One such company, Serious Materials, has released a new drywall product they call EcoRock. The company claims this is the first significant change in the way that sheetrock is manufactured in over 100 years, and has recently won the Popular Science GreenTech award for best of what’s new in ‘08.

For environmentally conscious home builders and home remodelers that are looking for better sustainable building materials solutions, EcoRock may be an interesting advancement worth looking into.

EcoRock improves on traditional gypsum sheetrock in several ways.

• Uses 80% less energy to manufacture than gypsum drywall.  Traditional gypsum wallboard manufacturing processes uses energy intensive drying ovens to fabricate drywall. EcoRock is naturally dried and cured using an oven-free process that consumes much less energy to manufacturer.
• Made of 80% recycled materials - made using recycled industrial waste products including waste from steel and cement plants. No gypsum is used to manufacture EcoRock.
• Mold and Termite resistant – outperforms all other mold resistant drywall as much as 50%. And no harsh anti-fungal chemicals are used to make EcoRock.
• Can be fully recycled at end of life – can be used as a pH additive for soils and can be returned to the production of EcoRock and other building materials as a useful raw material. And unlike gypsum drywall materials, EcoRock can be safely disposed of in landfills if necessary.

According to the manufacturer, EcoRock should be available from building material suppliers in the Western states later in 2009. The manufacturer indicates there is no difference in hanging, taping and installing EcoRock over standard drywall products.  The cost for the new drywall building material is not currently published, but expect it to be higher priced than gypsum based wallboard.

Originally, these residential home improvement tax credits were set to expire in 2009.

Well, here’s some good news. These energy based tax credits have been extended through the end of 2010.

Energy Based Home Improvement Tax Credits

First established by congress and signed into law by President George Bush in 2005, the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) provides tax credits to individuals for a number of energy conservation home improvements.

The tax incentives offered are credits, not deductions. A tax deduction discounts the tax payer’s gross income which lowers the amount of income on which taxes must be paid.  A tax credit differs from a tax deduction by directly reducing the amount of taxes owed rather than decreasing gross income. Most homeowners regard tax credits as more beneficial.

These energy conservation credits were initially set to expire in different years, with the first expiration dates starting in 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has extended many of the consumer energy tax incentives through the end of 2010.

Remember, always consult your accountant or tax specialist first to fully understand the specific tax benefit you might receive. The current tax laws are subject to change, and these various tax credits are scheduled to expire at different times.

Many improvements that qualify an individual for the tax credit are Energy Star-certified. Energy Star ratings were created by the Environmental Protection Agency to inform consumers of the most efficient products. An Energy Star rating means that the improvement meets specific levels for energy efficiency in categories relevant to that product.

Tax Credits Reward You For Improving Home Energy Efficiency

Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes are eligible to receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, not to exceed $1,500. The improvements have to be placed into service starting January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010.  For more details, see EnergyStar.gov for a complete summary of energy efficiency tax credits available to consumers.

Keep in mind tax credit for roofs, insulation, doors and windows applies only to the cost of materials and not to installation costs.

Renewable Energy Tax Credits For Residential Applications

Another interesting category of tax credits that benefit consumers focuses around renewable energy.  Homeowners who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016.  The previous tax credit cap no longer applies.

Don’t Wait To Take Advantage of These Tax Incentives

While these tax incentive extensions are definitely good news, don’t delay. Tax laws and initiatives are always subject to change, and these energy conservation tax credits won’t remain available indefinitely.

It takes some time to do the proper planning and homework before you undertake these type of home improvement projects. So best to get started now. Many of these energy saving home improvements fall under the “home maintenance” category.

For example, if you’ve been in your home awhile, or you just moved into an older home, you may already be facing a roof replacement or repair in the next five years anyway. Why not take advantage of these tax credits now, and think about doing that roof work a little sooner?

How about those window upgrades you’ve been thinking about, but keep putting off? Today’s modern energy efficient windows not only save on your energy bill and improve the beauty and value of your home, if you get in now, you’ll also qualify for some significant tax saving credits.

Energy conservation home improvements create benefits in many ways

• Save you money on your energy bill
• Many qualify for tax credits and savings
• Improve the value of your home
• Green remodeling helps protect the environment

Not only can you feel good about improving your home, these energy conservation improvements fall under the growing “green home remodeling” trend, and that’s good for the environment.

But you need to act before these energy tax credits expire.

Contact Z.Z. Daily Construction if  you’d like to find out more about energy saving home improvements.

Make sure you do your home remodel planning first

Proper planning helps you avoid the rush. Most homeowners underestimate the number of decisions they need to make before they even get the construction underway. When you don’t give yourself sufficient time to plan up front, you’ll tend to make hasty decisions that you’ll either want to change later. Or worse, in your hurry to get moving, you’ll overlook an important consideration that can cost you much more after you’ve started to build.

A rule of thumb to remember; Anything you have to re-do a second time to get it right will always cost more than doing it right the first time.

Whether working with a designer or consulting with your contractor for ideas and advice, the variety of decisions you’ll need to work through will add up quickly. You’ll do better if you give yourself the proper time to cover the planning phase up front, and go in with a positive attitude. Enjoy the planning steps and make it fun.

Choosing appliances, materials , plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures, cabinets, windows, skylights, flooring, paint and colors, etc., is a time consuming process and a lot of ground to cover. Having a professional designer or an experienced contractor to lean on for advice and ideas and help guide you through the maze of choices, options and costs can truly be a life saver.

When you give yourself the proper time up-front, you’ll have several advantages:

• You give yourself a better chance to take advantage of great sales and seasonal specials.
• You can talk to family and friends for more input and advice. Don’t be afraid to leverage the experience of those you trust.
• You’ll have the time to call and visit the references furnished by your contractor or designer. There’s nothing better than to see their work first hand.
• Remember, you’ll be living with your home remodel choices and decisions for many years to come.

Home remodel planning – next steps.

Once you take the first pass at your set of choices, preferences and ideas, your first round of project bids may come in over budget. This can kick off a whole new round of choices and decisions. You may need to alter designs, re-draw some plans, make some alternate materials choices, choose some different appliances, or simply defer some of the work into a later phase.

And don’t forget murphey’s law. If the unexpected ever applied to anything, it definitely applies to complex jobs like a home remodel. It’s almost a guarantee that sooner or later, something will come up that you don’t expect. Always build extra time into your final remodeling plan, and allow for the unexpected including an illness, bad weather, delayed permits, supply and materials backorders, etc.

Setup for an enjoyable home remodel

It’s unrealistic to expect you won’t encounter problems and challenges along the way. But there’s no question, you’ll preserve your sanity if you take the time to put a sufficient plan in place up front.

Stay ahead of things around a home remodel project from the start. With proper planning in advance, you’ll be better able to enjoy the remodeling process along the way, rather than feel like you’re struggling and trudging through to get to the finish line.

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