When I taught history to 8th graders for 33 years (I got my real estate license in 1990--see ScottYahnke.com), I often liked to remind them that "time & technology keep changing, but human nature is a constant." This to me provides a ready answer for so many of the problems our world has seen & sees, & why building homes greener isn't happenning faster is no exception. That principle, plus complacency, fear of change, & (well, let's get it out there) the goal of each & every subcontractor of trying to maximize his/her profit throughout the home-building process.
When my current home was finished in early 1999, I couldn't wait to move in. This was my "dream house," & I felt I had put so much effort into the process. Hey, I figured that if I was on the site just about every day from the time we signed the purchase agreement, how could I not end up with a great home?
Now, looking back after encountering numerous problems (which I'll use to illustrate my point), I realize the reality is this: I have a really nice floor plan & a great location, but I own a house that was built to minimum-code standards of construction. For instance, even though I had more windows added during the build, I didn't specify what type of windows to install, beyond telling the builder I wanted casements. So I got the cheapest windows that could be used. On the other end of time of ownership, we had a severe wind & hail storm last June. Winds of over 100 mph drove hail like the house was being blasted by ball bearings. The hail ruined my air conditioner compressor's fins, which could not be combed out. When the HVAC folks went to get a quote for replacing the coil/fins, they learned that this unit had been out of production for years. They told me that it was "way down the line" of compressors under the Carrier company, & that the parts I needed would have to be remanufactured over a time of at least 8 weeks & at a cost of over $3,100. This was more than the cost of an entire new compressor! So at least my insurance company took pity on my family & me in the heat of summer & allowed us to get the new unit altogether.
If you've just read this & are thinking, "Hey, what's the beef here? This guy got a new AC out of it. Why should he complain?" then I want you to understand that you might just look at this situation differently. See, when my compressor was replaced, what they couldn't recycle was put in the landfill, & this was a unit that could've lasted another 10 years or so. And multiply what I'm saying about my home by thousands & thousands of homes that deteriorate much earlier than they should. There's got to "be a better way," & there is!
These kinds of problems with the build quality of my home are pervasive throughout, & yet are far from uncommon in home builds in the Omaha area in the past 15 years (at least). Today, if you search the U.S. Dept. of Energy's website, you will find a quote from a survey that says that over 85% of American home buyers would choose a more energy-efficient home over one that isn't, yet 78% of them say they received no education about this in the process of their home-buying experiences. In my opinion, much the same could be said about what "education," counseling, or whatever you want to call it purchasers of new-home builds receive today about most any aspect of their build plans, even. Sad to say, there are many builders out there who like it when their buyers don't ask too many questions & just let them build them a house. I truly believe that most folks assume that their homes will be built to a fine standard of quality, based upon the image the model homes present to consumers. And those images are influenced greatly by people's hopes & dreams that "their new homes" represent to them.
It's high time to take off the blinders & open our eyes, people! But the problem remains, whom do we trust when we are looking to have our next home built? More on that in the next posting...
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