Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Stan Luhr of AxisPointe is warning builders of new risks that have developed during the economic slowdown. These include an inadequately trained workforce, product incompatibilities and shoddy materials.
photo credit: jef safi \ 'pictosophizing via photopin cc
New home starts are now beginning to lift the United States out of recession but while this is good news it is bringing about new risks that could lead to increased insurance claims. Stan Luhr is a nationally recognized forensic expert and CEO of AxisPointe and said "At a recent builders’ tradeshow, I was surprised to see so many products being demonstrated in a defective and potentially dangerous way. In some cases if builders follow the methods depicted at the show, they will have serious failures out in the field.
Apparently the worst examples included window installations within new wall systems such as over foam insulation exteriors which are designed to help reduce energy losses. According to Luhr a major manufacturer demonstrated their products without the use of a water resistive barrier. Commenting on one exhibit depicting window flashing designed to keep water out of a building Luhr went on to say “The manufacturers rep didn't understand why the demonstration was leaking out the bottom, until I showed where he installed his own product wrong."
AxisPointe helps builders eliminate risk long before it is permanently built into the final product. The company has a new mobile iPhone application, InSite MobileTM that allows builders to eliminate construction risks and to share noncompliant information instantly to any trade contractor. Replies can be made using any type of smartphone, and photos can be included which are instantly shared with the builder for approval. Builders are also able to capture unlimited photos during construction and can store and share specific photos with their homeowners through a dedicated website. Homeowners are able to access important digital records, and these records are stored for the life of the home.
InSite Mobile utilizes AxisPointe’s proven templates of 5,000 risky checkpoints and includes customizable templates for safety compliance and storm water controls. Builders are able to build an unlimited number of custom checkpoints and can select whether field users are required to take photos and record data for each checkpoint. Luhr has pointed out that this is the first truly flexible smartphone application for homebuilders at an affordable price as the only hardware required is an iPhone.
