Although it is only September, Fall is upon us and inevitably Winter will arrive before we are ready for it. I don’t know about you, but I’m a nut about lists and reminders. Here is a Winter Home Maintenance Checklist for those of us that live in cold climates. Print it out, add and delete specific items to personalize the list to your home. Look for a post next week: Maintenance Checklist for Energy Savings.
Winter Home Maintenance Checklist
Roof: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks. Check for loose, damaged or missing roofing. Repair as necessary.
Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation. Check for missing and damaged insulation.
Garage Door – Lubricate hardware. Inspect mechanism for free travel.
Foundation Vents – Close foundation vents if temperatures drop into the 20’s or lower. Use foam blocks for extra protection.
Gutters: Clean gutters and drain pipes so leaves won’t clog them and be sure they drain away from the house. Look for signs of damage
Exterior Faucets: Disconnect and drain hoses.
Sprinkler System: Shut off in-ground sprinklers and have the system blown out to purge system of water.
Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney professionally cleaned. Make sure damper closes tightly.
Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies.
Plumbing: Insulate water lines that are subject to freezing. To safely thaw frozen pipes use a hair dryer, heat lamp or electric heater. Do not use an open flame or electric arc welder. If pipes are broken or split, shut off the water and the water main, the water heater and water heater circuit breaker.
Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
Air Conditioner: Remove and winterize window air-conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.
Interior Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathrooms. Replace washers as necessary. Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker and dishwasher for cracks and bubbles.
Windows and Doors: Inspect all windows for tight seals and air leakage; caulk or apply weather stripping if necessary. Inspect all doors for tight seals and air leakage; apply weather stripping or door guards if necessary.
Storm Windows and Screens: Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows. Check and patch all door and window screens.
Siding and Paint: During cold temperatures and heavy snow, check for ice damning against siding at roof lines. Remove excessive build up to prevent melting moisture from wicking into the house. Check for proper drainage away from house. Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Seal any cracks or gaps. Replace caulk if necessary.
Basement: Check basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
Heating System: Have heating system serviced. Change filters.
Clean ceiling fan blades and reverse the air flow direction.
Test and start humidifier.
Test all ground-fault-circuit-interrupter (GFCI) outlets
Do not use chemical ice melts on new concrete/pavement/asphalt for at least one year. Sand is a great substitute.
Store emergency sand, ice scraper and a shovel in each vehicle.
Stock up on canned food, bottled water, and candles for emergencies.
When going on vacation or leaving the house vacant, shut off the water and turn the hot water heater to vacation mode.
I had intended to post the Spring Home Maintenance Checklist in early April, but seeing that we have the same cold, rainy weather that we did a month ago I don’t think my procrastination will do much damage. Print it out, add and delete specific items to personalize the list to your home.
Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
Exterior
Roof: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks. Check for loose, damaged or missing roofing. Repair as necessary. Remove any debris.
Foundation Vents – Open foundation vents when nighttime temperatures get above freezing.
Gutters: Clean gutters and drain pipes and be sure they drain away from the house. Look for signs of winter damage.
Garage Door – Lubricate hardware. Inspect mechanism for free travel.
Exterior Siding– Inspect siding for sagging or damaged panels that may need replacing. Inspect wood soffits and fascia for signs of rotting or pests.
Paint – The life of exterior paint can be prolonged with annual touch-ups. Repaint any patches that are peeling before the wood deteriorates. Trim shrubs and plants back at least 18 inches from the house, as they can cause moisture damage
Exterior Faucets: Check your hoses for holes, leaks and dry rot. Replace if necessary. Inspect the faucets and call a plumber if you have leaks or other winter damage.
Sprinkler System: If necessary, call your landscaper to turn your system back on. Inspect and clean any filters, heads and drip system emitters.
Lawnmowers and Other Power Equipment: If you have a lawnmower, leaf blower, or other power equipment that has been sitting in the garage or shed all winter, now is a good time to clean it, service it and make sure it is working properly.
Interior
Storm Windows and Screens: Take down storm windows and replace with screens. Check and patch all door and window screens.
Windows and Doors: Inspect all windows for tight seals and air leakage; caulk or apply weather stripping if necessary. Inspect all doors for tight seals and air leakage; apply weather stripping or door guards if necessary.
Interior Faucets:Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathrooms. Replace washers as necessary. Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker and dishwasher for cracks and bubbles.
Heating and Cooling
Ceiling Fans: Clean the blades and reverse the flow.
Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney professionally cleaned. Make sure damper closes tightly.
Ductwork: Spring is a good time to schedule an Air Duct Cleaning so that your HVAC system will work efficiently, improving your home’s Indoor Air Quality
Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies.
Air Conditioning: If you have a window unit clean the filters and coils. If you have a central AC (lucky you!) call a professional to have it inspected and serviced.
When going on vacation or leaving the house vacant, shut off the water and turn the hot water heater to vacation mode.
Disclaimer: I’m not an economist, that’s why I included links, but I find this all fascinating, and a bit scary.
A few weeks ago I listened to an NPR’s Planet Money podcast about the Frankenstein Mortgage. The term described the lily-white 30 year fixed mortgage that we all believe to be the safest bet for a home loan. On the podcast Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera (authors of All the Devils Are Here, a book on the financial crisis) detail the history of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the emergance of the 30 year fixed.
What I learned from the podcast and McLean’s New York Time’s op-ed piece is that without the federal goverments implicit guarantee of the 30 year fixed mortgage (through Fannie and Freddie) it would probably only exist for those with great credit and more money to put down.
Banks and private mortage investors see two major risks associated with the 30 year fixed – credit risk and market risk. 30 years is a long time and homeowners can lose their jobs, get sick, have sick children, etc. And, as we’ve seen in recent years, the market can tank. The creation of Fannie during the Depression, and later Freddie in 1970, tempered that risk by allowing banks to sell their loans to Fannie and Freddie, freeing up money to fund more loans, and reducing long-term risk. Although both are privately held companies, it was understood that the Federal Government guaranteed Fannie and Freddie loans, thus making them more attractive to investors. Banks charge a higher interest rate for “in-house” loans because they lack the federal guarantee. Investors want a higher payback for non-guaranteed loans. Thanks to the financial crisis we, via the US goverment, now own Fannie and Freddie and all of their loans. Now the Feds want to reduce their hold on housing.
This past Friday the White House outlined 3 options to phase out Federal support of the mortgage market. I’m not going to go into detail, but the Wall Street Journal did a great job in an article on Saturday.
What makes me nervous is a quote from McLean’s NYT op-ed piece. “Today, credit risk is anathema, and by shouldering it, Fannie and Freddie are propping up the housing market. The banks that make the mortgages don’t want credit risk, and neither do investors. Indeed, William Gross, the co-founder and managing director of the investment firm Pimco, has said his funds wouldn’t buy pools of so-called private label mortgages — those lacking a government guarantee — unless the homeowners involved had made a down payment of at least 30 percent.” She later quotes “Mr. Gross says that mortgages without a government guarantee would cost at least several percentage points more.”
Isn’t underwriting tight as it is?
The housing market and broader economy are still shakey and the Journal’s article speculates that any major change will be made over the next five to seven years, but everything I’ve read shows bipartisan support for ejecting taxpayer dollars from the mortgage market. I can’t say I disagree, but wonder what the broader implications are for real estate and construction.
What I do understand is that now is the time to buy (if you are in the market) and I really hoping that refi I’m applying for is approved.
All the flooding around the Bonner Mall got me thinking about porous asphalt and permeable pavers. With all of the precipitation we get there’s got to be a better way to manage stormwater and the pollution carried in rainwater runoff (air pollution particles, spilled oil, detergents, solvents, de-icing salts during freezing conditions , dead leaves, pesticides, fertilizer, and bacteria from pet waste, just to name a few).
Although Bonner County does not have a Building Department or building inspectors it does have extensive land use regulations, including impervious surface regulations for shoreline properties. All waterfront properties greater than one acre may have no more than 15% impervious surface. Smaller parcels, depending on size, may have 25% or 35%. If all structures on a property are no closer than 75 feet from the shoreline, these ratios can be increase by 50%, but what waterfront property doesn’t have a waterfront deck or dock? According to Bonner County Code impervious surfaces include “… rooftops, walkways, patios, driveways, parking lots, concrete or asphalt paving, gravel roads, packed earthen materials and oiled, macadam or other surfaces which impede the natural infiltration of stormwater.”
A project we did in Cocolalla got us researching porous asphalt and permeable pavement and pavers. The general idea is to use the natural filtration of water through soil to control contaminants before they reach our waterways. There are so many options and materials for driveways, parking area, walkways, decks and patios. Below is an easy to read summary that I found, much clearer than one I could create.
Porous Asphalt: A great advantage to porous asphalt is that the same mixing and application equipment is used as for impervious asphalt. Only the formula for the paving material changes with porous bituminous pavement. Bituminous permeable paving is appropriate for pedestrian-only areas and for very low-volume, low-speed areas such as overflow parking areas, residential driveways, alleys, and parking stalls.Permeable paving is not ideal for high traffic/high speed areas because it has lower load-bearing capacity than conventional pavement.
Porous Concrete: Again, the same equipment may be used as for standard concrete. Larger pea gravel and a lower water-to-cement ratio is used to achieve a pebbled, open surface that is roller compacted.
Plastic Grid Systems: High strength plastic grids (often made from recycled materials) are placed in roadway areas. Some are designed to be filled with gravel on top of an engineered aggregate material, while others are filled with a sand/soil mixture on top of an aggregate/topsoil mix that allow grass to be planted on the surface. The grids provide a support structure for heavy vehicles, and prevent erosion. After heavy rains, the grids act as mini holding-ponds, and allow water to gradually absorb into the soil below.
Block Pavers: This material can be used to create a porous surface with the aesthetic appeal of brick, stone, or other interlocking paving materials. They are most often used for driveways, entryways, walkways, or terraces to achieve a more traditional, formal appearance.
Did you miss out on the Federal Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credits? You’re in luck. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (what a mouthful) included an amended extension of the Tax Credit.
The legislation extends the 25C heating and cooling equipment and building envelope tax incentives for another year but at reduced levels. The new bill extends eligibility to the end of 2011, but reduces the incentive to the original 10% up to $500. Included are provisions which:
limit window incentives to $200;
limit oil and gas furnace and boiler incentives to $150, plus an additional $50 for efficient furnace fans;
limit water heater and wood heating system incentives to $300;
loosen the qualification for window incentives (ENERGY STAR windows now qualify);
and tighten the specifications for oil furnaces and boilers and gas boilers to 95% efficiency, up from the 90% efficiency in current law.
If you have already received this tax credit for 2006-2010 in an amount greater than $500 you are not eligible.
The credit for geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines and solar energy systems is unchanged. That credit is 30% of cost with no upper limit and is effective through December 31, 2016.
I want to thank Cameron Rasmusson of the Bonner County Daily Bee for his great profile of Selle Valley Construction, Inc. and our Cottages at Cedar Green project. The article does a wonderful job conveying what we are trying to accomplish by building energy efficient certified homes. I only wish I were so eloquent. Click Selle Valley Construction Builds Smart, Green to read the article.
If you ever read builder blogs and websites you are familiar with the problems Green Builders, and any builder exceeding Code, are having with accurate appraisals. Typically, appraisers use the Multiple Listing Service to find comparable homes and sales. The problem lies in the fact that most MLS do not have options for “green”, or high performance, homes, such as solar panels, certifications, blown insulation, tankless water heaters, heat pumps, geothermal, etc. In addition, most of the homes that have high-performance green features are built as customs, and these sales are excluded from the MLS.
The result is appraisers using inefficient comps when appraising new homes. Even if homes are not certified “Green” by any of the certification programs, most new homes incorporate improved building science and products and many new codes require the efficiency gained by those techniques. Instead of taking into account and valuing the newest building science technology, most appraisers punish builders and homeowners by ignoring their benefits. All appraisers I’ve spoken with are not even familiar with Marshall & Swift’s guide valuing green features.
In October the Federal Reserve issued an interim rule to address the appraisal problem, allowing builders to ask appraisers to consider additional information about a property. From all of the information I have been able to find about the interim rule, it doesn’t seem clear what “additional information” is, but the NAHB and other stakeholders will work with the Federal Reserve to clarify the rule. The Federal Reserve unveiled the interim rule on Oct. 18 and the rule will take effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register, with the Fed accepting comments on the interim rule during this period. Compliance is voluntary until April 1, 2011. The Fed’s action was required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010.
“Many appraisers do not understand the impact of new code requirements, new green building practices and other aspects of new construction that add value to a home,” said Joe Robson, NAHB’s Immediate Past Chairman and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. “It is particularly important that home builders be allowed to provide appraisers with information to assist in appraising new construction.”
The 2009 IECC is currently being implemented by most public agencies and requires many energy efficiency updates. The 2012 IECC is even more strict and is estimated to result in a 30% more efficient home. There is no code enforcement outside of the City of Sandpoint so a home built to or above code is being compared to a home that may not even pass inspection inside City limits.
I hope the Federal Reserve’s law allows builders to provide appraisers with additional information such as: studies showing certified homes are more efficient than code homes, that when the additional cost to build a green home is apportioned over the life of the mortgage, the increased energy efficiency and decreased energy bills create positive cash flow for the homeowner, to include HERS ratings and blower door test results. If not, what incentive does a builder have to build a better home (besides sleeping at night)?
After months of waiting we finally got the HERS rating for the Cottage: 61!
(UPDATE: The final score came in at 57!)
The HERS rating is similar to the EnergyGuide labels you see when appliance shopping. You know the yellow lables with “uses the most energy” on one end and “uses the least energy” on the other end, with a black arrow somewhere in between showing how that particular model measures up to it’s competitors. Typically, the cheap models hover around the “most energy” end.
We now have a quantifiable number that measures the cottages energy efficiency, not just our word that it is efficient. Below is the definition of HERS from www.resnet.us:
What the HERS yardstick looks like.
The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.
Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.
Thus, the Cottage with a HERS score of 61 is 39% more efficient than the reference home. According to the Department of Energy’s E-Scale the home will save approximately $718 per year in energy costs compared to a home built to standard code.
To obtain a HERS rating a home must be inspected by a certified RESNET home energy rater. The rater inspects the home and measures its energy characteristics, such as insulation levels, window efficiency, wall-to-window ratios, the heating and cooling system efficiency, and the solar orientation of the home. Performance tests, such as a blower door test, may also be used to measure air leakage. The process is similar to an energy audit and can help identify improvements you can make to increase the comfort of your home. It can also be used as a selling tool if you have your home on the market.
Homeownership has had a tough go the past few years. Recently, Time magazine had a cover story titled “Rethinking Homeownership”, detailing why homeownership may no longer make sense. It all seems so shortsighted to me. The Wall Street Journal agreed and counter-argued with their story: “10 Reasons to Buy a Home”, summarized below:
You Can Get a Good Deal: This is a buyers market and prices have dropped significantly.
Mortgages are Cheap: How does a 30 year fixed for 4.25% sound to you? With that current rate, the monthly mortgage payment for a $200,000 loan is about $985, not including taxes and insurance. You’ll probably pay more in rent, and you can’t deduct rent.
You’ll Save on Taxes: You get to deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from your income tax. Using the $200,000 sample above, that’s about $8,400 in interest the first year, plus your property taxes, so somewhere in the neighborhood of $9,000 the first few years. If you make $40,000 that will drop you from the 25% to the 15% tax bracket, saving you around another $3,000 in taxes.
It’ll be Yours: Make any changes you want, paint the walls red, upgrade your insulation and receive the tax credits and rebates.
You’ll Get a Better Home: Rentals aren’t always cared for as well as an owner-occupied home. Can’t you always tell a rental neighborhood?
It Offers Some Inflation Protection: Studies show that over the long term homes tend to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year.
It’s Risk Capital: Equity in your home is a way to link part of your portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy.
It’s Forced Savings: By paying your mortgage you are building equity. Using the $200,000 sample again, you are putting about $280, the principal portion of your mortgage payment, away a month into savings.
There is a Lot to Choose From: Estimates say it will take about 18-24 months for market inventory to get in line with demand. In the meantime, it means prospective buyers have a lo of homes t to choose from.
Sooner or Later the Market will Clear: Population will grow, demand will grow and the market will stabilize.
With a home on the market, my argument is a bit biased, but it is the same argument that was made to me when I was 25 and had the opportunity to buy my first home. At that time, I was able to buy a cute 2 bedroom townhouse with a monthly mortgage payment of $1,400. That may sound like a lot, but at the time I lived in an area where the same townhouse rented for $1,500. I was $100 ahead per month, but I was able to deduct about $1,100 per month in mortgage interest, and I was building equity. Although I sold my home for a profit, even if I had only sold it for the purchase price, I would have still been financially ahead each month.
As many know, when applying for a home mortgage underwriting examines your tax returns, pay stubs, credit scores and bank statements. An appraisal is required to ensure that the home’s value is equal to or above the purchase price. That appraisal minimally inspects the home, mostly relying on square footage, lot size, year built and general fixture quality. It does not consider the R-value of the insulation, heating system efficiency, the building envelope or the home’s general efficiency. Basically, it doesn’t take into consideration how much the home is going to cost you to operate and maintain.
The Sensible Accounting to Value Energy (SAVE) Act is a new proposal, championed by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and backed by energy efficiency advocates and leading US homebuilders. The Act would require federal loan agencies to adjust underwriting guidelines to asses the home’s expected energy costs during underwriting. Current guidelines include many factors into your debt to income ratio, such as credit cards, auto loans, homeowners insurance and property taxes. Utility bills are not address and can account for a large portion of your monthly budget and are variable based on your home’s efficiency.
Average US Homeowner Costs 07-08 According to the Institute for Market Transformation, www.imt.org/SAVE-Act
According to the Institute for Market Transformation, the average US homowner spends more on energy bills than property taxes and homeowners insurance, two expenses routinely underwritten in a mortgage loan. In the Sandpoint area we have heard of winter Avista bills that range from $200 to $700 per month. On a day like today when the temperature is 5°F, one doesn’t have the choice but to crank the heat.
Homes that have HERS ratings, energy audits or are certified by a green building program can demonstrate their energy efficiency in a quantifiable manner. Currently, some lenders, including Fannie Mae, offer energy efficient mortgages that reward “certified” homes with a 5% increase in the buyer’s qualified loan amount. For instance: if a buyer only qualifies for a $200,000 mortgage, but the home has been certified by the NAHB or LEED, the buyer’s approved loan amount increases to $210,000.
This program would account for energy efficiency in appraisals, encourage builders to build energy efficient homes, and it may also encourage homeowners to retrofit their existing homes. It may also help alleviate the ongoing foreclosure crisis by providing a more accurate picture of repayment risk and the expected costs of homeownership.
So I had to blog about this because I think it is the perfect example of why homeowners should be wary of the lowest bid for their project, and why you should do a little background check on your builder.
We recently got a call from someone building a new home who had questions about the energy efficiency of a specific home heating system. We explained that he was putting the cart before the horse: he needed to first ensure that his home had a tight building envelope with proper insulation. When he told me his builder was giving him some push back about increasing the exterior wall insulation from R-19 a red flag went up. A check on the Idaho Professional License and Registration search page found that his contractor had his registration revoked in 2009.
When considering a contractor please check them out. Building a home may be the largest investment you make in your life. Make sure that the person you hire is willing and able to protect that investment. Here is a basic list of questions to consider:
How much general liability coverage do you carry? Idaho requires a minimum of $300,000 for registration, but I wouldn’t accept less than $1,000,000.
Do you require insurance certificates of all of your sub contractors? Do you have proof of that insurance? Don’t allow any sub trades on your property if they do not have their own insurance.
How long have your employees/subcontractors been working for you? You don’t want your home to be the test case for a new sub.
What is your warranty? You wouldn’t buy a cell phone without a warranty, why would you not have one on your biggest investment?
What building science classes have you taken? You expect your cell phone’s technology to improve every year – expect the same of your home.
Are you willing to provide addresses of past work and a list of references that I can contact?
Have you ever had disciplinary action filed against you by any state or local agency or a home owner?
Beware: This year alone we have heard of a 3 year old home flooding due to plumbing failure, shower tile falling off because it was installed directly on the drywall, siding installed directly over sheathing, floor tile popping up due to moisture and a two-story lake home built on a 6″ foundation with no drainage. These homes were all constructed in the last 5 years.
We recently completed our NAHB Green Building Standard certified cottage in Sandpoint. It has been a fun project and we are thankful for all of the subcontractors that worked on the project with an open mind and enthusiasm. Achieving certification is a whole house approach and efficiency and conservation considerations must be addressed in six different categories. The cottage achieved an Emerald (the highest) rating in both Energy Efficiency and Operation, Gold in Indoor Quality and Silver in Lot Design, Resource Efficiency and Water Efficiency, with an overall Silver rating. (A home can only achieve the lowest level reached in a category.) This is only the second home North of Coeur d’ Alene certified, and the only one that has reached Silver.
Our intention with this project was to show that a high-performance, energy efficient home can be built with little additional costs. We estimate that the cost to to certify the home was between 1% and 2% of the overall build costs. The additional costs include spray foam insulation in the ceiling, Water Sense plumbing fixtures, Energy Star appliances and the Heat Recovery Ventilator. Many of the “green” options didn’t necessarily costs more than “traditional” choices, such as wool carpeting and bamboo floors. Other decisions were a financial wash, such as including a Ductless Heat Pump instead of a furnace and duct-work.
Studies, such as a study conducted by Ecotope for the City fo Seattle, have shown that homes that achieve Washington Built Green or LEED certifications are 20% to 30% more efficient than homes built to the 2006 Washington State Energy Code, more stringent than the locally used International Energy Conservation Code . According to local building inspectors, most homes built in Sandpoint and Bonner County would not achieve the 2006 Washington State Energy Code. We’re very interested to see what the water and energy bills are for the Cottage.
Next week a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rating will be calculated that will provide us a quantifiable efficiency number. The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home. Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.
Thank you to everyone that helped on the Cottage and to everyone that allowed us to give them a tour. We hope to have another certified cottage available next year, though this time it will be a 3 bedroom 2 bath option.
Sandpoint Councilman Stephen Sneddon recently held a public workshop in front of City Council and the Sandpoint Planning Commission to discuss his proposed “Small Spaces Initiative”. Although the proposal concerned both residential and commercial properties and development, we are going to focus on the residential components.
The general purpose of the Small Spaces Initiative was to encourage more affordable housing within the City limits by creating the “Certified Small Spaces” program. It is reasoned that the City will save money on services such as sewer, water and transportation if land is better utilized and infill development is encouraged. Certified Small Spaces are defined as active buildings that have a 1,000 square foot footprint or less. If a project is a Certified Small Space it would receive a number of incentives, including a fast-track application process (jumping to the front of the line), five years to pay for NUFFs and impact fees, and reduced parking requirements for one unit per property for footprints less than 600 square feet.
Sneddon’s proposal also included an incentive for the construction of energy efficient buildings by rewarding LEED or NAHB Green Building Standard certified buildings with full reimbursement of City application and permit fees. The City would partner with the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency to reimburse impact and NUFF fees for certified buildings.
The workshop’s intention was to provide a forum for discussion amongst Council members, Planning Commission members, City staff and the public. A number of local building industry members were present, including architect Bruce Millard, builder/developer Steve Lockwood and SVC’s Scott Schriber. There was an active discussion between all parties about the best ways to encourage affordable housing, touching on subjects such as square footage vs. lot size, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), relaxing restrictions on home businesses, impact fee calculations and rewarding green building.
Many of the options conform to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. According to City Planner Jeremy Grimm, the discussion allowed the Planning & Zoning Commission to confirm that the City Council approves of many upcoming zoning changes. There seemed to be agreement about removing minimum lot sizes for PUDs and allowing building on historical 25 foot lots. In October the City also released an RFP for an Impact Fee Study, which is expected to adjust many of the City’s Impact Fees. The 2005 study was calculated using 2005 land prices, which we all know have significantly adjusted downward.
One area that there didn’t seem to be agreement was rewarding green building. Councilman Schuck said it’s not the City’s role to encourage or choose a mechanism beyond the City’s code, it’s the buyer’s decision and Councilman Reuter said that he believed the cost to achieve certification is greater than the rebate. Schriber disagreed with Schuck’s and Reuter’s comments arguing that it would be advantageous to the city and its infrastructure to have homes and buildings that put less of a burden on their systems. In 2009 voters approved a water bond that the City argued was necessary because the current system didn’t adequately meet needs. At the end of the discussion it appeared that the City will not reward certified green building with any reduction in fees.
It has to be said that many City, County and even State governments across the county have adopted some type of reward to encourage green building. It is apparent that water resources are diminishing among greater demand and that the cost of providing all utilities will increase. For example, the State of Delaware recently adopted Delaware Green for Green, a statewide program that offers rebates from $3,000 to $6,000 for building homes certified by the NAHB Green Building Standard.
The City of Sandpoint recently approved commercial zoning changes to conform with the City’s Comp Plan. Industrial changes should be complete by the end of the year and residential zoning changes will be addressed in early 2011. The City hopes that helping apportion the cost of land with higher densities and reducing fees will encourage the development of affordable housing. As the economy improves, demand for home ownership should and hopefully will increase, but probably for a more affordable inventory geared to our year-round population. We are all part of the building community, so please be involved in this process and attend Council, Commission and workshop meetings to voice your comments and concerns.
Their recent post Choosing a Contractor by Competative Bidding is so on point I couldn’t even come close to writing such a comprehensive post, you’ll have to just read it yourself. The fact that it is written by an architect, and not a contractor, should be even more convincing.
Hendricks Architecture is located in Sandpoint, Idaho. John Hendricks, AIA is a licensed architect specializing in custom mountain homes, cabins and lakefront residences in the mountain lodge style. Hendricks Architecture has recently been named to Mountain Living Magazine’s Top Mountain Architects and Interior Designers.
This year, more so than in the past, we have encountered a number of potential clients that don’t understand what a contractor does. Most often we are met with the question: “Why should I hire a contractor – why can’t I manage this job myself?” Quite simply, a contractor will provide you with peace of mind.
I read a great analogy comparing contractors to event planners. Most understand that a wedding planner will not bake the cake, grow the flowers and personally cater the dinner. She will rely on her experience, knowledge of the industry and management skills to ensure that she hires the best baker, florist and caterer. While planning the wedding, the bride and groom will have one point of contact for any questions or concerns and it is the wedding planner’s job to make sure that the bride and groom get the wedding they dream of. A contractor’s job should be viewed in a similar fashion.
First and foremost, a contractor brings experience. While most homeowners may only experience one or two renovations, a contractor has managed dozens if not hundreds. It is our job to make sure you get what you want, on time and on budget.
A very important point about hiring a contractor is insurance. When you hire a contractor, make sure they have general liability and workers compensation insurance. Also ask to see the certificates of insurance of all subcontractors hired by the contractor to provide specialty trades, such as plumbing and electrical. If you don’t follow through with this simple first step you could be liable for any injuries or property damage. Why risk it?
Experienced contractors also have a Rolodex full of subcontractors that have proven themselves to be skilled, reliable and honest. We know who will show up when promised and complete the task on hand on time and on budget. Many of the good tradesmen may not even be in the yellow pages because they make a living working exclusively for contractors – you may not even know how to reach them. On that point, most subcontractors make their living working for contractors, adding an extra incentive to do a good job. They know one underperformed job may strike them from a contractors Rolodex for good.
A contractor is also familiar with appropriate materials, proper construction methods, safety measures,building codes and state and local regulations. Our knowledge saves you the time and trouble to have to learn what are the County waterfront setbacks and permeable surface requirements, or the proper R-value of exterior wall insulation. We’ve managed large projects with numerous subcontractors and know the best order to schedule them to ensure your projects moves smoothly. We know who’s reputable and reliable, and who’s not.
Contractors are responsible for the quality of work performed by all employees and subcontractors. If something goes wrong during construction, it is our problem, not yours. Isn’t that bit of stress relief invaluable?
In the end, a contractor is your advocate. We want to make sure you get the new kitchen, bathroom, addition or custom home you’ve always dreamed of, your job is to enjoy it!
Hendricks Architecture 
