You can afford to build it, but can you afford to live in it

Have you watched ABC televisions
"Extreme Home Makeover"? Have you heard about
the great things that Habitat for Humanity does
when building a home?

These folks build homes for people that are economically
disadvantaged. Their customers could not afford the home without the
"gift" that these organizations provide.

So what happens when their customers move into the home. The same thing that happens to our customers when they move into their home. It becomes time to pay for it.

Not only is there a monthly bill from the bank. That amount is known upfront. Now, every month there is also a utility bill or two, gas and electric. Additionally, the lawn needs to be moved. Driveways and sidewalks need to be shoveled. If a window breaks, it needs to be fixed. Someday the furnace will require maintenance. Does your home require a paint job?

Back to Extreme Home Makevoer and Habitat For Humanity. What they have learned from building homes for individuals with low incomes is that it is not only important to provide them with a home, it is equally important to provide them with a home that they can afford to live in.

Get to the point! Alright I will. If you notice what these two organizations do, they focus on energy efficiency and I know from Habitat's standpoint, maintenance free products when building homes. We do the same thing.

We want our customers to be able to afford to live in their homes. We want to maximize the value of their dollars when building their home in order to minimize the monthly costs of living in the home.

How do we do that? Green Built Construction Standards. Energy Efficient Construction.

- Premium Insulation Packages
- Air Sealing the home
- High Efficiency Mechanical Equipment
- Mechanical Ventilation

If you are considering building a home, you HAVE to consider energy efficiency. Do not build a home that you cannot afford to live in. It happens all the time. At all income levels. It doesn't have to. Ask your builder about the energy efficiency of your home. Ask what specific measures they will implement when building your home. The measures must be put in writing within your contract or specifications. Tell them not to forget about mechanical ventilation. Your home has to breath and opening a window every now and then is not good enough.

Build well!

If you arrived at our blog from a source other than our website, please visit us at www.heartlandbuilders.com. Further, if you are considering building a home, please contact us. We would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your dream.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at rgkogel@comcast.net.