Design Concepts for 2020

Posted on December 23, 2019 by P&D Builders

As we close out 2019 and approach 2020, we are reminded that we are entering a new decade. The trends in housing and design have changed greatly over the last ten years and are expected to continue to change. Here’s a handful of trends to expect as we enter 2020.

Open Concepts

It’s been proven that the kitchen is the center of activity in most homes. An open concept not only allows home owners to center their socialization toward the kitchen, but the next year may show more homes with open concepts using features like fireplaces to separate rooms or kitchen islands to separate social spaces from functional spaces.

Sustainable Lifestyles

As attention for the environment has grown the past decade, so has people’s need to make a difference. More people are looking to build sustainable homes. Everything from the materials used to build, to the appliances and décor in the home has become a source of environmental friendliness.

High-Efficiency Residences

Price-conscious homeowners are looking for ways to maximize their monthly budget, without sacrificing comfort and quality. An energy efficient home incorporates building techniques and standards that reduce energy consumption and minimize resources needed to maintain a home’s state of living (heating cooling, appliance energy consumption, etc). P&D utilizes innovative techniques produce a high efficiency building envelope, maintaining a home’s internal living environment and keeping exterior weather elements out. This reduces heating and cooling bills and contributes to a constant internal home temperature. 2’x6’ exterior walls, blown-in insultation, and integrated weather-resistant sheathing boards are standard in every home we build, so our homeowners never have to sacrifice quality and comfort for savings.

If you’re looking to build a home, contact us to schedule your consultation.

When Should I Buy New Appliances?

Posted on November 25, 2019 by P&D Builders

We spend a fair amount of time talking about the importance of appliances in saving energy, making a home look its best and ultimately saving the homeowner money in the long run but when is the best time to make those upgrades without paying the highest retail price? As anyone would expect, we are approaching some of the best times to purchase new appliances.

Holidays

We are approaching Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday which are notoriously known for deals. However, other holidays often come with deals on appliances also. Appliance manufacturers and retailers often offer Christmas, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Fourth of July sales. Buying during a holiday sale could save you anywhere from 30% to 50% off which can be hundreds of dollars on the model you want.

Shortly Before a New Model is Released

Just like with cell phones and game consoles, buying a specific model shortly after its release can be costly. If you wait until a new one is getting ready to come out, typically September through December, you can find substantial savings. Retailers must make room for new models which means they are willing to part with older models at a lower price.

At the End of the Month

Buying at the end of the month at certain retailers can be beneficial for one reason—sales quotas. If a store or salesperson has to hit a certain number by the end of the month, they may be more willing to give you a deal in order to make the sale. It’s always worth asking.

Online

While buying online doesn’t always offer the best price, there is usually a lower price online than in a brick-and-mortar store. It’s worth doing a quick search to see if what the stores are offering is really the best deal.

However, sometimes a great deal doesn’t matter if you can’t plan for when you need an appliance. While keeping your large appliances until they stop working is a great way to get your money’s worth, keep in mind that they have a certain expected lifespan and that their final days may not be during one of these times to get the best deal. If you can plan ahead, you will keep yourself from having an emergency situation and having to pay more.

If you’re looking to replace your appliances and would like inspiration on what would look best with your home’s layout or design, check out our Pinterest board for examples!

How to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Posted on October 3, 2019 by P&D Builders

P&D Builders prides ourselves in building energy efficient homes. Our energy efficient homes consistency produce the lowest HERS scores in the industry. The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured. The 2018 average standard new home has a HERS score of 100, while P&D’s 2018 average new home HERS score was 53! If you’re looking to improve your already existing home’s energy efficiency, try some of these energy saving tips.

Insulation

Make sure your attic and walls are properly insulated. Proper insulation slows the rate that heat flows out of the house in winter or into the house in summer requiring less energy to heat or cool the home. If your house has no wall insulation and conventional stud walls, blown-in insulation can greatly improve your comfort and save enough energy. If your attic is unfinished, it often pays to have it insulated. Be sure to have your insulation properly installed as that is what makes the difference.

Windows

If you were planning on replacing windows for any reason other than energy savings, go ahead. Choose a window with EnergyStar ratings. However, if you are not planning on replacing windows, try boosting the efficiency with weather stripping and making sure single glazed windows have storm windows.

Furnace and Water Heater

If you are not using an energy efficient furnace, your furnace could be wasting up to 35% of fuel it uses. If your furnace is nearing the end of its service life, consider replacing it with a condensing furnace.

If your hot water heater is functioning properly, don’t replace it either. Start by turning the temperature to the warm setting. Then insulate the pipes so they don’t cool off as fast between uses.

Utilize Tax Programs to Update

Federal tax incentives are available for energy efficiency upgrades to existing homes. Improvements may include improvements such as windows or insulation and heating/air-conditioning upgrades, as well as renewable energy features.

If you have a home built by P&D Builders, you can be assured that your home was built with energy efficiency in mind. If you are looking to stay in your home and make improvements, contact P&D Builders to see what we can do to help your process.

Updates That Will Add Value Before Selling

Posted on September 24, 2019 by P&D Builders

If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, you may be looking for ways to increase its value to sell it faster or get more out of it. Let’s take a look at a few updates you can make to raise the appeal of your home to sellers.

Update the Kitchen

First, an updated kitchen goes a long way. While this may seem like an expensive job, it doesn’t have to be. A fresh coat of paint can be a great start. Using a modern color pallet is a relatively inexpensive and key part in updating a kitchen. Updating appliances to be energy efficient and modern will add value simply for the fact that they use less energy and result in long-term savings for the buyer.

Add Square Footage

A second option would be to add square footage. Whether it’s an addition or refinishing a basement or attic, a bigger home with more living space often results in a higher value. If you have a home with one bathroom, adding a bathroom could be a good way to increase the value and utilize space whether it’s added or already there.

Make it More Energy Efficient

Energy efficiency can fall into many categories and can range in cost. On a smaller scale, replacing appliances, replacing light bulbs, adding insulation to attics or replacing it throughout the home and adding a programmable thermostat could help cut cost of energy usage down. If you wanted to do a larger scale project, replacing old windows and doors, replacing the water heater with high-efficiency one or adding solar panels could be a place to start.

Add an Outdoor Living Area

Whether it be a deck, patio or just revamping the landscaping to add a fire pit, outdoor living spaces have become increasingly popular. This work can be done by a contractor or if you are handy, yourself but be sure you’re aware of the types of tools and labor that goes into this type of building while determining costs. If you’d rather just spend money on landscaping, that can increase value as well.

How P&D Builders Can Help

While there are many other ways to add value to a home before deciding to sell, these few updates or additions can pay for themselves and beyond in a quicker amount of time. Although you may think we simply build custom homes, we also offer services on home remodeling and additions and pride ourselves in being energy efficient. See how P&D Builders may be able to help you increase the value in your home.

Lower your Utility Bills with these Energy-Efficiency Tips

Posted on July 17, 2019 by P&D Builders

We are in the midst of summer in central Ohio and the heat isn’t going anywhere for awhile! The summer heat can start to get to you and your energy bills during this time of year. During these hot days, many people blast their air conditioning to keep cool inside. This can quickly add up when it comes to utility costs. At P&D Builders, we’re here to offer you some tips on how to make changes to help you save on your cooling bills so you can spend that money out enjoying the summer with your friends and family.

Building an Energy-Efficient Home

Here at P&D Builders, we take pride in ensuring that your home is built for energy efficiency. We are proud to be an ENERGY STAR® Certified home builder, making your new home more comfortable and reducing utility bills by making your home more energy efficient. We build about 25 homes per year–all of them ENERGY STAR® Certified. Our exclusive “seal-tight” energy system is a complete program that produces the most energy efficient homes and comes standard in every home we build!

Easy Fixes to Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient

There are major changes you can make to reduce your energy bills, but small ones as well. These easy tasks include:

Replacing weather stripping on a drafty door
Washing laundry in cold water
Changing your ceiling fan’s direction
Using energy-efficient light bulbs

These simple changes will make a difference on your next round of cooling bills.

Energy Efficient Homes Save More Than Money

Energy-efficient upgrades provide you and your family savings, there is no question about that. In addition to lowering your monthly utility bill or making your home more comfortable in extreme weather, you might be eligible for tax credits, rebates and additional savings. You can make major renovations such as replacing your furnace or updating your windows and be eligible for tax credits. Plus, you’re not burning more non-renewable energy than necessary!

If you are looking to build a beautiful home that is also energy efficient, P&D Builders has you covered! Reach out to us to set up a meeting.

Keeping Your Home Warm and Energy Efficient This Winter

Posted on November 7, 2018 by P&D Builders

With Christmas just around the corner, winter is starting to settle into Central Ohio. Those chilly nights and morning frosts tell us it’s probably time to start getting the home ready for the winter weather. While many of us would like to just keep turning the thermostat up until we’re comfortable, that’s not always the most practical, or environmentally friendly solution. If you’re worried about maintaining an energy efficient home this winter, below are a few ideas to consider that will conserve energy costs, while still keeping your home nice and warm.

Let Sunlight in During the Day

Sunlight is a great natural heat source in the winter. If you’re looking to heat your home more efficiently this winter, be sure to let in as much sunlight during the day as you can. Keep curtains open, especially during the afternoon when the sun is at its peak. A little sunlight can go a long way towards a more efficiently heated custom home.

Close Curtains at Night

In the same aspect, after you’ve let all that warm sunshine in during the day, keep it within your home by closing your curtains before the sun goes down. Curtains act as another barrier of insulation between your home and your windows, and some curtains are even made specifically to keep warm air in, and cool air out.

Shut Doors to Unused Rooms

If you’re really hoping to keep your home warm efficiently this winter, then think about shutting off certain rooms you may not use all that often. If there’s an office or study that’s only used occasionally, you can shut the door and close the heating vent that goes to that room, essentially minimizing the square footage of your home that your heater has to warm up. This means a warmer home and less work for your furnace.

At P&D Custom Home Builders, we build homes that suit your needs, your style, and your choices. If energy efficiency is important to you, we can help. Check out some of our previously built custom homes, and get in touch if you’d like to chat about what your dream home could look like.

5 Ways to Keep Your Home Cool During Summer Months

Posted on July 2, 2018 by P&D Builders

Thermometer Sun 40 Degres. Hot summer day. High Summer temperatures

Close Your Blinds

As simple as this tip may seem, a vast majority of unwanted heat comes from your windows. Using shades and curtains can lower indoor temperatures a few degrees allowing your air conditioning to not work so hard. In other words, closing the blinds essentially prevents your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse, which is especially the case with south- and west-facing windows.

Close Doors

Closing off unused rooms will prevent cool air from spreading through these areas during the hot parts of the day. On cooler nights, open up doors to let air flow naturally throughout your home to create air flow.

Change Your Fan’s Direction

You may not realize that your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally. Set to run counter-clockwise in the summer at a higher speed, the fan’s airflow will create a wind-chill breeze effect that will make you feel cooler.

Try to Cook Outdoors

Using your stove in the summer months will make your home hotter. Instead of firing up your stove, try using a hot plate, toaster oven, or grill outside. Keep the heat outside and out of your house!

Plant Shade Trees

A well-placed tree can make a world of difference for the comfort of your home. Planting a tree likely won’t have immediate payoffs, but it’s a great way to both shade your home and add color and beauty to your property. In the long-term, a shade tree can cover parts of your home and keep the temperature down during the day.

Greenprint for Success

Posted on October 18, 2017 by P&D Builders

From AEP Ohio | Efficiency Today 2017-EfficiencyTodayMagazine_FNL_RE-SIZE_singles_no-crops_170825-14

Mac Roberts remembers a time in the not-so-distant past when green construction practices were asked about once in a blue moon.

Today, he reports that customer requests for energy-efficient homes are the norm versus the exception. “We build about 25 homes per year–all of them ENERGY STAR® Certified,” said Roberts, an owner/principal at Central Ohio’s P & D Builders. “In fact, we’re in the process of building net-zero houses for two customers.”

For readers green in the ways of efficient home-building lingo, “net-zero” refers to a home that at least creates as much energy as it uses.

About 75 percent of the homes built by P & D in 2016 were in AEP Ohio’s service footprint. For those homes, they were able to take advantage of the AEP Ohio EfficiencyCraftedTM Program, which supports a homebuilder’s green building efforts and provides third-party efficiency verification.

“AEP Ohio’s program definitely factored into our efficiency approach,” said Roberts. “Our company is always looking for ways to perfect our craft of homebuilding, and the support we received helped position us for the uptick in demand for efficient homes.”

Led by Roberts, who spearheads the company’s emphasis on efficiency, P & D won a coveted AEP Leadership Award in 2016 for their sustained excellence. And they’re regular winners at the annual EfficiencyCraftedTM Recognition Lunch for builders and raters. “They win so many awards, they’ve practically worn a place in the winners circle,” said Jim Miller, energy efficiency program manager at AEP Ohio. “They deserve every piece of hardware on what must be a very crowded shelf.”

A glance at the history of P & D Builders lets you know that this is a company that is used to peer and customer recognition. Founded in 1962 by Richard E. Dillon, P & D has built relationships as rocksolid as their homes. “It’s all about trust, respect, communication and the mutual exchange of ideas,” explains Roberts. Roberts is one of a four-person dream team at P & D, along with owner/principals, Dan Dillon, Darin Hilt and Ed Snodgrass, each a specialist with a different homebuilding expertise.

With hundreds of happy clients living in homes built to uniquely high efficiency standards, an overcrowded award shelf, and a habit of never resting on their laurels, the future at P & D looks to be a very bright green.

Greenprint for Success: How P&D Builders Positioned Their Business for Today’s Homebuyer

Posted on August 7, 2017 by P&D Builders

Originally published by AEP Ohio in the 2017 Efficiency Today magazine. Click here to read the full article

greenprint-for-success

Mac Roberts remembers a time in the not-so-distant past when green construction practices were asked about once in a blue moon.

For readers green in the ways of efficient home building lingo, “net-zero” refers to a home that at least creates as much energy as it uses.

Led by Roberts, who spearheads the company’s emphasis on efficiency, P & D won a coveted AEP Leadership Award in 2016 for their sustained excellence. And, they’re regular winners at the annual EfficiencyCraftedTM Recognition Lunch for builders and raters. “They win so many awards, they’ve practically worn a place in the winners circle,” said Jim Miller, energy efficiency program manager at AEP Ohio. “They deserve every piece of hardware on what must be a very crowded shelf.”

“AEP Ohio’s program definitely factored into our efficiency approach…Our company is always looking for ways to perfect our craft of homebuilding, and the support we received helped position us for the uptick in demand for efficient homes.” Mac Roberts, Owner/Principal, P & D Builders

A glance at the history of P & D Builders lets you know that this is a company that is used to peer and customer recognition. Founded in 1962 by Richard E. Dillon, P & D has built relationships as rock-solid as their homes. “It’s all about trust, respect, communication and the mutual exchange of ideas,” explains Roberts. Roberts is one of a four-person dream team at P & D, along with owner/principals, Dan Dillon, Darin Hilt and Ed Snodgrass, each a specialist with a different homebuilding expertise.

P&D Builders Is the Winner of the AEP 2016 Leadership Award

Posted on April 19, 2017 by P&D Builders

The AEP Leadership Award is given to one entity annually based on continual involvement and a sincere partner relationship.

“P&D Builders and Mac Roberts have been a force to be reckoned with in the energy efficiency arena since 2011 when they submitted their first completed new build project. Each year they continue to grow their program. They have received numerous awards through our Efficiency Crafted New Homes program and have been an Energy Efficiency Champion, along with a Sustained Excellence Award winner. They have built some of the most efficient homes in our area as based on the Home Energy Rating System or HERS. In addition, all of P&D Builders homes are ENERGY STAR Certified.”

“P&D Builders continues to be an advocate for our Energy Efficiency programs. Their innovative spirit is evident through the homes they craft for the annual BIA Parade of Homes. “We are consistently evaluating our energy efficient home building techniques and are always looking for ways to get better,” states Mac Roberts, president of P&D Builders.”

A full-service custom design homebuilder with a 50+ year record of stability, diversity, progressive ideas, & passion.

Category Archives: Energy Efficient