It would be pretty unfair of me to throw all these bad ideas onto the table, without leaving you with a few good ones.

1.) Wood Window Replacement: A homeowner will recoup nearly 80% of an aluminum-clad wood window replacement project when they sell their home. That’s pretty darn significant. Wonder why they’re so valuable? Not only are interior wood windows extremely attractive, their aluminum-clad exteriors offer the appeal of increased energy efficiency. They add value and they reduce energy bills – outstanding combination!

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The amount of money that is being made available right now to home improvement-minded homeowners is just crazy. I sometimes wonder, however, are we doing a good enough job of informing you folks of the available opportunities?  I have my doubts.  Let me take a quick minute to outline the possibilities for our region:

Missouri Scenario #1 $4,200 Free Tax Credit Money:

• You live in MO and you qualify for a KCP&L tax credit – $600
• You are also a MO Gas Energy customer – $600
• You purchase new energy efficient Windows – $1,500
• You purchase your EE Windows through Total Home of KS (Coupon #CHA-CHING) – $1,500

Kansas Scenario #2  $3,000 Free Tax Credit Money:

• You purchase new energy efficient Windows – $1,500
• You purchase your EE Windows through Total Home of KS (Coupon #CHA-CHING) – $1,500

As you can see, these available funds add up very nicely – whether you live in KS or MO.

Here are the additional resources you will need in order to cash in on your available monies:

MO Gas & Energy and KCP&L Rebate Info

Total Home of KS Rebate Match

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Your first home is likely to be one of the most erratic learning experiences of your life.  You will probably learn about things that you previously had no interest in learning whatsoever, and you will spend far more money than you ever intended to spend from the get-go.  But the flip-side of this is that you will feel an immense sense of pride for every task that you complete, every wall that you paint, every toilet that you un-clog, and every mortgage payment that you make (well, that last one doesn’t always induce pride so much as stress, fear and panic – but you get the point).

Let me list a few tips for the Homeowner Newbie.  I know you’ve got a lot to take in, but take a glance:

1. Wires: Before you go fiddling around with anything electric, check-in with a qualified electrician (not just your buddy, Hank, who happens to be an expert at hooking up stereo systems).  Have them make certain that you have enough wattage to complete your project and that your wiring is up to building code standards.
2. Appliances: Don’t make the same mistake I made in my first home. Plan your new appliances and high voltage outlets accordingly.  Do not purchase a refrigerator that is too big for the far- end of the room, but is only capable of plugging into that far-end of the room.  And if you do decide to do that, be prepared to hire that electrician guy again for yet another job.
3. Home Safety: Make a checklist of all home safety devices, and assure that your home is up to par on all of them.  You should already know these things, but I will remind you, nonetheless.  You need smoke alarms (with batteries), carbon monoxide detectors, burglary alarms and/or a large/scary animal.
4. Windows: Check the caulk job on your windows.  Proper caulking around your windows will help to prevent water damage.  This will also help to keep unnecessary energy from exiting the home.
5. Fireplace: Older homes have nice, old fireplaces. Nice, old fireplaces have a tendency to be extremely non-energy efficient.  Consider upgrading its efficiency by installing an air circulation device or a pellet stove.  You might even consider getting a stone for your fireplace that will radiate heat, making it more efficient.

Name that movie:

Tom Hanks is first-time home buyer in 1986 ____________.

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Been getting a lot of questions surrounding the eligibility guidelines for the recently passed Economic Stimulus Package / ARRA 2009.  Many folks were initially left with the understanding that they would be able to take advantage of this opportunity, so long as they had purchased “Energy Star” rated products.  We soon found out that this was not the case.  Additional, stricter guidelines had been placed into effect which did not allow all Energy Star products to remain qualified.

Let me loosely translate some of the energy tax credit mumbo jumbo for you – I have pulled my facts off of the Marvin.com website.

1. Credit is based on 30% of cost of product – up to $1,500
2. Credit is available on projects completed in ‘09 & ‘10
3. Credit will apply to homeowner’s principal residence only
4. Credit is a dollar for dollar reduction subtracted from your tax liability (Subtract directly or add to refund)
5. Projects completed in ‘09 can be claimed on ‘09 taxes

My five bullet points are quite concise.  The Marvin website offers additional elaboration – but any Q&A should be able to be handled by a window supply company.

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As a replacement window shopper, you’re expected to be somewhat of an expert in the field in order to make a qualified, appropriate decision.  But I happen to think this expectation is just a little unfair.

Have you ever talked to a salesman who promoted his product by telling you that his product was the best (fill in the blank) ever.  And although you were pleased to find out that you were learning about an awesomely (fill in the blank) product, you had no clue what relevance that (fill in the blank) rating/fact/measurement really meant?

U-Factor, for example.  This is one of those items that tends to confuse and clutter the decision making process for most consumers.

The U-Factor measures how well a window prevents heat from escaping.  It is the inverse of the R-Value (1/R Value).  U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20.

The lower the U-Factor, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value will be.

In terms of energy efficiency, the U-Factor is included in the energy performance rating offered by the NFRC.

In short, the lower the U-Factor, the better.

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I think home remodeling is too often viewed as one of those necessary evils in life.  It’s all relative, though.  And it has a lot to do with approach.

I’ll list a few tips that might help to motivate you into the realm of ‘Remodeling Like A Pro!’

• Trendy – Think twice on this one.  A) It will cost you more up front. B) It will potentially look dated in no time flat.  Definitely something to consider if you’re remodeling with intent to resale (and who isn’t right?)
• Insulation – Expert tip: Don’t skimp on this one.  Yes, too much can lead to mold issues – But not enough will cost you for years to come.  You can drastically decrease heating and cooling bills by properly insulating your home.  (And remember, the term insulation applies to many more things than just the scratchy, fluffy pink stuff).
• Test Drive – You can get a good feel for the projects that take priority and what types of changes you really want if you live in the house before you begin to remodel.
• Make Up Your Mind – Changing your mind six different ways from Sunday during your remodeling project will accomplish 2 things: 1) You’ll cause the project to take longer and cost more 2) You’ll drive your contractor nuts.  Try to get all of your imagining out of the way prior to the job start date.
• Think Twice – If you’re not a licensed contractor (or married to one) then I would suggest you strongly rethink the idea of doing it all yourself.  There are plenty of things that can be done on your own – And the good folks at the local hardware store with the little orange aprons will be happy to offer any advice they can.  But in all honestly, some tasks are best suited for a pro.  Don’t stretch beyond your limits.
• Don’t Be Surprised – Plainly stated: The job will cost more than you expect, so set aside an additional 10% cushion.
• Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You – The job will be very messy.  Dust, debris, trash, screws…Things might get damaged.  This is just a part of the process.  (If a professional brings damage your way, he should obviously repair it, but don’t freak out – Just a part of the process).

That’s all I’ve got on that topic for now.  But as a quick side note, today is National Donut Day.  So from one ‘little things in life-lover‘ to another, Happy Donut Day!

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As one of my Facebook Fans recently pointed out, “Going Green” can often be combined with “Going Practical.”  Some do choose to take the extremist route, but for people like me, we’d just assume ease into this one.  Here’s a very good example of how Green can equal Practical.

Here’s the 411 on home insulation:

The actual material that makes up an insulation product is not what provides the heat/cold barrier.  In fact, it is the air that is trapped in the insulation that provides the actual thermal barrier.  This barrier, in turn, cools your home in the summer and heats it in the winter.

Different types of insulation offer different varieties, sizes and numbers of air pockets within them.  The number of air pockets in a foaming product will differ from the number of pockets in foam batt, for example.  But since the pockets are what allow for the thermal barrier, you can see why it would be counterproductive to stuff or crush insulation into a crevice or space.

Now that you’ve got a general grasp on the whole insulation equation, allow me to stretch your thought process a little bit further into the world of insulated paint.

Based on the same concept as described above, a relatively new product is now available for homes.  The product provides air pockets within the actual paint and the paint can be applied to either the interior or the exterior of the home.

The gist of the product is this: A complex blend of microscopic, hollow, ceramic spheres exist within the paint formula – and each sphere has a vacuum inside of it (Think miniature Thermos bottles).  These little Thermos bottles, when mixed into the paint, offer outstanding insulation properties, thus saving energy and money.  The little, ceramic vacuums retract, reflect and dissipate heat.  Summer heat gain through a home’s exterior walls can be reduced by more than 20%.

During the winter months, this magical little paint additive can reduce exterior solar radiant heat gain into a home.  It is proven to decrease interior heat loss by over 20%.

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Plainly stated: If properly installed, there is no better siding material for the exterior of your home than Fiber Cement Siding.

There are several different manufacturers of the product, itself — But when researching your next Siding remodel project, don’t waste time, money & energy on anything but Fiber Cement.

This product was first developed more than 100 years ago and it maintained the innovative ability to protect against “fire, frost, acid & ants.”  Many homes that were covered with these original materials from the turn of the centry still exist — WITH the original fiber cement exteriors.

As previously mentioned, Fiber Cement siding materials hold up against weather conditions, insects, pesky varmints and even fires.

This material is very versatile.  It comes in a large variety of styles, colors and textures.  It’s natural construction allows it to exist as a maintenance free product on a home and it can come accompanied with a warranty of up to 50 years!

I am definitely a fan of the material, but I wouldn’t necessarily call myself “biased.”  I don’t have Fiber Cement siding on my home.  I live in a brick home.  But I’ve seen the amazing outcomes of about a dozen Fiber Cement remodels, and I am jealous!  (I have considered getting an estimate to swap the brick exterior for that of Fiber Cement – My husband says I am crazy).

Yes it’s pricier than the plastic stuff (vinyl).  But in my opinion, it’s worth every penny.

Do the research.

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So, you’ve found your new home and it appears to be everything you’ve dreamed of…on the surface.  No worries.  This is where Home Inspection Reports come into play.  Often times, a home buyer is clueless to the home inspection reporting process.  But this process, if done properly, can save the buyer hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Did you know that there is a major difference between the building inspector that works for your local government (the one that produces the building-inspection report) and the actual home inspector that is hired privately (by you–the home buyer)?  The building inspector generates a report that is ‘for his eyes only,’ so to speak.  Many homeowners assume that if their home passes local government building inspection, then all must be well.  Not true.  This fella actually sets his bar to minimum standards.  So, making the grade with the building inspector is like earning a 70% on an exam.  Big deal!

Proper home inspection should be carried out by an accredited Kansas Home Inspector.  Here is a link to the NAHI site:

Kansas NAHI

These folks will visit the home and perform a thorough inspection of the house.  The house survey process will often times take up to 3 hours.  And the report itself should read approximately 30 pages in length.  The inspector will not recommend purchase or not, but he will allow you to make a well informed decision of your own.  No home is perfect, but a new home buyer should be given the full picture.

Wondering what kinds of things will be looked at during the home inspection?  Here you go:

• Structural Elements: Walls, ceilings, floors, roof & foundation
• Exterior Evaluation: Wall covering, landscaping, grading, elevation, drainage, driveways, fences, sidewalks, fascia, trim, doors, windows, lights & exterior receptacles
• Roof & Attic: Framing, ventilation, type of roof construction, flashing & gutters (no guarantee roof certification)
• Plumbing: Identification of pipe materials used for potable, drain, waste & vent pipes.  Condition of: Toilets, showers, sinks, faucets & traps (no sewer inspection)
• Systems & Components: Water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning, duct work, chimney, fireplace & sprinklers
• Electrical: Main panel, circuit breakers, types of wiring, grounding, exhaust fans, receptacles, ceiling fans & light fixtures
• Appliances: Dishwasher, range & oven, built-in microwaves, garbage disposal & smoke detectors
• Garage: Slab, walls, ceiling, vents, entry, firewall, garage door, openers, lights, receptacles, exterior, windows & roof

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Do you feel like your kitchen is a big, fat throwback to the 1970’s ?  Do you sit down at your dining room table to enjoy a nice supper, but find the environment itself to be so dreadful that you’d just assume head to the ball pin at McDonald’s to eat your meal?  Does your master bathroom (the place where you go to cleanse and rejuvenate yourself) contain any chipped tile, moldy grout, water spots, hideous wallpaper, unsightly vanities, peeled linoleum  or wiggly parts?

Yeah?  Might be time to do take on a little remodeling.  But don’t worry, this will not be painful.  (Well, not too painful, anyhow).

Step #1 in this process is Establish a Budget.  Let me break down the budgeting process for a kitchen remodeling project:

First consider the market value of your home.  Studies show that if you are able to remodel your project relative to the cost of your home’s worth, you will be able to recoup anywhere from 90-98% of your overall project cost.  (I may not be the best mathematician here, but to me, that’s almost free).

A good percentage to shoot for is 15%-20%.  You should try to keep your kitchen remodeling budget between the range of 15-20% of your overall home value.  For example:

• Your home is $100,000
• Cabinets & Countertops (50% total budget) $7,500
• Appliances, flooring, other (35% total budget) $2,250
• Labor, design, permits, etc. (35% total budget) $5,250
• TOTAL BUDGET (at 15%) $15,000

This is a good, healthy breakdown.

I did a little research to find out what spending averages looked like in the Kansas City area during 2008.  Sometimes, it’s helpful to be able to take a look at what kind of cash others are dropping on their projects.

I referred to the annual Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling Magazine.

The following data breaks down the average cost per job for a “Mid-Range” home in the Kansas City area in 2008-2009.  It displays the average percentage of cost recouped, as well:

• Roof Replacement $18,176 | 56.4%
• Minor Kitchen Remodel $21,185 | 73.3%
• Bathroom Remodel $15,753 | 64.8%
• Siding Replacement $10,027 | 74.3%
• Window Replacement $11,518 | 71.6%

Moral of the story, if you’re going to get 50%+ of it back, GO FOR IT!  Live in the home of your dreams and stop mickey mousing around!

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