Did you know that the State of Iowa Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program will begin on March 1, 2010? This money is available on a first come first serve basis on appliances from the approved appliance list.  Visit online at www.energy.iowa.gov

Check out www.midamericanenergy.com or call 1-800-894-9599 for cash rebates available for residential, commercial and industrial customers when purchasing qualifying equipment.

Are you an Eastern Iowa Light and Power customer? Well they are offering rebates pertaining to electric water heaters, heat pumps, appliances and more. Visit www.easterniowa.com

Check with your accountant for Federal Tax Credits available for consumers for items such as:

Windows and doors, Insulation, Roofs-metal and asphalt, HVAC, Water heaters, Biomass stoves, Geothermal heat pumps, Solar panels, Solar water heaters, Small wind energy systems, Fuel Cells.  Visit www.energystar.gov/taxcredits

Davenport NOW has a new program that gives property owners cash back when they invest in property in Davenport.  Visit them at www.cityofdavenportiowa.com

Happy Savings- WE at Olive Construction Inc care about your bottom line!

Historically, the best improvements for remodeling have been the kitchen and the bath. You could easily recoup 95-99% of your investment back at resell. However, we have an entirely different economy with a new set of rules.

The latest research shows that in the Iowa and Illinois markets the following improvements will give you the best return on your investment.

MidRange Projects

Illinois- Replacing your door with a steel entry door will give you a 90% return.  Installing new vinyl siding will give you a 73 1/2% return.  Followed very closely by an Attic bedroom remodel.

Iowa- The top of the list is still a bathroom remodel at almost 83%. followed by an Attic bedroom remodel at almost 77%.  Third place is to replace the entry door with a steel door.

Higher End Projects

In higher end projects both Iowa and Illinois have the same 3 front runners.  Fiber Cement siding replacement.  Foam backed vinyl siding replacement and vinyl replacement windows.

Remember, we are going thru a period of change but it’s just history repeating itself.  Take a look back in time at the Victorian Era where people had an abundance of everything, followed closely by the Industrial Revolution where less became more, homes became more simplified. People had a shift in priorities-getting back to basics and the freedom that comes with it.  It will be interesting to watch over the next ten years at the changes that will occur.

It’s hurry , scurry, busy, busy, busy.  The Christmas season is here and everyone is hanging the lights, the mistletoe and putting up the tree.  More than one doting husband and father has ended up in the hospital trying to clean the chimney or hang the exterior lights.  Let’s keep this Christmas Merry with a few safety hints.

How long does the ladder need to be?  When on an extension ladder you should never REACH PAST where your  belt buckle would hit the ladder rail.  Never climb higher than the permitted standing rung.  Angling a ladder that is too long can cause the ladder feet to slip.  Place the ladder back 1′ for every 4′ of length to the upper support.  This should give you the ideal 75 1/2 degree angle. 

Check the load limit on your ladder.  Capacity is your weight PLUS any tools or materials, such as a big Frosty the Snowman or Santa Claus.  Remember you should never use an aluminum ladder or a wet wood ladder around electricity.  Never leave a ladder unattended where children might climb up it.

Have a Safe and Merry Christmas!

We all get a little nervous when someone wants to talk about money.  It’s rude.  I want the best price.  If I act like I don’t have any maybe I’ll get a better price.  I know what I want to spend but if I tell them, then, what will the price be? If I can get by with less I want to.

Why does a contractor want to know your budget?  When he/she asks, what they are REALLY asking about is this:  How much time have you spent thinking about this?  Have you been out looking at prices so you have a REASONABLE expectation.

When a customer comes to us and says they would like to redo their bathroom.  We ask, Do you have a budget? Or, What is your budget?  There is the $2000, $5000 and $10,000 or more bathroom.  You ask, what’s the difference?  Did one person say they only wanted to INVEST $2000 and they received the SAME bathroom as the person who was willing to INVEST $10,000.  ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!

It’s more like this- $2000 you’ll get a cultered marble countertop, paint and an entry level vanity.  $4000 You upgrade that vanity, upgrade to a laminate top, paint, some lighting and a vinyl floor.  $10,000- Now you’re beginning to see YOUR DREAMS come true.  New tub/shower unit, nice vanity and top, water saver water closet and some ceramic tile.  Handsome faucets and paint.

A couple things to remember when you are remodeling especially a bath or a kitchen.

1. You will increase the value of your home.

2. If you sell that home you will receive a return on your investment.  Kitchen and Bathrooms give you a higher rate of return than any other room in your home.

3. Your home in an INVESTMENT- it builds equity, you spend a lot of time in it.  Over a ten year period the cost of a $10,000 investment is $2.74 a DAY!  That’s for the first room most of us see in the morning and use several times a day.

4. There isn’t anything that you will purchase that price is not discussed in one way or another. At the grocery store it’s on the shelf or item.  It won’t do any good for a car dealer to show you a Cadillac if your budget says what you need is a Cavalier.

5. Most importantly you should be hiring a contractor that you TRUST!

In construction one of the areas that cause confusion is buying a door.  Is it a right hand or a left hand?  To muddy the water even more, commercial doors are named differently than residential doors.  The safest way to order a door is to take a sketch with you.  Similar to this one.  The swing is determined by where the hinge is.  You’ll want to know, what is your position?  Are you standing inside the house or outside the house.  Residential doors open to the interior of the house.  Commercial doors open to the exterior of the building.

Other options to think about:  Do you want a window? What will your door be made of?  Wood, steel, fiberglass?  Who will be using it?  Will a standard knob work?  Does anybody have a physical challenge such as arthritis where a lever would be a better option?  Would you like something decorative?  Do you need a deadbolt?  You’ll also need to know what size your jamb is.  These are all options to consider when purchasing a door.  If  in doubt hire a professional.

BBRRrrrrrrrrr it sure has turned chilly here in the Midwest.  In fact there’s a possible chance of snow this weekend.  You’ve probably turned your furnace on to test it. If not be sure to do so before it gets REALLY cold. It’s also wise to check the exhaust flue to the exterior.  Birds like to build their nests in those white pipes,  that includes the fireplace.  Also change the filter and it won’t hurt to vacuum out the registers while you are at it. If you have a CO2 detector don’t forget to check the batteries. 

Now you are all snuggly warm but you begin to notice the lower corners of the windows getting foggy or frosting over.  A small amount is perfectly normal.  However, if you have a lot of condensation it can damage the woodwork, wallpaper and plaster.  This can be a sign of too much humidity in your home.

As we Americans try to build tighter homes it has caused an increase in humidity. The fact that we take more showers, do more laundry and human occupancy all increase the moisture in the home.  More than 18 gallons of moisture a week can be released into the air by a family of four.

How do you reduce humidity?  Shut off all humidifier units. Air  out the house a few minutes each day.  Turn the fan on in the bathroom and kitchen when showering or cooking.  It doesn’t hurt to let them run a little after you’re finished either. 

 Open the fireplace damper.  Open vents in the attic and crawl space.  Install double glazed windows.  Be certain you have a vent to the exterior of all humidity producers such as the dryer and gas burners.

Keep warm and Keep dry.

Well it’s here again, the brisk cool days of autumn.  I love this time of the year. The colors are more vibrant than ever. It’s as if the flowers and trees are looking for one last hurrah before they go to sleep for the winter.  But before WE get all snuggled in, it’s time to do a little maintenance. 

 When your gutters do not drain properly they create an entire host of problems.  In the winter if water sits in the gutter it will turn to ice and can create a jam.  That in turn can push up under the shingles and create a roof leak. There you sit in the middle of January with a drip in the living room and can not safely do much about it. When water overflows out of the gutter it will run down the foundation and left long enough can give you a very soggy basement. So let’s get prepared.

 Get out your ladder, making sure that it is safe and sturdy.  Place it so you can get to the gutters. Be especially careful if you have a two story house and take the time to fasten the ladder to the roof in some way.  Dig out the debris and run water thru the gutters making certain that they are clear.  For added measure add a product such as gutter guard.