Comprehensive Planning Process

If I had an hour to save the world, I would spend 55 minutes defining the problem and 5 minutes on the solution. -Albert Einstein

Are you rushing to find the solution? Do you know what the problem is yet?

We used to rush to solutions, and you know what? We failed often enough that it really bothered us, and we decided to completely change how our business works. Why throw thousands at a problem, only to find out it was wasted because no time was taken for diagnosis?

Finding the root cause of most problems takes more than a quick look. It takes testing, thinking, and thoughtful design. When a doctor is presented with a complex problem, they rarely prescribe a pill and move on. Instead, they ask questions, run tests, and consult with colleagues.

Similarly, free design, like at a free quote, typically benefits the designer, to the detriment of the consumer. You need insulation? You got it. Windows? No problem. New furnace? What day would you like us to come? We see many customers jump at the first solution, only to find the problem has not been satisfactorily addressed.

By understanding complex problems, the likelihood of great results increases geometrically. Putting together a comprehensive plan for this takes a considerable amount of time though, which must be paid for somehow.

Energy Smart has developed a design-oriented collaborative approach with Energy Efficiency Specialists in Rochester NY (EESNY) in order to deliver you the best possible recommendations, similar to a board of specialists for a medical problem.

Here is what our Comprehensive Home Performance Energy Assessment includes:

1. Advanced Diagnosis

It is surprising how often we figure out things we missed on an initial inspection by looking through our pictures. We take a plethora of pictures to study with EESNY after the fact to be sure we are catching everything. Two heads are better than one for this. It is a big reason why more time to consider your concerns and the solutions is important. You can access these pictures, if you like.

We also need to fully understand the various concerns you have with your home, where they are, when they happen, and why they bother you. We ask a lot of questions about this.

The better the information we have from you, the better we can tailor options for you. No one else in the area offers this type of solution.

2. Energy Model

We will build a computer model of your home that we can manipulate and try different solutions to find the most cost-effective solutions to your home’s challenges. Similar to a spreadsheet, we can move things around and use different materials and methods to creatively arrive at the best solutions for your home. It also lets us build 3 different packages for you.

a. Budget – We will do our very best to get you a package with the best bang for the buck that fits inside the budget you are looking for, while solving your issues as best we can within those constraints.

b. Sweet Spot – Not just the basics, but not full bore, either. This will have more pieces to it and will meet the other two options in the middle.

c. The Plan – If you were to live in your home for the rest of your life, this will list the steps to take over time to make your home essentially perfect. Maybe even generate your own electricity. We start with this and then figure out what can best be left off.

3. Work Scope

Apples to apples? It doesn’t happen much in our world. When you ask for a car, you could mean a Yugo or a Mercedes. Quotes from other companies will vary that widely. A good work scope with detailed descriptions of what needs to be done can eliminate the guesswork of who is doing what, and how well. You will be able to take this to bid with other contractors.

If you would prefer, we can act as consultants to be sure that the critical but invisible details are handled correctly. This service usually involves 8-24 hours of work at $85/hour or at a flat rate.

4. Quotation

We will provide you with pricing to perform all of the pieces that we quote.

5. Presentation & True Costs

We will come back and walk you through the packages, including our findings and all the Home Performance measures suggested, so that you fully understand your options. This typically takes 1-2 hours at your home. Package costs and potential financing costs will be included.  

True Cost Example

Armed with True Cost you will then be able to make a truly informed decision about your home and project.

Note that the more upgrades chosen, the more certainty we have in your energy savings, because we reduce the number of variables we can’t control.

*Other financing options will be given as well. 

Sound involved? It is. But it will define and solve your problems.

Over 2 days of effort will be expended on your solution. And we’ll need some help from you getting past energy bills and helping us understand your home and the issues if has. Consequently, these can’t be free. Nor would you want them to be, or else we would design something that is good for us and not you because we have no incentive to slow down and think about the problem. Paying us turns us into consultants to help you, not salespeople trying to sell you something and move on to the next sale. 

Sound intriguing? The first step is to fill out our questionnaire to get an initial consultation. 

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