When it comes to energy efficiency, the most expensive strategies are the often the least effective and the least expensive strategies are often the most expensive.

That’s what Peter Pfeiffer of Austin, Texas-based Barley & Pfeiffer Architects recently told an audience during a lecture titled, “Smart Design for Hot/Humid Climates.” If you have 30 minutes, don’t miss Pfeiffer’s lecture on green building and energy efficiency. It’s a practical way of presenting a topic that’s too often discombobulating and disorienting.

(Thanks to former BuildChat guest Matt Risinger for recording and posting Pfeiffer’s lecture on his website.)

As we all know, there are a lot of houses on the market that could stand to be remodeled. What if you were to take a leap into the real estate market and buy up these houses? It would be risky, but the rewards could be great. ForResidentialPros.com offers some great tips for this situation:

• Don’t even think of doing this on your own. You need attorneys, accountants, brokers, appraisers etc.
• Make sure you know who is going to buy your house. What have other comparable houses in the neighborhood sold for? Were they recently remodeled? What types of remodels seem to be the most popular?
• Plan and then plan again. Can you do it? Should you do it? ForResidentialPros.com also reminds you that “you must determine at what point an extensive renovation crosses the line and becomes unprofitable or results in such a high cost that it would have been easier to tear down the entire structure. ” Which leads into the next point…
• Very carefully plan your budget. The whole point is to make a profit, and buying a house to remodel is a whole different kettle of fish than remodeling an already-owned house.
• ForResidentialPros.com also recommends that you be on-site regularly to watch for problems and to evaluate progress.

What do you think? Would you ever leap into the real estate market to remodel houses?

In the latest edition of FourPlans from BuilderOnline.com, Aurora Zeledon features four plans with very basic footprints. But just because the footprints lack dynamic elements does not mean the homes do. Each of the four homes includes all of the modern amenities homeowners are looking for, but the footprints practically address smaller lot sizes faced by many urban and second-ring neighborhoods.

This edition of FourPlans includes:

• A 2,039-square-foot two-level with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and beautiful, front porch
• A 1,775-square-foot stacked-box design with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and contemporary style
• A 2,392-square-football home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an incredibly spacious top floor with master suite
• A 1,442 single-level home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms perfect for first-time owners or families aging in place

The premise is simple: If owners or buyers have no interest in living on a large lot, these homes provide maximum livability and luxury without all of the yardwork. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? The homes are also very affordable, priced perfectly for first-time buyers. You know, those younger adults who after years of renting are ready to build.

To see  more about these great floor plans, check out Zeledon’s post here.

According to a new survey from the National Association of Home Builders, kitchen and bathrooms continued to lead the way in remodeling projects in 2011 as homeowners decide to stay in their current homes longer.

Kitchen and bathrooms are generally the most complex rooms in the house, so it’s only natural homeowners would hire professionals. Furthermore, there’s only so much work that can be done to bedrooms and living rooms. But that’s not really what this survey is about.

Check out some of the more notable numbers from the survey:

• 50 percent of remodelers report seeing an increase in the number of homeowners who undertake remodels to avoid moving compared to the 2010 findings
• 78 percent of remodelers cited bathrooms as a common job
• 69 percent of remodelers cited kitchens as a common job
• 60 percent of remodelers reported increased demand for repairs and replacements of old components in the past two years
• 20 percent of remodelers said there was a decrease in customers remodeling to increase home values as an investment

The last figure suggests remodeling projects aren’t just to boost re-sale value but to boost livability. It also proves much of the business in homebuilding right requires no building at all.

We’re going to toot our own horn here for a minute and talk about an honor that our sister company, Marvin Windows and Doors, received. Integrity sprang from Marvin’s long heritage of excellence and the two companies continue to provide the finest fenestration solutions in the industry.

The woods, lakes and fields of Northwest Minnesota have nurtured an impressive array of business visionaries. Among the giants was the late William S. “Bill” Marvin, who built Marvin Windows and Doors from a small lumberyard into one of the world’s premier window and door manufacturers.

Bill Marvin’s exemplary career will be recognized on April 25 with induction into the IDEA Hall of Fame. As the fifth inductee to the hall, Marvin joins previous honorees Andy Wells of Wells Technology, Edgar Hetteen of Polaris and Arctic Cat, and brothers George and Dennis Brazier of MATTRACKS and Central Boiler.

The IDEA Hall of Fame induction will take place at 5 p.m. in the Sanford Events Center in Bemidji, in conjunction with the fourth annual IDEA Competition. The IDEA Competition seeks to grow the economy of Northwest Minnesota by identifying the next generation of homegrown entrepreneurs and helping them develop their breakthrough ideas.

Bill Marvin joined his father’s Warroad-based lumber business as the eighth employee and led its entry into manufacturing. Today, Marvin employs more than 4,000 people in five states and is recognized worldwide for its innovative, high-quality products. Bill Marvin was named by BUILDER magazine as one of the U.S. building industry’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He died in 2009 at age 92.

“My father was a believer in the power of great ideas,” said John W. “Jake” Marvin, chairman and chief executive officer of the Marvin Companies. “He would take an idea from anyone, anytime — test it out and see if it made sense. And if it did, he wasn’t afraid to take a risk.

“My father had opportunities over the years to move his business away from Northwest Minnesota, but he valued the spirit, intelligence and frontier ingenuity of the people who make their home here,” Jake Marvin said. “He was proud of our region and a tireless promoter of it. We’re honored and humbled by this recognition.”

The IDEA Competition has already helped 10 startup businesses in Northwest Minnesota become commercially viable. This year’s winners will receive a $10,000 cash grant, along with services and direction from Northwest Minnesota’s leading business resources.

IDEA was made possible by a generous grant from the Blandin Foundation. IDEA sponsors include Bremer Bank (Crookston and Warren); Northwest Minnesota Foundation; 360 Degree Manufacturing and Applied Center of Excellence; Headwaters Regional Development Commission; Northwest Regional Development Commission; and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

Perhaps the most encouraging news from the National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show is the welcomed return of innovation. The annual event took place this week in Chicago, and while every attendee has their own list of favorite products, there’s a sense of excitement with the industry. Innovation would appear to be a byproduct of a housing market thawing from a deep freeze.

Now, for the fun stuff. One of the best product rundowns we’ve seen comes from the editors at HousingZone.com. Their list includes 21 kitchen and bath products, but we’ve picked just a few of the standouts:

VibrAcoustic from Kohler
Kohler is adding even more relaxation to the bathing experience. With VibrAcoustic technology, Kohler has added a stereo system to its bathtubs so homeowners can plug in their iPod or stream music wirelessly. (See it in action in this video.)

Air Injection Showerhead from Danze
When it comes to water pressure, can you ever have enough? This showerhead from Danze uses a ball joint located at the unit’s base to inject air into a steady, but gentle shower stream.

SmartCab storage system from Häfele
Smaller homes require smarter storage, especially in the kitchen. Häfele has developed a drawer system that pulls out for side access, meaning homeowners won’t have to dig and reach for anything at the back of the drawer. Think: Cupboard/drawer hybrid.

Did you attend this year’s show? What were some of your favorite new products?

Eight-hundred square feet hardly screams spacious, but that’s all the architect Joan Heaton had to work with when she teamed with her builder husband for their Vermont cabin in the Green Mountains. Working with a limited existing footprint, the couple yearned to create a mountain getaway that could sleep six people while maintaining an open floor plan.

Local woods were used generously throughout the cabin to create a feeling of warmth and the outdoors. A wide array of window sizes from Integrity Windows were also used to allow natural light and views of the surrounding forest.

To see more photos from this gorgeous mountain cabin, check out the case study on Houzz.

[Photo courtesy Joan Heaton Architects]

What do you think of Integrity? If you have an opinion (good or bad!) about the Integrity products you’ve used or bought, then we want to hear from you.

Integrity now offers product reviews on our website. We want our customers to know what Integrity is all about and we want to hear your thoughts on our products and your experience with them. Integrity respects your privacy and will not publish your email address.

Share your thoughts here! We can’t wait to hear from you.

Selling a home is rarely a quick process. Factor in market conditions extremely favorable to buyers and a home can stay on the market for weeks and months on end. In fact, ast August, Realty101.com cited information from the Accredited Seller Agency Council claiming, “the average time to sell a home in the U.S. is 10 months.”

Earlier this week, the National Association of Realtors served up a five tips for selling a home faster and for more money. Though the story targeted realtors, contractors should take notes before trying to sell their next spec:

1. Pay attention to “curb appeal.” This is more applicable to a pre-owned home, but it rule applies: Be sure the driveway is in great condition, the lawn and landscaping is well-kept and be sure any blemishes to the exterior are taken care of. (These aspects are critical to No. 4.)
2. Set the right price. Don’t get clever. Trying to scrounge a few extra dollars may mean keeping a home on the market for an extended period until the price is finally lowered to a more reasonable amount. The longer a home is on the market, the more skeptical buyers become. If you price correctly, there’s a better chance the home will sell right away.
3. Talk about energy efficiency. Don’t be afraid to boast. With the rising costs of energy, buyers want a high-performing home that will help them save from month to month.
4. Give the home Web appeal. Hire a professional photographer or at least use a professional-grade camera to make your home stand-out online. Poor photos can give a false impression of what a home is really like and clicking away to the next home is far too easy.
5. Make it move-in ready. Don’t stick a for-sale sign in the yard until the home is absolutely ready. As in, an interested buyer could hypothetically move in the next day.

When buyers choose to live in multifamily housing complex, it usually comes with one major concession: The large residences tend to lack uniqueness. It’s difficult to make an apartment or condo feel like one’s own when the the building’s exterior blends into its surroundings. Admit it: A lot of these complexes are blandly built to avoid looking outdated or antiquated a few years later.

That’s overlooking a great opportunity.

With so many people considering affordable housing options, now is a great time to stand out. As Amy Albert of BuilderOnline.com writes, “Whether it’s luxury or affordable housing, bright color on the exterior can help a structure stand out and be a bright spot on the landscape. Used thoughtfully, with a keen eye to the environs, color doesn’t have to look trendy and can send a message of optimism, innovation, and invitation.”

Albert’s story includes a great photo gallery showcasing innovative ways designs have added style and spunk to the exterior of multifamily housing complexes.

Bottom line: Take a chance! Set your facility apart by interjecting some personality and individuality. It will go a long way toward attracting renters and buyers who would rather not live in a building that merely blends in.

[Photo courtesy Frances Zera]