How to Remodel Sustainably
After a while our homes need a change or some updating. They can seem tired and old and in need of a little refreshing. Ideally, perhaps, you might like to move to a larger home but the economy has you worried and you want to spend your money wisely. So instead, you’ve decided to renovate your home not only to perk it up but to better accommodate your current needs and lifestyle. Here are five easy ways to remodel sustainably.
Buy Reclaimed
Don’t get caught up with having to have the newest and shiniest. Think about other materials like reclaimed wood which is not only an environmentally sound choice, but sublimely handsome and growing in popularity in all sorts of home renovation projects. Reclaimed wood is a great choice for countertops, flooring, and walls. In the end, you will save time, money and energy that would be required to produce a similar and newer product.
Deconstruct as much as Possible
If you plan on tearing down walls or even knocking down entire rooms, walk around your home first to see what you can salvage and reuse beforehand. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it will save money in the end. Most likely there is a ton of material you can salvage and reuse. Consider everything from light fixtures, to flooring, tile, bricks, cabinets and molding. Planning a day with your contractor to walk through your house and see what can be reused is a good way to plan around this, and the entire deconstruction process can be easily planned out through a contractor-client communication software.
Think Energy Efficient
When you are shopping around for new appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens look for those that are the most energy efficient. These products have the Energy Star logo right on them and will give you all the information you need. Many of these large appliances, especially the upscale refrigerators, generate a lot of electricity. For many people these high-end appliances are not only cost prohibitive initially, but they will end up costing a great deal more to run as well. Plan with your contractor to order energy efficient appliances.
Insulate
Choose a high quality insulation. The better insulated your home is, the better it is protected from the elements. Your home will stay warmer in the wintertime, allowing you to keep your thermostat at a lower setting, and cooler during those hot summer months.
Get the Job Done as Quickly as Possible
Poor planning often will lead to an excessive timeline in the project, and things like change orders cause excessive transportation expenditures. Delivery trucks create excessive pollutants, hence are one of the largest polluters in the renovation process. Limiting change orders and solidifying what you want early on can cut down on delivery vehicles going to and from your site. With remodels, having a gaping hole in your house for an excessive amount of time increases energy costs on either heat or cooling, as it’s difficult to regulate temperature without a closed environment. Hence, getting the job done quickly and efficiently is one of the most effective ways to remodel your home sustainably, which all stems for efficient communication.
About Pillar
Pillar is a contractor-client communication software that specializes in residential construction. Pillar allows you to plan your remodel or build with your contractor, laying out deadlines such as when appliances need to be ordered, when subcontractors will be coming to the site, and other various milestones of importance to the project so that it will be completed on time. Our software is easy to use and navigate, and is meant to be used conjointly with you and your contractor. To find out more about our product, come visit us at our website.
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