LINK: Lighting design 101

Here is a link to a great article by Craig DiLouie, Lighting Industry Journalist, in Electrical Contractor:


EVALUATING LIGHT SOURCES

Not so technical that a smart layperson can't understand the concepts, Craig does a great job here of explaining what lighting designers try to accomplish in lighting a room, architectural structure or landscape.

More importantly, he teaches us what those cryptic codes on the new lighting labels mean, and how to use them to make better choices at your lighting supplier store.

Also, some fabulous images, courtesy of Peter Ngai, that illustrate the concepts.

Peggy 

Point Source                           Linear Source                              Area Source

 Craig's description:

Electrical Contractor recently published an article I wrote about a simple methodology for evaluating light sources based on a basic series of questions: 

• What is the distribution of the light?  

                                          Distribution is measured in candelas (cd).

• How long does the lamp last?  

                                          Service life is measured in hours.

• How much light does it produce?

                                           Light output is measured in lumens (Lm).

• How much electric power does the system require?  

                                           Power is measured in watts (W). 
 
• How efficient is it compared to others?  

                                           Efficacy is measured in lumens per watt (LPW).

• What is the color appearance of the source?  

                                           Color tone is measured in kelvins (K).

• How well does the source render colors?   

                                           Color rendering is expressed on the color rendering index (CRI).




 

Q & A About Lighting a Living Room

Q.

Hi Peggy,

Saw your website and wanted to ask a question if you don't mind. I want to install LED can lights in the ceiling of my living room. Right now there is only lighting from table lamps. Can you direct me to a website that might provide can light spacing/quantity calculations for LED lights? Appreciate the help.

Neil

A.

Hi Neil,

I would like you to examine your reasons for putting LED (or any other) recessed can lights in your living room ceiling. Think first about the purposes of your living room.

Most people use their living rooms for:

1. Entertaining guests

2. As a family room if they have no family room

3. Reading

4. Watching TV and/or listening to music if they have no other entertainment room.

Absolutely none of these tasks is made better by having recessed can lights overhead.

1. Entertaining guests: Everyone looks horrible with dark shadows under their brows, noses and chins. Imagine looking like this to your guests:

BwaHaHAH (Really apropos since it's almost Halloween)

Well ACTUALLY, you would look like this if you put the recessed cans in the floor, but you get my idea.

Much better to create a diffuse light with lamps and wall sconces. If you want to spend money on this, then add cove around the room (Google "indirect lighting") and hide the lights and bounce the light off a light colored ceiling (Use warm-white T8 or T5 fluorescent tubes in two rows on separate switches to get a "high" a "low" setting).

2. As a family room if they have no family room: Same issues as above. If you need some task lighting over a table for game-playing/crafts, add a pendant there.

3. Reading; The best light for reading comes from a table lamp on a side table or a sconce on the wall behind you, or a floor lamp positioned behind you and to one side.

4 . Watching TV and/or listening to music if they have no other entertainment room. Recessed can lights often reflect in the TV screen, making watching more difficult. You have to be very careful how you place can lights in such a room.

Almost all of the suggestions above cost quite a bit less than having a bunch of can lights put in your living room ceiling Neil.

This is why you hire a designer Neil. To help you make choices that are not only more beautiful and functional, but cost-effective as well. I'd appreciate a check for half the difference if you decide to follow my advice

P.S.

We kitchen designers often are forced to use recessed can lights in kitchen ceilings because so many are 8' high, or even less, and surface-mount lights with diffusers are out of fashion these days.

Any time I have a ceiling even 8-1/2' high I always try my best to convince my clients to use a different lighting scheme than recessed cans for the ambient (or general) lighting in the room. If not, then I am looking to see if there is attic space above the kitchen to raise the ceiling and put in cove lighting around the perimeter. Recessed can lights are almost always my very last solution to a lighting conundrum because they make the people in the spaces look so horrible. Functionally, they only work as task lighting in an area where we can't use undercabinet lights or pendants.

P.P.S.

Spacing of recessed ceiling can fixtures depends on a number of variables: Once you decide the fixture and lamp (lightbulb) going into the fixture, then you can contact the fixture manufacturer and tell them your ceiling height and they will give you some spacing suggestions based on the amount of lumens you want to reach the floor. There is no pat formula that works with every fixture and lamp. They are all different.

Happy Halloween!

Peggy

Which Bulb Works Best for the Fixtures Around Your Home?

The Lumen Coalition has just inaugurated their new web site that answers this question for all of the lighbulbs (lamps) found in a typical home.

Here's the link:

http://lumennow.org/choosing-a-bulb/

Peggy

San Mateo County Energy Upgrade Incentives

This from Assemblymember Jerry Hill's Newsletter.

Great new incentives for homeowners to upgrade their homes' energy efficiency - The "low hanging fruit" we all should do.

Peggy

Energy Upgrade California

Federal, state and local governments are teaming up with utilities to offer rebates on energy efficiency improvements on your home. San Mateo County homeowners are now eligible to receive up to $8,000 in rebates. https://energyupgradeca.org/county/san_mateo/match_incentive

Advanced Upgrade Matching Incentive:
The County of San Mateo offers a rebate match of up to $4,000 for homeowners on top of utility rebates up to $4,000. Contact a Participating Contractor for a home energy assessment to get started.

Basic Upgrade Matching Incentive:
Double your rebate up to $2,000! The County of San Mateo offers a rebate match of up to $1,000 for homeowners who complete a Basic Upgrade Package that includes air sealing, attic insulation, duct sealing, insulation of hot water pipes, and low-flow shower heads. No energy assessment is required. Contact a Participating Contractor to get started.

Incentives from the County of San Mateo will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis while funding lasts.

Eligible California homeowners can also access up to $25,000 for energy-saving projects like insulation, heating and cooling systems, and solar panels through a partnership with the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Click here to learn more.

Volunteer Docents Needed for Sunset Smart Home

Friend/Client/Designer Valerie Lasker sent me the following today.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area this is a great opportunity to see the latest Sunset Smart Home for FREE, and also help a good cause.

Peggy

Sunset Smart Home in Palo Alto: Volunteers Needed

Some of you know that my husband is a volunteer puppy-raiser for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI): http://www.cci.org. This is our latest CCI puppy Jacee, now 4+ months old:

Sunset Magazine has just agreed to donate $2,500 to CCI in return for providing 192(yikes!) volunteer docent shifts at their new Smart Homes open house.

The Smart Homes were designed by Sunset Magazine and will be featured in a future issue. These homes are designed to make life easier and more efficient. Volunteers would get to see them free; the tickets are normally $18/person.

Total 8 volunteers per shift. Two docents will sell tickets at door and one docent on each of three floors (in two adjacent homes) will monitor traffic flow. (Number of people on each floor at one time is restricted by fire marshal. Docents will have "cheat sheets" to answer general questions but there will be vendor reps there to answer technical questions about equipment. Docents do not need to stand during the shift. Each floor is only 500 square feet and each unit is 1500 square feet so a lot of walking is not necessary.

Shifts are Friday, Saturday or Sunday from Oct. 21 to November 13, either 9:30 - 1:30 or 1:30 - 5:30.

If you are willing to docent at one or more shifts, please call the volunteer coordinator Pat Wilcox at info line 408 257-6860. Be sure to say that you are volunteering to help CCI.

Forgive me for this commercial message. But it's for a worthwhile charity and is an interesting design event. Thanks!

Valerie

Q&A - Install Flooring Before or after Cabinet Installation?

There is a question about installing tile kitchen flooring over at Hometalk, a new and useful web site where you can get your questions about remodeling answered by other homeowners and pros. I would like to answer the question here; where I have more room, and others can benefit from the knowledge.

Here's a link to the question from Robert:

http://www.hometalk.com/activity/54276?se=stf

And my response:

On installing kitchen flooring first, under everything:

A great deal depends on whether you plan to go to the ceiling with your cabinets. If not - No problem...Ah well...a few.

If so, then you could run into problems with an 8', or less, ceiling and manufactured cabinets. Especially if your new flooring is thicker than the old (tile and floating floors always are). Flooring installers also often "level-up" your floors during installation. Or they add underlayment. These unknowns can impact your cabinet installation later on.

Manufactured cabinets come in standard heights. Most manufacturers make a 96" cabinet (such as a pantry or tall oven cabinet) 96" tall. 96"=8' folks. If you have an 8' ceiling the toekick of the cabinet will have to be removed to even stand it up in the room (Some manufacturers will ship the toekick as a separate piece).

In this situation there is no room in the equation for flooring underneath the pantry cabinet. The ceiling will become less than 8' and the pantry cabinet will have to be cut down in height to fit. Many cabinets these days have doors that fully cover the face of the cabinet leaving no room to shave it down on the job (also no room for crown or trim moldings). You CAN cut down the toekick, but too much there looks really odd.

That means cutting it down at the factory. You discover you are boxed in to semi-custom, or custom, manufactured cabinets at 50-100% higher cost than stock, just to get a 94" high pantry. Even if you planned to buy those anyway, most manufacturers charge an upcharge to make a cabinet a special height, so it'll cost more either way.

A solution might be to cut out the flooring where the cabinets will be installed, leaving flooring under the dishwasher, fridge and range. Better to plan ahead and do the flooring AFTER the cabinets are installed. Remember to allow for the necessary height (usually about 34-1/2") of your dishwasher between the finished flooring and the underside front edge of the countertop. Do the same for refrigerator enclosures.

The second issue is an out-of-level floor (very common - especially in older homes):

Cabinets must be installed level and plumb (straight up and down) to have cabinets that are square and doors and drawers that operate properly. That means the installer finds the high point of the existing floor at the walls where base and tall cabinets are to be installed and draws a level line from that point around the room to establish the baseline height of each base and tall cabinet.

In my 28 year career as a kitchen designer in the San Francisco area, I have seen floors out of level as much as 4" from one end of a run of cabinets to the other (any more than that and you'd HAVE to level up the entire house!). A 4" drop in level around a room means the installer has to shim up the cabinets 4" at the low point to bring them up to level with the ones at the high point. This results in a 4"H toekick at the high point and an 8"H toekick at the low point. All this is a heck of a lot easier to hide if he (or she) isn't dealing with a finished floor already in place.

The third issue is floor damage during cabinet installation:

Installing cabinets and appliances is hard work and the installer is often wrestling with big, heavy cabinets and appliances. He/she is also riding herd on helpers, plumbers, electricians, countertop fabricators, and other subs who have no responsibility for your finished floor. The chances are high that it will be damaged and require repair (if possible). Nobody will know who did it. Much better to have a nice dinged up old subfloor to work on until the very end, and then install the new floor, install the baseboards, and do paint touch-up (or even all the painting.

It's harder to compute the thickness of your finished floor while your kitchen is in the planning stages. It takes an experienced designer, or contractor/installer to do it. But the task is well worth the trouble to avoid the above problems. This is one of the many reasons to use an experienced designer and/or contractor/installer.

It's also one of the many reasons why I recommend that my clients make ALL decisions regarding the products and materials that are going into their kitchen BEFORE ordering anything or taking a crowbar to anything. Simply changing your flooring material thickness after the fact can throw a monkeywrench into the best laid plans.

I usually specify in my drawings that the cabinets be set at the finished floor height of the high point. Then I order the cabinets to fit. If I am dealing with stock cabinets on a low-budget project, then I have to be very careful about taking the floor thickness into account so that the cabinets will fit.

Peggy

P.S. In my experience the only people who recommend installing flooring before the cabinets are the floor guys. Makes their job a lot easier;-D

P.P.S. I forgot to mention one thing that makes finishing off the junction between flooring and toekick much cleaner when installing the flooring after cabinets are installed. That is an additional, over-sized, 1/2" thick toekick cover panel that is installed over the flooring. I order it over-sized to cover any shimming done under the cabinets. It can be scribed to the floor and gives a great finished look. Most all cabinet manufacturers offer such material and it is well worth the additional cost.

Learn About Lead-Based Paint Abatement

The EPA has just released a new RRP Renovate Right consumer pamphlet on how to deal with lead-based paint for owners of pre-1978 homes and buildings.

Well worth a download and read if you plan to remodel.

Peggy

Recall: Martha Stewart Collection Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Communications
Washington, D.C.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2011
Release #11-308


Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 257-5949
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Macy's Recalls Martha Stewart Collection Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles Due to Laceration and Burn Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Martha Stewart Collection(tm) Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles

Units: About 960,000

Importer: Macy's Merchandising Group, New York, N.Y.

Hazard: The enamel coating on the cast iron casseroles can crack or break during use. This can cause the enamel to crack and fly off as a projectile, posing a risk of laceration or burn hazard to the user or bystanders.

Incidents/Injuries: Macy's has received two reports of the enamel cracking and flying off of the casseroles during use. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Martha Stewart Collection(tm) Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles in 7 quart, 5.5 quart and 2.75 quart sizes, with exterior enamel finishes in red, cobalt blue, sand, green, blue, white, mustard, brown and teal, with cream colored interior finishes. The casseroles are embossed with Martha Stewart Collection(tm) on the bottom and lid handle.

Sold at: Macy's stores and AAFES, MCX and NEX locations nationwide, and on macys.com between June 2007 and June 2011 for between about $25 and $170.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the casseroles and return them to any Macy's store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Macy's toll-free at (888) 257-5949 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET or visit the Macy's website at www.macys.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11308.html

Recall: Phillips CFL Recessed Lightbulbs

-----------NEWS from CPSC-----------
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, www.CPSC.gov
Report an Unsafe Product: http://SaferProducts.gov

********************************************************
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2011
Release #11-302

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 622-6372
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Philips Lighting Recalls EnergySaver and Marathon Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector Flood Lamps Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: EnergySaver a/k/a/Marathon or Marathon Classic Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector lamps

Units: About 1.86 million

Manufacturer: Philips Lighting Company of Somerset, N.J.

Hazard: The glue that attaches the glass outer envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to fall and strike persons and objects below, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Philips has received 700 reports of lamps where the glue failed and the glass outer envelope fell, including two reports of minor injury and three reports of minor property damage.

Description: This recall involves Philips EnergySaver, a/k/a Marathon and Marathon Classic Compact Fluorescent dimmable reflector lamps, models R30, R40 and PAR 38 manufactured between March 2007 and May 2010. The following are the model numbers and Universal Product Code (UPC) numbers of the lamps included in this recall:

Product Description | Model Number | UPC
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable R30 Reflector Flood | EL/A R30 Dim 16w | 46677 13 7076 and 46677 15 0419
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable R40 Reflector Flood | EL/A R40 Dim 20w | 46677 13 7083 and 46677 15 0426
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable Par38 Reflector Flood | EL/A Par38 Dim 20w | 46677 14 6443 and 46677 15 0433

Model numbers are printed on the white ceramic area at the base of the lamps. For boxed products, the UPC number is on the bottom of the box. For products in blister cards, the UPC is at the top right corner of the back of the package.

The affected products also have dates codes from March 2007 through May 2010 as follows:

Date Code on Product | Month and Date of Production
C7 to M7 | March to December 2007
A8 to M8 | January to December 2008
A9 to D9 | January to April 2009
0916 to 0953 | April to December 2009
1001 to 1022 January to May 2010

Date codes are located on the lamps themselves, either stamped into the metal gold base of the lamp or in the white ceramic area with other product information.

Sold at: Grocery and home center stores nationwide, online retailers, and professional electrical distributors from March 2007 through July 2011, for between $11 and $24.

Manufactured in: Mexico and Poland.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lamps and contact Philips to receive instructions on how to receive a free replacement lamp.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Philips toll-free at (866) 622-6372 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company's website at www.recall.philips.com/en_us.html

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11302.html

********************************************************

Visit our blog, OnSafety at www.cpsc.gov/onsafety
See our videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/uscpsc
Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OnSafety
See our photos on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uscpsc

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit www.saferproducts.gov, or contact CPSC's Hotline at info@cpsc.gov, (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

-----------------------------

This message is from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov),
an independent federal regulatory agency, located at 4330 East West
Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 Toll-free hotline: (800) 638-2772.

Report an Unsafe Product: www.SaferProducts.gov

More From Energy Upgrade California

Exciting news for San Francisco and San Mateo County residents who might want to do an energy audit and upgrade:

Energy Upgrade California and San Mateo County are combining their rebates to DOUBLE them! WOW! San Francisco's is almost as good!

More counties here.

Peggy



Advanced Upgrade Matching Incentive - San Mateo County Residents Only - Existing Home - Existing Home

Double your rebate up to $8,000! The County of San Mateo offers a rebate match of up to $4,000 for homeowners based on modeled energy reduction through a home energy improvement. Incentives from the County of San Mateo will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis while funding lasts. The matching incentives will range from $1,500 -$4,000 and combined with Advanced Upgrade Package offered by Energy Upgrade CA results in up to $8,000 in rebates and incentives for San Mateo County Homeowners. \ \ Contact a participating contractor for a home energy assessment to get started. \ \ Sponsor: County of San Mateo – County Manager’s Office. \ \ Program Website: www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/energyupgrade

Sponsor: County of San Mateo
Go to program website »

Phone: 1(855) 464-8484

Advanced Upgrade BONUS - San Francisco Residents Only (SFHIP) - Existing Home

Boost your rebate to up to $7,000! San Francisco Home Improvement & Performance offers up to $3,000 in incentives for San Francisco homeowners that achieve 15% modeled energy reduction through a home energy improvement. The standard incentive is now $2,000 (this goes down to $1,000 after August 31st, 2011). Homeowners earning less than 120% of the Area Median Income qualify for an additional $1,000. Combining these incentives with the Advanced Upgrade Package offered by Energy Upgrade CA results in up to $7,000 in rebates and incentives for San Francisco Homeowners. Call a participating contractor for a home assessment. \ To find a SF participating contractor please visit the program website

Sponsor: City & County of San Francisco - Department of the Environment
Go to program website »

Phone: 415-355-3769

More on Buying a Fixer Upper

I received an email today from Credit Sesame. They wanted me to look at an amusing and enlightening flow chart on their web site called Should You Buy a Fixer-Upper?

Definitely worth a look if you are considering making the leap.

Peggy

Pssst - Wanna Buy a Fixer-Upper?

I have made some additions and corrections to this post after talking to Paul Weldon of 203kContractors.com. He called me after reading the original and got me up to speed on some changes recently made to the program and some elements of my treatise that were slightly "off".

203kContractors.com is a great site. Their focus is on training contractors to become certified in the program, but they have a great FAQs page that really explains everything in more detail than I have here.

They also have a U.S. map showing the locations and contact information for all the Certified 203(k) Contractors. I'm sure it's a great marketing tool for them. I was astonished to see that there is only ONE certified contractor in the entire Bay Area!

Paul also told me that thirty-two 203(k) Mortgages were written in the Bay Area last month (July 2011). He gave me the following list of the best companies to approach for a 203(k) Mortgage:

Academy Mortgage
Wells Fargo
Prospect Mortgage
Freedom Mortgage
Prime Lending
He said Bank of America does them, but is so slow that not many go through.

He also sent me HUD's MORTGAGEE LETTER 2005-50, with lots more useful information for consumers.

Thanks Paul!

Peggy

In the current real estate market it is really difficult, even with decent credit, to get a loan to buy a property that may be foreclosed and even stripped of its copper pipes and fixtures. Thus houses that could be homes for willing buyers and DIYers are languishing in limbo, waiting for cash buyers with money to spare to do the necessary work.

There is a little-known FHA loan category that can help. It's called a 203(k) Mortgage. Most realtors and lenders don't have the foggiest notion about it. You need to be very prepared. It also works for a refi, where you have as long as you need to prepare. Here's the scoop:

* FHA's 203(k) program applies to fixed-rate or adjustable loans. You negotiate the loan terms with the lender.

* If applying for a Streamline 203(k), you MUST work with a realtor, loan officer and Certified 203(k)Contractor who are familiar with the 203(k) Mortgage. Not doing so jeopardizes the entire complicated process.

* Existing homeowners can refi into a Standard 203(k) Mortgage at 6% or less.

* Hire a HUD consultant to help you get through the process.

* You must work with your local city or county building department and get permits. Realize too that your local building department may make further demands than the 203(k) Mortgage process does.

* You may need to submit plans of your proposed remodel if it is at all complex. That means hiring an architect, or designer, or a contractor with design capabilities, to help develop the plans. Talented DIYers may also be able to put together a package that would qualify.

Architectural Exhibits

The improvements must comply with HUD's Minimum Property Standards (24 CFR 200.926d and/or HUD Handbook 4905.1) and all local codes and ordinances. The homebuyer may decide to employ an architect or a consultant to prepare the proposal. The homebuyer must provide the lender with the appropriate architectural exhibits that clearly show the scope of work to be accomplished. The following list of exhibits are recommended, but may be modified by the local HUD Field Office, and/or your local building department, as required.

A. A Plot Plan of the Site is required only if a new addition is being made to the existing structure. Show the location of the structure(s), walks, drives, streets, and other relevant details. Include finished grade elevations at the property corners and building corners. Show the required flood elevation. San Francisco requires plot plans for any project that changes the exterior of a home in any way.

B. Proposed Interior Plan of the Dwelling. Show where structural or planning changes are contemplated, including an addition to the dwelling. (An existing plan is no longer required.) Though MAY be required by your city/locale.

* The amount of the mortgage is determined by the projected value of the home once repairs and remodeling are completed. That's right. You get the money to buy the house AND remodel it all in one mortgage package or refi!

* The remodeling part of the mortgage is insured by HUD (Housing and Urban Development). This process takes 30-45 days after closing on the house. Here's HUD's page on the entire process: Rehab a Home w/HUD's 203(k)

* There are two 203(k) Mortgage versions:

(1) Streamline 203(k) Mortgage - $0 to $35,000 - This version is limited to whatever is needed to bring the property up to code and obtain a certificate of occupancy. No structural work is allowed. A reserve of 10-20% is not required to be included in this mortgage.

(2) Standard (Full-Version) 203(k) Mortgage - Improvements from $5,000 up to 110% of the appraised value on completion. Plus a 10-20% contingency reserve.

* You need to work with an FHA-approved lender, and it pays to pick a lender that is familiar with the loan.

* To qualify you need to have a good FICO score, have been in your present job for two years, and have enough savings for a 3-1/2% down payment, which will be based not only on the purchase price but also the added remodeling costs, plus a 10-20% contingency reserve.

* Once you get through all the approval process you then seek bids and select a Certified 203(k)Contractor.

Cost estimates must include labor and materials sufficient to complete the work by a contractor. Homebuyers doing their own work cannot eliminate the cost estimate for labor, because if they cannot complete the work there must be sufficient money in the escrow account to get a subcontractor to do the work. The work write-up does not need to reflect the color or specific model numbers of appliances, bathroom fixtures, carpeting, etc., unless they are nonstandard units.

The consultant who prepares the work write-up and cost estimate (or an architect, engineering or home inspection service) needs to inspect the property to assure: (1) there are no rodents, dryrot, termites and other infestation; (2) there are no defects that will affect the health and safety of the occupants; (3) the adequacy of the existing structural, heating, plumbing, electrical and roofing systems; and (4) the upgrading of thermal protection (where necessary).

* The lender will furnish the contract for the contractor - Contractors cannot use their own. The consumer signs the contract with the contractor.

* The property is appraised with the planned improvements in the appraisal. This appraisal will determine the value of the home AFTER the work is completed.

* The lender lends the money, holding the remodeling money in escrow and inspecting the work as it proceeds. The lender doles the money to the contractor in phases.

Caveats:

* The contractor's bid MUST be very accurate. The 203(k) Mortgage amount cannot be increased beyond the built-in 10-20% contingency amount. Anything not covered by the contingency comes out of the homeowner's pocket - if the contractor properly protects himself.

* Get your proper permits for your locale. The local inspectors may come in and make demands not required by lender/HUD inspectors. Ask questions! Be prepared!

All in all I would say it's a sweet deal if you are willing to jump through the hoops and can afford the loan. Where else can you get a 3-1/2% down deal these days?

Peggy

Great New Kitchen Remodel Budget Calculator

I happened to be browsing today and ran across this Kitchen Budget Calculator from AK Complete Home Renovations in Atlanta, GA.

I just had to link to it to share with you.

It's an Excel Spreadsheet.
All you do is substitute either your home's current value or your total desired budget in one of the GREEN BOXES. Viola! All of the categories that you will be spending money on automatically allocate and you have your budget for each category.

A great way to see why a $60K budget doesn't allow for $25K in cabinets. Of course this calculator is designed to work well in the Atlanta, GA market. It might require a bit of tweaking for other areas of the country. Nonetheless it is a good exercise to perform when you are just starting out in planning your remodel.

Peggy

Vu1 Light Bulb Review

I mentioned in other posts, here and here, that a new light bulb was coming on the market from Vu1. I have now received and tested these ESL (Electron Stimulated Luminescence) lamps in recessed downlight fixtures in my own kitchen for about two months.

I am delighted to report that these lamps are very nicely made and provide great dimmable light that is very close to incandescent. The light compares very favorably with the other LED, incandescent and CFL lamps in my kitchen. In fact, I like them just as much as the incandescent, which will soon be obsolete and unavailable. The LED (a CREE LR6) and CFL fall short for various reasons, but I keep them around for comparison's sake.

I ordered eight of these lamps at $19.95 each from Vu1. I kept four for myself and passed on the other four to local designers to get their feedback.

Three went to local interior designers who have told me that they are very pleased with their performance and color rendering.

I sent the fourth to the renowned San Francisco lighting designer Randall Whitehead, who is the person who first gave me an inkling about Vu1. Randall mentioned the company last year during a seminar he was presenting. Intrigued I investigated. I have been closely following the company ever since.

Here is Randall's take:


CFL to ESL…introducing the first mercury free fluorescent

After many years of waiting patiently, I am now holding in my hands a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) that is mercury free. I've been following the development of these lamps by the VU1 Corporation for around three years now. I've been pretty excited about the possibility, but the actual production date kept getting pushed back. Now it is finally available to consumers.
I think that this is a huge step in the right direction.

Note: I keep using the word "lamp", which in the lighting industry means "light bulb", just to be clear.

Officially they are calling it an ESL (electron stimulated luminescence) lamp. I figure that's to separate their products from fluorescents in general. That's A-OK by me. The first type of lamp they have released onto the market is an R30, which is a very popular lamp for recessed fixtures and track fixtures. Even though it's a lamp that I don't use very often in my design, I can see where it makes sense for it to be the first one to be introduced.

This lamp offers 65 watts worth of illumination for 19.5 watts worth of energy usage. The color of the light is very incandescent (2800° Kelvin) which I think is a good thing. The front of the lamp is made of a thick glass, which when screwed into a recessed fixture or track light looks very much like the reflector lamps that we're all used to seeing. From the side it has a plastic collar on it which I feel gives it a little more durability. It says right on the collar mercury free and disposable. It can go right in the trash. Yeah!

The lamp is dimmable as well. I tried it out on a number of dimmers, including the cheapest one I could find and it really seemed to be doing a fine job at dimming. The lamp has a rated light of 11,000 hours which is a 1000 hours more than a standard CFL. I won't really be able to personally verify this for another 10,000 hours or so.

It also shows on the box that it is UL listed. Also a good sign. The one thing I noticed that surprised me is how hot the lamp gets. It warms up like incandescent lamp, much more than I'm used to with the standard CFL's.

If you want to learn more about this lamp go to www.VU1.com. They have a video you can watch. I do believe that this lamp is a valuable addition to the emerging category of earth friendly, energy-efficient light sources.

Randall Whitehead is a nationally recognized lighting designer and author. You can follow him on twitter @RDWlighting and on his blog http://randallwhiteheadslightingsolutions.blogspot.com/


Thank you Randall. I too remain excited about Vu1's potential. I just received notice that they have applied for UL Approval for their new A19 lamp (the old familiar Edison bulb shape), which is due out in August and projected to be $10-12.

In the meantime, if you would like to try the Vu1 R30 lamp in one or more of your existing 6" screw-in type recessed fixtures: go to Destination Lighting and buy one. If you buy three, shipping is free!

Please let me know what you think of them.

Peggy

10/20/11

An update on my testing of Vu1's R30 lamps:

Two, that I placed in 4" recessed cans, burned out after a few months of use.

Please make sure that you place these lightbulbs only in 5-1/2 or 6" recessed fixtures. The 4" fixture does not have enough room around the lightbulb for heat dissipation. My bad. It says so right on the box.

Also, Vu1 has just signed an agreement with a Chinese lighting manufacturer, Huayi Lighting Company Ltd., who produced the lighting for the 2008 Olympics famed "Birdnest Stadium", to produce all of their lightbulbs. They estimate release of the first Chinese-made products in January 2012.

Peggy