President of Birtcher Unit Resigns Post : Construction: Frank J. Scardina will continue to work as a consultant for home building company.

Only a year after taking the post, Frank J. Scardina has resigned as president of Birtcher Homes. He will continue to work for the home builder as a consultant.

“I felt that I could be as effective as a consultant as I could working full time,” Scardina said.

Scardina came to the newly founded Birtcher Homes, based in Laguna Niguel, a few months after leaving Kaufman & Broad Home Corp. to spend more time with his family. He had served as president of Kaufman & Broad’s Coastal Valleys Division, which builds homes in western Los Angeles County and in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

“I’d set out to have more time for myself than only half a year, but the opportunity to work for Birtcher was one that I couldn’t pass up,” Scardina, 44, said.

He continued to live in Agoura Hills, requiring a long commute that figured into his departure from Birtcher. “I was unwilling to relocate,” Scardina said. “My wife and I have four children in school, and we didn’t want to uproot them. We have a nice house and found ourselves very happy in our personal lives.”

Commercial developer Birtcher Real Estate Ltd., also based in Laguna Niguel, created its home-building division last year to diversify during the real estate slump. But so far, Birtcher Homes has yet to purchase any property for residential development.

Birtcher officials could not be reached Monday for comment.

“During the 1980s, being a home builder was quite rewarding financially, which has afforded me the chance to take some time off,” Scardina said. “And what better time to take time off than when the market is not performing particularly well?”