Reduce Your Heating Bill This Winter

As winter approaches and the air gets colder, many of us are beginning to think of ways to save money on our heating bills.  Of course, putting on an extra sweater always helps, but it doesn’t really reduce the energy bill all that much.

Air Leaks are the Main Culprit

There can be literally dozens of places in your home where cold air seeps in and heat escapes.  Common examples include windows, doors, dryer vents, roof vents, walls, floors, wall outlets and so on.  Often, in areas where significant heat loss occurs, a cool draft is easily noticed.

There are several products sold at home improvement stores that tout “energy savings” and “heat loss prevention.”  These products include weather stripping, Window Insulation Kits which consist of plastic shrink film and double faced tape, quilted curtains, foam outlet sealers and so on.  If used properly, many of these products help.  However, BlueWater Builders suggests that you talk to your contractor and ask for an Energy Savings Consultation or an Energy Audit.  Most contractors offer some sort of energy-savings checklist of minor improvements that add up to big savings.

Adding Insulation to an Existing Home

Unless your home was specially constructed for energy efficiency, you can usually reduce your energy bills by adding more insulation. Many older homes have significantly less insulation than homes built today, however adding insulation to a newer home typically pays for itself within a few years.

To determine whether you should add insulation, you first need to find out how much insulation you already have in your home and where.

A qualified home energy auditor will include an insulation check as a routine part of a whole-house energy audit. An energy audit will also help identify areas of your home that are in need of air sealing (before you insulate, you should make sure that your home is properly air sealed).

If you don’t want an energy audit, you need to find out the following:

• Where your home is, isn’t, and/or should be insulated
• What type of insulation you have
• The R-value and the thickness or depth (inches) of the insulation you have.

If you live in a newer house, you can probably find out this information from the builder. If you live in an older house, you’ll need to inspect the insulation yourself if you don’t want an energy audit.

BlueWater Builders regularly performs Energy Audits and makes minor home improvments to existing homes.  Our numbers show homeowners who have hired BlueWater, are reducing their heating and cooling bills by up to half!  This is significant savings and very exciting for our customers.  Please contact us today to learn more about how you can save money this winter.

www.blue-waterbuilders.com
email: bluewaterbuilder@gmail.com
phone: 763.898.2858

How to Choose a Remodeler or Builder

Finding the right contractor to complete your home improvement project is critical for success. We’ve all heard horrible stories of scam artists, in-experienced builders, and lazy-arsed hammer toting contractors that come into a home and botch everything.  Not only are these imposters a nightmare for homeowners, but they also wreck the good name of builders and remodelers in general.  After a bad experience, where do you, as a homeowner turn to get the job done right?  How do you find someone you can trust?

There are some standard steps that can be taken to try and find a contractor to meet your needs.

• Perform an internet search for contractors in your area.  This will give you a local list with phone numbers and web addresses.

• Check with free services such as Manta and Merchant Circle.  There is no cost to search these directories and they will give you a list of contacts in your area.

• Check with your local Chamber of Commerce.  Perhaps a builder is part of the Commerce.  If so, chances are they are responsible and reputable.

• Ask around.  Ask your neighbors, friends, and colleagues.  Word of mouth is the best way to find someone who you can trust.

After doing the above, you should have a list of contractors.  Now comes the difficult part.  Knowing who to trust is a challenge.  Whomever you choose to hire, BlueWater Builders suggests you first:

Meet with the builder to discuss your project.  When initially meeting, get a good feel for what type of company the builder operates.  Ask them questions like:

1. How long have you been in business?
2. How did you get started?  What was your training?
3. How do you work with homeowners to ensure they are satisfied with your service and end result?
4. How are you better than other builders?
5. How have you resolved conflicts that you have had with customers in the past?
6. Do you have a list of customer references I can call and speak to?
7. Do you have photographs and/or examples of work you have completed?
8. How often do you stay within your quoted price when completing a project?
9. Will you help me find ways to complete the home improvement project within my budget? (This includes suggestions for ways to save money).

After asking a few questions like this, you should have a better idea of the integrity of the builder you are talking to.

The next steps are straight forward.

The builder should provide you with a quote that is clear with no hidden extras or add-ons. Remember: the quoted price should always be the same as the final job cost (granted there are no changes during project completion).

A good builder will help you define the scope of your home improvement project.  They will work with you to brainstorm and offer suggestions.  A good builder also has an extensive network of sub-contractors that they have worked with for years. The relationship that the builder has with these subs will benefit you… Here is why: the sub contractors value the work the builder has sent them, and in turn provide the builder with good work at a discounted rate.  This in turn, gets passed on to you.  In other words- by working with one reputable contractor/builder you are actually working with a team of home improvement specialists – electricians, plumbers, tapers, painters, cabinet builders, flooring experts and so on.  But the key is, your contact or your builder is the one who deals with the head-ache of finding these experts and negotiating their prices.

If you are fortunate enough to live in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, please contact BlueWater Builders regarding your next home improvement project.

BlueWater has maintained a high level of quality construction and value to homeowners in the Twin Cities area for several years.  BlueWater is a family owned business and enjoys the satisfaction of helping homeowners build their dreams one project at a time.

Contact us today with any questions or comments.  We look forward to hearing from you.

web: www.blue-waterbuilders.com
email: bluewaterbuilder@gmail.com
phone: 763.898.2858
fax: 763.477.7012