By Jill Nagy

Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) that fit together like Lego blocks form the skeleton of the Net Zero energy-efficient homes built by Halfmoon Construction of Clifton Park.

The company’s president, Andy Ellis, explained that the forms, called Lodgix Blocks, are set and filled with concrete.

“It gives us a really good base for an energy-efficient house,” he said.

The blocks serve three functions. Ellis said they replace the plywood on the outside, replace the wall insulation inside, and go in place of the framing of a traditionally built structure.

The cost is 8 to 10 percent more than traditional construction but, he said, the cost is recovered in less than three years because of the resulting energy savings. The houses he builds can be finished with any type of siding on the outside and traditional wallboard on the inside.

Currently, the company is building a “100-year house,” with corrugated metal siding and a metal roof.  “It won’t need any repairs soon,” he said.

The result will be a house with 12-inch walls, about double the traditional width. Windows and doors are set-in more and better defined and windows have wide sills. Otherwise, the house will not stand out from its non-sustainable neighbors.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

With spring finally here, local designers and home improvement experts say they will see a dramatic increase in calls from homeowners looking  to make a change.

Trends for 2017 center around the desire for customization; everything from cabinets to tiles, to paint colors.

Craig Vollkommer of Details and Improvements in Glens Falls said as soon as the weather starts to warm up everyone seems to want to start renovating at the same time. His advice to customers is to start making calls to contractors as early as possible in order to get their projects on a work schedule.

“Plan ahead, and prioritize, know what you want. We seem to get the calls all at once, so if you are looking to have something done sooner, rather than later, you need to reach out to designers and contractors now,” said Vollkommer.

Kitchens and bathrooms seem to continue to be the most in-demand, according to Vollkommer. He said people want the newest in bathroom shower options, laminates, granites, custom tiles, and backsplashes. He said that requests for painting is the one thing that never changes.

By R.J. DeLuke

Sales of condominiums and townhomes are brisk in Saratoga County, local real estate agents say. They have their own particular brand of customer and thus their availability does not affect the sale of single-family homes, whether existing or new construction.

The people who are buying condos are a mix of retirees, young professionals and those who use them as a second home, according to Janet Besheer, owner of Equitas Realty, and Julie Bonacio, founding owner of Julie & Co. Realty.

“In general, it goes back to maintenance-free living,” said Besheer. “People want more of a turnkey environment. They don’t want to have to do anything to the outside … You can just live and play.”

Bonacio said people buying condos are attracted by the low maintenance. “They don’t have to worry about snow plowing or raking leaves. Also, they can shut the door and travel when they want to.”

Condos and townhouses are about 25 percent of the inventory for Equitas, Besheer said. But there are a lot of new, large, single-family homes that are being built in the area on large lots.