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Home weatherization program

objector2 | Posted in Business on March 2, 2009 06:09am

  As an insulation contractor I am trying to find out the specifics of the weatherization program. I called and talked to a really nice lady (grrr) at the local human resources agency that handles the weatherization program who proceeded to grill me but would not tell me anything.

 What little I did find out is that blower door testing is required (which I already knew) and that you had to carry pollution occurrence insurance (POI) which is only issued by one company in California. This nice lady(grrr) basically told me that there was no reason for her to talk to me until I had the insurance which cost about $3,000.  I think that as a weatherization contractor you bid on jobs possibly unseen, and are basically providing a fixed cost for any job.

 I get the feeling that under this program the contractor will either make a ton of money or go broke. I am just trying to figure out which it will be. If anyone has more info on this program I would appreciate it if you would share it.

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  1. hmj | Mar 02, 2009 07:08pm | #1

    What do you mean by weatherization program?

    Where are you located?

    I am in MD and we have a state sponsored "http://www.mdhomeperformance.org". I have not joined up yet because they want you to BPI certification and I chose to get HERS certification.

    1. objector2 | Mar 02, 2009 11:28pm | #3

       The Federal government has for many years funded programs to insulate and weatherproof homes for low income homeowners. The recently signed stimulus bill is bringing a tremendous influx of money into the programs. The money will not only include private residential homes but also government housing. As I understand it, these programs will probably have 10 to 15 times more money than they have ever had.

       Individuals can qualify through their local human resources or developmental agencies. As I understand it people with incomes up to 200% of the poverty level are eligible for a complete weatherization of their homes as well as any resident recieving ssi payments as well as some other situations. Weatherization includes insulation, weatherstripping, duct sealing and possibly some window replacement.

       I also believe that this stimulus bill will provide other homeowners with tax credits for weatherization paid for out of their pockets. My knowledge of the entire program is limited and I have had neither the time or patience to read through the stimulus bill to find all of the facts. So as I understand it the program is not new just supersized.  

      1. User avater
        madmadscientist | Mar 04, 2009 04:47am | #5

        I started a similar thread in Green Building section.

        I'd think that in terms of money to earn that retro-fitting federal, state buildings and schools would be where the big money is.

        I can't figure out if-where-when this is happening though, do you have any info?

        thanks,

         

        Daniel Neumansky

        Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

        Oakland CA 

        Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

        1. objector2 | Mar 04, 2009 07:48am | #6

           I will relate what little I know at this point. This is a nation wide program funded by the Department Of Energy. I can't remember but the program is getting either a 5 or 50 billion infusion through the new fiscal stimulus package. I believe that the money will become available sometime this month and the program and additional funding will end in January, 2011.

           I got a info packet in the mail today from the weatherization program director with the local human development agency. It was all related to the afore mentioned POI insurance. It included a application form for the insurance. A handwritten note attached from the director said that once I had acquired the insurance that I would be given an application to become an approved contractor. Of course right now I do not know anything about the bid process or how much work there will be or even if the money is worth the hassle. For some reason I do not like the idea of paying 1500.00 for a ticket to a "movie" I don't even know the name of much less if I would like it.

           I think I may be able to find a new source for info. I will post with any new info.

          1. Piffin | Mar 04, 2009 12:40pm | #7

            I got a bad impression of that program from seeing it in operation in Colorado way back when...Maybe the bad was all local and time has corrected some problems but I tend to doubt it. The contractors used were in the pockets of the managers so there was corruption built in. could be that is way you are finding a stone wall between you and the money. They are protecting their little domain.The 'contractor' used where I saw this in operation hired kids right out of HS ( think he was also benefiting form a federal hobs program) and throwing them out there with a caulking gun and an hour of 'training'. The jobs I saw had as much damage as they did 'improvement' to the home.
            Everyone involved 'felt better'
            The HO felt like they'd been helped to save energy and been given something of value
            The HS kids felt like they were learning something and they had beer money
            The 'contractor' felt really good because he was doubling his money daily.
            and I felt very sure that the manager felt pretty good about his kickback envelope. 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          2. objector2 | Mar 04, 2009 11:15pm | #8

              I have the feeling that your observations may still be correct. I got the impression from the woman that I spoke with that she was a bit resentful that some new contractors were interested in the program. My hunch is that there has been little interest  in doing this work in recent years and now she is flustered that there is a run on her "club".

          3. User avater
            madmadscientist | Mar 04, 2009 11:40pm | #9

            Here's what I learned so far.

            The stimulus package has these broad things.

            $4.5B to retrofit federal buildings

            $6.3B in grants to be given to State and local gov't to basically spend as they see fit.  They can spend money on retro-fitting the public buildings and or spend it on rebates to consumers for things like buying energy-star appliances.

            I wish I knew how-what they were going to spend this money on.  I hope it gets spent intelligently but dang most of this stuff gets decided on my committe and that almost never ends well...

            Does seeem like a good time to be in the 'energy retrofit business' though...

            Knoxville Tenn is supposed to be in the forefront of this.  They hired energy auditors to go over all the city owned buildings and they're working up a plan on how to spend the money.

            I wonder how it will be spent? New windows? tons of caulking and weather stripping?

            What would you do?

            Daniel Neumansky

            Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

            Oakland CA 

            Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

          4. objector2 | Mar 05, 2009 04:50am | #10

             That is interesting that you found out about Knoxville being at the forefront of this since I live just 100 miles east in Johnson City and have not heard about this in Knoxvville. Despite the DOE being a federal agency, it is really based in Oak Ridge which is about 25 miles from Knoxville. I guess it won the crown as a result of producing the atomic bomb.

             It is starting to become apparent that the real money in this deal is the domain of the "professional government contractor". I was just hoping to greatly augment my residential insulation business by taking on some of this work on residential buildings. As I understand it blower door testing is an essential part of the process as well as extensive weatherstripping and duct sealing. These processes would be compatible to my current business as I was hoping to pick up additional work in these slow times and possibly put on additional crews if the situation warranted.

             I know a guy in a neighboring town who was in this particular business just a few years ago contracting with the department of human services.  He is no longer in business but I believe I will pick his brain a little.

          5. User avater
            madmadscientist | Mar 05, 2009 09:40pm | #11

            This is one thing that I'm worried about.

            The 'professional gov't contractor'  are these the same guys that brought us $1000 toilet seats and what not?

            I'd really like the money to do some real good and put as many people back to work as possible....

            Daniel Neumansky

            Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

            Oakland CA 

            Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

          6. joeh | Mar 10, 2009 03:37am | #12

            the real money in this deal is the domain of the "professional government contractor".

            This pork is to be ladeled out to friends of Democrats as much as possible.

            ALL the work done on Federal projects is to be done by Union labor.

            Whether there's any going to get down to the "little guy" is a who knows.

            Joe H

          7. joeh | Mar 10, 2009 04:37am | #13

            This should clear things up.

             Money comes from everywhere.

            They're worried bout corruption and theft in NJ?

            NJ comptroller: Stimulus funds 'ripe' for misuse

            By ELI SEGALL

            New Jersey officials must carefully monitor the economic stimulus cash flow to guard against theft or mismanagement, the state comptroller warned Monday.

            Comptroller Matt Boxer said federal dollars will flow into the Garden State from nearly 100 different sources, making the situation "ripe" for misuse.

            "This is not one pot of money that's sitting with six rules that need to be followed," he said after an Assembly hearing. "It's dozens of streams of dollars that each have dozens of rules that need to be followed."

            At the hearing, Boxer outlined the state's efforts to bring transparency to the spending process, such as launching a Web site packed with information about contracts and funding availability.

            Gov. Jon S. Corzine recently appointed Boxer and Ed McBride, Corzine's chief of staff, to lead the New Jersey Recovery Accountability Task Force. The pair will be joined by eight other officials, including the state's inspector general and a former state auditor.

            Boxer's staff will also help monitor the money, and any state agency that receives funds will contribute to the oversight, he said.

            New Jersey is slated to get $17 billion in cash and tax cuts from the $787 billion stimulus package, which President Obama signed into law last month.

  2. JimB | Mar 02, 2009 10:57pm | #2

    This site has a list of links to state program contacts, as well as some general info: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/apply.cfm

    20+ years ago I was involved in the weatherization program in Virginia.  I don't know that any of the contractors that I worked with made a bunch of money, but I'm sure that the program has changed since then.

    At that time, the work on an individual home was by priority.  Air infiltration was #1, and a blower test was run before and after to determine whether the work performed was acceptable.  That involved a lot of replacing glazing, sometimes doors, patching drywall and, of course, lots of caulking.  Lower priorities were insulation and storm windows and doors.  There was a maximum cost per home that could not be exceeded.

  3. dejure | Mar 04, 2009 03:26am | #4

    Check into your public disclosure laws for your state. For example, in Washington, the Public Disclosure Act [PRA] is codified under chapter 42.56 RCW. Under the PRA, you can demand to see the records she/her agency relies on to demand insurance prior to disclosure of laws relative to these programs. The agency MUST answer, or could be required to pay you five to a hundred dollars for each day the record was erroneously withheld.

    Each states codes are on line and searchable via Google and such.

    If you fear retaliation, have someone else issue the records request.

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