the plan

I have gotten some great responses so far and feel even more energized than yesterday! I wanted to give y'all some more details of the plan and timeline of the project as I hope it plays out.

Once a property is secured, I am going to get an energy audit inspection to see exactly what changes will make the greatest impact to the home and tailor the plan to fit those specific needs. I have talked to the folks at CHEAP (Community Home Energy Audit Project) in the past about doing this, but just tried them again today and the number was cutoff. I will do some more digging, I hope they are still out there, what a great program.

From the research I've done there are a few biggies that we will definately need to address and others that will make the home fabulous and fresh.

1) Insulation: the single greatest energy saver... This means attic, pipes, crawlspace, etc.
2) Windows: depending on the state of the current windows this will be either recaulking and low-e window film application or brand-new windows
3) Resealing or replacing doors
4) Upgraded Hot Water System (hopefully tankless or solar, still researching the benefits of each)
5) Fresh interior Low VOC paint and exterior (depending on exterior material)
6) Sustainable flooring (bamboo would be my first choice)
7) New Energy Star Appliances (kitchen, w/d, furnace, etc.)
8) Native landscaping

a few things that will be the cherry on this sundae are:
1) new roof
2) new walkways and driveways with water friendly pavers
3) a rain catching irrigation system
4) solar energy panels
5) shade shutters for the most sun-vunerable windows
6) some furnishings and extras for the family

Of course this is all hypothetical not knowing what shape the house is in, but a good jumping off point.

I hope to have a property lined up by the end of October so the fundraising and donation getting can be in full swing throughout the winter with the actual remodel taking place in April/May of 2008. YAY!