My wife and I recently ended a 5-month long home search. Our parameters were a bit tight. Between budget and location, we automatically discounted a number of homes. We have one car and wanted to keep it that way for sustainability reasons (financial and environmental). We looked for a place close to the bus line that would take me to work in under an hour. We also preferred hardwood floors, natural light, and walkability. While we compromised in a few places, we got most of what we felt we needed.
Unfortunately, the house needed a bit of work. Since we like to cook, we wanted a bit more kitchen space. That necessitated additional cabinetry, counter space, and functioning appliances. While the home, built in 1960, is not old compared to many of the ones we considered, the layout was not as functional as we needed it to be. Carpeting in the basement was old and seemed musty.
In an attempt to balance budget with environmentally conscious choices, we replaced the existing carpet with Shaw’s cradle to cradle certified (Silver certification) option. For the countertops, we vacillated between quartz, a more Eco-friendly route, and granite. Both were costly, which necessitated a home improvement loan for our renovation. We are still in the process of figuring out this step and are leaning toward the quartz because of its green credentials. Furthermore, if we decide to install solar on our south facing roof, an iffy proposition in Minnesota, a loan will be key to making that transaction a reality.
We often found that the third leg of the sustainability puzzle, the social component, was more difficult to fulfill. We had a family member make the cabinets out of birch, employing a small business owner instead of a prefab big box supplier. Birch is a nice option for its durability and local availability, but having the cabinets custom built was an added expense. We also looked into Wood from the Hood to build several of our furniture pieces. Since this is a long term project, we are waiting on this step.
One change over the previous home we owned, is the use of low/no VOC (volatile organic compounds), think new car smells, or paints. With two little children, keeping contaminants to a minimum is essential. It is for this reason that we will replace the carpet. This is a difficult decision, since much of the carpet thrown away goes to the landfill. We have not torn out the old carpet yet, so making it available via Craigslist is an option, though it is not in the best shape.
In the course of the renovation, there have been numerous factors to consider. For instance, in the preparation of the kitchen, we did not demolish the existing cabinets, but removed what we could and put them in the downstairs storage space, saving materials and money, while adding storage. Undoubtedly we could have done more, but there are tradeoffs, especially given our tight budget and time frame.
[Image source]
