FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequent Customer Questions – Bend Home Energy Scores – Home Measurement Floor Plans
You will receive a secure invoice and payment link from Intuit QuickBooks once the measurement or home energy assessment is completed (usually late in the evening). It is your choice if you want to pay online using a credit card or mail a check. We can even split the invoice so the homeowner pays for the Home Energy Score and the agent pays for the floor plan. Just let us know.
The prices for our measurements and Home Energy Score services are based on the total of Main + Upper + Lower measured. This includes finished and unfinished basement and accessory units, but it does not include garages (unless commercial), patios, decks, or small sheds. We’re happy to measure those items at no extra charge for the majority of properties, but large or complex outbuildings, decks, or patios may require additional charge. We also charge for drive time/distance to some outlying areas. If you’re unsure, just ask or try going through the ordering process without finalizing the order or contact us.
Our process for the Bend Home Energy Score first involves measuring around the exterior of the house (or building) first. Then we move to the inside and start drawing interior walls if you also ordered a floor plan. If not, we will be moving through the home and looking at the furnace, hot water heater, windows, attic, and crawlspace to gather inputs for the Department of Energy modeling software. We might spend more time on an upper level if we could not measure it from outside or if there are sloped ceilings. We need to look in every room to complete the assessment, so please be prepared. Do not worry about clutter, dirt, or construction, but please let us know in advance if the attic access is over ten feet off the ground or if the attic or crawlspace are otherwise not accessible.
The Bend Home Energy Scores take about the same amount of time on site as a home measurement floor plan (see above How long will it take to measure?). That is because a big part of the home energy assessment process is measuring the volume of air in the house and measuring the area of windows. Most homes can be done easily by one person in about an hour and a half. However, homes with complex shapes and/or many vaulted or cathedral ceilings that are difficult to measure can take much longer. Also homes that have multiple attic spaces, crawlspaces, or heating systems take significantly more time.
The Bend Home Energy Score is something that we do not estimate. We input factors into the software and the score is generated by the computer. The utilities that it estimates are based on actual local utility costs, but average occupancy behavior and weather. For example, one owner might set the thermostat high and another might not. Think of it like MPG on a car. Actual mileage can vary.