Should I do a Rescheck report on my new home construction project even if the county, city, or state that I live in does not require it? I get this question multiple times per day. The basic is answer is, no, you do not have to.
Of course we at REScheck.info create RESCheck energy reports for a living so we know a few reasons that you might want to. One really interesting concept we have found is real estate agents requesting Rescheck reports for homes that they have on the market to prove their superiority over other homes in the same neighborhood. Imagine for a minute that you are shopping two homes side by side. They are both similar in age. On one home you notice that on the electrical panel that there is a REScheck compliance certificate that states the home is 27% more efficient than the IECC 2015 code. The other house there is nothing.
Your next step might be to request electric bills for each of the structures. 9 times out of 10 the home that has been Reschecked will come out ahead of a home that was never compared against the local climate zone and building codes. This can save major money over the life of the home in terms of utility bills. Maybe even enough to justify spending a little more on the home that has the Rescheck report posted versus the one that is just a guess. If you save $50-$100 a month on energy bills over the life of a home the cost of a more expensive home evens out very quickly.
If you have ever built a home then you know it is impossible to make a trip to the home improvement store without spending $200-$300. Most times it is much more. Even fitting your home for light bulbs at the end of construction is a jaw dropping experience. That is why we decided to make our REScheck reports so affordable at just $79. We designed our REScheck process so it would be one of the smallest expenses on your construction project. Even at such a small price the Rescheck Compliance Certificate posted on your electrical panel could pay dividends 5 years from now when you go to sell the home. A Rescheck report shows any prospective buyer that you took the time to ensure you were using the highest quality insulation standards in your foundation, walls, ceiling, windows, and doors. Then you compared those components against your local climate zone and got a full report (9-14 pages) that details every aspect of the home.
Long after your construction project is complete and your contractor’s punch list is taken care of, the Rescheck energy report can keep working for you. The Rescheck report goes to work for you every day by lowering your power bills, giving you peace of mind, and acts as an asset for any future buyer of the home that just might increase your home’s value in the eyes of a prospective home buyer.
Whether you choose to complete the Rescheck yourself or have us create one for you we would love to answer your questions. You can email your plans to service@rescheck.info or call 865-235-6277 24 hours a day for free help on any Rescheck anywhere.