Search This Blog

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Charlotte, NC Home Improvement Idea Blog: Laminate Flooring - Advantages & Disadvantages in ...

Charlotte, NC Home Improvement Idea Blog: Laminate Flooring - Advantages & Disadvantages in ...: Is Laminate Flooring Right For Your Home? Advantages & Disadvantages of Laminate Flooring Laminate flooring is a multi-layer floor...

MBS & CompanyMyrtle Beach, SC 29577706-951-0158http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.comEnergy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gace Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Friday, January 25, 2013

Cut Commercial Roofing Cost with Roof Coatings

Cut Cost on Commercial Roof Replacements


Myrtle Beach Hotels and Other Commercial Buildings, Cut Roof Replacement Cost With Roof Coatings


For many businesses, building maintenance is an essential cost of doing business. Maintaining a visually appealing appearance, protecting merchandise, or offering a clean hotel room, can be the difference between success and failure, in competitive tourist markets like Myrtle Beach, SC.  Even with good marketing and advertising, a customer is likely to make their final decision on whether or not they will do business with you, based on the appearance and cleanliness of your building/store. Just like a bad score from the health department can deter customers from a restaurant, a leaky roof resulting in mildew and other foul smells, can run customers off, even after you draw them in the doors. A leaky roof not only poses the risk of losing potential customers, it can also add to the risk of having major structural damage.  Just like with health care, prevention is the best way to protect your buildings structural soundness, and overall appearance.

There are many reasons why business owners often neglect their roofing systems, however one of the main reasons, is the cost associated with roof replacement.  Roofing products are often expensive and labor intensive to install, resulting in high replacement cost to the building owners.  Many factors play into the high cost of roof replacement such as manufacturer's warranty's, new regulations in the production of roofing materials, and the need for skilled labor to install roofing systems.  Another big factor in the past, associated with labor cost, has been the need to remove the old roofing system in order to install a new roofing system.  Roof tear off is priced the same as installing a new roofing system. Re-roofing over shingles with a second layer, and installing metal roofing over top of shingle roofs, has been going on for years. However, these methods are not acceptable by most manufacturer's warranty requirements, and also add a lot of extra weight to a roof framing system designed for holding only one layer of roofing.

In recent years, due to a sluggish economy, and a push towards more environmentally friendly products, roofing product manufacturers have made strides into improving their products to help lower roof replacement cost, and improve sustainability. To help customers lower roof replacement cost, and improve their own company's sales, many new roof coating products have hit the market, which have lowered roofing cost for commercial building owners and homeowners a like. 

Roof coatings, are roofing products that can be installed over most existing, low slope roofing systems. Low slope roofs, or more commonly referred to as flat roofs, are often used on commercial buildings. They offer many advantages to commercial building owners, such as being able to put HVAC systems on the roof, ease of maintenance, and improved storefront appearances. The major disadvantage is the cost of flat roofing systems, as there is a smaller market for flat roofs, resulting in higher cost of low slope roofing products. Just as with residential roofing systems, flat roofing systems also need replacement, on average, after about 20-30 years.  Advancements in roof coatings, have helped eliminate some of the cost associated with replacing a flat roofing system, and offer the same warranty lengths as traditional flat roofing systems. Roof coatings can go over most all existing flat roof systems, eliminating most tear off cost associated with traditional flat roof replacements. Roof coatings are also light weight, and will not add any significant amount of weight to structural members.  Being able to eliminate half the labor cost associated with replacing flat roofing systems, has resulted in huge savings to commercial building owners in need of a new roof. Also, in addition to lower roof replacement cost, roof coatings are also energy efficient, helping building owners lower utility cost. By eliminating waste associated with tearing off old roofing systems, also helps the environment.

So if your a business owner or commercial building owner in the Myrtle Beach, SC or coastal Carolina areas, and in need of a new roof, then give MBS Services and Construction Company a call today. We can come out and assess your situation, and tell you how a roof coating can save your company money on roof replacement cost, and lower utility cost for most business owners.  If your roof is already leaking, and your worried about structural damage, our company uses thermal imaging technology which can pinpoint insulation and structural damage, which also lowers cost for insulation and structural roof repairs.  So give us a call today, or contact us through any of the contact methods listed below. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to helping business, hotels, and homeowners in the Myrtle Beach area with their next roofing projects.

MBS Services & Construction Company
530 Piedmont Ave.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 706-951-0158
Website: http://www.scroofingcontractors.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Friday, September 21, 2012

EPA Regulatory Fees to Raise Spray Foam Insulation Cost in South Carolina

EPA Regulations Hit Spray Foam Insulation Contractors With Huge Cost in 2013


Hurry and get your home spray foamed before the tougher EPA restrictions start. New restrictions are set to double the cost of the most energy efficient "green" building products on the market like spray foam insulation. With spray foam insulation being the best insulation product on the market to homeowners and businesses in the Myrtle Beach, SC and Coastal Carolina areas, and has a 100% faster payback on investment compared to solar energy products.  New regulations in transportation fees, testing, and inspections, will now cost homeowners almost $2,000 more in spray foam insulation cost then in past years. 

If you have ever been interested in spray foam insulation for your home or business in the Myrtle Beach SC and surrounding areas, then now is the time to install it in your home or business. Beat the regulation start date and save up to $2,000 in regulatory fee cost. With tax credits this year being up to $30% of the installation cost, this may be the last time that homeowners can take advantage of current prices.  This is usually a pretty good tax deduction for most homeowners and businesses, offering incentive to invest quickly into better insulating your home with spray foam insulation.  If your a homeowner or business in the Myrtle Beach, SC or surrounding coastal Carolina area and want more information on spray foam insulation, then contact us today and take advantage of low pricing on spray foam insulation.

MBS & Company
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: (706)-951-0158 (Dan)
Website: http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Using the Federal Reserve Stimulus 2012 to make Home Improvements

Federal Reserve Pumps More Stimulus Money Into US Economy


With a Slow economic recovery over the past 3 to 4 years, the United States Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernacke announced another stimulus program to help stimulate the economy. Announced on September 13th, the Federal Reserve committed to low interest rates until 2015, and an open ended quantitative easing program, with the Federal Reserve buying 40 billion dollars in mortgage backed securities without end, according to BusinessInsider.com. BusinessInsider.com has a full transcript of the announcement and press conference with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernacke (http://www.businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-decision-2012-9). This will allow banks to have more capital and improve loaning abilities of banks all around the country.

What this means to Myrtle Beach, SC area residents and the surrounding North Carolina and South Carolina coastal areas is more lending opportunities for first time home buyers, businesses, investors, and car buyers. The Federal Reserve is hoping that by taking these drastic measures, it will spur homeowners and businesses to expand, and make improvements to existing properties and infrastructure.  As many local Myrtle Beach hotels and businesses have been putting off building improvements, due to volatility, and a slower than expected economic recovery, this move by the Federal Reserve should open up more lending sources for many hotels and businesses. Also, the Federal Reserve is hoping that this will give homeowners access to low interest capital for home improvements, especially energy efficient home improvements that reduce carbon emissions. Homeowners have been in the same situation as businesses, putting off many home improvement projects for months and years.  Look for banks to ease requirements for equity line loans for homeowners, first time home buyer programs, investment property loans, and small business loans.

With most small businesses surviving the after effects of the recession in the  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area, yet not profiting like they were before the recession, it is good news. This means access to more capital to invest into real estate, much needed building improvements, advertising investments, and other key tools needed to make their business plans work.  Myrtle Beach is quickly becoming one of the best beaches in America to visit, with TV spots on Fox News, ABC News, and many other news outlets. This has definitely attracted a lot more first time visitors to the Myrtle Beach area. Attracting repeat business is key to hotels and resorts in the Myrtle Beach SC area, differentiating your hotel or business from the competition can make all the difference in attracting more customers to your location. Improving building structures and maintaining existing structures, is key to keeping your property attracting customers.  Projects like roof replacements can not be overlooked for long, without causing major damages. Many hotels are taking these opportunities to invest in more energy efficient roofing systems. With energy efficient building design improvements in the past years, many hotels and business are saving money on key repairs like roof replacement cost. There are many roof coating products now that have better ratings then traditional roofs. In addition they also have lower material and labor cost then traditional roofing systems, reduce energy cost, and tax credits available to business owners, covering up to $1.30/sq. foot on installation cost. 

It has never been a better time to improve your building structure or hotel in Myrtle Beach. With pricing so low for most of these products, not only will you get a great deal, you will also make  your hotel or resort stand out from the rest.  Environmentally Friendly customers really look for businesses that use products that can be labeled "green" and carry the Energy Star rating requirements as well. Advertising your business as an environmentally friendly and "green" hotel can also add more ways to differentiate your product or service from the rest of the competition. See the Energy Star web page for information on Gaco Western S-2000 roof coating ratings, the most popular and best warrantied roof coating system in the Myrtle Beach area: http://downloads.energystar.gov/bi/qplist/roofs_prod_list.pdf?8662-14e5

Also check out the Energy Star federal tax credits for commercial properties at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_comm_buildings and for residential properties at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index .

With increase in tourism to the Myrtle Beach area, quantitative easing by the Fed will also help rental home investors maximize their investments as well. With tax credits paying for some of the initial investment cost in many "green" and Energy Star rated roofing products. Energy Star rated roofing products help lower the cost of energy bills in addition to being more durable.  Standing seam metal roof systems is one of the most popular systems for homes in the Myrtle Beach area. Standing seam metal roofs not only help with energy efficiency for the home, they also last 4 times longer than traditional shingle roofs, and less maintenance. Long term investments into roofing will help rental property owners lower roof replacement cost and roof maintenance cost in the future. With most rental property owners taking this approach, it will lead to more profit, and increase long term sustainability of the property as well. Homeowners have an even better incentive to invest in Energy Efficient Home Improvements, as it saves 30% or more to use Energy Star Rated building products in the home versus traditional building products. Long term savings on energy bills benefits both homeowners and rental property owners a like.

The old rule of thumb in investing is to buy low and sell high. Well products and services haven't been this low in 10 years in the Myrtle Beach area, meaning you are investing at the lowest price in the labor market as well. As labor rates will rise with increased demand, investments into your properties will be better to do sooner than later now, helping to maximize long term payback rates of investing in Energy Star rated building products.

MBS & Co. specializes in repairing, replacing, and installing energy efficient roofing systems in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. With their owner Daniel Sullivan having 20 years experience in commercial roofing and residential roofing business, he has strived to find the best and most energy efficient products for the Myrtle Beach area, at the most affordable prices for Myrtle Beach hotels, businesses, and home owners.  If your a business or homeowner in the Myrtle Beach area in the market for a more energy efficient roofing system, at half the cost of traditional roof replacements, then call Dan today at 706-951-0158. Dan can give you free roof inspection and roofing service estimate on your home or business. 

We hope this article has been helpful in helping to keep our fellow local businesses informed of the newest products and news related to the building markets in the coastal Carolina area. Visit our website for more information at: http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

MBS & Company
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 706-951-0158
http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Energy Efficient Home Improvements Are Good Retirement Investments

Why Energy Efficient Home Improvements Are Good Retirement Investments


As more and more baby boomers reach retirement age in the United States, many are left wondering what are good investments to make in preparation of retirement. Most individuals and families nearing retirement age already know the most publicized ways to invest, with investments such as Roth IRAs, stocks with high dividend yields, paying off home mortgages or refinancing into lower fixed rate mortgages, and other safe financial investments.  We all see the commercials saying invest in this fund, invest in this commodity, yet sometimes we fail to see the best investment right in front of us, our home.

While regular home maintenance is essential to all homeowners, complete remodels are often done to improve appearance and curb appeal to homes.  While completely remodeling a home may not be the best investment for homeowners reaching retirement age or on a fixed income, some home improvements can not be avoided, often making a remodel a sound financial investment. Some of these essential home improvements include roofing, painting, insulation, HVAC systems, and hot water heater replacements.  While roofing and painting can improve the overall appearance of the home they also maintain protection against the elements.  Insulation, plumbing, and HVAC repairs are essential to quality of life and improving energy efficiency of the home.  Either way, most of these repairs and maintenance projects are unavoidable, so the intention of this article is to make sound investments into your home that can help retirees and fixed income families save big money over the long term.  With rising energy prices and improvements in products such as paint, roofing materials, and hot water heaters; home improvement can be a wise investment for those reaching retirement age.

If you are a homeowner considering improving your home, or in need of a home repair, investing into a "green" energy saving building product could save you a lot of money in retirement.  Investing a little more money into a more durable, energy efficient product; homeowners can lower utility bills, leading to more money for food, travel, and family outings during retirement. 

Being in the energy efficient home improvement business, we have done energy efficient home improvements for hundreds of customers with the intention of saving money, however a recent customer brought to our attention that they were treating these investments in their home, as part of their overall plan for retirement   After going into further detail, the homeowners explained to us that they were trying to lower their utility and maintenance cost while still working, so that they would have more expendable money on a fixed income during retirement.  Here are some of the products and services we provided to the customer and reasoning the customer gave us for going with a better and more energy efficient product, while incurring just a slightly higher cost of material in the short run.

  1. Installing a Metal Roofing System - While metal roofs run slightly higher in cost then traditional shingle roofing systems, the customer knew that by going with metal roofing, this would be the last roof they ever had to install on their home.  In addition to being the last roof, the customer is going to have a lot less maintenance cost with metal vs. shingle roofing.
  2. Re-insulating the home - While the customer had a well insulated home with fiberglass insulation, their insulation was beginning to sag and lose R-value. The selling point of using spray foam insulation was its better R-value rating, and also the durability of the product that will last the life of the home, far outliving any human being that may occupy the home now or in the future.
  3. Upgrading the HVAC system - While the customer had the proper duct work and other hardware related to heating and cooling the home, the customer was making a unit switch to a better Energy Star rated heating and cooling unit, that will result in energy savings that will offset the cost of upgrading the unit.
  4. Installing a Solar Panel Hot Water heater - depending on whether you have a gas or electric hot water heater, this is usually number 2 on the list of appliances that use the most energy in the home.  By eliminating this cost all together, the homeowner will save big money in the long term by not having this major appliance pulling on the gas or electric bill.
  5. Installing a Energy Monitoring System - while energy monitoring systems are limited in the savings on energy they can create, they are often inexpensive and a good way to tell if your major appliances are reaching the end of their life expectancy. While some appliances may still work properly, the older they get the more energy they start to use to run at maximum efficiency.  By being able to identify appliances that are going bad or getting old, the customer can maximize the life of their current appliances, while being able to replace inefficient appliances with newer appliances with better energy star ratings. They will save money both with replacement cost and energy cost.
  6. Lifetime Paint on the Exterior of the Home - while we at MBS & Co. do not sell or install lifetime painting services, we have noticed an increase in the use of these services by homeowners that we have done work for.  Painting is necessary usually about every 7-10 years using traditional paint products, however these lifetime paint products offer a great advantage to those reaching retirement age.
As you can see from the improvements this customer made, their are a lot of ways to prepare your home for retirement.  While still working, this customer has developed a plan to lower home maintenance and home energy cost in the future, by making improvements that will show big savings in the long run and all throughout retirement.  In addition, the products and materials these customers are using will also reduce home maintenance cost in the long run as well.  While we sell a lot of our products on just energy savings alone, retirement planning is just another added benefit of making more energy efficient home improvements, that has been brought to our attention.  We all know that saving money leads to a more financially stable future for anybody. 

If your a homeowner in the North Carolina or South Carolina area looking to make energy efficient home improvements to your home, then please contact us using the information below:


MBS & Company
530 Piedmont Ave.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 706-951-0158
Website: http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Hurricane Isaac Raises Gas and Energy Prices in South Carolina

Hurricane Isaac To Cause Increase in Energy Prices


Hurricane season is always a time for concern for southeast coastal areas like South Carolina, and this year is no exception. With the arrival of Hurricane Isaac in the gulf, this will be the first named storm to hit the United States this season. Though South Carolina and other east coast areas were spared a direct hit from the storm, Hurricane Isaac is still dumping rain and bringing storms to the South Carolina area. After missing Florida, tropical depression Isaac was able to make it into the gulf area and develop into a powerful, slow moving hurricane, also breaking up outer bands of the storm allowing it to dump rain all the way into South Carolina.

Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico not only threaten and damage states in the coastal area of the gulf , they also effects the majority of the United States energy prices.  With the majority of the United States oil and natural gas production being located in the states along the gulf's coastline; Hurricane Isaac has forced oil and natural gas companies to halt production until the storm passes.  With the lose in production, Americans can expect to see gasoline and natural gas prices to rise in the near future.  Most news coverage and analysts are predicting to see spike in the price of gasoline and natural gas to linger around for weeks to come.

The prices of building products also tend to fluctuate with gas and energy prices, as it requires gasoline to get materials to suppliers, in addition to suppliers having power bills, and other related energy cost in storing the materials. Also, when hurricanes and other natural disasters occur, building products may also spike, because supplies will be directed to the hardest hit areas, limiting quantities of materials to other areas of the country.

If your a South Carolina resident who has received rain or storm damage from the outer bands of Hurricane Isaac, then you may need a contractor to help you with repairs.  If you do sustain storm or rain damage, then now may be the time to make energy efficient upgrades. If your a homeowner or business in need of building repairs, then give MBS & Company of Myrtle Beach, SC a call today.  With service areas all over South Carolina, MBS can help you with all your repair and remodelling needs.  Contact us through any of the ways below, and we hope everybody comes out of this hurricane season safely. 

Contact Information:

MBS & Company
530 Piedmont Ave.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 706-951-0158
Website: http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |

Monday, August 20, 2012

Duke Power Lowers Utility Rates Before Increase in North Carolina & South Carolina

Electric Rates Going Down in North & South Carolina before Rate Increase


It was recently announced by Duke Power that they are going to lower 2012 electrical utility rates for a few months before, the state approved electric utility rate increase of up to 7% goes into effect for next year, 2013. Duke Power had previously sought and received permission from, both North & South Carolina energy regulators earlier in the year (2012), to increase utility rates to customers, by up to 7% in North and South Carolina. With better than expected revenues and bringing current projects in under budget, Duke Power will give customers a little break in the electric utility rate they are currently paying.  They are hoping that this will offset some of the additional cost consumers will see when the rate increases in 2013. 

Also, while waiting on the 2013 utility rate increase in North Carolina & South Carolina, homeowners and businesses will have more time, to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and buildings, providing even more savings against the 2013 utility rate increase.  If you've been thinking about making energy efficient improvements to your home or business, then now is the time.  Not only will this offset 2013 utility rate increases in the short term, it also increases long term savings on utility cost.  In addition, to saving money against the 7% utility rate increase, there is a 30% tax credit on material cost for making home improvements using Energy Star products. There is no better time then then now, to make energy saving improvements to the home or business. 

Here are some of the best Energy Saving Improvements a Home or Business can make:

  1. Insulation - By upgrading your insulation system with a superior insulation system like spray foam insulation, homeowners and businesses can save up to 30% off heating & cooling cost.
  2. Replacement Windows & Doors - Most energy is lost in the windows and doors of a building structure, so by upgrading to a more energy efficient door and window design, homeowners and businesses can see big savings in energy cost.
  3. Energy Efficient Roofing - Metal roofing, UV roof coatings, and many other Energy Star rated roofing systems can lower the cost of utility bills for many homeowners and businesses.
  4. Energy Monitoring Systems - Energy Monitoring Systems not only tell you where you are using the most power, they can also identify bad appliances, that may be using a lot more energy then you really thought.
  5. Appliances Upgrades - If your appliances are old and in need of replacement, then by upgrading to a new Energy Efficient Appliance can show big savings on utility cost for both homeowners & businesses.
These are just a few ways homeowners & customers are making their homes & businesses more energy efficient. The best way to find out what option is best for your home or business, is to call a Energy Efficient Expert, like MBS & Co. of Myrtle Beach, SC. We have service areas all over North Carolina and South Carolina, so if you have any questions or are interested in a free estimate, then contact us with the information provided below.

Thanks to all our readers for making this a informative block, we appreciate all the compliments as well. Please remember to leave comments, and ideas for new topics, on our Energy Saving Home Improvement blog.


MBS & Company
530 Piedmont Drive
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 706-951-0158
Website: http://www.myrtlebeachenergysavers.com

Energy Efficient Roofing Systems | Spray Foam Insulation | Wall Foam Insulation | Crawl Space Encapsulations | Solar Energy Powered Hot Water Heaters | Solar Energy | Energy Monitoring | Standing Seam Metal Roofs | Tile Roofs | Slate Roofs | Historic Home Retrofits | Energy Efficient Roof Coatings | Gaco Western S-2000 Silicone Roof Systems | Mold Guard | Air Barriers | Commercial Roof Coatings | Roof Coatings | Silicone Roofs |