This panelized Harvest Home in Charlton combines energy-saving construction techniques with geothermal heating to further reduce energy costs.
By Maureen Werther
Cecil Provost of Saratoga Construction and Ben Dickerson, owner of Energy Max Solar and Geothermal have teamed up to build an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, custom home in Charlton. This is not their first collaboration, but it is their first venture with Harvest Homes, a “green” builder of “systems-built,” panelized homes, owned by Christian Guay and located in Delanson.
This 3,000 square-foot, log-home style chalet will not only cost less and take less time to build, it will also be heated using geothermal technology. According to Dickerson – who has a degree in hydrogeology – by extracting heat from the ground, consumers can drastically reduce, if not eliminate, the costs of heating and air conditioning. He will also be installing solar technology to heat the water the homeowners will use.
Consumers who believe that “going green” is cost prohibitive should talk to Dickerson, Provost, and Guay. They will tell you how wrong you may be. “It’s all about the rebates,” says Dickerson. He can install a $10,000 system and, after rebates from National Grid and the state, the end cost to the homeowner will be about $2,700. “You may be spending the money up front for the technology and installation, but it will save you in heating and energy bills for the next thirty years. And, if you roll that cost into your mortgage, it will probably only cost you another $50 a month,” says Dickerson. Most people pay much more than that every month for their utilities. With solar installations, Dickerson also notes that as much as 75% of the project ends up being paid for by state and federal rebates.
Cecil Provost agrees that this is a win-win for his clients. “This customer wanted a custom built home and we discussed a variety of construction options. We chose panelized construction because it best fit their budget and needs,” says Provost. Panelized homes are not synonymous with modular. Wall, floor and roof panels are pre-fabricated in a controlled environment, using standard 2x6s, plywood construction and CAD engineering software system. Unlike modular, the panelized segments are shipped to the site and assembled there.
According to Guay of Harvest Homes, there are many reasons why this is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly building option. “We can build in one week in the factory what takes much longer to do on-site,” says Guay. “Think about all the construction vehicles driving on and off a site during the normal course of a building project. Once the sections are built, they are simply shipped in once to the job site.” The assembly and additional work, such as sheet-rocking, taping, etc., are then done by the general contractor. With less waste, shorter production time, and reduced labor, the homeowner realizes a huge savings on the construction project.
Mike McLaughlin, Project Manager for Saratoga Construction, agrees with Guay’s assessment of the cost savings to the client. With the project in Charlton, the homeowners also decided they wanted the look of a log home. By using the panelized system, the clients are able to achieve the look and ambience of a log style home, with internal knotty pine and external log façade, and with a significant savings in cost. “Typically, a traditional log home would cost about $200/square foot as opposed to $150/square foot for the panelized version,” he notes. The cost of labor alone makes up much of that savings. And the homeowners will not have some of the less-positive issues that go with a log constructed home, such as energy loss, settling, and “checking” or cracking of the logs.
Provost stresses that there is an almost limitless range of home styles to choose from when considering panelized construction; it is not just limited to log style homes. The opportunities for cost savings through energy-efficient and green heating technologies are something that he intends to continue to pursue with his clients. He and Dickerson feel they can make an environmental difference while giving home owners quality products, saving them time, money, and energy.
For more information, you can contact Christian Guay at Harvest Homes at 895-2341 or visit www.harvesthomes.com. Cecil Provost of Saratoga Construction, 63 Putnam Street in Saratoga, can be reached by calling 587-0100 or www.saratogaconstruction.net. For Energy Max Solar and Geothermal in Queensbury at 845 State Route 9, call 633-1889 or visit www.energymaxsolar.com.