When Should You Start A Green Home Remodel?

jchait — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:09:59 -0400

Personally, I think a green home remodel can start anytime; barring weather issues. If you live in Minnesota, let's not redo the roof in January. However, there are plenty of green remodeling projects that can be started all year.

That said, there's always room for another opinion. A recent press release from The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) notes that because May is National Home Improvement Month, the late spring is a great time to start planning for remodeling. Of course we're popping in on this press release about one month late, but there's still time to start planning.

NARI suggests that starting sooner, rather than later is a good plan because, "Finding the right design, choosing a professional contractor, and securing the necessary financing for a home improvement project can sometimes take months." That's true. On the other hand, you may be able to find discounts in the fall and winter months due to less remodel demand.

NARI offers the following steps to help you kick-start the planning process:

"Think your project through from start to finish. Careful planning of your home improvement projects will enable you to update your home, increase the value of your investment and customize your living space-all for a lot less than the cost of a new home.
Look over your property carefully. What repairs are needed? What improvements would you like to make? Think ahead and determine your future needs. Professional remodeling contractors can help you in your planning by outlining options and discussing the improvements you can make within your budget.
Be sure to review your homeowner's insurance policy and make adjustments for the added value of the work being done. Most homeowners can handle routine maintenance projects and cosmetic touchups."

All excellent tips. You can search at the NARI site for a remodeling professional, or if you're looking for green specific remodels check out the following resources:

Just because Home Remodeling month is over, doesn't mean you can't still create some plans for your own green home make-over.

Remodeling Your Home Green

jchait — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Building your own green home is awesome. However, some of us like our house just fine already; we don’t want to build a new home, we just wish our current home could be a little more green. Here are some ideas for remodeling green:

Make a flexible wish list: If you’ve been considering green building or remodeling, than it’s likely you have some wish list ideas. It’s a good idea to keep your list flexible though. Until you speak with your remodeling team, it’s tough to know which eco-techniques will work in your existing home.

Questions you may want to explore include:

Which green home options have we seen in action that we think might work well in our home?
How do we want our home to make us feel when we walk through the door – energized, relaxed, both?
Which green home options will give our home the most bang for our bucks – are there options with a better return value? A quicker return value?
How will making these changes affect our current lifestyle?
How involved am I willing to be in the running of my home – for example can I learn to check and change batteries for solar power? Do I want to?
How do we currently use our home? Which spaces are the most occupied on a daily basis – which are the least occupied?
What do we have that is worth keeping (like large windows that allow natural light), and what do we think needs changed (like better insulation, less toxic carpet).
And of course - how much am I willing to spend? OR how much can I spend? Having a general idea of your budget can be useful when you start talking with your remodel team.

These are just a few questions to consider. The design process when remodeling takes a while. To jump start, you may want to talk to a company that specializes in green design and or green re-design. This can help give you an idea of options, costs, and time commitments.