Archive for April, 2010

New Home Construction Technology

April 27th, 2010



Its Built with Styrofoam Panels

Marquis Construction thinks they have found a way to meet their own needs and their buyers’. They build with SIPs – 4 & 6-inch-thick sections of EPS foam, like the material from which coffee cups are made, sandwiched between sheets of galvanized steel.

The panels, 4 feet wide, snap together with a T&G joint so they can be assembled quickly by workers. The foam is laminated between sheets of steel.

The panels, known as SIPs, have been around for 60 years, but only in the last ten years have they begun to be used in mainstream of construction

“It’s a thermal and structural shell,” the builder said homes are certified to withstand winds up to 140 mph, making it hurricane worthy. The absence of wood means it is inhospitable to termites. “There’s no food value there,”

Marquis says their customers “immediately grasp the concept that a solid foam-core house has got to be much more energy efficient than conventional . It really sells itself.”

In addition to energy efficiency, the steel panels provide a cleaner IAQ, mold resistive environment. They carry a 20 year corrosion warranty. They surpass Florida’s hurricane codes, are impact tested and used for hurricane shelter construction in Ft, Meyers, FL.
Steel SIPs construction will reduce insurance premiums up to 53% in hurricane prone areas over wood frame construction.

Panels are easily and readily available for delivery through out the southeast US with a 2 week lead time.

Home Improvement Grants – Get Government Money to Pay For Upgrades and Repairs

April 24th, 2010



If you are a property owner currently trying to sell, you know that you’re going to lose money in the housing market right now. Home improvement grants from the United States government are a great way to instantly and dramatically raise your property value and enable you to also raise your selling price, without having to spend or lose any money.

What exactly are government home improvement grants?

It is quite simple actually. What a government grant is (any type of government grant), is a free cash award distributed to taxpaying American citizens who properly complete a government grant application and meet all eligibility requirements. If approved, large sums of free money are allocated to qualifying applicants to invest into various goals and projects that were part of their grant proposal.

So how do home improvement grants raise my property value and selling price?

This is an even simpler question to answer. In the case of home improvement and repair grants, the money awarded obviously will be put forth to finance a well thought out plan to remodel, repair or upgrade the property, or properties, that you are preparing to sell. Once major repairs and upgrades are completed, there is little to no chance that the property value will instantly increase, allowing the owner to considerably raise the selling price to create a larger profit.

You never have to pay this free grant money back…ever!

Because this was virtually free government money you have spent to repair, remodel and upgrade your sellable property, the increase in selling price is nothing but profit for you. If you are in the market to sell your home or property, and don’t want to lose the money you have already invested due to a poor housing market, see if you qualify for home improvement grants to upgrade your home and build equity before you put it on the market. It could seriously make you a lot more money on your sale.

Home Improvement Grants – What Are They?

April 14th, 2010



Wouldn’t it be wonderful to renovate your home and let someone else pay for it? In many circumstances you can do just that! There are dozens of programs available today through local agencies, state governments and the federal housing authority that allow homeowners of every economic status and area of the country to apply for grants and/or financial aid packages to help pay for personal renovations and remodeling on your private home.

Some agencies limit their funding for projects in specific areas of interest such as the revitalization of certain geographic areas; historic preservation; handicapped accessibility; low-income housing renovation; etc. Others offer funding to homeowners who own homes built before a certain year; located in a specific neighborhood or that may require a specific type of renovation such as insulation; roofing; electric; plumbing;’ siding; etc. The key to finding funds for your specific home remodeling project is to locate the agency or organization that offers similar grant programs.

For instance, if you are interested in making your home more energy efficient consider contacting your local utility companies; “green” organizations or state housing authority t inquire about any funding programs they may offer.

Interested in purchasing an historic home, but not sure you’re wallet is ready to handle such an expensive revitalization project? Talk to your local and state historic commissions and revitalization agencies for help. Many offer grants to historic property homeowners to bring these historic homes back to their previous grandeur.

It’s not uncommon today for many homeowners to need to make their existing property accessible to an older family member who has become disabled and no longer capable of caring for themselves alone. Grants are available by many disability and older American organizations and agencies to remodel current bathrooms; add sufficient ramps and so on in existing homes.

Who’s eligible for these types of home remodeling grants? Virtually any American citizen who is 18 years or older and either owns or rents their home and meets a funder’s specific grant requirements. I usually requires filling out a short questionnaire to determine eligibility, followed an official assessment of your needs and request.

Depending on the agency that’s offering the grant, and the amount being requested, you may be required to submit a detailed plan of your project including a substantiated budget and a variety of personal financial information including current pay stubs and federal income tax returns for the last one to three years. The entire process can take anywhere form a few weeks to a year or more.

Home Improvement and Business