No one likes to think about having to “survive” anything, and certainly not a remodeling project.   But in our experience, we’ve come to learn and advise our homeowner clients of the fact that there will be ups and downs with every project.   The chances that your stress level will increase is even more common with room additions, simply because they are often the most complex and time-consuming — and thus intrusive — types of remodeling projects to undertake.

Consider, for example, the impact of removing your entire roof to accommodate a second-story addition, or displacing your kitchen to add an adjacent family room. Your day-to-day life can be impacted for several weeks, depending on the scope of the addition and related remodeling work, which predictably leads to stress. That doesn’t mean, however, that the payoff isn’t worth it.

To help  you cope, your contractor should take the time to go over the entire scope of the project before you even sign a contract.   Find out the best time to start in the morning and learn how they will control dust and muddy bootprints from getting past the construction zone.   Another coping mechanism is to sit down with all members of your household to discuss the project, prepare for the intrusion, and map out responsibilities and concerns.   

It also helps to plan contingencies, such as temporary cooking or sleeping areas, and make those spaces as comfortable and “normal” as possible.   Another stress mitigator is to simply know that there will be a dip in your enthusiasm at some point in the process.   Typically, when the project starts, everyone is excited.   Early stages of construction tend to move quickly, fueling that anticipation.  But as the intrusion of the project becomes a daily routine, interest starts to wane for a while.  Then, it picks up again as completion is within clear sight.  Just knowing that dip will happen helps flatten it out a little.

Prepare your neighbors.  A room addition project often requires several tradespeople which can crowd a cul-de-sac or street with vehicles.  Let your neighbors know what’s coming, when you anticipate the project being done, tell them the daily start and stop times, among other details about the project.  It might also be a nice gesture to invite them to an open house when the project is done to show off your new space. 

Among all of the room addition stress coping mechanisms, communication is king.  You should have regular meetings with your contractor throughout the project to discuss progress, make decisions or selections, and address any concerns.  It is incumbent on everyone to keep those lines of communication open, honest, and respectful. 

This article was contributed by Zac Koenig of Koenig Homebuilders in Highlands.    Give Zac a call to discuss your remodeling project in Highlands or Cashiers.     The professional brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty would also be happy to  help you decide if a remodel project on your home in the mountains is the best couse of action or if selling your home and buying anothe makes more sense.  We can be reached at 828-526-1717 or 828-743-0424.   

Solar power is radiant energy that’s produced by the sun. Daily the sun radiates, or sends out, an immense quantity of energy.  The sun radiates more energy in one second than people have used since the beginning of time!     The energy of the Sun derives from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is really a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.   The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.

 During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. But the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.

It takes many years for the energy in the sun’s core to make its way to the solar surface, and slightly over eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles to earth. The solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of light.

 Simply a small part of the energy radiated from the sun into space strikes our planet, one part in two billion. Yet this amount of energy is enormous. Daily enough energy strikes the United States to supply the nation’s energy needs for one and a half years!

Where does all of this energy go?    About 15 percent of the sun’s energy which hits the planet earth is reflected back to space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted into the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar energy also is absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The rest could be employed to supply our energy needs.

Who invented solar energy ?    Humans have harnessed solar energy for centuries. Since the 7th century B.C., people used simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they’d cause wood to catch fire. Over a century ago in France, a scientist used heat from a solar collector to produce steam to drive a steam engine.  At first of this century, scientists and engineers began researching ways to use solar energy in earnest. One important development was obviously a remarkably efficient solar boiler introduced by Charles Greeley Abbott, a United States astrophysicist, in 1936.

The solar water heater came into common use at this time in Florida, California, and the Southwest.  The industry started in the early 1920s and was in full swing prior to the second World War.  This growth lasted prior to the mid-1950s when low-cost propane became the primary fuel for heating American homes.

People and world governments remained largely indifferent to the possibilities of solar power before oil shortages of the1970s. Today, people use solar energy to heat buildings and water and to generate electricity.     Particularly in light of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, we need to be looking more seriously at alternative forms of energy to decrease our dependence on oil – whether foreign or domestic.     

This is the first of a two part series on solar energy contributed by Barbara Young.      Barbara  writes on www.12voltsolarpanels.net.  her personal hobby web site.   Her efforts are related to helping people save energy using solar energy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy dependency.   We thank her for her contribution.

Most of us know that adopting an environmentally conscious or “green” approach to life can benefit the planet and its future generations. But did you know that greening your home can also benefit your bottom line in terms of energy savings and tax credits?www.nahb.org) in case there’s a remodel or new-home build in your future:

We’ve learned a lot of the latest green building strategies from clients and home builders we deal with as a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®. We thought we’d share some innovative green building ideas from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB,

1.The roof. According to NAHB, 75% of new homes use “oriented strand board” (OSB), an engineered wood product that does not require the use of large trees in its production, to sheathe roofs and walls. Additionally, durable roof coverings, such as steel and fiber cement, reduce the need for roof replacement and are a key part of many solar roofing products that lock in heat during winter and help keep homes cool in summer.

2.The windows. Energy-efficient windows that incorporate advanced technologies like low-emittance glass coatings, keep heat inside in winter and outside in summer. “Passive” solar design features like large, south-facing windows, also help heat the home in the winter and allow for abundant natural lighting.

3.The walls. Vinyl siding on exterior walls saves money on installation and maintenance; fiber-cement siding is termite- and water-resistant and warrantied to last 50 years. Increasing the amount and R-value of insulation is a cost-effective way to save energy and help reduce heating and cooling bills, which account for at least half of all energy use in the home.

4.The outside. “Xeriscaping,” or using native plants, can significantly reduce the need for watering, fertilizers and herbicides, and preserving trees on your property reduces energy costs by providing shade in summer and a wind barrier in winter. Also consider a covered entry for your front door, which can help prevent water intrusion and costly repairs.

5.The appliances. According to NAHB, the energy efficiency of refrigerators and freezers has tripled over the last three decades. Front-loading washers use about 40% less water and half the energy of conventional models. New toilets have redesigned bowls and tanks that use less water, while advanced shower and sink faucet aerators provide the same flow regardless of reduced water use.

Please consider the above green building ideas for your next construction project and forward this e-mail to anyone else who may be in construction mode.    Tom Goldacker, one of the brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty, obtained his Green Designation last year.    He’d be happy to answer any questions you may have or point you toward further green resources, so feel free to e-mail Tom  or call 866-526-3556 for more information.

If you are selling your Cashiers home green improvements can help.  Whether your Cashiers home already has environmentally friendly features or could use more, green improvements may attract buyers and give you a tax refund at the same time.

The Residential Energy Property Tax Credit will reimburse a homeowner 30% of his vestment, up to $1,500, for making a home more energy efficient.  Improvements could include insulation, alternative energy additions (solar, wind, etc.), and more.

Green is in throughout the Country and especially in Cashiers, where the environment has everything to do with what draws people to the area.  If you have improvements that need to be made to your Cashiers home, consider making them green.  Making the improvements green could attract a buyer as well as more green for your wallet.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558.     For more information of making green improvements to your home, call Tom Goldacker at Meadows Mountain Realty.  Tom is Green Certified and can answer your questions.

The concept of a “media room,” as a space specifically devoted to home theater and audio systems, is more popular than ever. New home designers and builders, responding to the demand of their buyers, have incorporated media rooms into the floor plans of many new homes, all along the price spectrum. Such rooms are designed for comfortable television and movie viewing and are acoustically separated from the rest of the house.

Yes, the media room has also become the game room, again driven by homebuyer demand and a host of new (mostly electronic) toys. Builders are educating their buyers about the lifestyle advantages of including such a project and the value it adds to their property.

Consider some of the special features that a true Game Room encompasses, all of which are easily accommodated in a new construction project:

• Acoustics. Sound transmission in or out of a game room can be disruptive. Builders incorporate products that block or deaden sound through the walls, floors, and ceilings. Special membranes and laminated drywall and plywood panels meet the need without adding a lot of extra cost, rendering the Game Room almost a separate acoustical zone within the house.

• Light and shading. Everyone enjoys natural light … except when there’s a movie playing. Windows are a prime consideration that maintain flexible use of the room when the house is sold. The home’s exterior appearance must be considered, as well. To create the optimal movie-watching experience, builders turn to motorized screens and draperies that smoothly draw across the windows. Controlled by remote devices or wall-mounted panels, such screens retract into the wall when not in use or disappear into a subtle housing to retain the room’s overall aesthetic design.

• Multiple displays. One screen may not be enough in the modern Game Room. Though builders usually leave the purchase of consumer electronics up to the homebuyers after the house is finished, high-tech game rooms must be designed and wired to accommodate several displays and multiple signals. These may include satellite, wireless and wired Internet, cable, personal computers, and (don’t forget!) electricity.

• Seating, storage, and snacks. Like its media room predecessor, the new Game Room is a gathering place for family and guests, often engaged in multiple activities at the same time. Space for several zones of comfortable seating is very popular, as is built-in cabinet storage for all of the game players, audio and video equipment, and other components. Small kitchen setups, complete with sink, under-counter appliances, and counter work space, provide family and guests with additional convenience in this self-contained haven.

Media rooms are among the new wave of distinct, specialized areas within today’s new homes. The “Game Room” reflects the development of high-tech consumer electronics and the consumers’ desire to maximize enjoyment of these new toys.

This article was contributed by Zac Koenig of Koenig Homebuilders in Highlands.

Building “Green” in Highlands or Cashiers NC is a rewarding experience.  Green building refers to the practice of increasing the efficiency of resources within buildings including energy, water, and building materials.  Because the Highlands/ Cashiers NC area shines with natural beauty, reducing the impact of building  is a primary concern when choosing custom features on your new home.  Here are some things to keep in mind when building green:

Take advantage of renewable resources.  Using sunlight, reducing energy consumption, and building with sustainably harvested lumber, recycled barn wood, and bamboo all help in the end result of conservation.

Look for Energy Star rated appliances and water restrictive plumbing fixtures that will help you save on energy costs as well as support green building plans.

Windows and doors should also have Energy Star ratings and should seal tightly to keep out warm air in the summer and cool air in the winter.

For more tips on building green click here.

For more information on building your custom dream home in Cashiers or Highlands NC contact Meadows Mountain Realty today.