Standing in a new home on a beautiful spring day wouldn't seem out of the ordinary to most, but today is no ordinary day, and the home is certainly no ordinary home.

Max Volk, superintendent for Star Home Builders, says walk-throughs are routine in the homebuilding business, but escorting residents through their recently completed Right Choice home for the first time makes his days more rewarding. "Star Home Builders is adamant about having the competitive edge on energy-efficiency in new homes. We all feel we need to do our part to keep energy costs down, and there's no better way to do it than building Right Choice homes."

Star Home Builders completed the very first Right Choice Home in Shepherd's Crossing in Jefferson. Today, Max is in Bowman Mill subdivision in Winder, and he's just completed the walk-through of one of the first three homes in the subdivision to pass the Right Choice standards. When asked why he believes in Right Choice, Max put it plain and simple. "Most people recognize the need for energy-efficiency, and Right Choice gives a dollar amount to the energy-efficient standards required to become a Right Choice home." Max says putting a dollar amount to the environmentally friendly home specifications and potential savings a family will incur over the years is a valuable part of the Right Choice warranty.

What Sells a Right Choice Home?

In this competitive business, Max believes a home's features and location play an important role in the home buying process. Now the Right Choice name is just as valuable. "If I were selling a Right Choice home, I would tell potential buyers if this is a Right Choice house, and the exact same house with the same floor plan across the street is not a Right Choice house, this one will have real energy savings month-to-month. In the other home, you'll be able to walk in on a gusty, windy day and feel drafts in electrical outlets and breaches on the outside wall. That's how confident I am in the Right Choice program," Max declares.

With Confidence Comes Hard Work

Max says the Right Choice standards are strict. "Ductwork is checked in each room in the house, and we make adjustments accordingly before a buyer moves into the house. The advanced technology of Right Choice testing equipment locates problems so many of them can be solved before sheetrock is hung. If performance tests aren't passed, we're unable to go forward until we do."

Right Choice Training

Insulation and heating and air standards are vital to a home's energy-efficiency level. All contractors and subcontractors must undergo special training in order to be listed as Right Choice certified contractors. Max says this training is not only a benefit to the industry, but also to the homebuyer. "Subcontractors are becoming more proficient, and you'll find that contractors working on Right Choice houses are a cut above others because the compliance standards are so high."

Rewards

For Max, receiving the Right Choice stamp of approval is a very rewarding feeling. "During the testing stages, our contractors endure a rigorous process to be sure each home passes the Right Choice testing phase. Stiles Heating and Air and Edwin Roberts Insulation have risen to the challenge of ensuring that Star Homes meet the Right Choice standards. It's a demanding process, but the reward in the end is a home with the guarantee of comfort, efficiency and energy savings. There's no better choice than Right Choice."

If you'd like to purchase a Right Choice home in one of Star Home's subdivisions located in Shepherd's Crossing in Jefferson, call Breedlove Realty at 678-425-9102, and for Bowman's Mill in Winder, contact Reynold's Realty at 770-867-8030.

For more information about Right Choice, please see the Right Choice Web pages or call
1-800-462-3691.