With local and federal government in Calgary, Alberta putting emphasis on energy efficiency and the environment, residents have opportunity for a partially subsidized home improvement. The federal government has a rebate program to encourage energy efficiency upgrades for existing homes.

Incorporating Energy Efficiency into a Remodel

Calgarians who are planning new roofing, kitchen remodeling, or a basement remodeling may be able to include these efficiency improvements in their project, and receive cash rewards for doing so.

Recently in Calgary, three homes were given energy efficiency retrofits of $1,000 , $2,000 , and $4,000 . The $4,000 home, located in Varsity, had a new high efficiency furnace installed along with an attic insulation upgrade from R-10 to R-40. Attic draft-proofing, door and window caulking, and weather stripping were also installed.

The total cost of the package was $4,832.86, and will yield an annual natural gas energy savings of about 46%, approximately $670, not to mention a reduction of 5,418 kg. of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions.

Planning the Project

When planning home improvement projects in Calgary such as roofing, kitchen renovation, or basement renovation, be thorough in developing your plan. If possible, you may want to incorporate an energy efficiency retrofit into your project. The federal government’s Energuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive Program (EGHRI) is available through the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE).

You may want to enlist the services of a professional design expert or an architect to produce the drawings for your remodel. Be sure that any changes to the plan are made on paper before work begins; changing a design in mid-construction is a recipe for disaster.

Include all the specific details for the home improvement in the plans, such as materials, fixtures, or appliances. Detail projected costs and project timelines for completion.

Selecting the Right Contractor

Once your project plans are complete, it is time to select a qualified, licensed contractor. Some good sources are word of mouth from friends or acquaintances that have had similar projects done, local licensing authorities, or a good contractor/homeowner matching web site. One such web site for Calgary, Alberta residents is: www.HandyCanadian.com.

Be sure to give identical copies of the home improvement project plans to each potential candidate, so that they can provide an accurate quote.
Ask each candidate for licensing and insurance credentials, and referrals from similar recent projects.

Take the time to thoroughly check each; ask the homeowner about the performance of the contractor, and whether or not they were satisfied with the completed renovation.

By careful planning, utilizing government rebates, and carefully selecting your contractor, you are well on your way to a successful project.

Max Sheppard is Co-Owner of handycanadian.com HandyCanadian.com: where handycanadian.com/homeowner.asp?cus_type=1 homeowners locate professional landscaping contractors, and qualifying handycanadian.com/contractor.asp?cus_type=3 contractors acquire new leads.

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