Can This Home Be Greened? A Florida Fixer-Upper Gets a Green Remodel

(Page 2 of 5)

May/June 2009
By Greg Hardwick 
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Cost: New insulation: $1 a square foot for removal, 50 cents a square foot for new cellulose; solar-thermal water heater: $3,800 (installed) before federal, state and local tax incentives.

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2. Increase kitchen functionality

During my visit, Tim explained that the kitchen layout is so awkward that none of the standard-size appliances would fit. He had to purchase a smaller refrigerator than he would have liked and was lucky to find an odd-size replacement oven that would fit in the corner. The Dyers would like to remodel the room to improve its aesthetics and functionality.

Solutions: Tim and Phyllis should hire a professional kitchen designer to assist with a new layout. A full-service kitchen and bath store will usually provide design services as part of the overall cost of new cabinets and installation. Good design maximizes functionality while optimizing the use of raw materials. Best of all, a better design minimizes the chance they will want to redesign their kitchen again in a few years.

The Dyers should ensure that exhaust hoods are ventilating outside, not recirculating hot, polluted air (the byproduct of cooking) within the home or into the attic. The ventilation should be matched and properly sized to the specific hood assembly and vented outside of the home’s air barrier. 

Finally, the Dyers want to replace their cabinets and countertops. If they can find a local supplier/fabricator (within a few hundred miles) to build and install the cabinetry, the overall project will require significantly less embodied energy. If a local provider isn’t available, Tim and Phyllis should choose cabinetry certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

The Dyers’ laminated, butcher-block style countertop is heavily stained, partially delaminated and most likely harboring bacteria and other germs. Wood countertops require diligent maintenance to remain clean and stain-resistant. I recommend a durable, low-maintenance, easy-to-clean replacement such as a natural quartz product called Cambria. Greenguard-certified Cambria is manufactured in the United States and, because it’s not porous, is very resistant to stains.

Cost: About $12,000 for cabinetry, countertops and installation; independent design consultation $800 to $1,000 (design consultation often included with cabinet purchase and installation)

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