Maine Modular & Custom Home News

Building a new home requires a lot of homework on the part of the buyer. Here at Schiavi Home Builders you can often hear someone saying that systems built technology is not just add water and it’s soup. Although the technology lends itself to make a home buyer believe that everything comes in the package, you still have to decide what you want that package to be for you. At the Builder on Line website I found an article titled 10 Things You Need to Know About Modular Homes. I think this article helps the new home buyer really think about what they are looking for in their new home. System built homes offer green building solutions, energy efficiency, time savings and the ability to customize to your specifications. Customizing a system built home is our specialty and we think that the more familiar you are with what is offered in the market, the more you will want to build your new home with us.

Do you wish you had put in an air ventilation system with your home? I ran across this inexpensive addition to make your bathroom fan a continuous air flow system. The Airetrak Advantage helps regulate and exchange air using your already installed – or a newly installed bathroom fan. For those who don’t have a HVAC system and can’t afford to put one in, this is an alternative. Visit the Tamarack website to learn more about their products. Read their brochure on the Airetrak Advantage to see if it is a solution that you might be interested in. Air exchange is an important element in moving moisture out and moving good air in.

Are you or someone you know a new homeowner? Check out these gift ideas that are sure to be useful around your new home. This Old House has about a dozen gift ideas to choose from. Or check out www.greensender.com for a gift that will help the new home owner start thinking “green”. Useful and eco-friendly gifts are always appreciated. Have a wonderful holiday season.

Ahhh…more new technology. It’s not really new, it’s just coming into the limelight now because everyone is looking to save on energy. This unit is considered a “whole house energy system” that has the 3 E’s:

• Energy Savings
• Equipment Potection
• Electrical Nosie Filtration

The PowerwoRx – e3 saves energy usage by monitoring and controlling these three factors. How much you will save depends on how much you typically spend on your electric bill. The typical savings is 10%-15% per month. The cost of the unit and installation will run around $750.00. If your power bill runs at $100 per month the pay back period will be approximately 5 years. If your power bill runs $300 per month the pay back period is closer to 2 years. This doesn’t include the savings you will realize because the life of your appliances will increase due to the fact the power surges are leveled out. Every little bit helps and this unit is worth checking out.

We get so set in our ways and our thoughts that sometimes it’s hard to break away. That’s how it is when people start talking about modular building. There are some great points in this article published at the BostonHerald.com, like how modular is an efficient way to approach green building. It’s about time that modular technology got some kudos for incorporating green building and making it cost effective at the same time. However, on page two of the same article, you read that modulars are restricted because of standardization. That’s old school, even though some modular builders are still stuck in that rut. Modular technology in its finest form is to be combined with stick building and can be customized in nearly any way a client wants it. Progressive modular technology breaks the mold and outshines other building technology in so many ways. Look beyond the obvious and get the most bang for your buck with a custom modular home.

Every year someone’s holiday cheer turns into a holiday disaster. In our excitement and joy sometimes we overlook the basic Christmas safety rules. It pays to read them over and take precautions to prevent accidents while we are decorating and baking for the holidays. Check out these Christmas Safety Tips. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

The U.S. Green Building Council is accepting public comments on their LEED for Neighborhood Development program. The USGBC is collaborating with the Congress for New Urbanism and the Natural Resouces Defense Council to develop a rating system to certify a group of homes as a LEED neighborhood. As green building becomes more defined it affects the way we approach new projects. Now is the time to make your opinion known while public comments are being accepted. If a LEED certification becomes mandatory at some time in the future, it is a good idea to become involved in how the rating system gets developed. Visit the website today.

President elect Obama has some new green building programs he wants to see mandated. He has proposed extensions for federal grants and new grants that promote sustainable building codes and money to retrofit older buildings. In the overall proposed plan we would need to have all new buildings carbon nuetral by the year 2030. Read this on line article from Business Week for a good overview of a plan put together by the USGBC and President elect Obama. It is good to keep this information in mind when going forward with new building projects. No use building it one way, only to have to change it in a few years to fit a new code.