New Home Construction Upgrades, Building and Energy Efficient Green Home

New Home Upgrades

Make Your New Home Project Count

with these time critical key upgrades that MUST

be added during Construction!

Learn How to Make Your Home More

Energy Efficient!

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TIME TO MOVE

Let's face it your family's needs do change with time and the home you currently own may no longer meet those changing needs. Smart builders know this and strive to provide the latest floorplans and modern amenities designed to meet today's ever changing needs. Whether it is increased energy efficiency, more technology features or carefully designed floorplan ergonomics, you can find or build the house of your dreams. If you decide to build from scratch as opposed to the purchase of a completed builder SPEC you must keep in mind that certain desirable amenities must be planned for ahead of time and added at specific stages of construction.

The information found in this report will help bring to mind the type of upgrades you may want to incorporate in your new home when you plan to build from an empty lot.

Now the real work begins as you have only a certain amount of time to make plan changes with the builder if you want to have the upgrade features listed below. Part of ARG's job as your agent is to help you understand your options during your home's construction and to provide an alternative prospective from what you are getting from the builder's sales associates and or construction manager.

After working with hundreds of new home buyers ARG has developed a list of sought after features you should consider if you are going to build a new home from the ground up. Adding them during construction is not only cost effective, but may be the ONLY opportunity you will ever have to add these features to your new home. Getting your home right NOW may mean having less and less reasons in 5 years to want to move again (and go through all the expenses associated with moving). The key is to get pricing from the builder during contract discussions and then to add those items to your contract BEFORE construction starts.

TIME SENSITIVE UPGRADES YOU NEED TO CONSIDER

Nail Down Hardwood Floors. The reason this makes the list is the fact that IF your new home is a 2 Story your entire Staircase will be affected. If a RUG or TILE is in front of the bottom Step then ADDING a Nailed Down Wood floor AFTER your home is built will mean your bottom step will be about 1.5" SHORTER then all the rest of your steps. Builders always determine STEP HEIGHT by the floor material that is in front of the staircase. IF you plan on adding Wood Floors AFTER you Close then you will want the builder to make sure they add WOOD Floors in the Hallway where your Staircase is located. This way you will avoid the "Short Step" problem later on when you complete your Hardwood Floors.
Single Garage Door width - Don't let your builder put in 8' doors!!!! You need 9' or you will have to fold your vehicle mirrors getting in and out! 8' Doors might work if you own a VW Bug or a Fiat, but not with SUV's or Pickups, which just happen to be the vehicle of choice for many Texans. This needs to be known before the Slab forms are put in place.
Garage Door Height - Want to park a boat or F250 that is lifted? Make sure you design in an extra high garage door. Its easy enough to do if the builder knows about it before Framing begins or better yet BEFORE you sign your contract. This way the changes you want are tied to you doing business with that specific builder before you write an earnest money check.
Garage Length and Width - Well if you are going through the trouble of adding a taller door then you want to make sure you are at least 22' long if you are to park your F-250 or similar sized vehicle. Garage dimension may be limited by lot size especially if you are building on a lot less than 60' wide or 120' deep.
Sink in utility room - Make it as deep as possible. Plan before foundation is poured so plumbing and drains can be set.
Adding a Bathroom. Sometimes some floorplans just don't work because they lack a needed bathroom. This addition needs to be known before the cement is poured. An added bath in a Formal area or Study area can be very important if you have a home based business or ever expect to convert this space to a bedroom.
Refrigerator or Freezer power plug in utility room or garage. Frame Stage. This is important because this line needs to be on its own protected circuit to prevent breaker trips on other outlets.
Ice maker water line to 2nd refrigerator. Before Foundation is poured.
Closes Dryer gas line. Frame Stage.
Gas and Electric Drops for Kitchen Cooktop. If in Island, this must be known by your builder before the cement is poured.
Wet bar prep that installs power, Cabinet Lighting Switches, plumbing drain and water supply. This will allow you to install a new wet bar later on if you don't have the builder install one during construction.
Install additional recessed "can" lighting - especially on 2 Story homes. You really need to look at this closely as many homes have insufficient lighting. It is very expensive and difficult to install additional 1st floor can lighting into homes that have a 2nd story above without making a lot of holes in sheet rock. This needs to be added no later than Frame Stage.
Sconce wall lighting in Media Room. Frame Stage.
Sconce Staircase lighting. Add at Frame Stage.
Flush Mounted Soffit Lights. These are so cool. Once you see them you will want them. They are located in an area that is protected from weather unlike lights that are mounted close to the foundation. These need to be installed at Frame Stage.

Install as many as needed.

Flat Panel Cable and Power Drops in Bedrooms, Master Baths, Garage or any other "Special" location that will allow you to mount a Flat Screen without having unsightly power and cables running up your walls. Add at Frame Stage.
Video and Power Drop for Media Room Front Projector. Frame Stage.
Whole House Internet wiring and Plug-n-play tech center for all TV, Telephone, Internet and Network equipment, routers, amplifiers and modems. The fact is wireless is a DOWNGRADE compared to secure hardwire communications. Wireless can be much less secure if unencrypted as your network signal can be picked up all around your home. Add at Frame Stage.
Extra Network drop for your home office. I recommend 2 Drops. Add at Frame Stage.
Adding Fiber Optic Cable Network. Yes ARG has had clients who have installed fiber optic light pipes in their home. Fiber optic communications will be lightning fast and it is now only a few years away. Add at Frame Stage.
Whole house intercom or speaker wiring for whole house background music. Add at Frame Stage.
Extra Closet Storage Shelving. This way if the Builder puts a nail in a PIPE behind the wall, he will catch it during construction. Add before paint stage.
Outdoor Speaker Drops. Frame Stage.
Outdoor Video and Power drop for outside TV. Frame Stage.
Front and Rear Entry Video Cable Drops for Security Cameras. Frame Stage
Christmas Light Outlets under roofline. Frame Stage.
Outdoor Spotlights, Tree Lights added to exterior of home. Frame Stage.
Built-ins like Garbage pull out, Wine Lattice, Pasta Bins, Butler Pantry and entertainment built-ins. Must be known a few weeks before cabinets will be installed.
Shower Head in Master that is HIGH ENOUGH!!! Frame Stage during Plumbing installation.
Extended Patio. Known at Foundation design especially if you want Patio to be part of the foundation structure.
Outdoor Gas Line to Grille. Frame Stage.
Outdoor plumbing and power drops for outdoor kitchen. Before Foundation is poured.
Extended driveway for added parking opportunities. Known before foundation is poured. It is cheaper for builder to add this from the Cement Truck then to mix up individual bags afterwards PLUS all the Cement mathces.
Extra Power drops in Garage, speaker drop and video drop. The Garage is a UTILITY ROOM so give it MORE UTILITY! Like to spend time in the Garage? Maybe these features will help! Add at Frame Stage.
Locate a logical space in your attic for storage. At Frame Stage.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

Energy upgrades are CRITICAL for many reasons. Not only will it save you money on utility bills and help lower our national dependence on Mideast oil, it will also provide increased year round comfort. A drafty cold house in the Winter, followed by a difficult to cool home in the Summer combined with high utility bills will be a huge let down especially if you went through the trouble to build your home from the ground up.

100% Foam Insulation

Fiberglass & Cellulose Free

Segreto Custom Homes

Click to Enlarge Picture

Whole House Radiant Barriers

Highland Homes

Click to Enlarge Picture

During the Summer of 2006 ARG studied a variety of the Metroplex's best new home builders and combined with our own research can help you understand the energy options that are available to you. As an ARG Client we want your next new home to be the best new home you have ever owned. And if you decide to buy a "Spec Home" yes, you can retrofit energy features into an existing home.

Here are key suggestions that have proven to help:

Whole house Radiant Barriers go under the brick veneer and 2nd floor cement siding. If this is not added during construction you will forgo ever having this cost effective energy efficient feature on your home. The Radiant Barrier works by reflecting heat carrying infrared radiation away from your exterior walls. Your home's exterior walls are where a lot of cooling efficiency is lost. When barriers reflect heat producing IR radiation from your home's exterior walls your insulation becomes more effective and your AC System works less to maintain a comfortable environment. To see how Radiant Barriers help to protect the underlying insulation click here

RADIANT WALL BARRIERS FOR WINTER EFFICIENCY TOO! In the WINTER Radiant Barriers will also provide an effective radiant barrier against heat loss through infrared radiation transmission from your home's exterior walls. Most homes can be wrapped for $1000 to $3000 depending upon the size of your home. Many foil barriers carry a lifetime warranty and can be purchased with tiny perforations that allow the wall to breath so as to prevent possible moisture or mold problems.

Adding Attic Radiant Barriers other than foil Barriers that are glued to the inside your new home's roof decking. Proper placement of Radiant Barriers is critical for achieving maximum living space comfort and efficiency benefit.

Whole House Perforated Cement Soffits for increased attic ventilation. ARG can show you what to look for. If your Attic is uncomfortably hot, then your AC System is operating under overly harsh conditions, which means your AC System must run longer to overcome duct losses. Proper Attic Ventilation keeps attic temperatures down and makes it easier to cool your 2nd floor while helping to keep your AC bills lower.

Continuous Perforated Cement Soffits

Soffit Baffles (black devices) over a continuous perforated soffit

adding additional Roof Vents using Turbines and Ridge Venting at the horizontal peak of your roof allows the hottest air in your attic to escape to the outside. As hot air escapes through Turbine vents and Ridge Vents cooler air is drawn into the attic space through your perforated soffits. Attic airflow is critical to achieving a cooler attic and a more energy efficient home. A cooler attic means your AC System evaporator coils and ducts are working in a cooler environment. This will also make cooling your 2nd floor easier. All good things to have working for you in Texas.

WINDOWS - According to the Texas Window Initiative, windows account for 46% of the heat load or energy loss of a home! This is HUGE! TXU Electric is estimating that utility costs will rise 15% a year for the next 10 years. This means a $300 Electric Bill today will cost over $1000 in 10 years (Visit the Window Connection to see for yourself). Clearly Windows are a huge factor in how your home will live and what you pay per month.

Vinyl Windows for South and South West Facing window locations that are not shaded by trees or a porch. ARG can help you understand your choices in these critical locations. As more and more builders switch to High Performance Low E Vinyl Windows the cost to produce these energy efficient alternatives have become less. The benefit is absolutely easy to discern especially when you compare a West Facing Aluminum Window at 5Pm during a HOT Texas Summer's afternoon to a modern high performance Vinyl window. The difference is amazing.

Thermal Break Aluminum Windows - Vinyl windows are high performance windows, however their lifetime will not match the durability of an Aluminum Frame. Hence the new addition to the window lineup - "Thermal Break." This windows is manufactured with an outside and inside Aluminum frame that is separated by a Fiberglass center. The Fiberglass prevents the heat or cold on the outer frame from jumping across the insulator. In the Summer, the inside frame will remain near room temperature, while the outside frame can be as hot as 130 degrees. Standard Aluminum frames would transmit the outside heat into the the room increasing the work load on your AC and Heating system. Thermal break windows will typically cost more than Vinyl and or Aluminum window counterparts.

Visit http://www.thermalwindowsdfw.com/index.html

Blown Cellulose insulation in exterior walls, 2nd floor walls that face attic space and Ceilings. Cellulose provides typically a more complete solution to fully sealing up wall cavities where fiberglass leaves air gaps. This greatly improves sound reduction qualities and better R values. Combine Cellulose with foil radiant barriers in your vertical walls and you will improve your home's energy efficiency.

click to Enlarge Picture

Foam Insulation - Partial or Full application will provide the most energy efficient home possible with the lowest possible air leakage. The expense for this type of insulation material is higher, but the pay back is much faster. PLUS the interior comfort levels are very uniform on both the first and second floors and the AC System in the attic operates in near ideal temperatures (mid 80's) for maximum efficiency. This type of system needs a special AC ventilator system to introduce fresh air into your home. IF you have ALLERGIES, this type of whole house foam insulation is perhaps the best way to control your interior air quality when combined with a whole house humidifier and Electronic HEPA air Cleaning system. CLICK HERE to obtain more information on whole house spray foam insulation.

Install an energy brace backing sheathing on all 2nd floor walls PLUS Radiant Barrier Foil that face any unconditioned attic space. This actually allows insulation to perform better and hence better temp control for your 2nd story living space. Energy Brace is inexpensive and is easy to install. Installing a Radiant Barrier over the Energy Brace material will only improve efficiency gains further.

Photo shows Energy Bracing Material over outside of wall insulation. This is an Energy Star requirement. Using Foam and or a radiant barrier would also improve your insulation factor while reducing your energy bills.

AC Ducts must be laid out properly if you are to achieve maximum SEER capability of your AC Units and to properly distribute air throughout your home. 14 SEER AC Systems matched to an inefficient Duct means poor distribution of air flow, uneven temperatures and increased energy usage. It is somewhat shocking to see how many builders do not require energy efficient duct placement, Radiant Barriers and upgraded insulation options as these upgrades are EXTREMELY COST EFFECTIVE and will pay back quickly. As an ARG Client we will help you understand what to look for and how to insure your home will perform to its maximum capability.

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GET READY FOR A HOT TOPIC RADIANT BARRIERS

Retrofitting New Inventory Homes or Existing Homes can also be considered. I have found that www.foilbarrier.com provides the best Foil Radiant Barrier product solution in the DFW Metroplex. The work in the home below was performed by Foil Barrier. home Foil Barrier is operated by Joe Perry and he can be reached at 817-789-1057 or 214-762-3898.

Radiant Barrier Retrofit. Double layer added over insulation

GENERAL DISCUSSION

In the picture above foil radiant barriers have been installed over the attic insulation to prevent infrared radiation (IR) that is being retransmitted from the underside of the roof from striking the insulation that sits directly over the living space below.

One of the requirements for a radiant barrier to work is that it must have an "AIR GAP" in front of the foil that is facing the source of incoming IR. That is why the barrier is on top of the insulation in the home pictured above and not glued or spray painted on the underside of the roof decking. Placing the foil over the insulation prevents IR that is being retransmitted from the underside of the boiling hot roof decking from striking your attic insulation, thus helping the insulation over your living space stay cooler. I have been in countless homes and can tell you that the undersides of Texas roofs with or without a radiant barrier painted or glued to it becomes boiling hot during the summer months.

WHAT IS INFRARED RADIATION (IR)?

Infrared radiation is a frequency that has no temperature in and of itself until it strikes a surface where it then transmits heat energy into that surface. That is why space vehicles are "foil wrapped on the outside." In Deep Space the temperature is approximately -270 Celsius (-454 Fahrenheit) YET there is an exceptional amount of IR present. This would suggest applying the foil over your shingles would actually give you the most beneficial radiant barrier effect and that is to reflect incoming IR before they strike a temperature absorbing surface like your dark gray tar based composition shingles on your roof.

That is why a big Texas TREE is your BEST radiant barrier!

Think about it! The tree prevents IR from the Sun from hitting your roof's shingles! If shingles stays cool your attic stays cool. Once a surface gets hot, it begins to re-transmit IR. In the case of a typical Texas house, that means IR is re-radiated from the underside of your roof decking plywood sheets into your attic insulation - NOT A GOOD THING! In my opinion gluing a radiant barrier to the underside of your home's roof decking does little as the physically attached foil quickly adjusts via "direct heat conductance through a solid" to the temperature of the HOT roof and acts like a huge hot radiator surface.

I know one of the the technical properties of a true foil radiant barrier is extremely low emissivity which means the hot foil has a very low rate of IR retransmission. However the hot foil does quickly heat up the attic air until the attic resembles a Dutch oven. The point here is that homes with radiant barriers glued or painted to the underside of roof decking still have hot hot hot attics that help to compromise a homes energy efficiency.

LOW EMISSIVITY CAN STILL BE A HOT PROBLEM!

Even if a major characteristic of a radiant barrier foil is low emissivity, which means when the foil itself gets hot it has a very low rate of retransmitting infrared radiation towards your attic insulation, the foil can still become a very hot surface and when you multiple a hot radiant barrier by the large surface area that most roofs represent, you still have a very hot attic by the fact that the hot surface will impart its heat energy into the attic air itself. Just touching a radiant barrier in the hot afternoon will confirm the fact that foil barriers can and do get scorching hot.

As a Realtor, I have closely looked at a number of radiant barrier installations by a variety of home builders and I can tell you that some of the hottest attics had radiant barriers glued to the underside of the roof decking. This means if you are to rely on the low emissivity principles of a radiant barrier you must have adequate attic ventilation. At best the 'underside' radiant barrier becomes a time delay device for heat build up and for it to work correctly is fully dependant upon sufficient attic ventilation (air exchanges).

So if you are going to retrofit a home and can't improve the ventilation aspects of your attic so hot air can freely circulate to the peak of your attic and out ridge vents, turtle vents or power vents, then you should be considering installing the radiant barrier over your attic insulation.

This leads me to conclude that the primary intended purpose of the radiant barrier is not due to it's low emissivity characteristics, but rather to primarily defeat incoming infrared radiation by reflecting it away from surfaces directly underneath the foil barrier, hence preventing that surface from getting hot in the first place means an external barrier application over and not under a surface.

If inside radiant barrier foil applications really work (low emissivity principal) or are the primary intended use of a radiant barrier foil then why are space vehicles not employing the same technology the housing industry seems to embrace? The last time I checked, space vehicles all have the foil radiant barrier on the outside.

There are lots of opinions out there, and you have read mine, but it seems more logical to shield your living space with a perforated radiant barrier foil directly on top of your attic insulation or over your roof's shingles if you are to realize optimal results from the use of radiant barrier technology. This way you preserve the required "air gap" needed for a radiant barrier to reject or reflect incoming IR Radiation before it strikes a heat dissipating object like your home, or you can find a BIG TREE and place close to your house on the South West Side, but it will cost you much much more!

Good luck on getting city zoning approval for an external highly reflective radiant barrier over your roof shingles!

Anyway I would love to hear opinions on this subject. You can post them on my BLOG.

CONSTRUCTION ISSUES TO CONSIDER

Over the years many of the traditional materials used by builders have changed to man made materials. Many times this was to add durability, prevent warping and in some cases to save money. The issue of plumbing goes down the same lines and is bringing changes to the way new homes are being built. How this may effect you will be discussed.

50 Year Warranty on Copper Tubing

Plumbing - Copper or Plastic? What is best? What lasts? What are the potential hazards or future problems? Many new home builders have switched to a PEX plumbing system in their new homes in the DFW / North Texas area over the last 4 years. Although there are no long term studies to determine suitability and longevity, the building industry has taken the position that PEX is an improvement over Copper. Earlier generations of this product where prone to failure due to chemical interaction with Chlorine in water. Unlike copper plumbing, which is the traditional and mostly reliable standard for in home plumbing you find yourself either accepting the industry changes to PEX and or building a new home with Copper. Copper will cost you about ~$2K - $5K more per home depending upon size, baths, etc. Don't be afraid to ask questions. For information on PEX click here.

Picture shows Poly Lines that will run into new home through soil and concrete. Slab has yet to be poured.

Structure - What sheathing to use on the exterior frame. What you must do to achieve a more solid wall construction.
2nd Floor Decking - Real Plywood versus OSB? Weight Bearing considerations for heavy 2nd floor furniture and longevity questions.

If you have other suggestions you want to share, please send them to me at mike@askinsrealtygroup.com