It’s a great time to build in Boulder County

As noted in an article this month in the Boulder County Business Report, “Low Bidders”, it is currently a buyer’s market for new construction and remodeling services in Boulder County.

Here’s what this means for you, a consumer considering anything from a new custom home to a small remodel project or addition:

• More willing bidders- this is especially good for you related to smaller projects like a new deck, a pergola, a small bathroom remodel, kitchen refresh, etc., because when companies are busy your small project is less of a priority. More willing bidders means there’s more competition to give you a good price.
• Faster project completion- Construction companies in Boulder County aren’t as busy as they once were (though we’re definately seeing signs of things picking up). This means that you won’t have to wait as long for your project to start, or suffer as many potential delays due to other projects interfering with yours. While good contractors (like us) will always make your job a priority, this is especially true now.
• Lower construction materials costs- A few years ago, prices on building materials were through the roof. Now, due to decreased demand worldwide the materials needed for a new home have come down in price.

Plus, since the housing market is a bit sketchy these days, it may make a lot more sense to add on to  or remodel your current home. This way, you have a more live able space while you wait for the market to recover, and can then sell your house for a premium.

Contact Constructive Builders for estimates on any upcoming new construction or remodel projects in the Lafayette, Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, Denver, etc. areas.

Shade solutions for your backyard: pergolas, sun sails and sun shades

If you can’t stand the sun, get in the shade

Colorado boasts over 300 days of sun, and while it’s great to soak up some rays once in awhile, many people prefer the option of some shade. Most of us don’t enjoy sitting in the mid-afternoon sun, specially when hanging on the back deck and letting your kids play.

For this reason, we at Constructive Builders have identified a couple of easy, and nice-looking, solutions to add shade to your backyard.

The first are sun sails. They have these for sale at McGuckins here in

Boulder (and a lot of other places I’m sure), and they’re basically big sheets of sail cloth that you can hang up to cover portions of side or overhead sun. We can construct simple poles or loop fasteners to keep the sun sail in place, and if you want to take it down for a party or during the winter, it’s easy to remove. They can look pretty cool, especially if you like a more colorful back yard. However, one thing to watch out for is wind gusts, which might cause some problems for these sails and can be rather prevalent in Boulder, Louisville, etc.

The second is a wooden sun shade. Built to divert the sun based on your latitude, these shades add an architectural element and can also add privacy. Check out this great article from Fine Homebuilding “Drawing Board: Designing Sunscreens”.

You can also build a pergola type structure, which can look really nice and provide some intermittent sun protection.

If you’re looking for a reliable, local contractor, to help with these projects, feel free to contact us!

Tax credits available for some home improvements

Everyone’s looking for a little incentive to take on construction projects in this economy, which is one reason that we’re pleased to now be an official Energy Star construction partner.  Check out their list of partners here.

For consumers, the good news is that you can get a credit of up to $1500 off energy efficient home improvements made during 2009-2010. Check out this link for more details: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits

We’re particularly fond of credits for swamp coolers, which work nearly as well as air conditioners in Colorado’s dry climate, are much easier on the environment and allow you to still know that it’s summer (as opposed to putting on sweaters when you come inside on a 90 degree day!).

And, for consumers considering a kitchen remodel this credit might just give the needed incentive to re-do the kitchen and replace those appliances with some efficient Energy Star models.