Renovation Solutions: Tips for energy efficient homes in winter

By Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer

BEFORE: To make their home more energy efficient and yet preserve some original charm, these clients sandwiched their original leaded-glass windows panes into new Pella Wiindows frames.

Renovation Design Group

One of the most important parts of the heating system in a house actually has nothing to do with the mechanical heating unit. This refers to the insulation found in the home.

It is that time of year again: time to start heating the house. Many of us hold out as long as possible, but the old “put on a sweater” or “grab a blanket” routine will only last a few more weeks at most! Our lovely fall weather can’t last forever.

Many people, especially homeowners living in older homes with outdated heating systems or poor insulation, find there is something to be desired when the heat kicks on.

Inefficient heating systems struggle on two levels. First, they don’t do a very good job keeping the house steadily warm and second, they cost more to run. A forced-air furnace or a boiler can be replaced without remodeling your home. However, during a major remodeling project, the mechanical equipment can be relocated as well as replaced, and the ductwork can also be reconfigured to add more ceiling height to some areas.

If you are adding square footage during a remodel, this will change the requirements of the heating system. Heating systems are designed based on the size of the house. A loose rule of thumb is that one forced-air furnace generally handles about 2,000 square feet. If you are expanding beyond that, a second unit may be required.

One of the most important parts of the heating system in a house actually has nothing to do with the mechanical heating unit. It's the insulation found in the home.

In a new home, insulation is added in the walls, attic/roof, under concrete slabs and in crawl spaces. Older homes were built with far less (or no) thought as to how to insulate these areas, so part of every remodeling project should be to update the overall energy efficiency of your home as much as possible.

Insulation is rated in R-values. R-value is the measurement that tells you how well your insulation will resist heat flow or heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the better the efficiency. The government’s energy conservation recommendations for R-values depends on climate and varies by ZIP code.

For most of Utah, the ceiling is recommended to have an R-value of 38, the mass wall R-value should be 19 and the floor R-value should be 30. Washington County, with its warmer climate, requires less insulation, with a required ceiling R-value of 30, mass wall R-value of 8 and floor R-value of 19. Up north in the Cache County, the numbers are slightly higher to combat the colder winters, with the recommended ceiling R-value of 49, mass wall R-value of 19 and floor R-value of 30.

Adding insulation to an existing house can be a do-it-yourself project for the ambitious homeowner or you can hire a professional insulation contractor. Either way, the first step is determining the extent of the existing insulation — not an easy proposition. If you have a brick home built before about 1950, there is essentially no insulation in your walls. Houses from the 1950s and '60s have minimal insulation. In the 1970s, efficiency became more important, though the technology of insulation has obviously improved over the last 40-some years.

Adding insulation to the older masonry home has to be done by adding rigid insulation to the exterior and resurfacing the house with another exterior material, such as stucco or cement fiber board; on the interior, you essentially need to build an new stud wall, add insulation and add new gypsum board (sheet rock).

For a wood-frame house, blowing insulation into an existing stud wall can be done by cutting small holes in between each stud. If you go to the extent of removing the interior sheet rock to add more or new insulation, the well-known pink fiberglass blankets are still available, but other options are being used more now — blown-in cellulose and sprayed-on foam are two of the most common.
While each type of insulation has its own pros and cons, the quality of the installation of the material is critical in the overall efficiency of the project.

Adding weather stripping around doors and windows is another way to keep heat from escaping during the winter. Just make sure as you make your home more air-tight and more energy efficient that you always address indoor air quality, too. Less air exchanges (of indoor air for fresh outdoor air) means a more efficient house, but may it may also risk compromising indoor air quality. You may need to add a unit called a heat recovery ventilator to pull more fresh air into your home as the exterior envelope gets tighter.

Older, inefficient windows are not much more than holes in your outside walls. Even the best windows have a much lower R-value than the surrounding walls, but double-paned insulated units which are properly installed and flashed will make a significant impact on your energy bill.
You have several window choices in terms of materials for the window frames, namely wood, vinyl or fiberglass. In addition to being maintenance free, there are many styles of windows from which to choose; these should obviously be coordinated with the style of your home.

Part of the charm of older homes is often found in their windows. For instance, many homes built in the first part of the 20th century have windows made of wood and leaded glass. These are high maintenance units that could hardly be less energy efficient, but they surely look terrific. One of our clients with fabulous original windows went to great lengths to preserve the look of the front of the house. With the help of a local company, the client actually sandwiched her existing leaded windows into a new window unit which preserved the look and updated the efficiency of the windows. This is a much better-looking and more efficient option than the outdated approach of adding storm windows when winter approaches.

Taking advantage of some or all of these updates will make winter more comfortable this year and your energy bill more affordable. Once you know the cost of one or more of these updates and the potential monthly energy savings, you can calculate a return-on-investment schedule to know when your break-even point will be. You can contribute to the health of the planet and make the approach of winter a much more pleasant thought by upgrading the energy efficiency of your home.

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Keep Your Budget On Track!

25 Tips to Keep Your Budget on Track

Follow these budget tips for remodeling, decorating, and design ideas to update your space without breaking the bank.

You would never spend thousands of dollars on a car without researching the type of vehicle you need, selecting the features you want, and haggling with the salesperson for a fair price. Nor should you embark on a remodeling or decorating project without doing the same sort of legwork.

Here are 25 tips that are sure to keep your budget on track.

1. Brake for garage sales. One person's junk can be a do-it-yourselfer's treasure. Never pass a garage sale or antiques store without stopping, especially when you're on vacation or passing through a neighborhood other than your own. Keep an eye on neighbors' curbside trash piles for great castoffs.
2. Look for local outlet stores or wholesalers. They can be sources for buying plumbing supplies, kitchen goods, tile or stone, and other specialty items at huge discounts.
3. Utilize the Internet. Auction sites can help you comparison-shop for the best price on used furniture and other goodies, as well as bid on the items of your dreams. Some sites also offer free design advice and Q&A forums that allow you to post a question about a decorating or remodeling dilemma and read others' responses.
4. Scout out unwanted items. Snag overstocked or misordered items for a fraction of retail. Ask builders what they do with leftover materials, such as windows and flooring, or check out www.buildersexpress.com to bid on excess building materials.
5. Seek cheaper alternatives. If your heart is set on granite countertops, opt for tiles instead of a slab. If you plan on painting your new molding, choose urethane over stainable wood. Rather than costly hardwood wainscoting or paneling, search for wallpaper that mimics the look of wood.
6. Don't be afraid to bargain. Appliances with scratches or dents can be had at huge savings. Discontinued items, such as fabric, are often marked down dramatically, as are display models of sinks, faucets, and cabinetry. Offer to purchase them, and you might get a discount. Make sure to ask about the return policy before you buy.

7. Barter for materials or labor. Offer your skills in return for someone else's. For instance, pitch in during your brother's painting project in exchange for his assistance with yours.
8. Stick with standard sizes and models. Custom kitchen cabinets, for example, are very expensive. Save money by choosing stock ones, then attaching molding, corbels, or wood carvings for flair.
9. Seek out free advice. Take advantage of design services—through computer-aided design (CAD) programs or from on-staff professionals—at local boutiques, garden centers, and home improvement stores.
10. Rent or borrow what you don't have. Check with neighbors and friends for miter saws and power drills. Home centers rent heavy-duty tools, such as tile cutters, power washers, and nailers, for a weekend fee (usually about $50).
11. Stay put. When redoing the kitchen or bath, keep the fixtures and appliances where they are and work around them. Not having to move plumbing or gas lines will keep costs down.
12. Refresh, don't replace. Touch up scratches on sinks, tubs, and appliances with spray paints specially formulated for appliances. Or, check the Yellow Pages under "Bathroom Remodeling" for companies that resurface tubs and sinks for less than the cost of new models. You can also cover a dated refrigerator or dishwasher with wood or stainless-steel panels; some companies, such as Frigo Design, stock standard sizes in kits.

13. Refurbish when possible. Update kitchen and bathroom cabinets or a piece of furniture, such as a hutch, by replacing the door panels with glass, fabric, or chicken wire. This option is less expensive than buying new cabinets or new doors.
14. Use expensive materials sparingly. Install stone tiles as a border around less costly ceramic. Upgrade the range in your new kitchen but opt for a cheaper refrigerator and sink.
15. Consider unconventional fabric. Sheets make great tablecloths, shower curtains, window treatments, and other fabric projects. Sheets are wider than most decorator fabrics, so they're ideal for tall or wide windows, and they come already hemmed. Or, consider burlap or terry cloth: Both lend a room texture and don't cost much.
16. Purchase plain, then embellish. Instead of splurging on expensive, patterned fabric for pillows or window treatments, purchase less costly solid-color fabric and dress it up with iron-on transfers, easy-sew appliques, or fabric paint.
17. Update the details without spending a fortune. Instead of buying a new dresser or kitchen cabinets, replace just the hardware. Pillows in trendy fabrics will refresh a tired sofa; fluffy new towels will liven up an old bath.
18. Paint can cover a multitude of sins. Revive furniture, flooring, and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Just be sure to prepare the surface by cleaning, patching, and priming before painting.
19. Find new uses for conventional things. Take a leisurely stroll through a hardware store or antiques shop and envision plumbing pipe as a curtain rod, old spoons as drawer pulls, vintage windows as screens or wall hangings, and an ottoman as a table.

20. Pull the furniture off the walls. Don't line the sofa, end table, and wing chairs along the perimeter of the room. Turning them on the diagonal is a free way to put a new perspective on a room -- and lets you visualize what items you need to complete the scheme.
21. Light it up. Strategic lighting is an easy—and inexpensive—way to change the look of a room. Use a floor lamp to illuminate a dark corner or to spotlight a colorful piece of wall art. A simple way to alter the mood is to replace your bulbs with lower-wattage models to create a dimly lit, intimate setting.
22. Deck the walls. You don't need pricey artwork. Frame inexpensive items, such as family photographs (especially in black and white), posters, pages from an old calendar, pressed flowers, a quilt, or vintage clothing.
23. Look outside for inspiration. Indoor-outdoor slate tiles, for example, are cheaper than the type used exclusively inside and are still attractive and durable. Pickets for fences make whimsical wainscoting, headboards, or mantel decoration. A wooden or metal trellis, when placed in a container of soil, laced with a climbing vine, and set on a sunny windowsill, stands in as a privacy-giving "curtain."
24. Cover up. Instead of reupholstering an entire sofa or chair, simply re-cover the cushions in coordinating fabric.
25. Work with what you have. Dishware inherited from your grandmother might make a dazzling display in a glass-front hutch. Lively quilts layered on a bed are a striking focal point to a bedroom.

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Remodeling Design Tips

Must-Read Remodeling Design Tips

Make your home remodeling design a success with these expert insights.

By Kelly Roberson

Do you have a bathroom that needs an upgrade, or an addition that you dream about building? No matter the project, remodeling design can be both a scary and exciting prospect. But there are steps you can take to soothe your worries -- and mind your budget, too. Here are some helpful ideas.

What type of remodeling design client are you?

Maybe you've assembled a carefully organized folder of photos, sample plans, and ideal fixtures and finishes. Or perhaps you just want your living room and kitchen to flow together better, but aren't sure how to get there. Either is OK, and both will have different remodeling design needs says Bill Shaw, owner of a design/build firm in Houston.

Establish a remodeling design need/want/wish list

Whether you're a home remodeling design expert or a novice, there's a common place to start, Shaw says. Create three lists: needs, wants, and wishes. "Needs are the things that must be resolved or addressed, or the project won't happen -- the core reason for the home remodel," Shaw says. The key about needs is that they aren't cost sensitive.

Wants and wishes, on the other hand, are where reality and dreams start to separate. "When we talk about budget versus what we want to do, typically most of my clients are not aligned," Shaw says. "To help them decide, I tell them that if they give me their core needs then I can give them an idea of what budget will work. Then we'll address wants and wishes as options, so we can decide what their package is."

While wants and wishes are more cost sensitive, as the project develops there may be some items on those lists that are more cost effective to do right away rather than later.

Get inspired by remodeling design -- in a realistic way

  Online inspiration boards are great -- up to a point. The problem is when you can't afford what you've fallen in love with, or when the ideas won't work in your spaces -- that overpowering chandelier in a home with 9-foot ceilings, for example. One tool that Shaw encourages homeowners to ask about when approaching remodeling design is 3D modeling. "It really helps clients who may not be able to visualize it, so there's not that letdown during construction, when you're looking at a set of one-dimension drawings, and expectations and assumptions are not aligned," he says

Understand remodeling design services and budgets

Every person involved in remodeling design brings something different to the table, and it's up to you to understand those services and how they're provided. And don't make the mistake of hiring based on the low bid, too. "Don't make the mistake of hiring based just on cost," Shaw says. "Quality is important, too."

Shaw suggests interviewing companies, putting a list of questions together, and doing your homework. Figure out what's important to you, what criteria you have, and how you can use the interview process to understand how remodeling design team members can help meet that criteria.

Realize, too, that there's no standard for what things cost. A kitchen project in one area of the country may be completely different in budget from what yours will be, and variables differ, too -- hidden problems in a home, for example, or deals you may find on fixtures or appliances.

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Six Tips to Consider When Investing in Home Improvement

One of the home improvement projects that’s least likely to produce a return on the investment is a room addition that expands the size of a home beyond its original floor plan.

Homeowners are opening their wallets. A rebound in the housing market has made them more willing to invest in renovations that could boost the value of their homes even more in a rising market.
Spending on home remodeling has picked up over the past 18 months and is expected to rise nearly 20 percent to $151 billion by the fourth quarter, according to a recent report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

Many homeowners decide to make upgrades with the idea that the bigger kitchen or finished basement will make their home more enjoyable. But those looking to sell should know that not all home improvement projects will boost the value of a home.

Here are six tips when considering investing in home improvement projects:

1. Consider all buyers

The classic example here is installing a swimming pool.

A pool could make your home a tougher sell, and it's unlikely you will recover your expenses, says Richard Borges, president of the Appraisal Institute, a professional association of real estate appraisers.

It may be a deal-killer for buyers who might not want to take on maintenance costs or safety risks for small children. "It's not going to contribute a full measure of its cost of installation because its utility is so limited," Borges says.

The principle holds true for other large projects that can alter the structure of the property, such as adding a second garage. In some neighborhoods, they may be a common feature that becomes a selling point. But if it's not common, it could discourage buyers who don't have a need for it.

2. Don't 'overimprove'

Some home improvements can help lift a home's resale value, especially updates to features like cabinets and appliances that are clearly dated.

The key is to select finishes and appliances that don't go well beyond what a buyer might find in similarly priced homes in the area. The term appraisers have for that is "overimprovement."

Consider a homeowner in a neighborhood with modest homes who splurges on pricey countertop finishes like quartz or marble. They're not likely to recoup the cost when appraisers look at recent sales of comparable homes that may not have such lavishly appointed kitchens.

3. Expand wisely

One of the home improvement projects that's least likely to produce a return on the investment is a room addition that expands the size of a home beyond its original floor plan, says Borges.

Projects that require tearing down an exterior wall often involve moving doors, windows and other features, which can drive the costs higher than, say, converting an attic into a bedroom, which uses existing space in the home.

The more expensive the project, the harder it can be to recover one's costs.

Also, making major changes to the original structure, even when permitted by the city, runs other risks.

"When you become the oddball, the only home in the neighborhood with four bedrooms, probably the fourth bedroom is not going to be that desirable," Borges says.

 

4. Estimate cost-to-value

 One way to gauge whether a home improvement project is worthwhile is to estimate how much of what you spend will be recovered at resale.
For example, if you spend $1,000 on siding and it only adds $500 to the resale value of your home, that upgrade is giving you a 50 percent return on your investment.
Remodeling magazine's latest cost-value study, which is based on surveys of real estate agents, can help provide a ballpark reference. You can find it at go.madison.com/remodelindex.
That said, when home prices are rising fast enough, like during the last housing boom, it's easier to recover costs spent on home improvements, regardless of the upgrade. The alternative scenario also holds true.

5. Prioritize curb appeal

Making the master bedroom bigger or converting a downstairs closet into a half-bath might seem like good investments, but not if you need to upgrade your roof or fix window seals.

Those fixes may not be aesthetic upgrades, but often make a home easier to sell.

Replacing your front door might cost you $1,500, but it's the type of upgrade that can make a home attractive to buyers, says Sal Alfano, editorial director of Remodeling magazine.

The magazine says replacing the front entry with a 20-gauge steel door is the upgrade from which homeowners can expect to recoup the most money among renovations that cost less than $5,000. The magazine estimates a recovery of 85.6 percent of the cost.

6. Consult an expert

Before moving forward on a home improvement project, consult with a real estate agent or an appraiser who knows your market.

They should be able to gauge how the upgrade could affect the sales price of your home. That can help you determine how much of your investment you're likely to recoup.

Almost all appraisers are independent and set their own fees. A consultation could cost between $500 and $1,000. Real estate agents might be willing to offer their assessment for free, perhaps with the understanding that they might earn your business when it comes time to sell.

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*article from heraldextra.com

Four Innovative Design Styles

As home owners are planning their home renovations, they should consider the current trends. Below are four of the more popular trends for 2011 in home decorating.

Bold Color:
Color can make a more traditional piece look fresh and new. The new American way uses dynamic color paired with sensibility. Together, it will bring a mixture of elegance and vibrance to a room.

Gathering Place:
Many families tend to gather in the kitchen of a home. This being said, the newest trends for kitchens, involve creating a cozy family space. It is a cross between a coffee house and a cocktail lounge. It is comfortable and versatile, informal for family dinners but chic enough for a dinner party.

Soft Modern:
Industrial and severe is out and the softer side is in. The newest trends include clean lines and geometric shapes. It involves organic materials and handcrafted details. Soft modern brings in trends from the kitchen as a gathering place and is considered warm and tactile.

Mixed Design Styles:
The final trend includes a mix of design styles. A coherent assemblage of different styles from different periods of time. It has an air of improvisation, such as blending coastal, modern and antique.