Decanting PCBC 2007

By Maurice Levitch, AIA

Some said this year's PCBC was subdued due to the nationwide housing slump, but hearing the Bay Area pointed out as a "bright spot" in the housing industry was a nice consolation. At any large builders' conference or expo I have attended, however, there is always an abundance, verging on explosion, of products and a lot of enthusiasm. It was just easier to get around the hall this time.

While I'm sure I missed many booths, I did notice a few things.

While the "green products pavilion" was absent, it was nice that green building goods were dispersed throughout the show, indicating to me that these items are now in the mainstream.

There seems to be no end to the stainless steel appliance trend, as evidenced by a refrigerator as big as a two-car garage.

The guys at Boise Cascade were handing out blue footballs this year instead of squishy potatoes but still answered correctly that my brother's place, Flying Pie Pizzeria, has the best pizza in Boise.

There was a lot more hard candy on the counters than stuffed animals or other cool giveaways.

Each tankless water heater manufacturer boasted about being the best, including one manufacturer claiming to make parts for one of the others.

All of the composite decking manufacturers now have color accent options. While I prefer composite decking for durability, I favor a single color, as the multiple tones seem a bit like putting lipstick on a pig. In addition, one manufacturer touts using a wide range of recycled plastic, while another is proud of having a very high standard for the plastic they use because they claim it keeps the decking cooler and more dimensionally stable.

While last week I couldn't find a fire sprinkler company for a residential project, here I ran into the entire sales and production staff at a fire sprinkler product booth and got all their contact information and an invitation to send in my drawings for help with the EBMUD form. I had seven guys listening to my every word.

This time I skipped most of the software booths because the last two programs I bought are sitting idle since I don't seem to have enough time to use them.

There is something very special about the good booth people. They are able to respond professionally to any type of person, from designer to builder, architect, engineer, techie or homeowner. I was very impressed with the level of knowledge and personability of the folks I ran into. I even got to see them relate to one of my clients who has a lot of materials engineering knowledge and a keen eye for detail.

My structural engineer happened to call me exactly when I was at a booth offering builders home warranties for structural issues only. He advised me to save my money. I know myself that it is usually not the structure that fails, but instead, a backed-up site drainage line or other moisture-related issue causing problems.

Some of the booths were as big as a house, especially the metal-framed one that was at least three stories high. I have a lot of respect for the crews who quickly assemble, disassemble and pack these exhibits, sending them off to another show or a warehouse somewhere.

Overall, as usual, this five hours of uninterrupted physical search engine was exhausting, enlightening and yielded a lot of hits, some new information and new contacts, reaffirmation and another full bag of literature that will be stashed somewhere and hopefully retrievable when needed. My kids are getting a bit less interested in what I bring home, but I like to think it is because they are older now, not because the stuff is any less cool.

August 2007 Builder Architect Edition Issue

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