It’s hard to believe but CUSTOM HOME magazine turns 20 this year. Well, I suppose it shouldn’t be hard for me to believe, because I’ve worked on the magazine since it was just a year old. I moved over to CUSTOM HOME’s sister magazine, residential architect, in 1999 but remained just two offices away from chief editor Leslie Ensor, before taking over her duties when she retired early last year. CUSTOM HOME started as a slim magazine back in 1990, and so it is again today. But I’m optimistic that we’ll see more bountiful times ahead. It’s impressive for any enterprise to last more than 20 years. It generally means you’re doing something right—offering a desirable service and performing it with some expertise.
However, as we’ve mentioned before, this is not the time to preserve the status quo. It’s a time to innovate and to devise better ways to serve our customers. To that end, we’ve started two new departments we hope will help hone your business. The first is “20 After 20”, which looks at custom builders who’ve mastered their craft for more than 20 years. We think they have lessons to share or, at the very least, a solid reality check to offer. The second new piece is “Custom Builder 2.0” . While the tech world has already moved on to “3.0,” we know that builders are still struggling with the problems of innovating without putting their clients at risk. How does the latest generation of builders tackle project design and delivery? We’ll find the best of the new breed and give you the download.
One hint is that the definition of “custom” is evolving. We think that’s a good thing, because the term has been misappropriated by so many industries and individuals. Custom builders must constantly reinvent themselves to stay ahead of these pretenders and others. To help you prepare yourself for the changes ahead, we’ve talked to some of the frontline leaders in the field about their vision for the future of custom home building. “Seeing Clearly” imagines the year 2020—and the services the high end of the market will want from you.
With these changes, we say goodbye to our longtime columnists Dennis A. Dixon, Carol Smith, and Clay S. Nelson. Alas, we lost Steve Maltzman to a sudden illness just recently. We thank them for the wisdom they’ve shared over the years. They’re a significant reason why many custom home building companies have seen their 20th year and more, and they’re very important members of our 20 Club.
Email: cconroy@hanleywood.com
