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Karl and Kris Buss hadn't gone out of their way to live a "green" lifestyle. When they built a house
for the first time, they just wanted something they could afford to construct and live in for the rest of
their lives.
"We decided to invest once in the structure of our home instead of monthly in the utility company
for the next 30-plus years," Karl said. With that mindset, they found a certified green builder who,
based on his experience, recommended Thermocore panels.
No Custom Accessories Required
For Karl, the most attractive feature was getting R-24 insulation in a four-inch wall. "If you go to a
thicker wall with another manufacturer, you've got to adjust every standard item out there," he said.
"With Thermocore wall panels, we used standard doors and windows without modification--and that
really cut costs."
Thermocore panels even save the wood and construction time normally needed to frame a ceiling
and build an attic. "We went with open architecture because the insulation was built into the roof
rather than on rafters on the ceiling," Karl said. No attic required.
Speedy Installation = Money in Pocket
Thermocore's crew erected the structural walls and roof of Karl's 3,000 square-foot home in five days.
For his neighbor, it took six weeks to go from foundation to an enclosed stick-built structure. How
much do four or five construction workers earn in five weeks? That's what the Buss family saved just
in building costs.
In fact, Thermocore's five-person installation team tipped the scales away from a local manufacturer
of expanded polystyrene panels that Karl considered. "They only send one person to the jobsite," he
said. "If that person advises your general contractor's people, then the first few panels they install are
all learning; they're more apt to make a mistake. With Thermocore's team, you don't lose the
expertise. From the first panel to the last, the installation team already knows where to go, what to do,
and in what order to do it. It was so much more efficient."
Even trim goes up faster on Thermocore's panels. "The finishing is much easier because the panels
are all straight," Karl said. "You don't need to make the trim fit a wall that isn't quite square." Faster
and easier, of course, equals less expensive.
But That's Not All
An unexpected benefit Karl and Kris found: Outside noises are drastically reduced in Thermocore
homes. Goodbye car noises in the middle of the night and yapping dogs next door.
Now, with no gas power in their quiet home, the Buss family pays just $130 per month for all utility
costs -- including heating, air conditioning, sewer, water, and cooking.
Where would you prefer your hard-earned money goes today: to the utility company, or to your
family's future?
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