Eco Savvy Home Upgrades
http://www.realestatediaries.net/articles/6634/1/Eco-Savvy-Home-Upgrades/Page1.html
Volker Weiss
Volker Weiss - Maui Realtor(R/S) specialist focusing on Makena homes. Make your vacation last forever, check out Wailea Real Estate. For immediate help call VW directly at 888.572.6888 By Volker Weiss
Published on 12/3/2009
No matter what the market does, a home that is designed to be eco-savvy will sell faster and for more money than a standard home any day. The reason for this is because a green home is usually a more efficient home and the more efficient a home is, the more money it will save in the long run, evening out the expense paid up front.
No matter what the market does, a home that is designed to be eco-savvy will sell faster and for more money than a standard home any day.
The reason for this is because a green home is usually a more efficient home and the more efficient a home is, the more money it will save in the long run, evening out the expense paid up front.
If you are in the market to sell your home, there are a few things that can be done to bring your traditional home into the green era. These upgrades not only make your house look better, they make it run more efficiently and, by George, they feel good too.
No one ever said that you couldn't enjoy your upgrades before you left, so why not put the money in, get it back in the sale and enjoy it all in the meantime?
Here are a few ideas on how to bring your home out of the black and white and into the green:
Flooring
Everyone loves to see hardwood flooring these days; it seems to be the "IN" thing at the moment, but why not spend the same amount of money, if not less and use reclaimed wood from an old house scheduled for demolition or perhaps mill down some trees that needed to be removed by a local builder?
In these cases, everyone wins, the house is still torn down and the trees are still gone and you get the floors you have always wanted.
Another option is to use cork or woven bamboo flooring. These can be purchased, just like laminate and can usually be installed by yourself - saving a ton of money on contractors - with just a tap of the hammer.
The cork flooring is especially interesting as it is made from, you guessed it, leftover cork scraps from making the wine corks and from actually recycled wine corks.
Plumbing
Tankless water heaters are great upgrades as they save money on heating and water, first because they do not have to store 50-100 gallons of water and second because they do not have to continuously heat that amount of water every time it falls below a certain temperature.
Tankless water heaters also take up less space, which means you could tear down a wall and add in that Jacuzzi tub and double vanity you have always wanted. Too bad you are actually selling this house after all.
If water is your focus then why not also install the dual flush toilets. They have settings for, well, dual uses, to be politically correct. The first setting only uses .8 gallons while the second uses the full 1.6 to rid itself of any matter. These toilets save an average house up to 18,000 gallons a year.
Lighting
Everyone is switching to the eco-friendly CFL lights, which use less power but still produce the same bright light, but what if you could remove all power and produce light as bright as the sun? You can, with skylights. Skylights are easy upgrades in any house, which bring in good amounts of natural light, brighten up any room and drastically reduce an electric bill.
Another interesting innovation is solar tubes. These work just like track lighting except they come from the outside. They look like little bubbles from the roof, but the bubbles act as magnifiers and some actually have the ability to be dimmed if they become too bright. Not only that but a kit can be installed with solar panels so that lights can charge for night use.
Roofing
While you will need to cut into the roof to have the skylights or solar tubes installed, why not invest in new eco-savvy roofing? There are many new options today for new roofing that will save energy and also look great from the outside, adding to that curb appeal which will help to sell your house faster. Slate, metal and composite, or recycled material, is great alternatives that produce both look and performance.
Many of these recycled materials are competing with, and winning against, the original materials because of their look, energy savings and lasting performance. For instance, there are some recycled plastic and rubber tiles which are a resource-friendly alternative to slate shingles which are fire and impact resistant while available in nine different colors.
There are many different options for upgrading your house to an eco-friendly standard. Just make sure you consult with a Realtor(R) to make sure you are not over-upgrading for your neighborhood. Don't forget to enjoy your upgrades while you are still at the house, after all, you did put the work into them.
The reason for this is because a green home is usually a more efficient home and the more efficient a home is, the more money it will save in the long run, evening out the expense paid up front.
If you are in the market to sell your home, there are a few things that can be done to bring your traditional home into the green era. These upgrades not only make your house look better, they make it run more efficiently and, by George, they feel good too.
No one ever said that you couldn't enjoy your upgrades before you left, so why not put the money in, get it back in the sale and enjoy it all in the meantime?
Here are a few ideas on how to bring your home out of the black and white and into the green:
Flooring
Everyone loves to see hardwood flooring these days; it seems to be the "IN" thing at the moment, but why not spend the same amount of money, if not less and use reclaimed wood from an old house scheduled for demolition or perhaps mill down some trees that needed to be removed by a local builder?
In these cases, everyone wins, the house is still torn down and the trees are still gone and you get the floors you have always wanted.
Another option is to use cork or woven bamboo flooring. These can be purchased, just like laminate and can usually be installed by yourself - saving a ton of money on contractors - with just a tap of the hammer.
The cork flooring is especially interesting as it is made from, you guessed it, leftover cork scraps from making the wine corks and from actually recycled wine corks.
Plumbing
Tankless water heaters are great upgrades as they save money on heating and water, first because they do not have to store 50-100 gallons of water and second because they do not have to continuously heat that amount of water every time it falls below a certain temperature.
Tankless water heaters also take up less space, which means you could tear down a wall and add in that Jacuzzi tub and double vanity you have always wanted. Too bad you are actually selling this house after all.
If water is your focus then why not also install the dual flush toilets. They have settings for, well, dual uses, to be politically correct. The first setting only uses .8 gallons while the second uses the full 1.6 to rid itself of any matter. These toilets save an average house up to 18,000 gallons a year.
Lighting
Everyone is switching to the eco-friendly CFL lights, which use less power but still produce the same bright light, but what if you could remove all power and produce light as bright as the sun? You can, with skylights. Skylights are easy upgrades in any house, which bring in good amounts of natural light, brighten up any room and drastically reduce an electric bill.
Another interesting innovation is solar tubes. These work just like track lighting except they come from the outside. They look like little bubbles from the roof, but the bubbles act as magnifiers and some actually have the ability to be dimmed if they become too bright. Not only that but a kit can be installed with solar panels so that lights can charge for night use.
Roofing
While you will need to cut into the roof to have the skylights or solar tubes installed, why not invest in new eco-savvy roofing? There are many new options today for new roofing that will save energy and also look great from the outside, adding to that curb appeal which will help to sell your house faster. Slate, metal and composite, or recycled material, is great alternatives that produce both look and performance.
Many of these recycled materials are competing with, and winning against, the original materials because of their look, energy savings and lasting performance. For instance, there are some recycled plastic and rubber tiles which are a resource-friendly alternative to slate shingles which are fire and impact resistant while available in nine different colors.
There are many different options for upgrading your house to an eco-friendly standard. Just make sure you consult with a Realtor(R) to make sure you are not over-upgrading for your neighborhood. Don't forget to enjoy your upgrades while you are still at the house, after all, you did put the work into them.