Archive for June, 2010
Making Sense of Green Certifications
Friday, June 25th, 2010We need training programs; we need third party certification and verification systems too. But for them to work, we also need the correct mix of government/private partnership; the right laws, and the right regulations that point industry in the right directions.
In this guest post at Building Moxie I cover some ideas on just what that right relationship should be, and how it could work. Read the whole article here.
CalGreen: A First Cut
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010So, starting in January of this coming year (2011), California architects, designers and builders will have another building code to comply with. The “…first-in-the nation mandatory green building standards code…” Governor Schwarzenegger called it, claiming “…California continues to pave the way in energy efficiency and environmental protection.” It does do a few things worth while:
First, all buildings built under the new code will be required to reduce water consumption by 20%. Also, there’s a little mentioned requirement that building lots deal more efficiently with storm water run off, preferably keeping as much of the water on the lot (and away from the building) as possible by percolating it through the landscaping, before the surplus is picked up by storm drains. This will have a side benefit of cleaning the water before adding it to our streams and rivers. The second most often mentioned requirement is that half of all building waste will have to be diverted, rather than being simply dumped into land fills. What’s been overlooked is the intent to start the reduction at the very beginning of the building process by encouraging the use of pre-assemblies (such as SIPs) or composite materials made for the the job. Another never mentioned item is a requirement that stud walls not be closed up if the moisture content of the wood exceeds 19%. The third most often mentioned requirement is the requirement that all HVAC systems in buildings over 10,000 square feet keep their systems working at “maximum capacity and according to their design efficiencies”, to use the laymen’s language from the press release. The new code also includes a great many voluntary measures, and includes two “tiers” that designers and builders can comply with in their projects for if they choose to.
In some quarters new code has been well received. In others, there’s a lot of head scratching going on. Brian Pontolilo over at Fine Home Building had to ask: “Why CALGREEN? I’m curious why California wrote a mandatory green building code instead of incorporating these provisions into their existing building codes.” To which I might add: Why didn’t they just participate in IBC’s code production process? After all, California has already adopted the IBC for its code model.
For the answer, we have to remember a bit of history. Before (reluctantly) adopting the IBC, the State spent millions and nearly five years trying to write its own building code from scratch. Thousands of pages later, it was only when everyone from the NAHB to the AIA bluntly told the Standards Commission that their proposed code was so different from traditional model codes that it would cause more problems than it solved, that the whole fiasco was stopped and a model code considered. California politicians and bureaucrats are addicted to the notion that the they “pave the way” with their “first-in-the nation” this, that and the other thing. In reality, as the building code debacle showed, they often spend a lot of time (and a lot of hard earned tax payer money) reinventing the wheel.
That said, I think the CalGreen Code does do take some important steps that have nothing to do with whether enough water gets saved or building waste diverted — all of which will be argued until we’re all blue in the face. The legislation takes a stab at providing a set of baselines that are independent of the self promoting NGOs and their programs. Want your project to be LEED? You can do that. Want your project to be HERS? You can do that too. Energy Star? It’s got you covered. BPI? No problem. CalGreen is simply a (minimum) standard. How you get there is entirely up to you. And that’s how it should be. The Senate should take notes and apply them to the Cash for Caulkers bill, with it’s Building Performance Institute (BPI) — and only BPI — certification requirement.
Now, could this have been done by helping to write and then adopt the IBC green code? Yup.
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Did you know that when you are interviewing a contractor, they are often interviewing you too?
Monday, June 7th, 2010Written by Holly C. Bertsch.
Originally posted on Building Moxie… The Blog. What she has to say is just so important for customers to remember when looking for a contractor — whether for a new project or a remodel or repair — that I’ve reprinted it here with her permission.
Did you know that when you are interviewing a contractor, they are often interviewing you too?
It works both ways, much like a job interview should. Unless said contractor is desperate for work, they are often checking out your project and making a mental decision on whether they want to take it or not. By asking questions along with the usual first time formalities of an initial meeting, your contractor is drawing conclusions about your project, and how you, as a consumer, would be to work for. And believe me, I have turned down high paying jobs simply because a prospect did not seem as though they would be easy to work for (more on that later). I am not saying that I want a person to be a pushover, just accepting anything that we do, but I do want some understanding and flexibility — because without these things my job would be nearly impossible.
Another thing we look for in potential projects is: Is it even feasible? Are you thinking you can have champagne on a beer budget? Are you wanting to turn your only outdated 5′x8′ bathroom into a spa retreat (which we can do, if you are prepared for some serious inconveniences)? Are you wanting some HGTV miracle makeover to happen with no planning and in a very short time frame? Are you wanting to complete some of the project yourself, and are you capable of doing it in a skilled and timely manner? And . . . the most important, are you desperate to have this work done, now, no questions asked, no planning, no budget considerations? These all are big red flags to us. A good contractor works with time, planning, budget, and your dreams to make your project a complete success.
A well respected contractor also looks for problem customers. I am not talking about the type of customer who wants to stay informed and be really involved in the process. I am talking about the customer who wants to “run” a project, or considers themselves a general contractor. The one who wants to buy every single two by four and basically seems to think they know how to, well, run a project. These people usually have full time jobs, or are semi-retired, and fancy themselves as experts because they may have even “overseen” the building of their own home. They often demand a lower rate because they feel the “general contracting fees” should be waived.
We typically do not want to work with someone on a “contract basis” and/or someone who wants to be their own GC. This is usually because we end up wasting a lot of time doing their job as the General Contractor for them, in other words — scheduling deliveries, running to the store for materials, and dealing with otherwise poor planning on their part. We have been doing this a long time and we know what needs to be done, when and by whom. If you want our particular skill set, you can feel free to hire us at our company rate by the hour as sub-contractors for your project. Just know though that it may end up costing you even more, because we exactly know how to make a job run efficiently. After all, we do this every day. The amateur general contractor-type usually rubs a good renovation contractor the wrong way. (Remind me — I need to write a whole new entry about this alone, so forgive me for venting in this paragraph! –Holly)
What we look for usually is a customer who is genuinely interested in what will be going on during a project, has questions initially and along the way, and is willing to grant some type of confidence in us. It is a short-term partnership that is formed to reach your final goals, as well as ours. We want to see your project through to completion, to your full satisfaction, and with a full payment at the end because we stuck to your budget. Can you begin by relating your wishes and dreams to us, but still be willing to accept advice and realities?
A good general contractor will want to “feel out” an initial customer during a few meetings to determine if this is a customer they want to be working with. A not-so-good contractor may be all smiles, wanting to jump on whatever job you have – right away. This not-so-good contractor in general may also be a little too over-enthusiastic about your work. I am not saying that it is bad to have a person who is excited about your project, because we often get excited about certain types of work, but if they seem to be desperate, they may not be the contractor for you. A good contractor is usually booked at least a month to six weeks out or more. There may be extenuating circumstances when they are not, but remember, a good renovation takes planning and . . . time.
A good contractor will be looking at you, while you are looking at them. They will qualify you as a potential client. Sometimes, a contractor will not call you back or answer your emails. I have heard this complaint from customers of ours before. They call a few professionals, and never get a call back or they meet with said professionals and never hear from them again. Maybe the problem is your expectations or your attitude? Maybe they are just really bad contractors? Maybe you need to call more professional contractors. Or you can call us, no matter where you live, and we will give you our “always free advice” because we are good, honest, and receptive remodelers.
And this is my two cents.
