Marketing Home Products

We’ve all heard it before: It costs more to build green.  But does it? And how can you save money on your green home or renovation?

GREEN BUILDING ACTUALLY SAVES MONEY

True, the project itself costs more. There is about a 20 to 30 percent increase above the cost of a traditional home or renovation.  However, that and more will be made up over time.

Take for example, energy efficient windows.  They initially cost more than regular windows, that’s for sure, but they are also coated with a microscopic metal that reflects heat. This keeps heat out in the summer and inside in the winter. A quarter of a home’s energy is lost through its windows, so over time energy costs will decrease.

This also applies to energy efficient products such as water heaters.  They may cost more upfront, but will save on water heating bills. When monthly costs are factored in, green home products actually save money.

Also, several tax incentives are available for those who build green. Individual items may be eligible for rebates as well.  Green products are also more accessible for DIY-ers, as major home improvements stores carry energy saving materials.

Green is now viewed as a way to add value to the home. In fact, a green house can add 20 percent to the overall value of the home in some markets.

3 WAYS TO SAVE ON A GREEN BUILDING PROJECT

1. WATCH THE SIZE OF YOURHOME

If you are building a home, start by making it smaller. Do you really need two guest rooms? A living room AND a family room? Two closets in each bedroom? Probably not. The best way to cut costs is to figure out exactly what you need in the layout of your house… and what you can do without.  Avoiding the cost of material for a room you might use only twice a year will significantly help your savings.  And it could allow for extra room in the budget to buy higher quality materials and products for the rooms you do use.

2.  THINK ABOUT WHERE EVERYTHING WILL GO

Not only will you save money by where your house is located, but you’ll save based on how it’s designed. Homes with east and west-facing windows help block much of the solar gain inside the house. If trees are planted in certain areas, they can provide natural shading for the home. And try to place water heaters in a neutral position so they can be as close as possible to every water source that will use it. The farther away a water heater is from a bathtub or dishwasher, the longer the water has to travel, and therefore will cool down. To make matters worse, more energy will be used to re-heat the water.

3. BE CREATIVE WITH MATERIALS

Many sustainable materials can be used or recycled in the building process.  Boards from old buildings can make beautiful wood floors. Or a structural material (such as grout or concrete) can function as the finished surface as well, eliminating the need for additional purchases. Think also about all-in-one products such as  primer that has the look of real paint so an extra coat is not needed.

If you use a stronger framing material for the skeleton of the house, studs do not need to be used as close together, which will also save money and optimize each piece of material.

Green building is not just a trend. According to the National Association of Home Builders, “…it is the future of building.” Hopefully more homeowners and builders will learn that this future is more cost effective and won’t break the bank.

Check out these sites for more information:

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0630/A-home-made-green-and-lean/

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/11613/green-building-myth-1-its-more-expensive

Most men – at least the ones I know – have a special space they call their own, whether it’s a basement with a flat screen TV, a peaceful office, a garage with a never-ending supply of tools or even a motorcycle for joyriding. Most often deemed the “man cave,” men designate a household area as their space and let the testosterone flow.

The man cave is where men can truly be themselves – loud, macho and simple. Crude even. The cave provides a kind of vacation from chaotic life. I hesitate to say, but this includes a nagging wife, barking dog and screaming kids. It’s true: the man cave is the key to every man’s sanity.

Google “man cave” and variations of the same idea appear on the screen: extravagant rooms with pool tables and home theaters, ideas for masculine decoration and videos outlining the tools and techniques for building the ultimate man cave.

What if the idea of a macho space was created for something usually marketed toward women? Chrysler has done just that with the “man van,” a special (manly) version of the Dodge Grand Caravan.

Rumored to hit dealerships within the next couple of months, the man van will feature a slightly sportier look with a snazzy black-and-gray interior trim accented with hot-colored stitching on the seats and steering wheel. Besides an effort to make many old vehicles feel new because of sluggish sales, Chrysler hopes to help men overcome the highly feminine stigma surrounding the minivan. With the man van, dads can feel more comfortable toting the kids to school or picking up groceries.

Beyond the cool factor of the man van, what’s even more interesting is the fact that Chrysler is marketing a minivan for men. With most minivans focused on sliding doors, the driving experience and convenience, Chrysler’s man van is the first of its kind in the marketplace with others not far behind. Honda Motor Co. is already planning to launch a sleeker “athletic” design for the Odyssey.

Looking back at our “Missing Males White Paper,” which states that males are virtually ignored in the household marketplace in terms of product development and marketing, the man van goes beyond the norm. Will it gain the attention of the modern-day man? Or will it be seen as joke? I personally see the man van as a bit cheesy, but hope this could be the start of more household product marketing geared toward men.

Although Chrysler and Dodge have declined to comment on the man van, dealers of Chrysler have said that the man van will turn heads. For the minivan-driving man, the man van is just what he needs to claim his on-the-go space.