High efficiency furnaces use less energy, they cost less to operate, and they reduce the amount of Greenhouse gases emitted from a household.

If you are considering upgrading your home furnace for a more efficient one, why not look into receiving a rebate on your new purchase. In order to obtain your rebate as easily and efficiently as possible, knowing what the program demands and what appliances qualify for the rebate is important.

Furnace Rebates: 4 Things You Need to Know

• Different incentives are available from area to area. If you purchase an Energy Star qualified furnace or one that has the programs demanded energy efficiency rate in British Columbia for example, you are exempt from paying the provincial sales tax.
• Before purchasing your new furnace, be sure that it qualifies for the rebate. Most programs demand that your new furnace meets a minimum energy efficiency level, usually set around 90%.
• Some programs ask that your new furnace be installed by a partnered organization. If this is the case, the program will usually provide a list of authorized partners.
• More often than not, you will be asked to have an auditor perform an energy audit on your home before and after and renovations or upgrades are done in order for you to receive your rebate. Become more aware of the programs available to you in your specific area. If you are already looking into purchasing a new furnace, why not try and get some money back while making your home more energy efficient and reducing its environmental impact?
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Buying new energy efficient appliances and installing water saving devices are excellent ways to save on your energy and water bills, not to mention lower your household?s environmental impact.

Various rebate programs offered by your provincial government encourage you to do just that. Although the process of applying for rebates can seem daunting, knowing the requirements and what appliances to look for will help make receive your rebate an easier process.

5 Tips to maximize Appliance Rebates

1. Program requirements differ from area to area. Before apply for the rebate, make sure that you are eligible. In some instances, rebates on home appliances are not eligible if the appliance is bought used, or if they are not used in your primary place of residence.
2. Date restrictions may apply for your rebate. Make sure that your new appliance was bought within the allotted time period and that they coincide with the rebate?s product requirements. Most rebate sites will provide an appliance qualifying list.
3. Some rebate programs require that you provide them with a recycling receipt for your old appliances as well as receipts for your new appliances. This means that you recycle your old appliances at specific location and have an attendant sign your receipt. Keeping all your records and receipts in a specific file will help you stay organized.
4. If you are considering applying for rebates on new appliances like washing machines and new low flow shower heads and toilets, programs may require that your household is connected to the municipal water supply. If your property draws water from a private well you may not be eligible for the program.
5. Rebates may require that you replace both your household?s toilets and showerheads, and recycle your old appliances.

Knowing all the requirements needed and what steps need to be taken to be eligible for the rebate program will help make getting your rebate a much easier process. Carefully read the rebate?s requirements and instructions, get organized, save some money and help the environment!

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Here at ShowMeTheGreen.ca we see a lot of the same questions about home renovation grants over and over again. So to set the record straight we?ve decided to correct 5 of the top mistakes we see Canadian homeowners making when they apply for home improvement grants.

Hold onto your seats!

5 Government Grant Application Mistakes ? And How You Can Avoid Them

• Not getting an energy audit done before the home renovations

We hear this question countless times: ?I just finished a renovation, but didn?t get an energy audit done. Can I still apply for a government grant?? Unfortunately, in most cases the answer is ?no?.

Many government grants (the ones that pay serious money, anyway) require that you do an energy audit before you do the renovations.

• Not combining government grants with manufacturers? rebates

A huge oversight! Did you know that many manufacturers of windows, furnaces, and home appliances offer rebates or cash-back offers? Up until now, you probably didn?t know that ? and you?re not alone. An appliance salesman once told us that fewer than 5% of consumers actually fill in the manufacturer?s rebate coupon!

A good website to check out for appliance rebates is www.RedFlagDeals.ca

• Not keeping receipts

This is a very common mistake. How many times have you gone looking for a receipt and realized that it just fell out of your pocket?

Here?s a simple thing you can do to solve this problem: buy a 10-cent envelope, and write on it ?Home renovation receipts? (along with the month your renos took place). Put the envelope in one of your desk drawers, or your home filing cabinet. Now you have a designated ?file? for your receipts! Every time you get a receipt or invoice for your renovations, stick it in there!

• Assuming that government grants are available for all small projects

We often get questions like this: ?I just replaced two of my windows. Can I get a rebate?? Again, for such small jobs it?s unlikely that there will be a government rebate that will be worth applying for ? especially if you have to get an energy audit done (which can cost up to $300).

If there?s no government grant program that is worthwhile applying to, make sure to check with the manufacturer to see if they have a rebate program.

• Not looking into grants that are available in your province

Let?s face it ? the big government grant programs like the ecoENERGY Home Retrofit program get all of the attention. But there are lots of government grant programs that are only available in specific provinces or cities.

If you?re only applying to the biggies, you might be missing out on a lot of grant money. Make sure to start your search on the ShowMeTheGreen homepage. Click your province on the map, then choose the kind of home improvement you?re doing.

There you go. Keep these 5 common mistakes in mind when planning your home improvements. It?ll help your pocketbook, and will direct some of that ?stimulus? money where it belongs!

In this article you will learn what the new Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) is, and how to get it. You’ll also learn how to combine the HRTC with two other government grant programs to get up to $11,350 in government grants and tax credits.

Province/Territory: National

Rebate Amount: Tax credit up to $1,350

Description:
Get a tax credit up to $1,350 when you renovate your home between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010.

Steps to Get This Rebate:

1. When doing your renovations, make sure to keep all receipts, invoices, and agreements. These should include include a description of the goods and services purchased, date of purchase, how much you paid, who the contractor/vendor is, and proof of payment
2. Claim the amount of your renovation on your 2009 tax form. There will be a new line added for this claim on the 2009 tax form

When the Rebate Ends:

February 1, 2010

For More Information:

Government of Canada’s Budget website

Other Government Rebates to Bundle with the Home Renovation Tax Credit:

• The Government of Canada’s ecoEnergy Home Retrofit grant gives up to $5,000 in grants for homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient.
• Several provinces (notably Ontario and Saskatchewan) will match the $5,000 ecoEnergy Home Retrofit grant

Apply for these two government grants, combine them with the Home Renovation Tax Credit, and get up to $11,350 in government grants and tax credits!

• Ontario Home Energy Retrofit Program
• Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Secondary/Garden Suites
• GST/HST New Housing Rebate
• Citizens Bank of Canada Climate Change Mortgage

Considering renovating your home to make it more energy efficient and less cost consuming?

It may be helpful to know that there are both federal and provincial programs which offer rebates and grants to help you out when doing your renovations- there are, however, regulations and procedures needed to be followed in order to get your money.  Being on top of the facts and requirements will help you make your renovations as smooth as possible.

Green Renovation Grants ? 6 Important Tips

1. First and foremost, each province offers their own energy efficiency upgrade programs specific for their residents. Reading up on incentive programs for your area is the first step towards receiving your grants.
2. Most programs demand that you have an energy assessment for your home undertaken by a licensed service organization before commencing any renovation to be eligible for their program.
3. Renovations may be required to meet detailed specifications. If you are planning on insulating your attic for example, there might be a minimum amount of square feet that needs to be insulated and this amount can differ according to what part of your home you are insulating.
4. The average amount of coverage received by a household may vary from province to province. Be realistic about how much money you expect to get back. Remember that this is money that you wouldn’t have received before these government programs came along. Plan what you’re going to do with that money – family vacation? Investing for your children’s future?
5. Make sure your house or apartment meets the requirements specified by the program before commencing your renovations. Some programs only provide rebates to houses of a certain age, or if it is your primary residence. Knowing what the requirements are will save you a lot of trouble.
6. Often incentive programs require that you fill out numerous forms and send in all your original receipts in order for you to receive your rebate. Try to keep all of the receipts related to your renovation in one place for when you apply for rebates (e.g. take a folder and label it “Renovation receipts”. Whenever you get a new receipt, put it in the folder immediately)

Improving your home?s energy efficiency through green renovations like adding new insulation to your basement, or sealing your air leaks and caulking around your doors and windows not only saves you energy and money, it is a great help to the environment as well.

For those of you already planning on doing some home renovations, incentives and rebates are an extra push to send you along your greener way!

To get started visit the ShowMeTheGreen homepage, select your province from the map, and choose the type of renovation you’re interested in!

Does the thought of strapping on a tool belt and slapping up drywall get you excited? Do wooden planks turn your crank?

Then start down the path of self-fulfillment (and renovation savings), and check out our monster list of do-it-yourself websites! We’ve trolled the Internet to find the best and the brightest, including websites for green renovations.

So don’t be shy – try DIY!

All-Around DIY Home Improvement Websites

All Around the House

Find cost estimates for various home improvements. Although this was drawn up for areas of eastern Ontario, it is useful when drawing up a ballpark figure for project costs.

The importance of the architect is often overlooked in home improvements. After all, the general contractor is the one getting the work done, right?

Well, choosing a good architect can benefit your renovation project greatly. Not only can the architect give you suggestions for better design, they can also suggest ways for you to make optimal use of home space and choose less expensive construction materials.

Here are five questions to ask yourself before choosing an architect:

1. Does the architect have experience in a project of your size?

Make sure the architect has experience in your kind of project. If you’re doing a full house renovation, ensure that the architect you choose has done a project that big. You don’t want to serve as a “learning experience” for an architect who has only done small jobs in the past.

2. Does the architect keep up to date on changes in the building code?

Every city has a building code that homeowners must follow when renovating their home. This code consists of a set of rules that a city puts in place to make sure that all buildings have a minimum level of safety.

Building codes can be quite complex, and they contain many do’s and don’ts for home renovations. These rules also change from time-to-time.

When you or your architect submits the drawings for your home improvements to the city government, the drawings will be evaluated against the current city building code. This is why it’s important that you hire an architect who stays up to date with changes in the building code. If they don’t you may be submitting drawings that aren’t in line with new rules in the building code. This will greatly increase the amount of time it will take you to get your building permits.

3. Is the architect a procrastinator?

Putting things off can be good (do you really need that extra helping of dessert?), but a procrastinating architect can extend the time it takes to get your reno done. And in home renovations, time really is money.

When checking the references of an architect, make sure to ask how quickly they turn around requests. This is especially important if the architect will be dealing with permits and answering questions from city officials on your behalf.

4. How good is the architect at accepting criticism?

This is a tough one to figure out, but choosing an architect who is stuck in their ways could add unnecessary time to your home improvement project. Keep in mind that renovations can involve many people (especially renovations that change the structure of your home). Your architect might need to deal with engineers, city officials, sub-contractors…not to mention you!

Choosing an architect who is flexible can be critical in getting your building permits and construction work underway.

5. Does the architect draw by hand, or use a CAD (computerized) system?

CAD (which stands for computer-aided design) is a system where an architect uses computer software to create building plans (as opposed to drawing those plans by hand). The potential downside of hand-drawn plans is that they may be harder for both your contractor and city officials to read.

If city officials have to contact your architect for clarification of hand-written numbers that are illegible, it might take longer for you to receive your permits. Similarly, if your contractor can’t read the plans, they will also have to get clarification from the architect.

Find A Local Architect

To find an architect in your area, check the database of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada.

With the recent ecoENERGY Home Retrofit advertising blitz, many people are asking how they can take advantage of this lucrative grant program. We’ve put together a quick guide to help you understand the program and get up to $5,000 in free government money.

What It Is:

The ecoENERGY Home Retrofit grant program was started by the federal government in April 2007 to encourage Canadian homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient.

A grant is paid when you upgrade the energy-efficiency of any of the following:

• Heating system (furnace, boiler, or heat pump)
• Air conditioner
• Water heater
• Insulation
• Air sealant
• Doors/windows
• Toilets

How Much Grant Money You Can Get:

While you don’t have to upgrade every aspect of your home to qualify for an ecoENERGY grant, the more upgrades you make the more grant money you’ll receive. Here are the maximum grants you can get for making upgrades to your home:

Additional Benefits of the ecoENERGY Home Retrofit Program:

The benefits to making energy-efficient improvements to your home don’t stop at the grant money – you’ll also save on your heating and water bills, and increase the market value of your home.

Natural Resources Canada estimates that home improvements made under the program will save the average homeowner 30% off their annual heating bill, which would amount to $700 on a $2,000 annual bill.

How Do I Get Started?

There are six simple steps to getting the ecoENERGY Home Retrofit grant. Follow those steps on our ecoENERGY Home Retrofit Program page.

For More Information

Go to the Frequently Asked Questions section of the ecoENERGY Home Retrofit Program website.

Ever have a friend in this situation? They’re planning some home improvements and, after hearing of a good contractor, they give him a call. They meet to discuss some ideas, the meeting goes well, and soon enough the contractor provides an “estimate” of what the project will cost.

Fast forward six months: the project is complete (maybe!) and the final tab is double what the “estimate” quoted.

Many contractors will give a low ball estimate to get a job, then tack on “extras” after you’ve signed on with them. What can you do to avoid those “extras”? Insist on a QUOTE, not an ESTIMATE.

A quote is a set price for work detailed in a contract. It is a complete document, and should cover everything. An estimate, on the other hand, is a ballpark guesstimate.

A Simple Way to Make Your Quote Ironclad

If you don’t have the knowledge necessary to evaluate quotes from contractors, pay another contractor to them over. While this might sound strange, this kind of consultation could save you 10 times its cost. Not only will a consulting contractor help you to scrutinize the costs in a quote, they can pick out the loopholes that could cost you big bucks down the road.

How To Find a Local Contractor

Finding good contractors in your city can be challenging. Here are some tips to make your search easier:

• Ask friends and colleagues
• Check with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. They have a database in their website that allows you to search for contractors by local home builders’ association.

Say the word “architect” and what comes to mind? An expensive designer who can only be afforded by the super rich?

Think again.

Architects can save you big money on your home improvements by making sure the project stays on track and keeping a lid on costs. Not only that, they can help you get the home you want, combining the luxuries you’re looking with the best use of space.

Here’s the value that an architect brings to home improvement projects:

1. Architects will look beyond your immediate requirements and make suggestions for designs that adapt to the changing needs of your family.
2. Architects can identify costly mistakes before they happen. They also often know the costs of materials, and can make suggestions for ways of cutting costs before the renovations start.
3. Architects can make design suggestions that reduce the cost of operating your home. For example, they can make suggestions for making your home more energy efficient, so your heating, electricity, and water bills are reduced.
4. Architects can complement the role of the general contractor, coordinating things like permit applications, ordering of materials, etc. While this may seem unnecessary, giving these responsibilities to an architect can save you money (through mistakes you might otherwise make), and reduce your stress.

Need to find an architect? As in many areas of life, word-of-mouth can be a good way to find a competent architect. If you don’t know anyone who’s used an architect, check out the list on the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s website.

Here’s a shocking statistic for you: 38% of renovators surveyed in 2006 said they exceeded their home improvement budget…by an average of 88%!

While you should do everything you can to keep renovations on budget, looking at the value you’re getting from the renovation will allow you to keep things in perspective.

Consider how much payback you can expect from particular home improvements (from the Appraisal Institute of Canada):

Top Four Greatest Payback Potentials:

• Bathroom renovation (75-100%)
• Kitchen renovation (75-100%)
• Interior painting (50-100%)
• Exterior painting (50-100%)

Ten Average Payback Potentials:

• Roof shingle replacement (50-80%)
• Furnace/heating system (50-80%)
• Basement renovation (50-75%)
• Recreation room addition (50-75%)
• Installing a fireplace (50-75%)
• Flooring (50-75%)
• Constructing a garage (50-75%)
• Window/door replacement (50-75%)
• Building a deck (50-75%)
• Central air conditioning (25-75%)

Six Lowest Payback Potentials:

• Landscaping (25-50%)
• Interlocking paving (25-50%)
• Building a fence (25-50%)
• Asphalt paving (20-50%)
• Adding a swimming pool (10-40%)
• Installing a skylight (0-25%)

Also, make sure to check out the Appraisal Institute of Canada’s online calculator. It calculates the dollar value you can expect your home to increase by after doing specific renovation projects.

Close your eyes and picture your dream home. Don’t be shy – include all the trimmings. Would your home include a swimming pool? Granite counters in the kitchen? How about a whirlpool bath?

Now imagine how much all of that would cost. The reality for many people is that some home improvements will have to wait for later (whether “later” is next year, or a few years down the road).

Deciding what you can do now, and what needs to wait, doesn’t have to be a painful exercise, however. With a bit of thought before starting the renovations, you can avoid the stress that comes from thinking “am I doing too much?”

Keep these questions in mind when deciding what to do, and not to do:

1. How much is each home improvement going to cost?

Some improvements cost more than others (a lot more!). Here are some ballpark price ranges for the most popular projects:

• Kitchen: $10,000 to $40,000

• Bathroom: $10,000 to $20,000

• Basement: $30,000 and up

• Additions: $120 per square foot, on average

• Decks: $5 per square foot, minimum

• Fences: $12 per square foot, minimum

And price ranges to hire professionals for your job:

• Designer: $5,000 per job

• Engineer: $5,000 to $10,000 per job

• Architect: $5,000 to $20,000

Source: Make It Right by Mike Holmes

Keep in mind that these are ballpark costs. For detailed cost estimates, check out AllAroundTheHouse.com. They have cost ranges for many home improvement projects.

2. Which home improvements will save you the most money over the long run?

Keep in mind that while all renovations will make your home a nicer place to live, some home improvements can also save you a lot of money over the long run. Try to focus on changes that will cut down on your energy and water costs.

3. Which improvements are necessary, and which are “nice to have”?

A home gym might inspire you to jump out of bed in the morning, but will it keep water out of your basement? When considering the home improvements you’re going to do first, think first about what needs to be done to maintain the value of your home. Does your foundation or roof leak? If so, repairing these essential things should be your first priority.

4. What are the needs of your family?

Maybe you’re expecting a baby, or your kids have all left the house. Anticipating the needs of your family in the coming years will allow you to figure out how you’re going to use your house. Design is important, but also try to think “functional”.

5. When do you plan to sell?

If you’re planning to sell your home in the next two years, maybe the in-ground pool can wait for your next home. On the other hand, if you plan to keep your home for awhile, you can feel more comfortable putting money into it that might not return to you quickly. Keep in mind that not all home improvements are a good investment.

6. What price range do the improvements put your house in?

If the renovations you plan will make your house the most expensive on the block, you might want to consider paring things down.