Meet NEST-the brightest way to save energy & money this holiday season.

Meet NEST. Save Energy. Save Money.

Now that's something to celebrate GREEN homeowners!

Nest.jpg

If you are scouring the internet for Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals stop right here. Meet the 3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat. 4 Billion homeowners have installed these sleek learning thermostats and this holiday season we found over $100 in savings knocking the price tag down to $150! 

At Haley Custom Homes, we strive to be energy efficient and up-to-date on the latest energy saving building methods to meet HERS ratings and promise GREEN in everything we build.  No matter how efficient we build a home; however, our clients still have a role to play. This is where a learning thermostat comes into play.

You may have been hesitant to buy a thermostat in the past because you either didn't see the value in making the investment or didn't want to bother with the installation part.  The good news is Nest 3rd Generation has addressed both these issues.  The installation manual is color coded and truly made for dummies.  You can rest assured you don't have to be an electrician to install this thing.  And, the Nest pays for itself in under 2 years! Independent studies showed that it saved people an average of 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. Learn more here. 

Still not convinced? Here's 2 more good reasons why this is the best deal out there this holiday season & something we recommend to all of our clients:

  1. Excel Energy is giving Nest buyers a $50 rebate. See excel's rebates here.

  2. Amazon is giving Nest buyers a $50 gift card...this brings down your total investment to $150! Get your Nest & gift card on Amazon now.

Watch this education video from NEST now & GO GREEN!

We love this product because it fits into the design of any home and looks beautiful! Expect visitors, friends and family this season to ask you "What's that on your wall?".  A good conversation starter, no doubt!

Everything is controllable from your iphone or device.  Plus, the Nest learns your routine.  When you wake up in the morning, you’ll be cozy. When you leave for work, it’ll turn itself down. When you come home, you’ll be cozy again all the while saving you $$$ and helping our planet.  

Smarten up this season and buy with purpose.  We can't think of a better gift for yourself, a neighbor, friend or family member.  Saving energy is pretty cool. Plus, you might earn a cool star or two from your tech savvy kids.  

Happy Holidays!

Read more at Nest.com

Haley part of $366k raise for Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver

TIED TO A CURE VEGAS TRIP 2015

Children's Diabetes Foundation

The annual Tied To A Cure Vegas Trip benefiting Children's Diabetes Foundation attracted a sold out group of 101 golfers.  Each year Dan co-chairs the event with close friend Michael McDonald of McDonald Automotive.  It's a 24 hour jet-away that includes private charter to Vegas, a golf tournament at the renown Shadow Creek Golf Club, a cocktail hour to follow and tons of gambling & Vegas fun back at The Bellagio. 

Sponsors for this year's event were the following some of which to highlight include Exquisite Kitchen Design, Ekman Design Studio, Designs By Sundown and Xssentials, all close friends and partners in the Design Build Community.   A special thanks to this group and every company that sponsored to make this year's event extra special.  

Player Gift Sponsor: Audi of America

Post Golf Reception Sponsors: Exquisite Kitchen Design, Ekman Design Studio, Designs By Sundown and Xssentials

Golf Cart Sponsor: Urban Frontier

Breakfast Sponsor: Epicurean Group

Golf Lunch Sponsor: Escalante

The event was again a huge success pulling in $366,000 for the Foundation. 

Hanger Pre-Party Photo Gallery

Shadow Creek Golf Photo Gallery

Featured Child Speaker: Robert Reinhardt

The featured child speaker was Robert Reinhardt. Robert was diagnosed on August 14th, 2013, one month shy of turning 8. He has been attending Barbara Davis Center since diagnosis two years ago. He loves to play basketball and is an avid reader. He is an active boy who enjoys being outside in nature. 

Interested in getting behind this great cause?  An easy way to contribute is to buy the special edition Diabetes bracelet from CJ Free. Bracelets are $25 and 20% of the proceeds will support the Foundation’s mission to raise funds to support programs of research and clinical care at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, and ultimately, to conquer this life-threatening illness. To purchase yours now click here.

For more information on the Children's Diabetes Foundation visit their headquarters on 4380 S Syracuse St #430, Denver, CO 8023 or contact Amanda Garrett Amanda@childrensdiabetesfoundation.org


Technology is a Builder's Best Power Tool

Check out the latest article from BUILDER about the importance of being tech-savvy as a builder.  This is just another reason why Haley commits time and money towards providing the latest cloud based project management systems with easy user interfaces, customization and real time information.  Our system is available to not only our internal staff, but our sub-contractors on the job, designers, architects and most important, the home owner. Just another way we stay transparent and remain above average.  Read the full article from BUILDER 

Learn more about our technology systems here.  


Educational: Home Inspections Educate Yourself

Today I’d like to discuss some things you might not necessarily know about home inspections, even though they are every bit as valuable as choosing the right home builder.

Make sure you hire an American Society of Home Inspectors (or ASHI) certified inspector (not just an associate!) and make sure he isn’t a franchise owner or employee. Go here to find a listing of professional home inspectors in your area.

DON’T GO WITH THE LOWEST OFFER! I cannot stress this enough. A cheap inspector is not properly trained to identify defects and what you’ll get instead is a report that overlooks many of the things you’ll NEED to know about a house YOU’LL be living in.

By law, every home inspector must be insured for at least $300,000 for errors, omissions, and general liability for home inspections. It is an enormous risk to hire an inspector who isn’t properly insured.

Before you hire a home inspector, request a copy of a sample report. Make sure the report is detailed, narrative (not a check list), comprehensive, and complete with photographs.

How to find the best builder?

Finding a good, qualified builder isn’t as daunting as it might sound. Start by creating a list of potential builders from recommendations from your architect, the internet (look for quality of content), and local financial institutions that lend to builders (First Bank of Colorado is a great resource).

You may hear a few names repeated from different sources. These builders should become your short list. Set up a meeting to visit each one in their office and talk to them about their building approach. Look for indications that they’re interested in what you want instead of just getting you to sign up with them. Ask lots of questions, obtain a list of references, and call every one. Many of my clients ask for references, but very few actually call. Take the time to call references and ask questions. You’ll be surprised what people will tell you—both good and bad.

Finally, visit several new and older homes they’ve built. Take your architect with you if you don’t know what to look for and examine the quality of construction. Use a critical eye when observing the hardwood floors and how they are tucked under the baseboards. Examine the grout lines in all the tile work. Ask how the water heater efficiency rating is, if the house air conditioning is zoned, and look for the efficiency of the units. Look to see where they put the AC units (i.e., are they hidden? Does the noise penetrate common outdoor or indoor areas, etc.)? These are things you will be critical of when you live in a house, so make sure you are examining the finer details. Find out what kind of insulation was used, BATT or foam (foam is more efficient), and ask if there are any special areas they insulated (notably all bathroom interior walls and basement ceilings).

It may be a lot of work, but you’re about to spend a lot of money. Protect your investment—and your sanity—by finding out everything you can about the builders you’re considering and you’ll be much happier in the end!

Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating is an incredibly efficient way to heat your house – using just one-third the amount of energy of a conventional forced air system. It’s also a more comfortable way to heat your home. Because radiant floor heating delivers warmth from the floor up, rooms are heated evenly, without hot or cold spots.

We can also install thermostats in every room of your home, allowing you to raise and lower the temperature, room by room, to your exact comfort level.

Powered by a boiler or specialized hot water heater, a radiant floor heating system doesn’t require a furnace, so there’s no noise from fans. As an added bonus, there are no grills or vents to worry about, so you can arrange your furniture wherever you like.

Energy savings, comfort, and aesthetics. That’s why we suggest radiant floor heating systems in all of the luxury custom homes we build!

What to look for when shopping an architect?

Finding someone to design your perfect home is a large piece of the puzzle and a decision you won’t want to make in haste. There are a number of important factors to consider when agreeing on an architect. Remember, you will be spending a lot of time together and you want to be sure that he or she can implement your vision into the layout of your home.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself when meeting with architects.

  • Is this architect a good listener? When you share your design ideas, does he take notes, ask questions about how you’d like to live in the house, and offer solutions to design complications? There may be some elements to your design that might not seem feasible to him, but does he offer alternatives you’d be just as happy with?
  • Do you feel like he will build what you want him to build or does he seem more interested in creating a show home that he can put into his portfolio? Some architects will redesign your ideas to make them look more attractive to the everyday consumer and to boost their online resume. Make sure that you both see eye-to-eye and that he’s putting to paper what you have always envisioned.
  • Has he built many different styles of homes? You want an architect who is diverse and doesn’t have a problem making a custom home that will suit your specifications. Make sure that the homes he is showing you look and feel different—this will show that he is capable of building any kind of home the client may want.
  • Does he have good references? Before getting started with an architect, you want to be sure he can provide at least three references. A few days after he’s supplied the first three, ask him for another three references. These are the references you want to talk to.
  • Does his timeline work for you? If he has another job that will take a year to complete or other obligations that will conflict with the timeframe you have worked out in your head, this might not be a good fit.
  • How does he charge? Architects will either charge by the square foot, by the hour, or by an estimated construction cost. It’s important to know how you will be billed before you go through with the construction so there are no surprises in the end.
  • Is this architect a team player? You will be interacting with your architect and builder on a frequent basis and you want to be sure that all parties are flexible.
  • And finally, who do you feel understands you the best? It’s important that the architect you choose can turn a simple blueprint into the home of your dreams.

Good luck!

Energy Star & Building Green in Colorado

Energy Star

Energy Star is a federal program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy, that’s designed to help protect the environment through energy efficiency. To earn the Energy Star designation, a home must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines and be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code standards. The homes must also include other energy-saving features that, in most cases, make the homes 20%-30% more efficient than standard homes.

At Haley Custom Homes we hire an independent energy consultant to test our energy efficiencies throughout the home building process and to certify the home upon completion.

Built Green Colorado

Built Green Colorado was formed in 1995, through the combined efforts of the Home Builders Association of Denver, Xcel Energy, E-Star Colorado, and The Governor’s Office of Energy Management And Conservation.

The organization encourages home builders, architects, and developers to promote technologies, practices, and products that:

  • provide greater energy efficiency
  • reduce pollution
  • preserve natural resources
  • improve sustainability
  • lower maintenance
  • offer healthier indoor air

At Haley Custom Homes we follow the Built Green checklists, and our custom homes always receive the Built Green designation. Every year, we also take classes and attend presentations on the latest trends in green building.

Top 7 Green Home Features

Framing

Energy efficiency begins with the way a house is framed. At Haley Custom Homes we work closely with architects and framers to intentionally leave voids, into which we can pack and pour insulation. Because most solid lumber has an R-value of less than 1, and quality insulation has an R-value of 22, we like to sandwich insulation between beams, in corners, under eaves, between roof tresses, and in the headers above windows. Wherever we can. This creates an exterior “skeleton” for your home that protects it from the wide range of Colorado’s outdoor temperatures.

Insulation

We use the highest quality insulation to block heat loss in the winter and prevent heat gain in the summer. Insulation in walls, ceilings, windows, exterior doors, floors, and framing dramatically improves energy efficiency and helps keep rooms at a consistent, comfortable temperature year-round.

Plumbing

As water supplies become more scarce, and Colorado drought years become more common, water conservation becomes critical. When we’re building your new home, we can incorporate a variety of water-saving techniques, such as: high-efficiency toilets, water-saving appliances, on-demand circulation systems, and flow reduction faucets and showerheads. We can also make the plumbing system energy efficient by insulating hot water heaters and pipes.

HVAC

Radiant floor heating uses about 65% less energy than conventional forced air systems, and air conditioning systems that are installed properly can significantly reduce energy usage. At Haley Custom Homes we suggest radiant floor heating in virtually all of the houses we build, we carefully choose the placement of AC equipment, and we meticulously connect and seal all of the ductwork to ensure that there’s no air leakage.

Windows

Today’s windows are amazing, preventing virtually all heat transfer. Gone are the windows of yesteryear that let warm air out and cold drafts in, and created uncomfortable spots throughout the entire house in every season. Energy-efficient window systems include properties such as: glazing, innovative frame construction, E-coatings, gas fills, and edging and spacing systems.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting, the two best ways to save energy are to install energy-efficient cans and to tie everything into a lighting control system. With a home automation system, you can dim lights, create mood lighting, set indoor and outdoor lights on timers, and turn off all the lights in the house from a single touch panel, enabling you to only use the amount of energy you need.

Home Automation

We can install a state-of-the-art home automation system that will allow you to control not only lighting, but also heating and air conditioning systems, shades and draperies, and motorized awnings, all of which conserve energy by blocking unwanted sun in the summer and inviting in warmth on cold days.

Building Green with Haley Custom Homes

Long before “green” became an industry buzzword and a national referendum, we’ve been building energy efficient custom homes throughout the Denver metro area. Green building, simply put, is the process of building homes that require less energy, water, and materials to build and maintain.

While the trend of identifying as a green builder might come and go, we’ll continue to do what we’ve always done – incorporate responsible building practices and a long-range view of a home’s uses and lifespan.

In 2006, we began the process of getting all of our subcontractors on board, training them how to build green, and today, we have processes in place to build a green home – from bottom to top.

Every home we build today qualifies for the rigorous Energy Star rating.

Our green home building measures include:

  • Framing
  • Lumber
  • HVAC (heating and air conditioning)
  • Plumbing
  • Insulation
  • Windows and exterior doors
  • Lighting
  • Appliances
  • Whole home automation

We choose materials carefully, and we hire an energy consultant to test energy efficiency at various stages in the home building process. Haley Custom Homes are certified by Energy Star and Built Green. 

Remodeling and Home Design