In my profession some projects are so significant that they stick with you for a long time. The project below falls into that category or “one freaking awesome job” as I like to say.

I love Green, Eco-friendly, sustainable building. I believe and have believed for a long time that IT IS the way to go whenever possible and financially feasible. It’s not the ONLY type of construction I do by far, but it is my favorite, hands down.

One day in September of 2010 while researching green projects in the area to arrange hard hat tours for my NAWIC group, I found where one such house was slated to be built. I called the owner and asked him if it was possible to simply come over, walk his project and pick his brain. While explaining to me that he had a General Contractor, he also said there wouldn’t be a problem with me touring the job site, such as it was. I was ecstatic to see the project and just wanted a tour.

Once I arrived on site, I met one of the owners Steve Sadler. I could see the contractor was still in the beginning phases; the steel had just been erected and was still being fastened. The project actually had been going on for almost 8 months at this time so I had expected it to be further along. However, once he opened those plans for me to view, my excitement RENEWED itself… This was going to be the first EVER home built like this in Florida. If done right, it would be a showplace, a house that people toured, enjoyed and followed for years to come. I was beside myself with excitement; I  listened to the disaster of Hurricane Fay that led him and his wife, Michaela Miller to this point, after hearing their story and taking the tour, I wished him luck and left.

The encounter stayed with me, and early in November, I received a message that the owners wished to meet with me. Excited to be viewing the property again, I arrived and was surprised to find that their previous contractor had actually withdrawn and they, Steve and Michaela, were now offering me the job and it was still in the steel phase. I never pressed for the reasons they each terminated their relationships. I trusted my instincts that these were good people and couldn’t say “Yes” fast enough…little did I know that this meeting would turn into a 5 month job and the beginning of a friendship that will last a lifetime.

Why this one project is so significant you wonder, read on to find just a few of the reasons that make this job different.

· It has a geothermal system that keeps the house at an ambient 72 degrees while also dehumidifying the home. The air in the home is more sterile than an operating room.

· The insulation is a recycled blown in foam and can actually been ingested

· The drywall is 100% recycled and all leftover material was sent back to be recycled into Mud containers

· 68 Solar panels that feed power into JEA so you can see their meter running backwards

· 92% of all construction debris from this job was diverted from the landfill and reused in some manner.

Not only is this project beautiful as well as rewarding to the homeowners, it is a testament to what staying “loyal” to your dream will get you. All the hard work and sleepless nights paid off.

In closing, I must say that all the headaches and long hours were worth it. These clients were fantastic and at the end of the project, they got the beautiful home that fulfilled their dream.

The house has gone on to receive numerous awards. They are walking the talk and you can hear more about their message by purchasing the DVD “Built totally green save our Future”.

For more information on this house, to pick up a DVD or to keep up on their progress and successes go to www.builttotallygreen.com

Contractor’s reputation

The construction industry has a terrible reputation for ripping people off.

I love what I do and there are many of us out there that are in the industry by choice; however there are many who are not. If you do your homework prior to hiring a contractor your chances of being “taken” will be greatly lessened. We are not all out to get you; some of us give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay and put forth the effort it takes to make your project something you will be proud of.

Get to know your contractor

While you are showing your potential contractor what you want, ask questions. Like an interview, you are actually hiring these people. Ask, how long have you been in construction, what are your favorite projects, how did you get into the business, etc. Whatever will help you decide if this is the contractor for you. If you are dealing with a salesperson hired by a contractor find out about the contractors track record and ask questions about the company. You really need to know who you are trusting to work at your home or business.

Research the contractors and companies you have chose to bid your project

Licensed contractors MUST display the license number on all advertisements, business cards and letter head. All contractors in Florida have a three letters usually starting and ending with the letter C. then at least 5 numbers. I.E. CGC7654321 the CGC stands for Certified General Contractor. Make sure the license is at least the minimum required for your project. A CRC (certified residential contractor) cannot build you a high rise. You would need a CGC for that. Look up the license number or license holders name to ensure the license is current and doesn’t have any disciplinary actions pending.

In Florida go to www.myfloridalicense.com to look up current licensing for trades and contractors.

Make sure your contractor has a business license in the county where the work will be preformed. Contractors are required to carry liability insurance. Request the contractor have his insurance company send a copy directly to you with your information as certificate holder. Depending on where you live the insurance amounts required by law will vary.

Comp insurance In Florida, if a company has two or less employees the company can be comp exempt over two direct employees require workers comp. insurance.

Most contractors use sub contractors, and that is fine. It is the contractor’s responsibility to insure they have all the required licensing and insurance.

As the owner, or agent of the owner, it is up to you to make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. It is the property owner’s responsibility to insure a permit is pulled on any work requiring a permit. For example all structural work must be permitted. Changing out an exterior door or window is structural. Many counties have minimum dollar amounts example, any work over $500.00, requires a permit.

Find out where you can get references, and any additional information about the owner and or Company. There are many websites with listings and backgrounds on different companies.

We send our customers to our website, where we have listed testimonials from clients, progress pictures of different jobs, owner’s bio, places we are listed and or referred by past clients.

Suicide Bidding

Low price can = low quality, time frame, lack of detail, bad customer service, etc.

The lowest bid is not always the best choice. Change your thinking instead of saving a dime today to spend a hundred later, have a reasonable budget in mind. Research labor and material costs, you will be surprised how much some of the materials cost.

When you go to make a purchase we all know we get what we pay for. If you buy the cheapest T.V. chances are you get a T.V that will be replaced within a year or so. A good set can last for several years; in the long run the good T.V saves you money. Prices go up constantly the price today will increase tomorrow.

In construction the cheapest could mean spending two or three times the original amount to repair damages or replace finishes later. Do you really want to gamble on your home or business?

Often the lowest bidder runs out of funds during the project and they slow down or stop to make money somewhere else while you project waits. I have seen instances where sub contractors, employees or suppliers where not paid and that stopped the job. The subcontractors and suppliers also have lien rights. Construction has its own set of laws and regulations, clients and customers also have rights.

Bottom Line: Do your homework, protect yourself and feel good about your contractor.

To all the people out there just be fair, do the next right thing and it will all work out

My stories

In the interest of keeping this brief I will share a couple examples of contractor situations where the client has called me to help complete the project, consult on how to get the project completed or just needed advise.

A man bought a condo, after living in it for a year or so decided he wanted to add a bathroom. Almost a year later my client had a condo gutted, partially framed, some semblance of elect, plumbing started. Come to find out, no permit was pulled because the contractor was not licensed. Having to live for a year under the stress and excessive costs of using an unlicensed contractor, he finally looked for a reputable company. The owner ended up losing tens of thousands of dollars. It is very costly to straighten out others work. Materials are wasted and labor costs to undo or redo another’s work. Two months later, the owner is happy with his newly remodeled home.

This next scenario has happened more times than you can imagine. I have bid projects along with several other contractors. The lowest bid was awarded. The project starts part way in I receive a call or email. The contractor is not responding to the client’s wishes, asking for additional money, using cheap materials or labor. I just love it when a contractor tries to convince a client that inferior work is professionally done.

People make sure your contractor or a superintendent will visit the job site daily. Someone from the company you hired is taking responsibility for the work being preformed. Get copies of permits and any documentation. Take pictures of progress as its working. Ask questions get any changes or additions in writing. Do not except sloppy work. I do not mean nitpick the project, do remember NOTHING in construction is perfect. A good contractor strives for perfection and accepts what they get.

Once again electricity is going up. If you are in an area like I am, where the city owns the “non profit” that runs the electric, you are told regularly as the rates climb how they haven’t raised the rates in X amount of years! Living on tight budgets and doing our best to survive outside the soup kitchen, there are a few things you can do to save on your energy costs, and do your small part in making your home or office more sustainable.

If you are in the market for insulation, have a radiant barrier system installed, it’s the most economical way to save if you want to increase the effectiveness of existing insulation and decrease heat and cooling loss.

First, radiant heat or energy is transferred from the sun, into an attic space. Depending on the climate and area your home or building is in. There may be plumbing and/or cooling / heating ducts, run through the attic space. (This idea was classic! Run A/C ducts through an oven and expect them to deliver cold air efficiently.) Radiant energy travels in all directions. It comes in through the roof structure, traveling into attic spaces, absorbed into the ceiling insulation and eventually making its way into the living areas of the building. If there are ducts in the attic the cool air running through them is being warmed by the 100+ degrees climate in the attic. In winter hot air/water running through ducts/pipes in an attic space ,the attic temperatures is cooling the heated air/water before it makes its way into the living space.

(Warning, the rest of this article is rather technical and may lull you to sleep. However boring, it is important to understand the product before you spend money on it.)

Having a radiant barrier installed in the attic will help, such as a reflective foil material offering a way to reduce energy costs. Barriers are either a Foil/foil or foil/foam material; I personally like the foil/foam.

Foil/foam (usually polypropylene) is easier to install and some layered barriers have insulation value and are good for exposed areas.

The material comes in rolls or flat panels depending on application. Usually it is 16” & 24” for wall cavity application and has staple flanges. The 48” & & 72” for attic application, has a 1” taping flange most with adhesive. (this is the way you will apply it)

All insulation has an “R Value”. R= resistances, depending on the source foil radiant barriers do not have an R value unless they are layered barriers or coupled with insulation. In these cases they can increase the existing R value. (this is a good thing) (Example: One source states in a horizontal 2×6 wall application with 5/8” drywall and standard 5/8” OSB exterior sheeting will give an estimated R value of 14. In a 2×4 wall cavity with ½” drywall and 1/32 exterior metal siding would give an estimated R7.4).

Radiant Barriers are most commonly used in attic spaces; here are three different applications;

The most popular and effective is to install on roof rafters, foil side up. This is best for Warmer climates. (Since the majority of energy costs are used to cool the building.) Start at the bottom and work up. The material is run horizontally, staple to bottom of roof rafters. Use the tape joint to attach the next row. Continue up both sides and across the top. Radiant heat entering through the roof is reflected back out through the roof and through the roof ventilation system and down through the rafter cavities then out through the soffits.

For higher attic spaces (over 7’) the installation is basically the same, with the exception of the highest area. Start at the top, run the barrier horizontally attaching one side to rafters, taping to the next run(s) until you reach the opposite side and attach to those rafters. Use strapping, either nylon or metal, to hold the material up. (This creates a flat or false ceiling) continue down both sides attaching to the rafter bottoms. Although the flat area will cause radiant heat to pool, it will escape through roof ventilation system or down the rafter cavities and out through the soffits.

Over the ceiling insulation is most effective in cooler climates. Most of the heat loss is through the attic/roof, minimizing air flow through insulation. This method is the easiest and uses less material. Simply lay it over existing ceiling insulation. DO NOT put insulation over a radiant barrier, this will cause other problems.

A high volume of air flow is lost through the ceilings and roofs of a structure. As much as 50-75% of heat loss in winter and 93% radiant heat gain in summer.

I have spoken to many roofers about using radiant barriers. A couple had concerns about the effects of drying out the roof sheeting. I haven’t read or seen any studies on radiant barriers causing damage to roof sheeting. Damage to roof sheeting is typically caused by improper ventilation and leaks. If you do not have adequate ventilation or have evidence of roof leaks, have those attended to prior to installing a barrier.

Fast Facts:

No hazardous chemicals or harmful materials.

Scrim reinforced for durability (90psi puncture resistance), Economical, lightweight, reduces attic temperature from 20-30 degrees.

Reduces energy costs from 5-10%.

Emissivity 0.03-0.1, reflectivity 95-97%.

99% vapor barrier which helps control condensation and is not effected by humidity.

Some layered barriers qualify for American recovery tax credit $1,500.

There are energy star ratings on certain products. Some have LEED points with specific application. (5 LEED points under EA1 and MR5).

Article written by Kathi A. Mitchell and is the property of GreenInstall Inc.

If you would like to comment or get more info. Email info@jaxgreeninstall.com or check out our website www.JaxGreenInstall.com we can help you make an informed decision, call for a free estimate today.

Well we promised it, we’ve been threatening it…now here it is…the product review on Cool-n-Save™. 

We have two contained air conditioning units (free standing/packaged), our home was originally built and then added onto with a mother in law suite….don’t ask….

We decided in the beginning for optimal coverage to keep both air conditioning units, in the past few years we have paid dearly for that decision.  With the local rates going higher and the temperatures continuing to rise, (85 degrees by 10:00 am) sometimes we have questioned our decision to have air conditioning at all. 

We tried shading our ac units, putting bushes around them and we even thought of fencing them off.  When the bills kept rising we had both our thermostats switched out for more efficient ones, still the electric rose.  We had our ac’s serviced and each time we spoke with the men they assured us that it really wasn’t anything we were doing but that Florida was seeing temperatures that were consistently climbing…shrugging they gave us the indication, there really wasn’t much we could do…

We began concentrating on other changes and gave up on the ac units until watching an episode of Living with Ed and we heard him speak on the Cool-n-Save™.  We immediately read up on it, contacted the company and ordered two for ourselves.

The kits include a specially designed filter, which is a proprietary system that belongs to Cool-n-Save™ alone.  So far, we are very pleased with the results and even though our JEA bill has not gone down (due to rising JEA costs) it has not gone up either.  Each time one of our friends or neighbors complained because of a jump in their electric, we quickly told them about Cool-n-Save™ and showed them the product performance reviews. 

The side hoses actually act as a “chill zone” because of a small amount of water that mists your coils.  (It uses less than 6 cents of water per day) When ultra-fine mist is released into the air, it evaporates almost instantly. This "flash evaporation" literally sucks heat out of the air, as the water absorbs the energy it needs to evaporate.
This process, called "adiabatic saturation," is a well-known scientific principal that has been used for years to lower air temperature in outdoor zones.
The result of this constant, immediate evaporation is a substantial drop in ambient temperature without wetness. The air temperature near a misting system is automatically lowered by as much as 30 degrees.

The system is activated only when the AC unit turns on; hot air from the condenser unit’s fan raises the flap on the patented Cool-n-Save™ control valve allowing water to flow to the misters that surround the AC unit. When the ultra-fine mist is released into the air, it evaporates almost instantly creating what is known as a “Flash Evaporation,” which literally sucks heat out of the air as water absorbs the energy it needs to evaporate. The result of the immediate evaporation constitutes a substantial drop in ambient temperature without wetness—up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

When it first arrived, it didn’t look like much, some hoses and some valves, I was skeptical that it would even go together correctly, because our units are so big (13 seer and 2 ½ tons) we did need to buy the extender pack which we did in our original order.  I believe in being prepared, saves a lot of waiting down the road.

From the time I opened the package till it was fully functional on my ac unit was 15 minutes.  Granted, I am mechanically inclined so figure in 30-45 minutes for someone who has never completed a home furniture kit. 

I will tell you that in the three full months that our Cool-n-Save™  have been in residence, we have actually seen a reduction in usage like the company claims.  More importantly we have been able to keep our thermostat at a higher temperature because the air is cold upon entering the house.  I was skeptical at first that these small gadgets could do what it claimed, but I am a true believer now.  I believe so deeply, I contacted the Company; got in contact with their Salesman Kevin, and I now sell them myself.  

Don’t take Ed Begley’s word for it or mine…contact us and let us install one for you.  Let the power of Cool-n-Save™ go to work and we believe you will see for yourself!

If you buy straight from Cool-n-Save™ this is their prices – call us to see what a deal we can offer you.

1 cool and save     $99.95 plus shipping (only 2 options)
                            $10.34 = 110.29 to your door
                            $34.05 = 134.00 to your door

This is certainly an option for you however you will be waiting on the delivery…and installation is out of the question….

We would love the opportunity to speak with you about this amazing product, and give you a much better deal including installation. 

If you are interested in purchasing a Cool-n-Save™ system for your home, please contact us at info@jaxgreeninstall.com placing Cool-n-Save™ in the subject line.  Buying them direct from a local distributer is not only cheaper but greener as it consumes less energy to get it to you.  

Some years ago when my family first started  gardening we set out on a quest to go organic and what better way than to grow your own produce, this can get pretty pricey when water figures into the equation.  We happen to be on a well, so we don’t pay for our water but we do pay for the electricity to pump the water…once you have filled 15 to 20 five gallon buckets with fresh clean water, you start realizing there has to be other ways to water your green house. 

It gets really hot here with Florida averaging 128 clear sunny days per year, however we seem to have just as much rain…what do you do when you’re tired of no water on hot humid days and too much wasted water during our rainy season? Why you build a rain barrel!

I began researching rain barrels and I found that there weren’t a lot of choices out there, nor was there a lot of information on them.  I did find a few websites carrying one or two barrels but I found them to not only be smaller than what I would need but the prices were outrageous.  Even though the prices have come down considerably (if you’re interested in a pre-fabricated one) I still wouldn’t buy one when I can make a perfectly good rain barrel myself for under $40.00.  Now if you live in a gated community or your rain barrel will be high profile, I can see investing a little more money, however we painted the one at our home that was going to be facing the street. 

I started looking around for parts and found that I could purchase 55 gallon food grade plastic drums for $20.00 a piece on a popular local trading website.  I thought this was a great price and there was no shipping so it was eco-friendly.  We bought 4 and the picture will show you what the drum looked like when we bought it in case you’re not familiar with them.

I also realized that because we didn’t have a gutter system on our house, I had to solve the dilemma of how to catch the rain and direct it to my now shiny blue barrel.  Since I have been in the construction industry for over 20 years I happened to own a metal brake and was able to fabricate PVC coated coil into a catch basin.  In conjunction with this I used a simple shower drain to drain the water into the PVC pipe I connected to my blue barrel.  I also constructed a pee trap with two 90 degree PVC elbows to prevent a vapor lock. 

Four inches from the bottom of the barrel I drilled a half inch hole and screwed in a ¾ inch hose bib this allowed sediment to stay below water flow level.  I placed PVC connection glue around the hose bib in case of a leak…

I placed two rain barrels on different sides of the house, in places where I would catch the optimum amount of water.  This worked out so great that soon we were overflowing our rain barrels.  I connected another rain barrel to the original by using a ¾ inch PVC pipe to the second rain barrel making sure it was sitting lower than the original barrel for drainage.  Once this was was done we now had access to 220 gallons of water for our garden. 

I did find that at times my rain barrels were overflowing, when this happens I simply take the cap off the barrel and allow the water to flow out so that there is no back up on my roof. 

Whichever way you decide to go be it a prefabricated model (there are some beautiful ones out there) or a home project (you could do this with your kids) the important thing is your saving money and reusing the earth’s natural resources. 

Blue drum $20.00
PVC coated coil aluminum $0.00 (had this on hand and if you have a gutter you won’t need this)
Shower drain $5.00
Pipe & fittings $12.00
Hose Bib $2.00
PVC connection glue $0.00 (had this on hand)

Total project cost $39.00

Enjoy and have a great green day!