How Suppliers Are Adding Value For Builders

There's "BIG" news for builders at CT Appliance & Fireplace Distributors!
CAFD is the new state wide distributor for Heatilator® fireplaces, the #1 nationally selling fireplace in America, and the most preferred by builders. This is a new association for CAFD with industry leader, Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT).

"As the largest fireplace manufacturer in the United States, Hearth & Home Technologies identified CAFD as the market leader for builder sales in Connecticut."
- Gary Martin, HHT Regional Vice-President.

"We are very pleased that CAFD owner, Doug DuPont has agreed to become our Heatilator® trade distributor in Connecticut", said Gary Martin.

Doug DuPont standing beside the top of the line Caliber NXT Heatilator® with programmable remote and thermostatic temperature

What added value does Heatilator offer builders?

1. Heatilator® is the #1 fireplace brand.
2. Heatilator® has the lowest service call rate in the industry.
3. Heatilator® offers the most features for the least amount of money.
4. The Heatilator® Intellifire pilotless ignition is consumer friendly, and saves a minimum $100 per year in gas.

What added value does CAFD offer builders?
CAFD's turnkey service makes a builder's job a lot easier. From pulling the necessary permits to trim out, CAFD does it all.

"Certifications is an important part of what we do," said Doug. "We are NFI certified and we have a fully licensed plumber on staff."

CAFD can offer builders everything from a basic Heatilator box to a trimmed out and fully optioned luxury fireplace. Trim out is what makes the WOW factor, and CAFD provides any option you can imagine, in a wide variety of wood, stone, marble and granite. Prices range from approximately $1,500 to $10,000. CAFD production manager, Craig Reola does an outstanding job coordinating all work and managing the warehouse.

More added value to the builder

1. A cost-effective basic box.
2. A wide range of trim out options to make the FPL more saleable.
3. Negligible after market service due to Intellifire pilotless ignition.
4. Energy-efficiency of 60-70%.
5. An added profit center for builders

How a builder makes money at CAFD

1. A builder chooses a base package with slate surround and mantle shelf.
2. He establishes a price point for upgrades.
3. CAFD provides a quote, with upgrades specified ahead of time. The quote includes a mark-up for the builder.
4. In addition to the builder mark-up, CAFD offers builders rewards points for referring clients to CAFD.
5. The builder can use accumulated rewards cash for his own home or apply it to his account.

Heatilator® is backed by more than 80 years of experience. In 1927, Heatilator® introduced the first factory-built fireplace and in 1972, the first zero clearance heat-circulating fireplace. In the mid-1990s, Heatilator® introduced the Novus family of products, which quickly became the most popular line of gas fireplaces in the country.

Novus, the best selling gas fireplace of all time, is now better than ever, with features that are customer designed and driven. Featuring a 19-1/8" deep firebox, this base dimension makes it ideal for both corner and side wall installations. It's also available in front glass dimensions of 30", 33", 36" and a new 42" width.

To simplify installation, Novus direct vent and b-vent models have identical framing dimensions, and feature the industry-exclusive Intellifire electronic ignition system. Unlike other pilotless ignition fireplaces, the Novus Intellifire includes a battery back up in case of power outage. Other features include top/rear direct vent, more designer front choices, upgraded burner system, larger logs, more firebox options, and larger viewing area.

"We are very excited about the prospects of our new opportunity to promote the Heatilator® product line to our home builder clients in Connecticut," said CAFD owner, Doug DuPont.

CAFD has been selling fireplaces since 1975, and the company is the oldest distributor in the state. CAFD was recognized by their industry peers in the Home Builders Association of Connecticut with a 2006 HOBI Award for the Best Product Showroom in the state.

The Foamco Builder Advantage

There's a lot of knowledge about building science at Foamco that can save builders and their customers money.

"Historically, air conditioning has been oversized by double, but with foam insulation, we can cut air conditioning tonage in half, reduce ductwork, and downsize BTU's for heating by 40%."
- Dale Giraudin, Foamco Inc.

Foamco is a licensed installer of The Icynene Insulation System®. Foamco's owner, Dale Giraudin, is a member of the U.S. Foam Group, a professional organization dedicated to serving the public by advancing the skills and knowledge of it's members in the use of Spray Foam. Membership in this organization also demands the highest possible standards regarding business ethics.

"We want to educate builders and HVAC guys on what this product can do for them," said Dale. "and since the downturn in the economy, foam manufacturers have reduced prices, while the fiberglass industry has increased prices."

Darien builders, Mike Palumbo and Kent Eppley of ERI Building & Design have been using Foamco applicators and Icynene® foam insulation in all of their custom homes for the last three years.

"One of the key factors with sprayed insulation is the application. The people at Foamco are very knowledgeable, and their applicators are top notch."
- Mike Palumbo, ERI Building & Design

Foamco's Insulation Consultants, expert in their understanding of how heat transfers in a structure (convection, conduction and radiation) will guide builders on a tight budget as to which insulation is the most efficient in a specific area of the building. For example, unless sound deadening is required, formaldehyde-free brand fiberglass batts are well suited in wall bays between rooms, and more cost effective in this specific area of the structure.

"Homeowners are looking for comfort and energy-efficiency," says, Dale. "Icynene® is 40% more energy-efficient and absorbs a tremendous amount of sound, so the home is a quieter, more relaxing environment."

Mike Palumbo explained why his company is sold on Icynene®,

"In our industry, it makes a world of difference to install and work with a proven product. There have been many copycats who claim this and that, but they don't compare to Icynene. It allows us to cut down on our customer's energy costs, as well as give them years of comfort and satisfaction in their new home."

Government Tax Incentives and Rebates
Home builders are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit for a new home that achieves 50% energy savings over the 2004 IECC and supplements. At least 1/5 of the energy savings must come from building envelope improvements such as insulation upgrades. Home remodelers may be eligible for up to $1500.00 when insulation is upgraded on an existing home or building.

Added value for remodelers
The Icynene Insulation System® offers remodelers an effective way to fill all gaps and crevices that would be difficult or impossible to insulate with conventional insulation, especially with complex architectural designs.

Icynene® is ideal for renovation projects, when the interior surfaces of walls, ceilings, and floors are exposed. The material is sprayed-in-place and permanently adheres to the substrate to control air leakage, especially in those problem areas like crawlspaces, rim joists and around doors and windows. Not only does Icynene® work as an insulation, it also works as an air barrier system to deliver air sealing. Modern building science demonstrates that moisture is carried along with air flow and can accumulate in the structure and potentially cause mold to grow. This is expensive to remedy when it appears sometimes years after the home is occupied and has been cause for litigation.

REM/Design™ Home Energy Analysis
With a US D.O.E. approved software program, Foamco will calculate for builders and their customers the energy cost savings of the Icynene® system versus traditional insulation options. Square footage of the structure, conditioned and unconditioned spaces and all of the parameters that impact energy efficiency as well as the specific climate zones are input into the program. The structure is then scientifically analyzed as a system. This allows for projected cost savings on the reduction of over sized mechanicals and projects annual heating and cooling expenses.

Contact FOAMCO today at (800) 407-2240 to learn how you can offer your customers a home that is the most energy efficient, healthy and quiet. These are attributes that will set you apart from home builders using lesser quality insulation, and give you the assurance that complaints about drafts and cold areas of the structure will never appear on a punch list.

Westport Builder Keeps It Local

When Ryan Moran and Joe Feinleib co-founded Westport-based Coastal Construction Group, their vision was to be intimately involved with every detail of a home's construction, from site selection, financing and architectural design, to energy efficiency, custom mill and stonework, and even interior design and furnishings. With backgrounds in engineering and design, the team approaches each project with an eye toward ergonomic efficiency, achieving an aesthetic functionality that's surprisingly hard to find, even in the high-end Fairfield County market they serve.

Coastal Construction Group collaborated with Gault Energy and Stone on this Webb Road home in Westport.

According to Moran, partnering with trusted local suppliers, like Gault Energy and Stone, who offer a wide range of products and services at competitive prices under one roof, and share Coastal Construction's commitment to the highest standard of quality, is the key to their success. "Initially we partnered with Gault Stone for our custom masonry work inside and outside our homes, including walls, patios, chimneys and fireplaces, but soon after discovered Gault's Energy side. We've been using their full range of services for the home ever since," says Moran.

In addition to providing home heating oil equipment and home energy audits, Gault has also been instrumental in helping Coastal Construction build propane-fueled homes, as well as must-have outdoor propane-heated amenities such as pools, barbeques and fireplaces. Most recently, Moran credits Gault with helping to educate his clients about home energy efficiency, from the importance of choosing and properly maintaining high efficiency energy systems, to making homeowners aware of energy conservation and healthy home solutions. "It used to be that decisions regarding the mechanical room in the home fell predominantly to our male clients, but we've noticed a big shift...today, women are as concerned with BTUs and IAQ as they are with crown moldings and Italian marble. They trust Gault as much as we do."