Wood, stucco, brick…just some of the regular materials that regular houses are made of. Of course, shelter and home can come in any number of forms. MSN Real Estate recently listed a few. Here are our favorites.

Converted churches: Soaring ceilings and gorgeous light.

Airplanes: According to MSN, the owner of this airplane/home bought it for $2000, moved it for $4000 and renovated it for $24,000. Not too bad!

Shipping containers: Save the “living in a box” jokes. These homes, made out of old freight boxes, are stylish and comfortable.

What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever built or renovated for your customers to live in?

Photos courtesy of MSN Real Estate.

Replacement Housing Services specializes in full replacement and renovation of homes for move-up buyers who value urban living. Each project is supported by extensive research and analysis covering everything from the selection of the building site to the architectural fit within the neighborhood and community, as well as the current and future lifestyle needs of the homeowners. An example of this process at work is the Cape Cod-style new construction at Rutledge Avenue in Edina, Minnesota – a home that brings value to the homeowners, neighborhood and community at large.

The theme for the interior, exterior and landscape of the residence are carefully crafted to suit the historical fabric of the neighborhood and to maximize homeowner value. The combination of high-quality building materials, finishes and traditional design makes for a home with strong character and high appreciation potential, yet one that also conveys a sense of individuality, strength and permanence for the homeowners.

As a part of the inclusive design process of Replacement Housing Services and to remain consistent with the architectural design standards of the project, Integrity windows were selected for their exceptional quality and value at a competitive price-point. The clean, sharp lines of the windows align with the unique architectural design and detailed trim of the home. In addition, the windows enhance the livability of the indoor environment by providing plenty of natural light and well-ventilated spaces for improved air quality.

The project was to be a challenging one, seeing as much of the structural integrity of the residence had been compromised over the years. However, the homeowners stood by the fact that they wanted to remodel, not rebuild their home.

The homeowners used a designer for certain decisions, such as selection of colors, textures and some elements of interior design, but W.A. Bernard handled the majority of the details. The scope of the project involved renovating the kitchen, master bath and living room areas by replacing windows, siding and interior trim. However, the project was much more than a simple remodel: The plumbing was sub-code, the heating system ancient and the foundation deteriorated. After the necessary structural repairs were made, new electric, plumbing and energy efficient HVAC were installed.

Although much was updated, the homeowners had loved their original home and fought to preserve its unique qualities at all costs. They wanted windows that added to the overall character of their residence while keeping with the original time period. Integrity proved to be the perfect fit. Not only is the value equation one of the best in the industry, but Integrity’s sustainable Ultrex construction and ENERGY STAR-qualified products delivered the long-term environmental performance demanded.

A mix of Wood Ultrex double hung and casement windows were chosen in Stone White with SDL for their aesthetic beauty and traditional style. They serve as a focal point within the home while creating a connection to the great outdoors, providing a panoramic view from the living room. With careful attention to detail and experienced craftsmanship, W.A. Bernard was able to blend old and new details seamlessly turning the historic house into an energy-efficient home to be enjoyed for many years to come.

We’re not suggesting that you make a green presentation to your clients’ children, but it can’t hurt to consider that the people in the household with the most concern might not be the ones actually paying for the project, but the ones who have their ear.

And it’s not a bad idea to start considering how your business works with green building and remodeling. After all, today’s idealistic 16-year-old without a penny to their name is next decade’s 26-year-old looking to buy their first home. How will you be attracting their business?

And for many people, a kitchen remodel serves as a unique chance to up the “green” quotient on their homes.

Via Trends Ideas, this kitchen remodel, led by architects David Webber, AIA and Tim Derrington, AIA of Webber + Studio, had the dual goal of being truly green and truly beautiful.

Integrity’s windows, with Low E II glass were installed to help cut energy bills. These windows’ materials (wood and super-tough Ultrex) give a classic look with extremely high performance. And since Low E II helps with energy efficiency, the home’s owners didn’t have to skimp on their dream of having lots of windows to let in natural light.

Architect Webber says:

I think that living sustainably means appreciating the surrounding environment and interacting with nature as a part of daily life. So being able to enjoy plenty of sunlight and open up the windows and turn off the air conditioning is a huge part of that sensibility.

To complete this green kitchen, the design team looked for energy efficient appliances, chose cupboards made of fiberboard (not hardwood) and installed a heating system for hot water when needed, without the need to have it heating all the time.

Images courtesy of Trends Ideas

The Wall Street Journal recently covered this phenomenon. The recession has moved homeowners from seeing their homes as a bank account and towards seeing them as homes, places to build lives in.

How will you plan on coping with this change of thoughts? Are you expanding the remodeling portions of your business? Learning new skills? Or aggressively marketing your previously un-promoted remodeling business? Are customers interested in hearing about a cost value analysis of major remodeling projects vs. moving? Or are you seeing more small projects?

Check out the Wall Street Journal article for some differences between remodeling jobs in the “old” and “new” economies, and leave your thoughts in the comments!

See if you can guess what decade each kitchen is from:

The decades are, from the top: 2000s, 1970s, 1960s, 1990s, 1950s and 1980s. Take a look at the rest of the kitchens in the slideshows. The more things change, the more they stay the same…maybe you will find yourself taking a cue from the past for your next kitchen project!

Images courtesy of MSN Real Estate.

It may seem like everyone has a slightly different definition of what green means, so you will need to provide some concrete examples of what green can do for them. It’s a balance between talking about the lowered impact on the earth and the lowered impact on their wallets. Everyone will respond to those ideas differently, as everyone has different motivations for building and/or remodeling green.

Something you will want to emphasize is the $1,500 energy tax credit–it only lasts until December 31 of this year, so there’s not much time to waste. Now, this tax credit might sound simple, but there are important things to remember. You’ll want to educate your customers about what they can and cannot do to receive this tax credit.  Integrity’s site has information about replacing windows and doors for the tax credit. Or go to energystar.gov/taxcreditfor complete information.

With a little education for your customers, you can help them think about what green means to them.

The Home-Buyer Tax Credit Countdowns Begin
WSJ.com Developments blog
“Time is almost up on the federal home-buyer tax credit, the government’s gift of up to $8,000, crafted to jump-start a stalled housing market. Just about six weeks remain for buyers to get those contracts inked. Home builder Lennar has a bright countdown on its Web site. “TIME IS RUNNING OUT,” warns KB Home (yes, it is in all caps), which is tracking the expiration to the millisecond. …
In honor of the countdown, here are six things to keep in mind:”

How Economic Downturn Can be a Driving Force for Sustainability
Inhabitat
“The world is currently experiencing an economic downturn or recession, but by examining The Great Depression in the 1920-30’s, one may find clues as to what lies ahead for the future of design. Like The Great Depression, this recession began with a market crash, affected almost every country, caused personal income and interest rates to drop and unemployment rates to soar. However the past is filled with examples of successful, efficient designs that flourished during trying times.”

Are Tough Appraisal Rules Holding Back Housing?
WSJ.com Developments blog
“Our story on Page One today takes a look at how folks who want to build or buy homes with unusual materials are having a lot of trouble getting financing because underwriting standards are much tighter today. The problem: homes made of tires or houses caved into mountainsides don’t have any comparable sales. Without “comps,” banks won’t lend.

Even home buyers living in regular homes might be more familiar with these struggles. Appraisals have emerged as a big obstacle for homeowners of all types during the housing downturn because with fewer transactions and rapid fluctuations in prices, putting a value on homes is more difficult. In some markets, prices are falling so fast that lenders won’t accept comparable sales that are more than three months old. And reeling from rising losses, lenders have urged appraisers to be conservative.”

Part of this effort included expanding and updating the school’s facilities and buildings. This was a difficult task, as with any school, due to the limited time between school years and the mandate that school activities experience minimal disruption. Integrity’s consistent 10 calendar-day delivery allowed for certain phases of Darlington’s project to be completed in a compressed timeline that no other window manufacturer could meet.

Darlington also wanted the project to reduce its impact on the environment as a whole, particularly on its stunning 400-acre campus. The new middle school is being constructed using USGBC LEED certification principles, while many older systems and components throughout the entire campus are being upgraded through the use of newer technologies and building practices. Integrity Windows durable Ultrex construction, Energy Star-qualified performance, strong NFRC and WDMA ratings, and sound manufacturing practices made the selection of Integrity a logical choice for Darlington’s green-inspired project.

Finally, preserving the beauty and architectural integrity of the 100-year-old school’s buildings was a paramount concern. The marvelous brick buildings and classic double-hung windows exude the tradition and heritage of this fine institution, and the windows being used for the project needed to possess the appropriate fit and finish. Integrity’s wood interiors, neatly mitered corners, sloped sills, clean and balanced sight lines, simulated divided lites and elegant radius profiles delivered on this requirement flawlessly.