We’ve cleared the first hurdle. We have ideal wind conditions for powering a new home to be built in Madison County. Next hurdle, we’re going before the Madison Planning Commission tomorrow night seeking a special use permit for a wind turbine and erection of a 100 foot tower on the property. We’re blazing a trail for all Madison residents to explore this natural energy alternative if their wind conditions suit.
Anemometer measures direction, speed and pressure
Master turbine installer, Jeremy Hayes of Skyline Turbine, concluded a three-month, anemometer recording that confirmed the subject property generated suitable wind speed, pressure and direction. Despite the current wind maps (measured in meters per second or m/s) for that area showing marginal conditions, Jeremy’s data reported an average speed of 12.2 MPH, above what’s typical for that part of Madison and enough to serve as a wind power resource.
We’re excited, crossed our fingers and toes during testing because the wind energy potential seemed iffy to start despite blustery conditions at the site. Jeremy taught us about the “right kind of wind” (just because it’s windy doesn’t mean you can generate power).
You can download the latest mini- and full versions of our Lifetime Home Survey (LTHS) on our blog and main sites. Please bookmark and access both PDFs here.
(For first-timers, the “LTHS mini-” is a 2-page general overview of Universal Design and building science basics while the full version covers in grand detail every area of a property, even the yard.)
Before describing changes to the survey, we’ve also spruced up our sites, including creation of a page dedicated to the LTHS where you can always find the latest version. I’ll update the survey no less than quarterly, sooner if warranted by major changes to building science, accepted practice or codes.
Aside from cosmetic changes, the most significant difference in the updated version is the inclusion of many (well over a dozen) hyperlinks to supporting information or examples. Any text underlined or in a different color/font is likely a link so click your mouse on those words and you’ll open a browser window to more information. (The linked product examples may or may not be something we use or recommend so email me if you’re curious. You can also see examples at our Gallery.)
As always, we welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. The LTHS was developed to improve home life and teach “universal living“. Please share with those you care about.
From the Suggestion Box, here are direct links to the PDFs. Click respectively to download:
You pay what we pay plus a margin that covers your project costs (e.g. research, logistics, management, etc.) and a contribution to our company profit. Schedule of Values is also known as progress billing, “open book” or cost-plus. Bottom line, unless someone works for free or invents a new and better way, project pricing cannot be any more transparent. You’re billed, review all invoices and pay as work progresses. We shepherd so you stay within budget.
So your first question, “What’s the margin and how is it determined?” The margin will be stated in writing within both a detailed estimate and the contract, you won’t be caught off guard. We don’t start (or proceed with change orders) until you approve, in writing.
How it’s derived “depends” on your design and build selections unique to your project and any changes you make; there’s no cookie cutter, one-size-fits all. Because it’s based on invoiced costs per job, we cannot simply apply a uniform margin to every project and be able to meet our overhead and earn profit. Therefore the applicable and necessary margin for YOUR project is derived from an algorithm we developed that would induce slumber if dissected. Frankly, the margin is what it is, either you agree or we cannot accept your project.
Look at it another way, business-as-usual contractors mark up everything including labor, therefore some projects unnecessarily subsidize others to ensure the builder is profitable. We wouldn’t like this if we were a homeowner, we’d agree to pay a fair rate for top quality but we wouldn’t be so thrilled about funding the company’s annual deep sea fishing trip. So we decided to be as open and transparent as possible (without teaching a class on construction finance management) by showing the costs and our cut for performance.
Although our required margin may be different for your design-build than what we’re charging another seemingly similar project (even next door), each owner is paying based upon their unique job scope, the choices and changes made for everything, and for what we can profitably do the work. Beforehand you will agree in writing to the margin we propose, we’ll guide your budget and you will see and the architect will confirm all invoices to be paid at predetermined stages (draws) per the contract.
Lastly, if we seem too expensive for your palate, that’s fine; but, ask other builders to price similarly and share with you their invoices and margins. Unfortunately you won’t be able to compare quality of the finished product but regardless, see what they say when you propose this. We’re willing to bet it won’t be, “Super!”
Questions? Please email.
All for one and vice versa, that’s how we design and build, a total team effort, known technically as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD).
We call it “The BF Way”, from start to finish we partner with you and everyone including vendors and trades with but one goal, your satisfaction of our adamant standard for top quality. For example, the architect doesn’t simply produce blue prints and say, “Here ya go, have a nice day.” The architect (and maybe a designer too if not the same person) fly alongside and collaborate with us and you during design and throughout construction too. (The architect even reviews for accuracy our invoices.)
The IPD method encourages and holds accountable both the design and construction teams, surprises are a rarity with everyone starting and working from the same page as the project progresses to completion. Put another way, we do NOT start unless everyone understands the plan.
Compare to traditional “business as usual” with everyone engaged independently, completing their individual tasks as if on an island and deliverables often are not agreeable to everyone down line, and you can understand how quality and cohesion suffer. Other than weather or materials related disruptions nobody can foresee (and those happen but should be mitigated), projects planned properly move smoothly even through hiccups because everyone is communicating and understands the reasons “why” and their role within THE schedule. Never among teammates should you hear, “I wish I had known.”
The BF Way is proven, the best practice because work nowadays is so specialized that the enemy becomes inexactness if everyone isn’t communicating and coordinated, and we refuse to build any way other than exactly.
Click the links below to review our overall process and the work flows for design development and construction. Think of this approach as a one-stop-shop for delivering your dream home from daydream to doorway.
BuilderFish Process and Beyond
Contact me if confused.
We also price uniquely, using a method called Schedule of Values.
So VA Master wind turbine installer Jeremy Hayes of Skyline Turbine erected an anemometer (try saying that 10 times fast, or even once!) to record for three months the wind speed, pressure and direction. The test will confirm wind power potential and provide data to calculate whether power needs can be met.
Stay tuned.
