We have all heard the horror stories of families building a home and the contractor going WAY over budget, or worse running out of money and not completing the home… How can people building a new home avoid this disastrous situation? Don’t go it alone.  So many people think that by being the General Contact of their own building project they will save money.  In 95% of the cases where customers act as the GC, the project ended up...

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At this point, I think everyone understands the advantages of solar power.  We all know that over time, a home powered by solar energy will cost a homeowner less in energy costs than its grid powered counterpart.  However, the cost of the solar energy system has made it cost prohibited for most homeowners.  Is this trend starting to change? A recent article published by Energy Circle indicates that the cost associated with solar energy is...

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Renovations can reek havoc on families.  Upsetting schedules, interrupting the normal flow of family life, and causing inconveniences not planned for.  Many homeowners approach home renovations unaware of the stresses involved.  Read on for tips to help you weather the renovation upheaval. 1. First and foremost: know your budget!  We can’t stress this enough.  Develop a budget, then work down from the most important item. Example:...

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B4UBUILD.com is a website filled with information regarding residential construction & remodeling.  Most of this information is targeted towards site built (stick built) construction.  However, I wanted to point out a few links that are great resources for any type of construction.  These links are found on the lower left hand corner of the B4UBUILD homepage.  The links below will take you directly to the page: Know what to expect…...

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This is a document that was presented to the Maine Legislature in March of 2010, in an effort to garner support for Geothermal Heating.  This article is written specific to geothermal heat in Maine, using information about our electricity rates as well as cost of oil/propane.  Please keep in mind this information was compiled in the Winter of 2010, and may need slight adjustments to current costs. GeoThermal Systems in...

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The real estate market is definitely a buyers market right now.  This means sellers need to be proactive in the selling process.  Making your home more appealing than others on the market, may help your home sell faster and/or for more money.  Check out this website for cost effective renovations buyers are likely to see as value added updates.  Even if you aren’t selling your home, many of these projects are timeless investments for...

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