Featured Project: Bragdon Residence
By Cathy Collier | January 18, 2008
Happy New Year! All of us at Collier Construction hope that your New Year has brought you renewed living within your home and your community. We are enthusiastic, to say the least, about the prospects of our new year. Seeing the true connection we are making with you is driving us as we pursue the completion of projects and the start of brand new ones. We know we have more to learn in this year, but continue to feel lifted up by the relationship we have with you. We believe we have a few significant items of interest to share with you this month and hope they are a benefit to you.
Our featured project of the month is remarkable. Once an 800 sq. ft. 1950’s rancher is now being transformed into a 1600 sq. ft. modern bungalow residence for Jonathan and Kristen Bragdon. This remodel has doubled in size and opens the living area of the first floor into a bright vaulted ceiling space. The renovation and development of the downstairs will provide the home with a total of 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and an office space. Unfaced fiberglass batt insulation with an ultra therm air infiltration package and Andersen insulated low-E windows accommodates this homes energy efficiency and air tight qualities. The exterior ColorPlus Hardie lap siding with white trim, hipped roof, and gabled front porch lends itself to its beautiful wooded setting. Working to renew this home for its owners reminds us of our commitment to learning more about green remodeling and seeking every building possibility.
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Home Maintenance Tip: Going Green? Benefits & Tax Incentives
By Cathy Collier | January 18, 2008
We all know by now that making our homes greener is a commitment. More importantly, it is a learning process. The expanse of new technology and product is exciting and overwhelming. Staying familiar with the how and why will ensure your efforts are as effective and beneficial as possible. You might have heard there were benefits and incentives to living green, but could never seem to find the time to commit to reviewing all of the latest information.
The benefits to living green are real. Finding a professional knowledgeable with green-building techniques will save you money and ensure you’re getting the best quality work possible. Going green can mean using alternative energy sources, recycled material, less energy and less water. Beyond the health and environmental benefits of going green many local, state and federal governments are increasingly offering rebates, tax credits and other incentives for building LEED homes or adding green features to your home.
We found that the U.S. Department of Energy website gives the very best information and defines the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit. Credits are available for homes placed in service from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2008. I also found the TIAP website to be very help, with a link to the Residential Energy Efficient Property tax form 5695 and New Home tax form 8908. DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency is a list of Incentives offered in Tennessee.
Remember as of December 31, 2007, the consumer tax will expire. You have until April 15, 2008 to report these credits on your 2007 taxes. Legislation to extend the tax credits was proposed in December 2007, but did not pass both houses of Congress. Congressional leadership has said they will look for opportunities to move this legislation in 2008.
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Volunteer: Get On The Map
By Cathy Collier | January 18, 2008
Collier Construction will be turning 6 years old in April 2008. To celebrate another incredible year we are asking 60 of you, our past and present customers, to have a Collier Construction sign put in your yard for the month of April. Our motivation is twofold. Our first goal is to communicate that Collier Construction has been around for awhile. The second is to say that we enjoyed working on your home and that we would love to work in your neighborhood and your community. We are asking that you, our Collier Construction community, help us remind others that we have worked in your neighborhood. We expect this effort to be a whole lot of fun and hope you’ll consider helping us. If you would like to participate or have questions about this opportunity please email Cathy Collier. We cannot wait to see six years and all of the many blessings it will bring. Thank you.
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A Note from Ethan
By Ethan Collier | January 18, 2008
Happy New Year! I love beginning a new year. A clean start is so refreshing. I love that it is untouched and untried. A new year has no history and can go anywhere. I am a new year’s resolution kind of guy. I spend the weeks leading up to the New Year listing my new year’s resolutions, and my goals for the year. Time is spent thinking about what worked and what did not, what I liked and what I didn’t, and how I would like to see change. This last year has bought more change than any other that I can remember. My family has grown by 50%, and we now live in North Chattanooga. Collier Construction moved offices, changed names, built a website and our message began to reach Chattanooga. I look back with no regrets, 2007 was a great year. I look forward to our new year and all the possibilities.
As I said I love making resolutions, I have seen them change my life and Collier Construction. To name a few;
I will spend every Saturday morning with my son Caleb. It is our time. We have spent our Saturday mornings learning about the Track Hoe, Bulldozer, and Dump truck (not Tonka Toys either). We have had our first hair cut at a real barbers shop and we have sat on the tail gate in the middle of a Collier Construction site eating Hardies biscuits. I will continue to date my wife in spite of the fact that we now have a son, once a month is date night and last Friday we enjoyed an evening at the Boat House by ourselves for the first time since Caleb joined us. I have also decided I will run a marathon which I have begun training for and have 15 weeks to go.
As far as Collier Construction;
We will see hand held computers in the hands of all our superintendents so they can better communicate with customers and subs. We will give each customer a note book when we finish their project, holding all of the warranty information from items installed like flooring, roofing, siding, and windows, et cetera. I will see one new truck and two new vans added to our fleet of vehicles. We will compress the build cycle for new homes and renovations without lowering quality. We will spend more time educating our employees and prospective customers on green sustainable building. We will extend our commitment to the relationships we have with each of you and learn from them.
I wish you all a happy new year and may you all see great changes in 2008. Please keep in touch, I’m always available and open to new ideas and input, I have not yet begun on 09’s goals so please let me know if you have any ideas and let me know if we can serve you in any way. For me the New Year is an empty book, what will I fill the pages with?
