New Prices!

Since we have been adding more smaller plans less than 1,000 sf, we recently changed our price list to better provide for the popular smaller plans.  Click to view new Price List. 

Green Find: EcoHome Magazine

Image via Wikipedia

Also, I would like to highlight a very good source for green products and technology with the new Hanley-Wood website, EcoHome. After getting a copy of the magazine itself, I have found many sources for answers to things like - What is the best 'on-demand' water heater?, what's the best spray foam insulation?, who has the best solar water heater? and many, many more green ideas.

Our "Financial Stimulus" Package

In order to help future home owners, builders, and investors with start-up money, we are offering our own version of financial stimulus - we will be running a special 50% discount on all plans ordered by May 15, 2009.  On top of that, we will also offer free shipping to go along with your order.  Order soon - the sooner you order, the sooner you save!

New Plans Added: April 1

Here is a list of new plans we just added to our website:

Under 2,000 S.F. Cottages
* Seagull 800-3
* Seagull 928-3

We will keep you posted with upcoming new plans.

New (And Recycled) Tax Credits For Going Green

Image by aflcio2008 via Flickr

President Obama has made some changes to the tax credits for energy efficient products. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is the program that President Bush initiated several years ago and was to end in 2007 and then was extended to end of 2008. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made some significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The changes are very significant for new homes and remodels. The highlights are:

• The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010 as well.
• The tax credit has been raised from 10% to 30%.
• The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC), have been converted to 30% of the cost.
• The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for the two years (2009-2010). However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum - you get 30% Tax Credit on these! $1,500 is the maximum total amount that can be claimed for all products placed in service in 2009 & 2010 for most home improvements, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, fuel cells, and windmills which are not subject to this cap, and are in effect through 2016!
• The $200 cap on windows has been removed, but the requirements for windows has been increased significantly. Not all ENERGY STAR qualified windows will qualify.

See more info on saving tax dollars when you build or remodel.

Thanks - Dennis Mercer

Now's the best time to build green!

If you're considering buying land to build a home using green-building concepts. Today's building news might scare people off from building. With all the bad news about housing and everyone seeing "red" - it happens to be one of the best times I've ever seen to build! It also is a very good time to start a green home-construction project, based on several factors: Land prices are cheaper, the number of certified green contractors out there is growing and green is going mainstream as global warming and energy issues are on the front burner. Most General Contractors are also "sharpening their pencils" more just to stay in business. Additionally, federal tax incentives for some new-home construction elements have recently tripled following the recent passage of the stimulus package.

Instead of the previous 10-percent incentives offered, you can now write off 30 percent of the costs of buying and installing solar panels, solar water heaters, fuel cells and small wind-energy systems and geothermal heat pumps. There are dollar caps on some of these credits. See the Environmental Protection Agency website for the latest information.

Moreover, it's pretty clear that the latest green heating and cooling systems typically pay for themselves in energy savings over several years. If you're in North Carolina, you can go to the North Carolina Solar Center and click on 2008 Tax Forms for the latest NC Tax Guidelines. Depending on your situation, you could get up to $10,500 tax credit on a photovoltaic system, $3,500 on Active or Passive Solar systems or $1,400 for a solar water heating system in the same year. Active or Passive Solar systems receive tax credits depending on how they are constructed and designed. You find experts at the North Carolina Professional Directory of renewable energy professionals.

Several other states are offering additional green tax credits as well. Builders can also get tax credits for constructing energy-efficient new homes and should be able to pass some of those savings on to you indirectly. You can also check out the DSIRE Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Of course, you can go as green as your imagination and budget allow, ranging from the use of solar energy, natural lighting, energy-efficient appliances and low-emission paints to radon-resistant construction, resource-efficient landscaping and use of recycled or salvaged, locally processed building materials. It's important to check out your local building ordinances to see what is allowed in your area. Most municipalities have become far more progressive in this area.

But be wary. Some contractors instantly mark up a green project significantly without justification merely because people expect to pay more. Carefully screen your contractors. The United States Green Building Council's site (www.usgbc.org) has a rating system for promoting the design and construction of high-performance "green" houses that also features builder resources, green-certified contractor lists and a green-home guide. Also go to the Green Home Guide website and click on "resources" for availability of local, state, federal and utility incentives. Another organization, Build it Green, promotes green practices in California but also features universal guidelines and checklists that may help.

Be sure to keep up to date on what's being offered. By the time you start construction, there may be even more green incentives available.

A Green Home Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue.

It's a Great Time To Go Green!

New Plans Added: February 24 & 25

Here is a list of new plans we just added to our website:

Under 2,000 S.F. Cottages

* February 24: Bogue 1850-4

* February 25: Surf 1536-4

We will keep you posted with upcoming new plans. 

New Plans Just Added: November 3-7

Here is a list of new plans we just added to our website:

Under 2,000 S.F. Cottages

* November 4, 2008 - Sand Castle 1008-2
* November 5, 2008 - Sand Castle 1064-2
* November 7, 2008 - Cape Lookout Tower 2458-3

We will keep you posted with weekly up-to-date news.

Order Brochures

We just wanted to let you know that our 'order brochures' web page has been updated!

You can now order both brochures (Cottages Over 2,000 s.f. and Cottages Under 2,000 s.f.) for $40.00 plus shipping.

If you have trouble ordering, then please do not hesitate to let us know by phone, via email, or leave us a comment on this post.

Thanks

New Plans Just Added: October 29 & 30

Here is a list of new plans we just added to our website:

Under 2,000 S.F. Cottages

* October 29, 2008 - Surf 1868-3
* October 30, 2008 - Lookout 1664-4

We will keep you posted with weekly up-to-date news.

New Cool Metal Roof

I have found a roofing product that can save cooling costs. The Energy-Efficient Titan® “COOL ROOF”.

A product made by Custom-Bilt Metals called LAST-TIME® is a metal roof with a premium two-coat system based on the same 70 percent PDVF (PolyvinylFluoride) resin-based coating system supplied as Kynar 500® material to coat any LAST-TIME® brand product.


“Cool Roof coatings are highly reflective, with a minimum solar reflectance of 25 percent, and up to 70 percent on lighter colors. When applied and cured on properly prepared substrates, a Cool Roof exhibits outstanding color stability, chalk resistance, durability, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance and flexibility while also providing outstanding solar heat deflection and energy efficiency.” This product qualifies for Energy Star® Tax Credit. And Earns Certification points with The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. Therefore, if you want to save energy AND have a colored metal roof, you can use the Titan® “COOL ROOF.” However, I can’t figure out how a penguin could climb up on that metal roof.

The Best Roofs on the Coast - Part Two

To continue - "What's the best roofing material I can use for hurricanes?"

Engineering-Roofing is now coming around.

Some manufacturers have developed an "engineered roofing" product that looks like wood shakes or slate and are made of recycled materials such as post-industrial plastics, wood-fiber, flax-fiber, hemp-fiber, and crumb rubber from recycled tires. I don't know the long term performance of such products, but time will tell. Engineered-roofing can be made to look very close to No. 1 grade cedar shakes, and also have a 50 year limited warranty, mold, mildew, insect and hail resistant. In today's construction trends, look for more "Green" building materials that will help our environment and our economic independence. These types of roofing appear to be suitable for roofing in hurricane-prone areas, but with more use, again, time will tell.

Clay or Concrete tiles are another type of roofing you may consider.

Some benefits of concrete ceramic tiles are being fireproof, they are available in many colors, easy to maintain and very durable. Some of the drawbacks with clay are being very expensive, heavy, fragile to walk on and replacement is not easy. Clay tiles have a more Mediterranean, French, Spanish and contemporary look. Performance in hurricanes is satisfactory, but difficult to repair. If tiles get cracked or broken, it can allow wind-driven rain to cause more roof leaks.

I don't know of an "Eco-Roof" yet but it might be a consideration if you're so inclined.

Eco-Roofs are flat to moderate sloping roofs made of soil (lightweight soil) with a vegetation cover. The ultimate "Green" roof which could possibly grow your own vegetables! While this type of roof has the potential of becoming the ultimate environmental roof, it could surely help save our planet! I haven't see this type of roof used on beach cottages yet but don't see why this couldn't be something to consider, if you have the means and location. One company in England is a specialist in "greenroofs" - Greenfix Sky-Garden Grass could even be grown on raised parking decks - making it possible to run barefoot in the grass at the beach, or even have your own ultra-private "yard." However, be sure to use a push mower.

Slate is a roofing material used in very high-end markets.

Use of slate requires highly trained workers and a lot of money. Like clay tile, slate is also heavy and easily damaged by foot traffic. Slate will out-last most roofing materials and will hold up to hurricanes extremely well. Greenstone Slate in Poultney, VT have a Notice Of Acceptance (NOA) from Miami-Dade County, FL that states their "Greenstone Roofing Slate-Natural" meets their High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Slate will not rust, milder, rot or burn. Repairs are however sometimes very costly.

Sometimes, mixing different roofing materials might give you the look you want as well as saving money. I have added metal roofs to small porches or decorative gable dormers while using fiberglass-asphalt on the main roof of a house. This has been a good compromise in some cases.

No matter what roof material you choose, I recommend you pick a light color. Because the solar radiation from lighter roofs would help cool our planet better, and save on your cooling costs. Dark colored roofing is very fashionable, for now, but I see a time where fashion will give way to environmental needs in the very near future. The new fashion trend nowadays seems to be heading toward being "green." That's a good thing, even if it's the "In" thing! Galvalume galvanized roofing is one of the best solar reflectors and requires less to cool in those hot summers. The best roof angle in studies seems to be a slope of around 30 degrees, or about a 6/12 pitch. Any other roof angle will add to wind uplift. Select a roofing material with a Class-A Fire Rating. Select a roofing that has the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Wind-Resistant Rating.

Therefore, as I said in the beginning, it all depends... on what architectural look you're after, how much money you have to spend, how much you want to gamble, and how fast you want the roof repaired after a storm. Choose wisely.

Dennis Mercer

The Best Roofs on the Coast

I have had many of my home design clients ask - "What's the best roofing material I can use in coastal areas subject to hurricanes?"
I have asked this question myself many times.
The answer: "It depends"

Metal roofing, such as standing-seam steel roofing can perform very well in hurricane-force winds. If you consider wind-resistance to be a good factor (it is), the standing-seam steel roofing performs much better than other roofing materials. For one thing, standing-seam metal can be made in large sheets which are more of a structural component adding to the strength of the roof system. Steel sheeting can be calculated and engineered to perform a better function in holding the roof on in high winds. Depending on the thickness and size of steel sheeting it can have more resistance to blow-off than many other roofing materials. Another plus for metal roofing is their superior ability to dispel lighting strikes. Metal roofing has been very popular in coastal areas lately, more due to fashion than finance. Metal roofing is not a good material to store extra material for future repairs, its large and bulky and the replacement roofing would still not match the old roof, because of sun exposure. One drawback is that metal roofing is more expensive that other roofing types. The Kynar® coated colored metal roofs are a bit more expensive than "5-V" or corrugated galvanized Metal roofing but will last longer than some other roofing types and are more energy efficient than other roofing materials. If you want to save energy, lighter colors and silver galvanized finish will be cooler and save more on your cooling bills.

Copper roofing oxidizes over time to a dark brown patina and could become a heat sink. If we all switched our roof color from a dark color to a light color, we would slow down the greenhouse affect on the entire planet! Copper and Stainless Steel are other choices but are very, very expensive, however they both last a very, very long time. A good economical selection for a metal roof is the Galvalume coated galvanized finished "5-V" roofing or corrugated roofing. Galvalume roofing will not rust as quickly as standard galvanized roofing. Some metal roofing has been tested at wind speeds up to 200 MPH.

Green Tip! Another great thing about metal roofing is its ease of recycling. Other than wood shakes, metal roofs are very "green."

However, this is not to say other roofing types don't have merit, or are inferior.

Composition or "Fiberglass-Asphalt" shingles have been made by several companies to be both wind-resistant and durable. Fiberglass-Asphalt shingles are a lot more economical than metal roofing and are easier to replace after a storm. Several roofing contractors suggest roofs that are less than 6/12 pitch will be services before steeper roofs because they are easier and faster to walk on. Steep roofs and roofs that are more than one story off the ground require extra safety precautions (OSHA laws) for roofers. Therefore, after a hurricane, you will see the lower pitched roofs and lower houses repaired first. Fiberglass-Asphalt shingles can be made to be fire-resistant, with Class-A being the best. Several companies make Wind-Resistant shingles to 130 MPH that meet the UL highest standard for impact resistance - UL 2218, Class 4.

Many different colors and textures of roofing are offered in fiberglass-asphalt shingles and they seem to have more variety than other roofing choices. Fiberglass-asphalt shingles have a life-span of 15-30 years and are subject to mildew and moss. The asphalt in this roofing makes it less "Green" than other roofing types, it's environmentally unfriendly. Extra replacement shingles can easily be stored away for later repairs.

Wood shake or shingles are another possibility. Wood shakes and shingles come in several lengths and thicknesses. Shakes can be hand-split (more expensive) or resawn, which are called shingles. Wood shakes are certified and graded by the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau. For instance, No. 1 grade Blue Label® western red cedar shake roofing is one of highest quality wood roofs. Wood is a natural fuel for fire, so it needs a fire-retardant treatment to make it good for roofing use. I would not recommend wood shake roofing unless it was fire-retardant treated. Wood shakes are more "Green" than some other roofing materials. However, wood can split, rot, grow mold and mildew. Pressure treated wood is also available. Wood shakes perform a little better than fiberglass-asphalt roofing but replacement will never match the original shingles. Wind tests done in Dade County, FL found Certigrade® shingles withstood wind speeds of 173 MPH, whereas Certigrade® shakes withstood wind speeds of 245 MPH. Wood weathering will create an oxidized grey tone to its surface and it is impossible to match with new wood.

Over time however, the shingles will get back to their oxidized-grey finish. Shingles used on some old Coast Guard stations are still in place over 200 years, and they still look great.

See my next post for more information about roofing on Monday, September 29, 2008.

Dennis Mercer

Let's talk about HURRICANES!

1. To go to the latest maps on Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, go to the National Hurricane Center website.

2. One of the best sources of information on how to build homes in coastal areas is found in the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) FEMA 55, Edition3/August 2005 "Coastal Construction Manual" Principles and Practices of Planning, Siting, Designing, Construction, and Maintaining Buildings in Coastal Areas. Get it here. It's free and it's a wealth of information on how to build and prepare for flooding, hurricanes and storm protection.

3. To find local FEMA Flood Maps for your area, go to their web page and look under "Latest Available Flood Maps. You can view some maps online or purchase printed maps from FEMA.

4. A wealth of additional information concerning all types of Disasters can be found at the FEMA website. This site has an enormous amount of information and links that will keep you busy educating yourself.

We are going GREEN!

Yesterday our website, coastaldesigns.com, has been updated with a new look.

What's new at Coastal Designs:
- Our brand-new blog!
- Changed our navigation bar from color red to...GREEN! :-)
- Added new contents: blog and faq (frequently asked questions)
- FAQ section consists information about our plans, what is included, how to order plans, and cottage plan prices.
- Expanding our "Cottage Plans" section with new plans to add to our site real soon!

Also, we will be adding information about "green" building in near future.