Grogan Construction - North Carolina Custom Home Builders, NC Construction General Contractors, Green and Energy Star

Grogan Construction specializes in design and building quality custom homes in the Hickory - Morganton - Lenoir North Carolina Area. This NC construction company exceeds expectations, and has a highly respected reputation and has maintained a solid relationship with all of their clients, even after their homes are completed. When they have the opportunity to meet new clients, they provide a list of references, whose homes they have custom built and completed. Many clients don't visit their homesite on a regular basis and remain worry-free because they believe in close communication and strong relationships. Clients have confidence that they are part of each step of the project and they are assured everything is running smoothly as the builder will communicate through email, telephone, and providing numerous digital photographs throughout the construction project.

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How to Choose a Contractor? Here are 9 suggestions:

1. Plan for Success: Don't jump at the lowest bid, surveys have shown that people who hired the lowest bidder generally got poor work.

2. Get an Estimate: The estimate should list product, material, and labor costs and a timetable. Material and product allowances should give prices and quantities. Compare services and prices before making a final decision.

3. Get References: Obtain references from recent and older jobs. Reputable contractors will be happy to provide names and contact information for satisfied customers. Then check the work to see how it's holding up.

4. Call Local Vendors: Find out names of local business that furnish construction supplies. From lumber to concrete, call at least two or three and find out if your contractor pays his bills on time.

5. Check the Better Business Bureau for filed complaints.

6. Call State Licensing Board: Many contractors claim to be excellent. You should call the state licensing board to see if your contractor has ever been in trouble. NC Licensing Board 919-571-4189 - Susan Dixon.

7. Check your contractor out with http://www.contractorcheck.com.

8. Obtain a contract: A written contract will specify what will be done to complete the job, associated costs, and the payment schedule. Never sign a blank contract or one with blank spaces.

9. Stick with original construction plans: Making changes to plans after work begins could lead to cost overruns and delays.

The hot topic in building these days is Energy Star and Certified Green Building. It is very important today to select a builder and general contractor that is familiar with Certified Green Standards and Energy Star Compliance by the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Program. Many builders in North Carolina are becoming a Certified Green Professional (CGP) Builder. Keep reading to learn more below....

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars - all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills. Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. ENERGY STAR helps you make the energy efficient choice. A Green Home Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue Home builders and home buyers across the country are increasingly interested in green building.

But what exactly makes a home green?

Green building means improving the way that homes and homebuilding sites use energy, water, and materials to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. Building a green home means making environmentally-preferable and sustainable decisions throughout the building process-decisions that will minimize the environmental impact of the home while it is being built and over the many years it will be lived in.

What should homebuyers look for first in a green home?

Energy efficiency is the place to start. That's because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global climate change. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality, and help protect the environment.

Typical features to look for in ENERGY STAR qualified homes include:

1. An Efficient Home Envelope, with effective levels of wall, floor and attic insulation properly installed, comprehensive air barrier details, and high-performance windows;

2. Efficient Air Distribution, where ducts are installed with minimum air leakage and are effectively insulated;

3. Efficient Equipment for heating, cooling, and water heating;

4. Efficient Lighting, including fixtures that earn the ENERGY STAR; and

5. Efficient Appliances, including ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers.

These energy efficiency improvements save homeowners money - about $200 to $400 per year on utility bills. More importantly, monthly energy savings can easily exceed any additional mortgage cost for the energy efficiency improvements, resulting in a positive cash flow from the first day of home ownership. As a result, the cost-effectiveness of ENERGY STAR improvements can help offset additional costs associated with other green home features.

What comes after energy efficiency?

Homebuyers can also look for the Indoor airPLUS label - a new specification developed by EPA to address the indoor environment component of green building. Homes that achieve this level of excellence are first qualified as ENERGY STAR, and then also incorporate more than 60 additional home design and construction features to control moisture, chemical exposure, radon, pests, ventilation, and filtration. Together, these features help protect qualified homes and their residents from mold, chemicals, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants.

Completing the green home picture

Through ENERGY STAR qualified homes and the Indoor airPLUS Program, homebuyers can address two critical green home elements. Then, look to the wide variety of available green home programs to complete the picture with water-efficient products, renewable energy technologies, waste reduction, recycling, and sustainable land development practices.

Key Components of a Green Home

Green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction, and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and must take the home's overall impact on the environment into account.

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Builder's in this area service the Unifour, which is Catawba County, Alexander County, Burke County, and Caldwell County. Towns in these counties include Connelly Springs, Granite Falls, Hickory, Lenoir, Newton, Conover, Wilkesboro, Taylorsville, Valdese, Rutherford College, and Morganton.

List of Custom Home Builders in the area:

Grogan Construction

Dan Hefner Construction

DM Euro Construction

Glaze Construction

Granger Built Homes

Greathouse Jones Construction

Higgins Building Group

Homes by Gerald Kamp

JCM Custom Homes

Jeff Keever Construction

Jim Goble Construction

Moss Marlow

Providence Home Builders

Rollins Home Builders

Ronnie Simmons Construction

Scott Curtis Construction

SW Associates

Terry Reitzel Construction

White Rock Construction

Zagaroli Construction

Beautiful Communities in the Lake Hickory, Lake James, and Lake Rhodhiss area include:

1780

Anchors Landing

Bear Cliff

Black Forest

Broadwater Landing

Cottage Park

Crystal Falls

Diamond Pointe

Doe Run

Dry Creek

East Shores

Gold Creek

Governor's Harbour

Gunpowder Point

Harbor Ridge

Harbor Town

Hawksbill

Hayes Mill Landing

Holiday Shores

Iswa Pointe

Lake View Hills

Laurel Pointe

Laurel Ridge

Lawson's Creek

Mallard Cove

Mallard Pointe

Marion Lake Club

Moore's Ferry

North Lakes

Old Wild Life Club

Old Wildlife Club

Olde Mill Landing

Oliver's Landing

Paradise Harbor

Pisgah Preserve

Plantation Point

Plantation Pointe

River Club

River Ridge Run

River Bend

Rock Barn

South Pointe

SouthPointe

Sunset Point

The Arbor

The Pointe

The Settings at Lake Rhodhiss

Waterglyn

Whistle Peace

Wilderness Edge

While many clients are at first drawn to Green Building for reasons of principle, they also find that Green Building makes sense economically. A Green home can substantially cut energy and maintenance costs while at the same time increasing the comfort and health for those who inhabit it. As a result, Green Homes tend to have increased value.

Find property to build your house at http://www.nclakefront.com.