By Laura McAlister?
Journal Editor
Lindsay and Jonathan Handey might have had different approaches when it came to making their Vestavia Hills house a long-term home they could raise a family in. But in the end, they both got what they wanted and more.
The couple purchased the 1952 ranch-style house near Vestavia Hills East Elementary in October 2010. The kitchen and appliances were dated, and the one-story house had only three bedrooms and two baths, among other shortcomings.
Although they knew it would be a lot of work, both agreed major changes would have to be made. While Lindsay and her mother Susan Klyce, owner of Susan Klyce Interior Design, focused on the decor, Jonathan did what he does best ? making homes as energy efficient as possible.
Jonathan is an energy consultant and co-owner of eco three, a home energy auditing firm. When remodeling his new home, he put into practice what he preaches to his clients daily.
?We specialize in home energy evaluations and how to be more energy efficient,? he said. ?We want there to be a quick payoff.?
After Jonathan did the majority of the demolition work himself, construction started in April 2011. The Handeys were in their new house Dec. 1 ? just in time for them to get a nursery ready for their first baby, due in May.
In addition to totally transforming the outside of the house, the couple added a second level with three bedrooms, a Jack and Jill bath and a playroom. They also rearranged the main floor, moving the master bedroom and adding a laundry room and den.
Lindsay said she really wanted a floor plan that allowed easy flow from the kitchen to the dining room and den.
?When we built the house, we were on the same page in that we love having friends and family over,? she said. ?We wanted it to be open through the kitchen and den, so people could mingle easily.?
With the help of her mother, Lindsay mixed family antiques with some modern accents to give the home a sophisticated look.
What was once the front of the house was transformed into a large master suite complete with a master bath with a stand-alone shower and bathtub and his and her walk-in closets, something hard to come by in many 1950s homes in the area.
Jonathan said they took out lots of pink and blue bathroom tiles, replacing them with granite countertops and custom cabinets.
They were able to salvage most of the house?s original hardwood floors, which had been covered by carpet.
The Handeys also redid the basement, which Lindsay said was in such bad shape she wouldn?t even enter it until after the renovation. It?s now a ?man cave/office? for Jonathan, he said.
While the couple agreed on the major changes of the layout of the house, Lindsay was a bit skeptical about the energy efficient appliances and updates.
?I just really didn?t know what to expect,? she said. ?It has been great, though. I didn?t have to give up on water pressure or anything like that. We have a tankless water heater now, and it?s great. We never run out of hot water.?
The tankless water heater was just one of many items the couple will save on in the long run, Jonathan said, though they did have to spend more initially.
While Lindsay might be quicker to point out the updated kitchen with granite countertops and a white subway tile backsplash, Jonathan is more likely to show off the house?s crawlspace, the natural gas water heater or the furnace from Alagasco.
?The walls are completely spray foam installation,? he said while ducking into the crawlspace in the garage. ?It?s extremely energy efficient.?
So is the furnace, which he said is a 90 percent efficient condensing furnace. That means it doesn?t have to vent out of the house like a normal furnace.
?It?s really the most energy efficient you can buy, and the house stays so comfortable and nice,? he said. ?It costs about $3,000 more than your normal furnace, but we built this house to raise a family in, and it will pay for itself in three years.?
Look no further than the Handeys? gas and power bills for proof. In February, their gas bill for the now-3,500 square foot house totaled $66.16, and the power bill was about $45.
The same spray foam in the crawlspace is used in the attic and other storage spaces to keep out drafts during the winter.
In the summer, Jonathan said, energy efficient windows let in light but not heat.
?These windows block out about 95 percent of the radiant heat,? he said. ?When the sun shines in, it will leave a shadow on the floor, but it?s not warm.?
Energy savers throughout the year include the use of all CFL or LED bulbs for lighting as well as Energy Star certified appliances. Energy Star is a government-backed program that allows tax breaks for products deemed eco-friendly and energy efficient.
Lindsay said she loves the kitchen and her appliances, and she knows now that she wasn?t sacrificing on quality with the energy-efficient products. In fact, when most people walk into the Handey home, they really wouldn?t know it was more energy efficient than most.
They would just think it was a home to raise a family in, which is what the couple wanted all along.
Source: http://www.otmj.com/2012/03/efficient-effective/
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