How-To : Home Improvement

The smiling friendly salesman comes out to give you an estimate…and yes, that is a diamond inset into his front tooth. It really sparkles when he smiles.

And he still smiles-even after he hands you your estimate and you are choking and gagging at the estimate-$20.000 dollars…for windows?

“Yes”…he smiles bigger ..(Fast, smooth talking mode on).”But…it is not expensive at all, when you consider the enormous benefits of much lower utility bills and the satisfaction knowing you are going to be comfortable and secure in your own home…and don’t forget fuel costs are going up every year…why, the saving on fuel costs will easily offset the installation cost in just a few years.”

Your eyes began to settle back into their sockets. “Really” you say, thinking about your last fuel bill.

“Sure…it’s a no brainier…I can show you the figures if you want.”

Not wanting to be classified as stupid, you say “…uh…no, that’s not necessary.”

He licks his lips. “…And think about this…when you sell your home …I mean, you’ll want to upgrade to new larger home real soon …right.”

“…uh..Maybe.”

“Well, there you go….any agent will tell you the ROI on replacement windows is almost %100…maybe more as costs go up. You can’t loose…its win-win all the way.”

“I didn’t know that…”

“It’s true…and one more thing…” He looks around and moves closer. “If the boss finds out about this, he’ll kill me …I’m sure we have your windows in stock. That means I’m charging your windows out at the old price.”

“…The old price?”

“That’s right…you see, nobody keeps windows in stock…and before an install, we always order from the factory…but last week, we had a guy cancel and I’m sure the windows are the same as yours.”

“No kidding…you would do that…how much can I save?” You ask.

“A lot…you know, that price I gave you is just an estimate.”

“OH …REALLY?”

“Sure …everybody does it like that now a days…any additional costs like fuel surcharges….destination charges …would be added to that …I mean the way things are going up…how can we do it any other way. The margin is so small; we would be out of business in a short time. See, it says that right here” Pointing to a small blob of print on the estimate.

“I guess I need some glasses.”

“Don’t we all…but, I’ll tell you I can lock you in at that price today and you won’t have to worry about it at all …if you know what I mean.” He winks. “The boss doesn’t have to know about our special deal…just sign right here.”

“Okay…here?”

“That’s it…” He extends his hand, the diamond in his front tooth shining like a freight train headlight.” I want to thank you…uh..Mr. Fish…for giving me the opportunity to save you some money…It really makes me feel good to help someone.”

Jim McDonald is a retired general contractor and liscened real estate home inspector. Read more about your home at these websites.

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Fix Drafty Windows

Whether you need heat in winter or air conditioning in summer, you run the risk of throwing away money on utilities. You need not do this by making painless home improvements.

Home Improvements – Get Your Envelope In Order

Your house is an enclosed structure designed to keep rain, cold, heat, wind, snow and so on out. In contrast, all of those things want in. If you are not careful, Mother Nature will rob you blind. Yes, I am talking about the thermal envelope of your home.

The thermal envelope refers to the protective pocket around your living space. Much like wearing gloves in the snow, you want the envelope to provide a complete insulation barrier between you and the elements. If there are gaps or weak areas, your hard earned money is flowing out of them. Upgrading or maintaining your envelope can save you a bundle.

Insulation can be a killer when it comes to your envelope. Most developers build homes to the minimum requirements because they are focused on profits. Insulation is noted by R values, a method of determining how resistant the insulation is to transferring heat. If you check the walls of your house, an R-11 value will most likely be present. This is bad. R-11 is the minimum required. Upgrade to R-20 or R-30 in the walls and R-70 in the ceiling and floor areas. The temperatures in the house will become more consistent because the heat transfer will stop. This means the house stays warmer for longer in the winter and cooler for longer in the summer. The change will be dramatic.

Windows can be a killer, accounting for as much as 25 percent of your energy loss. The answer is relatively simple. Install Energy Star approved windows and get those frames into shape.

Doors are another area that can kill you. The issue is not so much the door itself, but the framing around it. Make sure your doors are flush to the frames. Installing small seal pads along the inside of the doorstops can make a major difference because they cut off air flow. Of course, the downside is the door doesn’t make much noise when you slam it in anger, but you will just have to tough it out.

Upgrading your envelope can make a major difference in your utility bill. If you can save $100 a month, you will save $1,200 a year. If you live in the home for 10 years, that is an easy $12,000.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more solar power articles.

Rights of light – What a minefield this topic is when developing or extending a property. This is potentially one of the most subjective Planning issues their is. Most Planning Departments will have guidance but I guarantee it will be specific in parts & definitely woolly or non specific in other areas leaving the subject wide open to interpretation.

One of the most common areas for debate is with regard to side windows on neighbouring properties. The general rule of thumb is whether or not the neighbours side window is a principal or secondary window. If if is the only principal window for a neighbours room then the chances are the Planners will pay great attention to your development or extension. They will want to be satisfied that the window is not interrupted from skylight by your building project. Secondary side windows on the other hand to habitable rooms or windows to non habitable rooms are far less contentious & are often ignored by Planning Departments in their impact assessments. However, this is only a rule of thumb & surprises do sometimes occur. These surprises often arise from neighbour induced objections where the Planning Officer is forced to stick out his neck & make a case to support your scheme against that of the neighbours vitriol – you don’t see many headless Planning Officers these days do you – you get my point.

What about the scientific proving of light issues I hear you ask to override the Planning Officers negative opinion? Well yes their is guidance from the BRE called ‘Site layout planning for daylight & sunlight – A guide to good practice’ by PJ Littlefair. However, this