Written by Mel Rogers, owner T Square Remodeling

There are a lot of terms floating around in today’s economy, and we see or hear them many times before the real meaning sinks in. The most recent one that we will be talking about for years is the “cash for clunkers.” This government sponsored program takes a gas-guzzling older car and gives up to $4,500 towards the purchase of a new fuel efficient one.

Energy Upgrades

There are a lot of older homes out there that are “gas-guzzling” and need to be traded in on a newer one. Unfortunately, there is no way that the government can buy up the inefficient homes and provide a credit towards an efficient one. The government is sponsoring tax credits which encourage homeowners to conserve energy and make their homes more efficient. *These programs can be classified into three different categories.

• Building envelope components: covers roofing, insulation, windows, and doors.

• HVAC systems: covers biomass stoves, heating and cooling systems (air source heat pumps, furnaces, central AC, hot water boilers), and water heaters.

• Renewable energy: These products are fuel cells and micro turbines, geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, residential wind turbines, and solar water heaters.

*Source: www.thestimulussource.com

Homeowners can accomplish these energy upgrades by themselves, or along with another remodeling project. As a residential remodeling company, we have had more requests recently from clients for specialized items like windows and doors, than at any time before in the past.

Comfort Projects

In years past, when funding and credit was unlimited, it was not uncommon to have large additions, high-end kitchen remodels, and luxurious master bathroom remodels. Most remodels that we are doing today are all about “comfort” and not necessarily about a status symbol. This goes along with the over-used term “Staycation.” Since people are not traveling as often and spending more time at home, they sometimes take their vacations from work at home.

The most common request is: “how can we make our home more comfortable?”

Each home is different. For one family, adding on a family room addition would make it more comfortable. For another family, rearranging the existing space to make it more of a great room space would make more sense. Or, as another family found, removing an interior wall and raising a sunken living room floor completely changed the feel of the living space.

These are all examples of recent projects that we have worked on. The one common theme through each of the remodels is feeling good about the place they call home.

Prioritizing

The areas that are “lived in” the most should get the highest priority.

If the family all gathers in the kitchen and spends time together in the evenings or during the weekends, than that area should be remodeled to make it more livable. There seems to be more of a concern for durability and value in today’s remodels instead of what would impress the neighbors. Because more people are staying home, and having more people to visit in their homes, there are more requests for entertainment centers and wet bars.

If there are financial reasons or physical reasons for extended families to live together, than it would be a priority to create separate spaces in the house. This could mean selling one house to add on to another.

Having a master suite on the main floor could be a priority for an older couple. I have heard from retired couples that have looked for months for a single level home that they could live in for the long-term. Unless a house is designed for accessibility, there normally is quite a bit of work to make it easier to access for someone with physical disabilities. This could be sloping the sidewalk to the front door instead of steps, or enlarging the doorways to make room for walkers or wheelchairs.

Remodeling Process

Because most homeowners are not experts on remodeling, it is important to find the right remodeler for the job. There is a difference between a remodeler and a specialist. A specialist is good at one or two things on the house. An example would be a roofer or a window installer. A remodeler should have the capabilities of doing most of the project.

Finding a remodeler who can help formulate a budget and help with the design process can be very important on projects that amount to any size. A Design/Build remodeling company can help with a remodel from the idea phase through completion. There is normally an up-front cost for working through all the details before the construction phase.

T Square Remodeling has been serving Clark County since 1976. For information, call 360-256-3946, email mel@tquareremodeling.com , or go to www.tsquareremodeling.com has more information on our company. A comprehensive list of remodelers is available through the Building Industry Association of Clark County at www.biaofclarkcounty.org.