was "what if this were snow?!" Boy would we have some snow! We are feverishly finishing the last of the projects and busy coodinating projects for the upcoming year. We know that you have a lot on your plate this time of year, but if you are organized and your gifts are purchased and your decorations are out- we have time for you!

It is actually a really relaxing time of year for you to come in, from our perspective. We have heat in our model homes so it will be comfortable to visit, and there aren't the distractions from the phones and walk- in clients are there is at other times of the year.

So by all means, come in! We are excited to show you homes on clearance as well as the design for the new cape chalet model.

After the wind storm today, I hope our beautiful decorations are still up. And if they fare well, I will post pictures of are hard work tomorrow! Not quite "Christmas Vacation" quality decorations but I still think it looks nice!

Speaking of "Christmas Vacation" we have started our annual Christmas movie extravaganza at home with the boys. We vote and watch "Elf," "A Christmas Story" and others- some even on VHS tapes we've had them that long!

We hope that you have a relaxing holiday season surrounded by your family and friends. Our best from our home to yours!

A time to give thanks

2010-11-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

We are enjoying a couple of days in Saratoga with Eric's sister and her family. Carlin is now just over a year and it is fun to watch the boys dote on her, and then she just beams in delight. She is now in love with her cats and her books which is great as they were all the books the boys grew up with- now we get to enjoy them all over again with her.

So we have much to be thankful this year- a great family, a rewarding career, and we are looking forward to see what the new year brings.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

A blast from the past

2010-11-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

I was tying up a few last loose ends after this years Halloween Festival today. I got all the last checks that came in over to the Ronald McDonald House today. Everyone who commited to help this year paid, woo hoo! It is always uncomfortable to make that call after the fact. Is wrote our "letter to the editor" and boxed the last of the goodies up for next year. As I was putting away my notes from this year, I looked through my files from past years and found some fun old articles.

So we are offically at over $37,500- not too bad for a small business and small staff but with BIG heart and ambition! All that money was sure to do some good and I have been humbled by all the stories I have heard of families using the House. Glad we can do our part to help.

This year, both my boths helped with the event. They helped blow up balloons and other things before hand at our house in the evenings, but this year they staffed a house for me as well. Actually it was an RV as we were down a couple of models- apparently, they now want to buy it :) It was a thing of beauty. I'm just not sure I want to commit to camping every weekend- that's a blog for another day.

But after a long day, we were in the car on the way home and I said to the boys, "Thanks again for your help today. I really appreciated all your help." I was half expecting to hear, "Oh yeah? Then run me through Starbucks..." But instead Jacob said, "You're welcome, Mom. I had a great time." That warmed my heart. I hope that I am instilling in them the importance of community service and helping those who are less fortunate then ourselves.

In closing, attached is the photo from the paper written the first year of the event. Jacob is just a baby and Josh was in preschool. Not sure what was up with my hair, but I'm going to pretend it was windy out. Wow-blink your eye and 11 years pass!

Ghosts and goblins welcome

2010-10-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

We are working at a fever pitch to get ready for this weekend's Halloween Festival. For those of you who don't know the history, we started the event 11 years ago when our sons were 4 and an infant. There were no events for little kids in the area and given the community like setting of our sales center, it seemed to be a perfect fit to host a halloween party.

So that's the humble beginning. It was going to be us and a few of our closest vendors and a small trick-or-treat fest at our sales center. Our office is off the street and so parents wouldn't need to worry where the candy came from or having their kids run into traffic. And then the call came... Jackie Mitchell was a neighbor of Eric's from VT and she had Audrey Magram call to see if we would be interested in doing some fundraising for the Ronald McDonald House in VT. She went on to explain that they got little support from our side of the lake, and many of the families that use their facility are from our three counties.

So, I started to think. I had just started planning this little party- and maybe the two ideas can do hand in hand. The first years were pretty modest, and we were humbled by the support of the community and our vendors and companies we do business with. When Della Honda moved next door, we asked for their help and as a good neighbor they offered us their service waiting area for the magic show and service bays for the car seat checks. The Adirondack Safe Kids Coalition no longer has the trouble they used to to get staff for the event now that it is indoors and out of the rain and cold.

We had commited to the event for ten years which has now come and gone. There are other events in the area around Halloween, so I was thinking that there wasn't really the need for the event anymore. But then in early September we started getting calls from past supporters and families asking if we were having it again. So... here we go again!

This year we expect to surpass the $35,000 mark for donations we have sent over to the Ronald McDonald House Charities and their support of families in need. I have heard how families have been touched by this facility and others like it and I feel blessed that I have only seen the house from afar.

Our staff has shrunk a bit since home buiding is off somewhat these days, and my home responsibilities with two growing boys have certainly grown, but it is an event near and dear to my heart so I will continue to be a one man band and plug away a bit each day starting in August and working up to the Saturday before Halloween. Much of the planning is now complete- what can be done is now done. All that there is left to do is.... THINK SUN!!!

A peek at history

2010-10-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

We found the blueprints for my Dad's family camp recently. Growing up, we would travel to Chateaugay Lake and camp, but the great camp was long since gone. I remember seeing the foundation but that was all that was left of this magnificent camp.

There is something magical about the lake. I still am drawn to it all these years later, and time moves a little slower at camp- something we could all use a little more of these days.

I grew up seeing pictures of the camp. The management at Republic Steel used the camp to entertain out-of-town executives. There were massive parties in the dining room that could seat 30-40 people and had this incredible floor to ceiling stone fireplace.

My Dad said today that the library in the camp was larger than his first home.

It's funny, how similar log cabins are today. These prints could be from now versus the 1930s. And I just wonder how much it would cost to rebuild today!

An inside look

2010-10-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I am headed to the Bill Lake Home Show in Sprakers, NY. We are lucky to have them so close as our customers can easily get an inside look into how modular homes are constructed.

Not only does our manufacturer allow customers to come tour his facility- he encourages you to- and even bribes you. You will get a $750 discount for attending the show or during a time that better suits your need. And if that weren't good enough, you actually could win up to $12,000 off your new home.

Over the years PHO has been lucky- we have had a $6,000 winner from Champlain two years ago, which allowed them a couple of extra luxuries they might have decided to forgo.

So if you are considering building a new home, come join me on Saturday and you will be convinced- having your home built indoors and with professional supervision is the way to go!

Out with the old

2010-09-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

And in with the new!

This was an exciting week, as our cape cod was dismantled from its temporary place at our sales center and moved to its forever home in Hogansburg!

The transition went very smoothly. Monday we scored the drywall that had been finished inside the home and took down the siding. Tuesday the crane and (un) set crew arrived and within two hours, the home was on the carriers, dormers off, and roof down!

We then shrink wrapped the two halves for transportation.

Day three- Wednesday- back up again!

And now we will get busy finalizing the order for our new model! It is a beautiful chalet design that we will have some nice craftsman accents on the exterior. In all the trade magazines, this has been a new trend and everyone I have spoken to about it, seems to think it will be a good fit for either a permanent home or camp!

And...it's only Wednesday!

Inspiration found!

2010-08-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Our cape cod model has been sold and we have been trying to decide on how to build and design our next model home. I have finally found our inspiration for the next model we will bring in. I have been drawn lately to the classic simple styling of Craftsman design. It is elegant but not overstated.

I remember when I found the inspiration last time, and now our beloved cape cod will soon be housing a father and his kids west of Plattsburgh. It's always a little sad saying goodbye, but quite exciting to show off the new as well.

The next couple of months will be a transition time, but we are excited with the opportunity!

An event two years in the making

2010-08-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are getting our sales center all spic and span this week in anticipation of the Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours which will be held here on August 19th.

We have the kids helping with the weeds and painting and hired someone to come tackle the shrubs which always get unruly this time of year!

If you are in the business community, we love to see you that night. You can download a flyer at http://www.plattsburghhousing.com/ and RSVP directly to the Chamber!

There will be lots of great freebies and giveaways as well as yummy food catered by the Smoked Pepper!

Hope to see you then!

End of an era

2010-07-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

We often see customers at a crossroad or new chapter in their life. We had one of those events in our lives this week.

Our play gym which the boys have enjoyed for several years came down. It was such a nice set and still in incredible shape that we gave it to another family for their twins to enjoy now! They wanted one but with the expense of twins didn't have the money to invest in it.

So while not a big enough event to warrant a new home, our back yard is undergoing a transformation. We are installing a putting green in that location. Eric and the boys have claimed the spot and although our backyard is sloped, we leveled that section off when we installed the gym. It has quirky corners so I think it will be a perfect spot!

Unfortunately, the end of the play gym symbolizes that we are one step closer to being empty nesters- not a day that I am looking forward to for sure, but for now I see some putting contests in our future!

I look forward to getting to see Ethan and Abby swinging away :)

A time to learn

2010-07-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

We have been offering our home building seminars now for over 6 years. Building your new home is such a huge undertaking and has so many facets- from finding the right land, to development costs, to obtaining a competitive mortgage and finally designing a home- we think it is a good idea to come learn before you leap.

There's no catch. Just sign up so we save you a seat. Come have dinner with our compliments and see if building is for you. We paint a realistic picture of what to expect.

Each session we have first timers come who have never owned before. We have folks who have bought an existing home before but never built a home designed for them. And we have plenty of advisors- those who come on behalf of someone else.

The first hour is a formal presentation, which I think is important and necessary. But the second hour- the question and answer period I always think is the most powerful. It is unscripted and changes each time.

As always, I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. We have several clients already under contract who just want a refresher on the process and we have several couples who are coming to the workshop who have never visited our model homes. It'll be a good day!

The dilemma

2010-07-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

Today was frustrating, indeed. We had scheduled a modular home set for today. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary, other than the fact that our client would have had to leave yesterday at noon to come up from Connecticut. The weather looked iffy at best in Lake Placid, where the home will be located. I looked at wptz.com- not looking good, so I went to weather.com for a second opinion- stilll not liking the results so let's give accuweather.com a try- no better.

This went on all weekend into yesterday morning. Until I had to make the call. If it had been a local customer we wouldn't have had to make the judgment call until about 6am today.

So, deep breath and one last look at the weather- and then the call. It is not looking promising. We need to reschedule. We all know that if one of the "isolated thunderstorms" came over while the home was wide open to the elements it would have been a disaster.

Last evening, horrific weather- my friend emailed me pictures from her mom's in Cliff Haven. It looked like a war zone. Boy, I felt we made the right call.

Then today came. I don't know for sure because I was in Plattsburgh, but at least here the weather was fine. Not a great day, but good enough.

I still do feel that we made the right decision given the facts we had at the time, but weather is fickle. I would rather err on the side of caution, especially since both our set company and the crane were available on Thursday of this week.

So the fun and excitement of set day was only postponed by two days, and the potential for ruined drywall was averted, but truth be told I would have been happier had it rained today.

On the other hand, if we had gone ahead with the set as planned, it would have poured for sure :)

This takes the cake!

2010-07-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

The saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. How about a delicious cake with just a few words?

A big thank you to Margaret for taking the time to make the staff a yummy treat last Friday, which also coincided with Eric's birthday.

It was a great surprise and we are so glad you appreciated our hard work!

191 Sweet Sugar Hill

2010-06-30T17:42:00.001-07:00

Today was a red letter day as I witnessed Valerie's USDA success event. The USDA helps American's realize their dream of owning their own home. As a result of their efforts, and more specifically Valerie's efforts, we are one step closer to helping that become reality.

Travis, Valerie's 6 year old son was proud as a peacock showing everyone around his new place.

I shared her original sketch she sent me, and it was on June 28th of last year- look what a difference a year has made!

The heart of the home

2010-06-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

There is a saying in real estate "kitchens and baths sell homes." It is true and probably why we place so much emphasis on the design.

It is the heart of the home. It is where the family gathers and as one customer said' "My kitchen is mission control." Whether doing homework with the kids, or paying bills, planning a trip- it all happens in the kitchen.

It is a great place to centrally locate the computer to keep an eye on which sites are visited.

Hence, the kitchen office idea has become more and more popular.

It can be a small space with great storage. It is a great location for a message board, calendar, charging station for cell phones- and more.

If all this isn't enough to convince you, ask Martha what she thinks!

Manufactured homes vs. modular homes

2010-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

One of the important discussions at our home building seminars every session, is discussing the differences and advantages of manufactured and modular homes.

Our next session will be mid-July, however we would be happy to counsel you one-on-one to see which style will best fit your needs and budget, or go to the "find a home" section of http://www.plattsburghhousing.com/ for some articles to begin your search.

Why decide?

2010-06-09T17:47:00.001-07:00

We took the boys to Boston last week for the Memorial Day Holiday. We spent two glorious days in the heart of Boston exploring the history and fun. We took in a Red Sox game and Jacob got to touch the World Series trophies!

I marveled at how the city is such a perfect mix of old and new. There is a house built in the 1700's next to a new skycraper- all over the city, and as strange as that may sound, it works!

I took this photo while on the freedom trail near Bunker Hill. The next time one of our customers can't decide on which exterior for their home, this will be my suggestion!

Boston- can't wait to come back!

A site built home built indoors

2010-05-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

Modular vs "Stick-built"

Modular homes are more popular today than ever before. There are plenty of reasons why people trust the quality, reliability, speed and generous pricing that modular homes provide.

Modular home quality has never been better than it is now. A modular home meets and exceeds traditional stick-built standards. Here are some of the advantages of choosing a modular home over stick-built:

Advantages:
1. Higher Quality Materials - Because a modular home is built using similar materials between each home, modular home builders purchase higher quality materials that are of more consistent quality.
2. Lower Cost Materials - Because a modular home builder purchases in large quantities, the materials used to bulid your home can be purchased more cost-effectively and those savings are passed down to you.
3. No cost overruns on site - How many times does a traditional builder have to run to Lowes etc... to get extra materials he/she didn't get in the first place? This problem is eliminated when choosing a modular home.
4. Less Time To Build - A traditional home takes between 6 - 12 months to build. A modular home usually takes between 6 - 12 weeks to build and set on your property.
5. Material Integrity - Because your modular home is built in a climate-controlled workspace that is protected from excessive heat, water and wind, a modular home's exterior and interior are not subject to rainshowers, windstorms and snow storms as well as the dirt and dust that plagues every traditional home build site.
6. Build Quality & Consistency - A traditional stick-built home may have a different person working on your home from day-to-day, picking up where someone else left off and sacrificing build quality and consistency. Modular homes are built using consistent build practices and personnel to ensure your home is built to the highest quality standards all with professional supervision.
7. Fewer & Shorter Delays - Have you heard horror stories about a traditional stick-built home taking months longer than expected to build and going thousands of dollars over budget? Wells Fargo did a study and what they found is that "modular homes are much less likely to go over budget."
8. Customization - Many people stray from building a modular home because they feel they won't be able to receive the options they want. This is incorrect. With modular homes you can often pick from different materials for construction such as OSB or Plywood, choose different types of floor joists like 2x8 or Open Web, pick insulation values, choose different window manufacturers or window styles, change snow and wind load requirements, choose from flooring such as hardwood or laminate, pick out kitchen cabinet styles & types, and much, much, more.
9. Modular Homes Cost Less - We know that price factors into your decision in selecting a home once you know you will receive a high quality home. FEMA found that modular homes withstand severe weather conditions better than site built homes as they have more lumber- you can save money AND have a well built house!
10. Look at value- pick a company that helps you through the daunting process of building your home and stands behind their homes long after you have moved in. Research your builder, make sure they have taken good care of their other customers because that will help predict how they will treat you!

2010-05-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

I is for insurance

Posted a few weeks ago by a builder friend of ours out of the area. I thought it beared repeating.

Question: What happens if during the building of your new home, there is a fire? You have closed on your construction loan and the bank has made several dispersement payments for the construction costs. You now have a mortgage but no home, who covers the damages?

Answer: Your Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy.

Most banks require that a Builder’s Risk policy be in place at the initial closing of a construction loan. They want to ensure that their interests (the money loaned for the project) are insured in the event of a catastrophic loss during the construction of a new home. Builder’s Risk Insurance is a physical damage policy that covers all phases of construction. From the moment equipment arrives on site to occupancy of the home. Some of the losses this insurance covers include theft and vandalism, water, fire and weather damage. This coverage is for the interests of the General Contractor, sub-contractors, bank and homeowner. Each policy is project specific and should be reviewed between the General Contractor and homeowner.

Does your G.C. have Builder’s Risk Insurance?

For more information, check out these links:

http://www.buildersriskinsurancehelp.com

http://www.ehow.com/how_2049312_prepare-builders-risk-insurance-checklist.html

Is it real or is it memorex?

2010-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

We just updated our building feasibility worksheet, under the "financing" section of our website. The worksheet has average costs on items such as your heating system or foundation.

We prefer to provide you with "real" numbers to avoid the "oh by the way" conversation later. While these numbers are just based on previous projects, and not yet site specific, they are designed to be realistic.

We want to earn your business for the right reasons, not because we tricked you into a low price and then do the old bait and switch technique.

As I have said before, I want to be able to sleep at night. And boy do I sleep like a baby.

Our next home building seminar is set for next Friday night- hope you can join us for a pizza party and some great information.

All the details at www.plattsburghhousing.com under the event section!

A red letter day

2010-04-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

This Saturday was a great day for many reasons. It was day one of the Bill Lake Open House in Sprakers, NY.

While it is a distance from Plattsburgh, we usually do have several of our clients attend to partly try to win the big prizes and to see how modular homes are built. It is fun to see everyone out of the office with so much to talk about.

I was particularly excited this open house because we had two of the four homes "on line." It was nice to see the homes during the construction phase, and also because Valerie, one of our customers saw her home for the first time. When she got there, I knocked on the side of the home and said "is it real yet?!" She was obviously pleased as we scoured over everything- especially her pocket doors which were of particular importance to provide her with good mobility throughout the house.

I may just have the best job ever.

Take care of your mother

2010-04-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Mother Earth that is. In honor of earth day here are some tips:

The New 3 R's:

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling Materials: first reduce how much you use, then reuse what you can, and then recycle the rest. Then, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way. Read the tips below
for some easy ideas.
Reduce:
-Buy permanent items instead of disposables.
-Buy and use only what you need.
-Buy products with less packaging.
-Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.
Reuse:
-Repair items as much as possible.
-Use durable coffee mugs.
-Use cloth napkins or towels.
-Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
-Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
Reuse boxes.
-Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
-Participate in a paint collection and reuse program.
-Donate extras to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.
Recycle:
-Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn't collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.
-Recycle electronics.
-Recycle used motor oil.
-Compost food scraps, grass and other yard clippings, and dead plants.
-Close the loop - buy recycled products and products that use recycled packaging. That's what makes recycling economically possible.
Learn at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/home.htm

2010-04-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

We’re right there with you! It feels like the nice weather just started, and there are all sorts of fun things that you want to do...BUT…

We don’t want you mad at us, when you come visit us after Labor Day, and want your home built by Thanksgiving.

Building a home takes time. Every year we have to have the difficult conversation with anxious customers about the realistic time-line for building a new home.

For those of you who have your land and financing in place, you may have a little breathing room, but realistically the entire process takes 4-6 months, so we really encourage you to come in to get started now so you are not disappointed later. Have we ever done it quicker? Sure, but we’re not going to be the ones to overpromise and under deliver!

Don’t be fooled by those who will advise you “can be in your new home in as little as 6 weeks…” Your mom’s old adage of “If it sounds too good to be true…” applies here.

We suggest you get started now so that we can protect the pricing on your new home project and pencil it onto our construction calendar to get a great building date! Learn all about it at the next home building seminar on May 20th~ we look forward to seeing you there!

We're so excited!

2010-04-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

It is a new season at Plattsburgh Housing Outlet. We have three, count 'em three new models arriving soon. We are excited because each is a great value and have their own unique personality.

The first to arrive is a new Titan Home. It has a log porch and rugged steel roof. It will make a great camp or primary home with its cedar beams and rustic feel.

The second will have a 5/12 roof and 8' flat ceilings and is in the Sunset Ridge series from Skyline Homes. It will have a flat screen TV as a standard feature greeting you when you walk into the living room. It will be great for a family with its 4 bedrooms.

And last, but certainly not least is a new Classic home from Champion Home Builders with every option under the sun. It has maple cabintery with drywall throughout the entire house. The fireplace makes the home sophisticated and cozy all at the same time.

Come in and visit or ask to be put on a list to be notified as the models arrive. We look forward to earning your business!

Material prices increasing

2010-04-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the tone of this post, but sometimes there are important things to talk about that aren't great news.

We have just received several price increases from our manufacturers... yup, I know, it stinks. It will mean a $1000-1500 change in most projects so not the end of the world, but it would have been more fun to use the money for an "extra."

Here are some of the reasons why we have been experiencing the increases. Trust me, we are not lining our pockets.

-Lumber. According to an update we received from Ward Lumber this week. OSB and plywood have increased dramatically. They stated in the notice that the wholesale price of 7/16" OSB is now more than they were retail selling it before. They sited that the Chilean earthquake is part of the reason for the jump.

-Asphalt, in all it's forms. Manorwood Homes said that gypsum (drywall) has increased over 20% in the last three months. All petroleum based products- shingles, siding, vinyl clad windows, and more have increased because of raw material increases as well as increased demand in places like China.

-Copper. Also has gone up by over 20% recently.

We encourage you to solidify your building plans so that we can "lock in" your prices and protect your project from further increases.

We appreciate your business!

Feelin' lucky?

2010-03-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to visit Bill Lake Homes on the weekend of April 24 and 25th. I have toured the facility many times over the years, and always learn something new and interesting.

There is something special about watching a home be built indoors. All the raw materials, tools and manpower are all inside under controlled conditions. You don't need to worry about materials getting ruined or stolen, or a craftsman hurrying because of bad weather.

Because Bill Lake is there personally overseeing every home built in his facility, you can be sure there are no corners cut.

He is so proud of his homes, he has decided to have a spring open house to invite you to tour them personally. You can see model homes, the design center and the factory where the homes are built.

And as an extra incentive, one person will win $20,000 off their new home! PHO has been lucky in year's past so perhaps this year it will be you!

Check out www.billlakehomes.com for more details!

Big personality, little price

2010-03-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

We just returned a couple of weeks ago from a Manorwood meeting in Syracuse. We were all discussing that we needed to have good, reasonably priced homes to offer our customers, and a little grin came over sales manager Terry Schmader's face.

"Well let me show you this," he said and sent around a plan for us to review.

This plan is designed for a cape cod, but they have decided to allow it as a chalet or ranch as well. So in addition to being a great value as a primary home, this will make a marvelous camp as well!

The plan is designed to travel on one long carrier to cut down on transportation costs, so there may be sites that we need to pay extra for an additional carrier, but overall this is an exciting new plan for us!

Want to see more? Head to www.plattsburghhousing.com and search the "find a home" section under cape cods for MW419A.

Nice to be appreciated

2010-03-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Was excited by a surprise from Kevin Menard, from Casella Waste Management. Together with the Plattsburgh Lions Club, Casella has always been a HUGE supporter of our Halloween Festival. He brought in a gorgeous, professionally framed article from the Press Republican highlighting our hard work. It made my day!

Home and Energy Show this weekend

2010-03-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

2010 Home & Alternative Energy Show Set For March 13 & 14

Plattsburgh - The Adirondack Builders Association’s annual Home Show is set for Saturday, March 13th from 10 am until 5 pm and Sunday, March 14th from 10 am until 4 pm. The show will be held once again at the Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh. Stop by the show to see the latest new products and styles available for the new homes and remodeling projects. This year’s show will also feature a special focus on Alternative Energy Options and Energy Saving Products. For a complete schedule of educational seminars as well as any other details on the show, visit the ABA’s website: www.adirondackbuilders.org .

The Principal goal of the Adirondack Builders Association is to provide all members of the association with as many opportunities as possible to expand their business association and to provide services that promote professional training and development. It is composed of members that range from building and specialty contractors to suppliers and other related services such as banks and government agencies.

See you there! Michelle

Forget me nots

2010-03-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

This is a fun time of year for us as we enter open house season. I am feverishly printing out 500 newsletters as I write. 400 to current and potential customers and 100 to our existing home buyers. The newsletter for them has ideas for playgounds and decorating and such. I always include a little reminder of us and spring... a packet of "forget me nots"

Not your grandmother's singlewide...

2010-02-26T08:40:00.000-08:00

You may have heard this from me already, as I can't stop talking about it, but we just returned from a trip to Port Orange Florida visiting my dad and his wife Debbie.

They liked the Daytona area and had visited before as Debbie's brother Steve has a place nearby, so they started a home search of their own in late 2008. This was our first opportunity to visit, so the place was already 100% perfect, but it is my understanding that they really only did cosmetic fixes to their otherwise incredible home.

After looking at condos, a site built home development and more, the settled on Crane Lakes, a subdivision built on an old family farm from 2001-2008. The subdivision is now complete and has 800 multi section manufactured homes.

Most have carports, many have garages, and some even have cute little garages for their golf carts as Crane Lakes offers a golf course! The majority of homes are end elevation but with the landscaping, siding, roof lines and more, each house has its own unique identity.

We had such an incredible time, and were so very comfortable I have been wondering, why anyone would consider anything else? The monthly rent they pay maintains the lawns and provides security and they have access to tennis courts, golf, 2 pools, a restaurant, a hot tub, a fitness room and more.

They also have a built in social network for cards, rides and more.

I can't imagine that any one person living there for one minute felt that they "settled" for a manufactured home. We cannot wait to go back!

Being green just got easier

2010-02-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

Kermit the Frog once said "It ain't easy being green." And with green building the same held true for a long time.

Manorwood Homes has created a green initiative. You can read information about it on our website. It has to do with renewable products they use and building an energy efficient home.

Bill Lake Homes is doing their part too. With the blower door tests of their homes they can see where any air infiltration occurs and remedy the problem at the factory to cut down on your heating and cooling expenses.

Look under the "Advice" section of our website too for small ways you can save energy in your own lives too.

Being green is good for your psyche knowing you are keeping the environment safe, and good on your wallet cutting down on unnecessary expenses.

A sure sign of spring

2010-02-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

We had a Board meeting today for the Adirondack Builder's Association and we are in the midst of planning our Spring Home Show. It will be at the Crete Center March 13-14. It is a lot of work, but a lot of fun too. It is always nice to see new familiar faces, as well as faces of our customers from past years, who are there looking for landscaping or a pool etc.

There will be an Alternative Energy component this year, which we are really excited about. Allsion from Hulbert Brothers has worked really hard getting speakers for the two days!

Hope you can join us! It will be here before we know it!

It's a pizza party!

2010-01-31T16:20:00.000-08:00

Thursday evening was a night of much anticipation. We have been hosting our home building seminars for quite some time, but because the Holiday Inn is undergoing renovations, we had to find a new venue to host this seminar.

We had heard that Dino's Pizza was allowing their dining room to be reserved for events, so we arranged with them for the seminar this time.

I showed up early at 4pm and Ali, the owner, and I set the room up for all the attendees, our handouts, and of course...pizza.

We had 40 or so sign up this time, so it was a tight fit. We were pleasantly surprised that over 50 showed up. Eric joked around with me, that it was because of the pizza. Truth be told, I'm sure it didn't hurt :)

The night was light and exciting. Everyone seemed genuinely interested to hear about building. It was nice to see how appreciative everyone was of the information- and the pizza :). Most everyone filled out their surveys which is helpful for us to have the feedback.

Next time it help if we can better filter the noise from the bar side, and have some "plain cheese" pizzas. I know Ali was just trying to show off all he could do, but we underestimated how many people just like cheese pizza.

If you were there, thanks for coming- especially given the fact the weather was not ideal. And if you couldn't make it- mark your calendars for the end of March!

A sea of red...

2010-01-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

Tonight I attended the GO RED for women dinner at SUNY. It was mostly women, and a few token men on hand to eat a heart healthy meal and here inspirational stories of women who have survived heart disease. It was powerful to see the entire ballroom of women tonight all dressed in red.

It is a misunderstood disease and a huge killer of women. Women and those who love them need to educate themselves to learn more about the signs of heart attacks in women as the signs are atypical of men.

Please do what you can to support the GO RED cause and the American Heart Association. I was happy to pay the entry fee and to bring a silent auction item as our small part.

Our family was adversely affected by heart disease when it took my mom at 45 years old. She left a void in our lives but gave me the foundation I needed to lead the life I live today. I hope that I do as good a job rearing my boys as she did with me. Love you, mom.

This is what it's all about

2010-01-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, we celebrated our son Josh's 15th birthday. In front of our fireplace, Eric and I, the boy's and Eric's mom, MaryAnn played cards and had some snacks before dinner. I thought to myself, this is our home. I felt safe and happy.

And this is what we help people to accomplish. Yes, we want your home to be well built and energy efficient... yes, we want it to have nice cabinetry, but most of all, we want to help you build a place to call home and where you too will celebrate holidays and milestones in your own family.

Thank you for the privilege and honor to help make that happen.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T06:57:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I couldn't believe how busy we were on December 28th. We had one person in after the next all day long! It was great. And everyone had their mind on one singular focus- building their new home this year!

If you too are thinking this is the year- to stop renting or to finally build your dream home and get out of your drafty old one, this is the perfect time to start.

Our next home building seminar is scheduled for the end of January- you can get updates in the office or on the web. But save the date of January 28th.

And on the website there is a great timeline to help keep you on track if you are trying to take advantage of the federal housing tax credit which will expire in June. We cannot impress on you that NOW is really the time to start!

Thank you for your continued trust, we look forward to earning your business!

Christmas puppies

2009-12-23T06:24:00.000-08:00

Eric & MIchelle -

Thank you so very much for the lovely Christmas ornament! This is such a very special Christmas for us - our first one in our new dream house and the house looks amazing with all the holiday decorations. We wouldn't be here without all your help and we appreciate all you have done for us more than we can express :-)

Here's a cute picture of our 5 goldens arranged around the hearth & woodstove we constructed under the chimney chase; we had just come in from a walk and the dogs all took up spots around the woodstove to warm up - are they spoiled or what . You can see how much they appreciate the new house too :-)

Ken and Joan

It's nice to be appreciated.

2009-12-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

I know for me the holidays are always a time to reflect on the year and count my blessings. I guess I am not unique in that, as we have received sooo many nice cards this week from clients we have built homes for- some this year, some many years ago.

Doing a good job, and building a nice home should be reward in and of itself, but I have to admit it is nice to know that our efforts are appreciated.

And for that, I thank you everyone :)

Michelle

Cookie Day

2009-12-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Every year, as a tradition passed down from my mom and Aunt Judy, I make tons of Christmas cookies for my friends, co-workers and neighbors. A little holiday treat from my heart to their tummy.

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping families create new traditions of their own in their brand new home. From hanging stockings on your new fireplace, to roasting marshmallows in your chiminea, we are honored to be part of a chapter in your life.

Happy, happy holidays to you and yours.

Let it snow!

2009-12-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well we got our first substantial snow of the year today. I have to give Casey and Christie props for keeping their appointment to discuss their new home- and "crawling" in all the way from Malone.

It was beautiful, but we have become so spoiled with the mild weather that I found myself already grumbling.

The good news is, that we still have a small window of opportunity and if we get your foundation in now, we can continue building over the winter. We need to do things in a different order this time of year- getting the heating system installed and the home up to tempertature before we can do interior finish- but yes it is possible!

If you want to take advantage of the federal housing tax credit, visit our website www.plattsburghhousing.com for a time line so we can help keep you on track.

Happy holidays and enjoy the snow. It is really pretty and puts us in the holiday spirit!

Time is of the essence

2009-11-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

We were so excited that the Home buyer tax credit has been both extended AND expanded.

Read all the highlights of the entire program at www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com.

We were so happy that some of our customers were able to take advantage as first time buyers this year. We are happy that some of our customers building in 2010 will also be able to tak advantage as repeat buyers!

But one thing is for sure. You MUST stay on track in order to meet the June 30th deadline. I know that feels far away, but we have created a time line to help you understand the building process. With your permission, we will help you stay on track!

Our suggestions? Start sooner rather than later as you never know when there will be a delay with financing or during construction, such as getting power. Some of the process we have little control over.

And we also suggest that you commit to your project so that we can "put you on the board" as there are already 10 scheduled projects going into the new year- all wanting to take advantage of this program.

Want a copy of the time line? Visit www.plattsburghhousing.com or email me at michelle@plattsburghhousing.com and I'll email you one!

Happy Thanksgiving. I am blessed to have a wonderful family and a job I love.

Universal Designed Homes

2009-11-23T19:03:00.001-08:00

I had an interesting day meeeting with Valerie to help her design her new home for she and her son. A single mom, Valerie has all the same concerns of any mom, wanting to make sure that her son stays safe during bath time, but she has one more obstacle that most of us take for granted. She is wheelchair-bound. So we went room-by-room virtually to make sure that we have every detail accounted for while her home is still a dream on paper.

We have adjusted the height of her cabinetry, made changes to the bath design, and have kept the home as open as possible. We are not recreating the wheel, our builders have some good ideas that they have shared with us too.

I am excited to help with this project as it will give me much needed insight for the next time this situation arises.

14 coming for dinner

2009-11-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

We just had the nicest conversation with Gil Jock. He and Yyvonne built their dream home in Morrisonville earlier this year- a cape cod on Shingle St. They sat in their front yard with their Bill Lake T shirts on and watched in wonder while their home was constructed that first day.

Gil was in town and just stopped in to say hi today. We love that! He was telling us how much he has done on his new "bar" and is excited to be hosting their first Thanksgiving in the new diggs.

That made my day.

A sigh of relief

2009-11-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

We were so pleased to hear that the home buyer tax credit has been extended and expanded into 2010!

There is the same provision for first time buyers, up to $8000 but now repeat buyers, who have owned for 5 of the last 8 years, can now get in on the action and get a credit of $6500.

Talk to your accountant or go to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com to get all the details.

But don't sit back, with the tax credit ending June 30, 2010 we cannot impress on you to start your project early to take advantage of this incredible program. We would be happy to start a time line for you!

The rain held off

2009-11-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

It is an unusually warm day here as November is often a turning point for North Country weather, but the sun gods have shown down on Lake Placid today for our set on McKinley St.

Our new homeowners, Erick and Erin, are downright giddy as their home has officially been craned onto the foundation.

Our set crew is pretty happy too as they get to shingle the roof and side the home with November weather in the high 50s.

It's a good day. Now if I get my computer back from the "doctor" after a windows crash, I will want for nothing else :)

The end of the rainbow is in Champlain, NY

2009-11-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

Who knew? Anyone reading this from Champlain, you need to start playing the lottery... or at the very least, attend the next Bill Lake Home Show!

Last October the Bedards won $6000 off their new home, and just last week Mike Duquette was the BIG winner at the October 24th show. And they are all from Champlain!

Attendees had a great day, touring the facility with tour guide Bill Lake who showed them the advantages of modular home building- a site built home built indoors. He demonstrated how energy efficient modular homes are with the blower door test.

Then, after refreshments, all visitors toured the model homes and design center.

But for Mike, the day was to get even better. We has now won $18,000 off his new home! Congratulations.

Perhaps the best part of my job

2009-10-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

The day one of our customer's new home arrives and they get to walk through their months of hard work is such a highlight for me.

This week, we had three such occasions.

The LaValley's in Chazy researched and researched their home and decided on a Mohawk 3 from Bill Lake Homes with a walk out basement. They were excited to tell us of the great find on stainless appliances they were having delivered!

Their first set of stairs is the F150 in front :)

Second, was the Miller house in Peru. Chad made some nice modifications to this Manorwood ranch in the Select series. It has a great kitchen!

And last was the Giroux home also in Peru- practically around the corner! This home they had modified from a manufactured home we had on display- and the changes came out perfectly. I had always liked the plan as we had it at the sales center, but I think I like this even more! Good job.

All these photos represent day one of when the home has arrived on site. It is amazing what a few hours can accomplish for a modular home!

Trick or treat! Halloween Fest is not complete without rain!

2009-10-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our tenth Halloween Festival has now come and gone. It is nice to see familiar faces each year, and those who come sincerely seem to enjoy themselves. BUT... it is so frustrating to have the rain come each year, as some of the events must be outdoors.

Some highlights, one of our customers who was in working on their new home the morning of the festival handed me a crisp $50 to put towards the event. Their good deed was rewarded by winning one of the raffle items they tried for!

Another highlight, a mom called me mid-week to see if she and her kids could come volunteer. I gave them the craft room which they enjoyed. They had come to the event each year but the kids were now too old. It was really nice and I appreciated the help.

We managed to raise $4200 this year for the Ronald McDonald House in VT. Audrey Magram (Magrams Dept Store for those of you old enough to remember) had requested my help all those years ago and she was at the event this year. It was a nice touch. We have now raised over $33,000 for the RMH in total. Many of the families who use their facility are from our side of the lake, and over the years I have heard how it has touched many lives locally.

Of course, Sunday was sunny and gorgeous :)

Rain rain go away!

2009-10-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is our 10th annual Halloween Festival. I remember those first years when the boys were tiny- the whole reason we started the event was to help families have a fun, safe place to bring their kids for Halloween. A nice, but originally unexpected side effect of the day was that we have now raised over $30,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in VT.

I will meet Audrey Magram tomorrow- the lady who talked me into raising money for the house. I hope she sees how hard we have worked for the event.

Which leads me to ask just one question- mother nature, why can't you throw me a bone? Out of ten years the weather only cooperated once. Once. We're trying to do something good here!!

And this year, ironically, we not only have to deal with rain, but according to Gib, it is the remnants of a hurricane!

Anyway, please come regardless. I'll save you a donut :)

A new chapter

2009-10-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

We love success stories.

I just received some great photos from Stacey and Nicci Bedard who are expecting their new daughter if a few weeks.

They won $6,000 off their gorgeous colonial by attending the Bill Lake Home Show last fall and we built their new home in Champlain for them this year.

They did such a nice job decorating their daughter's room. Welcome baby Callie Ann :)

A new day!

2009-10-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new blog.

This was a busy weekend. It started Friday night at the Holiday Inn with our last home building seminar of 2009. It was a good turnout, which I am always thankful for. It is nice to have our efforts appreciated since we put a considerable amount of time and money into it!

Saturday turned out to be a gorgeous day at our fall open house. Thanks so much to our builder reps who travelled through an early season snow storm in PA to come see us and our clients!

I had a great day meeting a couple of nice Internet customers who visited for the first time! After communicating for months, its like meeting old friends. I am looking forward to working with them.

We got high marks for our new display model too! I was so pleased with how it turned out!