Not all home renovations are created equally and some will give you more resale value and will help you to save money on your monthly bills.

Start with the Facts

Get a home energy audit so you can see just where the holes in your home’s envelope are. An energy audit is well worth the investment as it will show you exactly where your home-improvement dollars are most needed. You can also do a home energy audit yourself.

Make your Home More Efficient

Make a list of the top seven things that can be done to improve your building envelope. Having an efficient home will help to improve its resale value and reduce your monthly bills.

• Conduct your test on a windy, cool day
• Turn off all combustion appliances such as gas-burning water heaters and furnaces
• Close all openings like windows, doors and flues if you have fireplaces
• Suck the air out of your home by turning on all exhaust fans, dryer vents, bathroom fans, stove fans etc.
• Light a stick of incense and walk slowly from room to room, paying particular attention to places where leaks are common like around windows and electrical outlets
• Smoke that is blown in or sucked out will show you where the leaks are

Rebates and incentives will help you to decide which energy-efficient renovations will give you the best return on your investment. Your local government will provide rebates, tax credits, incentives and coupons for improvements that reduce your energy and water consumption.

Add on a Bedroom

The number of bedrooms a home has dramatically influences the price. Add on an extra bedroom to increase your home’s value. Buyers tend to only look for listings with the number of bedrooms they need, so adding a room here will open up the market for you.

Prospective buyers can also use the added rooms for offices, gyms etc. too many rooms are never the problem that too few may pose.

Make your Home Safer

Nothing is more appealing than a home that is efficient, quiet and safe. Using ICFs is a great way to really increase the value of your home. Insulated Concrete Forms are wall and basement systems that are cost effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

ICF systems have an incredible R-value of R-32 – R-53. Homes built with ICFs are also more adept at withstanding hurricanes and tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and fires.

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Prospective homeowners are really attracted to homes which don’t need a kitchen or bathroom renovation. HGTV predicts that homeowners can expect a 60-120% recovery on kitchen renovations and 80-130% by adding another bathroom to homes which only have one.

Keep your renovations simple with good quality fixtures that are in keeping with the rest of the house and the neighborhood.

John Doe – CEO LineThemes

Open it Up

Modern buyers want homes that are light and open. If you have an older home where each room is separate, consider knocking down some of the walls to open the space up. Add new windows, but be sure to invest in energy-efficient models that don’t compromise the efficacy of your home’s envelope.

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ICF building structures are sustainable / green buildings that qualify for LEED certifications. They allow architects, engineers and designers to create buildings that uses fewer natural resources, are more efficient, sustainable and have a lasting value.

Recycles Raw Materials:

ICFs are hollow, lightweight forms manufactured using high density expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels which are connected by uniquely designed, 100 percent recycled polypropylene webs, making the blocks 60 percent recycled material by total weight.

During construction, the forms are stacked, braced then filled with concrete, which is manufactured with recycled material (slag) and the end product can also be recycled creating a cradle to grave type product. The steel reinforcement that is used in the ICF forms is also made from 99 percent recycled material making the overall use of insulated concrete forms a highly sustainable process.

Reduces Waste and Emissions:

ICFs reduce waste at the construction sites, any waste produced is 100 percent recyclable. They use fewer natural resources, such as gas, electricity and wood. Reducing waste is also an important factor for green building construction; Insulated Concrete Forms can generate as little as 1 percent construction waste. This greatly reduces land filling which produces methane emissions. Furthermore, ICF is manufactured without the use of any CFCs, HCFCs or chemicals. ICF construction is environment and eco-friendly and helps conserve trees too.

Energy Efficient:

ICFs offer a “5 in 1” solution that provides structural strength, insulation, vapor barrier, sound barrier and attachments for sheet rock and exterior finishes in one easy step. ICFs produce high performance buildings that are designed and constructed to minimize maintenance and repair, offer low energy consumption reducing operating costs and has the ability to continue functioning in adverse situations.

Safe and Resilient Structures:

ICFs are durable, resilient and innovative. They offer protection from fires, earthquakes, severe storms, tornados and flooding. Government led public / private programs and National Building Codes are supporting and recognizing disaster resilient building design and continuous thermal insulation which have changed from traditional construction methodologies to providing green buildings with measurable results.

ICF construction results in durable, resilient structures that are environmentally friendly and resource-efficient throughout the building’s life-cycle; from the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition phase. Green building ICFs construction contributes strongly to building safer communities through sustainable construction and providing a healthier way of life for years to come.

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