Stories

Now that you own a geothermal/geoexchange energy system in your home or agricultural building we need to address maintenance. As with most mechanical systems and equipment, preventative maintenance not only avoids potential system shutdowns but can also save money on unneeded service calls. Here are a few tips you can use before calling your service contractor.

Are you considering a project?

Comparison of GC,CM, and O&R Models

The General Contractor, Construction Manager and Owner’s Representative are the three main functions an owner / developer can utilize to get a project built. They are, however, very different in their approach to a project.

The Owner - General Contractor - Subcontractor model is the most conventional or orthodox method for building projects as evidenced by the following diagram:

Traditional General Contractor Model

^{**A/E (Design Consultants, typically Architects & Engineers)}

In this model the owner assumes the least amount of risk, given that it is usually a fixed lump sum agreed upon price.  The owner gives up the potential project savings, as profits to the General Contractor. This is a good model for inexperienced developers. This model does however also increase the risk of a competitive relationship between GC and owner, since the GC competes for profits within the fixed contract price.

The Owner - Construction

Constantly looking for ways to differentiate ourselves and enhance the offerings we provide to our clients, in 2013 kc&b implemented a project management software platform.

What this has enabled us to do is bring together the many different tools (software, paper based, processes, etc.) that we formerly used to manage a construction project under one umbrella so that all aspects of your project could be monitored and managed through one portal much more efficiently.

The product allows us to increase mobility, efficiency and profitability. A secure cloud based solution allows for accessibility across all platforms and locations. Your project information is not restricted to a certain file in the office but rather, our staff have access as needed to this information wherever they happen to be.

Tailored specifically for.....

Typically thought of as an option for new custom home building only, advances and changes to technology and methods, adding the geothermal heat pump option to a major (or minor) home renovation is a good choice. Heating and cooling remains one of the top considerations for comfort and utility costs.

A detailed explanation of what geothermal energy is and how it works can be found here and in this short article we can see the cost benefits in a typical residential geothermal installation. Operational costs are undeniable, increased comfort levels proven, technology advancements ongoing with real value added to the home in which it is installed.

If your home is 20 years old or older you may be at the stage where consideration needs to be given to upgrade or even replace your current heating and cooling system. An experienced dealer can assess the viability of upgrading. Given the efficiency of geothermal heat pumps and the significant operational costs to maintain and/or replace an

When contemplating the purchase of a new vehicle most of us will ask "what is the price"? What we are really asking is what “will the monthly payment actually be”! And then, right next to that question, we will calculate and ask what the fuel consumption will be? Why is that important? Because the payment, and the gas, come out of the SAME PAYCHECK!

Likewise, when you are buying a home, or qualifying for home financing, the monthly payment is most often more important than the contract price. Why is it that so few customers ask, what the energy costs will be for this home, on a monthly, or annual basis? The answer -- Because the contractor may not know!

I don’t know about you, but if every car on the dealership lot has a big KM/Liter sticker on the passenger window, why is there no energy cost sticker on the home window? Answer: because you didn’t ask the question!

Home energy systems come with a price. The cost of installing geothermal, natural gas, electric or any of the other energy alternatives, as well as the ongoing operational costs can quickly add up---and keep adding up over the years.  It should be only natural for all potential home owners to ask that simple question--BEFORE you make a long lasting decision. The cost of installing geothermal as well as the ongoing geothermal energy cost is something that should be contemplated for every new building design, home build, or major renovation prior to assuming that the status quo will do. 

PIE (Principal, Interest & Energy cost) of your new home CAN be determined in advance in the same way mileage and total cost of ownership can be determined for a new car. kc&b build can and will provide you with this information and empower you to make the right decisions during a new home  design consideration. Why take a chance on that?