APRIL 17, 2018
Everything can be sustainable, even construction!
Right now, the market is getting better, and people are doing a lot of remodeling and new construction. Instead of throwing materials in the dump, Sage Lentz and Larry Pike with Sage Luxury Homes say call places like Stardust Deconstructive Services to take old building products and reuse them. The best part is their services are completely free, and the products can be appraised so you can use them as a tax reduction. We’re proud to say our green builders have been doing this for 8 years.
Quita made a great point saying, “This service saves money and time, all while helping the environment.” It’s basically the Goodwill of construction products!
Another tip from Sage is to use foam insulation. It keeps rooms warm during winter and cool in the summer, it’s also quite inexpensive. We have to brag again because they were the first builders to use foam insulation. They’re pretty impressive guys!
Larry says, “If you are in the construction business and you aren’t thinking about sustainability (they call it efficiency), you are behind the curve.” Clients want sustainable options and it’s important to have that available or you could lose customers.
Kinga and Quita always remind us that you don’t need a whole show to be sustainable; everyone can do at least one thing -for even 10 minutes a day.
If you’re already remodeling or building a new house, like Kinga, it won’t inconvenience you to use sustainable practices like Stardust.
Sage mentions if you plan on being in a house for 7+ years, get what you really want (room, space, closet, etc.). He adds, “When it comes to which is more sustainable, building or remodeling, each individual house is a different case.” A new build will cost more, but on a remodel, you must have good discipline with budgets and set plans. Sage stresses getting an architect, or a builder involved right away because they will talk you through everything and enlighten you with ideas you may have never even considered.
Don’t be shy about what you want to spend because the builder will really reach for that goal and you will end up happier with the final product. President of Westroc Hospitality, Bill Nassikas, renovated Hotel Valley Ho instead of tearing it down, which is one of the reasons his company got the bid. Some of our Facebook followers might remember, Kinga and Quita stayed at Hotel Valley Ho and they were impressed with the sustainability features. Does anyone remember who won the pillow fight?
Anyway, Bill says hotel sustainability starts with the employees. They tell management what the customers want based on the tone set by guests. Westroc Hospitality’s next endeavor is eliminating plastic straws, which guests set the tone for when they ask for no straws with their drinks. It isn’t just sustainable, it’s smart business and reaps mutual benefits for the environment and the hotels.
They have the Nirvana Food & Wine Festival coming up April 19th through 22nd, so be sure to check it out!
Our musician Michael Nitro ended with his song Women are Crazy, which in my opinion, made Kinga get a little crazier! He’s played with Bon Jovi, Neil Young, Alice Cooper and more.
Don’t forget, Earth Day is on April 22nd and we want to see how you are celebrating, tag us in your social media posts for a possible feature on our page!
www.houzz.com/pro/wlentz/sage-luxury-homes
www.stardustbuilding.org/deconstruction.html
Written by Jodi Guerrero