By Rob Fanjoy
Nearly all homeowners would like to cut their energy costs. Builders and remodelers are very well-positioned to help them—and while they're at it, they can also improve their own bottom lines.
Bill Asdal, owner of Asdal Builders LLC in Chester, N.J., has more than a little experience in energy efficiency, and he encourages other remodelers to take a close look at the possibilities. "In an industry where about 93 percent of your business comes through referrals and repeat customers, helping to save your clients some money over the long haul can establish you as the contractor of choice in your area," says Bill.
In cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, Bill recently completed a renovation of a pre-1930s house, which they believe to be the first zero-energy home created through remodeling rather than new construction. A zero-energy home is one that creates as much energy (through solar and geothermal energy sources, as well as overall efficiency) as it uses. In the planning and completion of the project, Bill learned more about energy efficiency than most remodelers will ever need to know.
Simple measures, big payoffs
Fortunately, you don't have to go to those same lengths to help your clients save a few bucks. According to Bill, one of the most important things you can do as a contractor is to provide interpretive analysis to the homeowners.
"It's up to the contractor to say, 'Here are the facts, and here's what that means in terms of savings,'" he says. "You have to help people look beyond the initial cost of many energy-saving measures and realize how much they can save and what the life-cycle cost will be."
Bill recommends such techniques as sealing and insulating gaps and wall cavities, gluing drywall to the top plate to prevent any air infiltration, and sealing ductwork in forced-air heating and cooling systems with a brush-on sealer available in just about any home center as a good place to start.
He also says it is vital to bring these techniques to your clients' attention. "When you spray foam in a window sash pocket or glue drywall to the top plate, have your customer place his hand near that area and then place it next to an area you haven't sealed yet," he advises. "The full effect will sink in when they can actually feel the difference."
Soft-selling energy savings
Bill often walks his customers through a simple energy-savings calculator available on the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory website (http://hes.lbl.gov/). His clients appreciate using this tool, which can be customized to their local climate. "It demonstrates almost exactly how much your clients can save in monthly operations costs," says Bill.
By helping his customers increase equity and their own comfort in their homes, Bill's company has become more profitable and more in demand. He says that any contractor can do the same. "By helping your clients conserve energy and save money, you position yourself as a resource for them as opposed to simply a service provider," says Bill. "And that can only help everyone in the long run."
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