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Posted: Nov 07, 2006 03:34 PM
Fiberglass Insulation
I am fairly new to the insulation business and while we have been successful on some of our bids for spray foam insulation, several potential customers can't seem to justify the extra cost of the foam insulation. My question is do any of you also offer batt insulation, and if so what are the rates in your areas? I'm well aware that foam is by far the best way to go, but I hate to lose out on potential income if I can't convince customers of this, especially being a new company with limited referals as of now.
Jeffery Dieu
Posted: Nov 07, 2006 04:28 PM
Most of the problem we are getting is with people and cellulose. The cellulose industry has a spokesman Doug Rye and he really is pushing it over the cost of using foam. The way I see it, why would you want to work for little money. I say focus on pushing foam and let someone else put the cheap stuff in. You get what you pay for whether it be automobiles, tools, toilet paper, and even insulatiion.
Posted: Nov 07, 2006 07:59 PM
premium product, premium price,premium results. get the utility bills of your past jobs.(several different projects) especially the ones where you put 3.5 in the walls and 5.5 in the roof deck!(and you caulked the windows)
everybody knows what they pay for gas/electric to heat & cool.
this will get their attention!
$32.00 more per month for mortgage payment (TO UPGRADE TO FOAM OVER FIBERGLASS)
$100-150 OR MORE SAVINGS PER MONTH TO HEAT &COOL. (EVEN MORE WITH ADDITIONAL FOAM:OUTSIDE THE BASEMENT WALLS,UNDER BASEMENT FLOOR, AND SO ON)

FOCUS ON VALUE

HIGHER RESALE VALUE OF HOUSE/DOUBLE THE RACKING STRENGTH IN THE WALLS/CEILING.VAPOR BARRIER>2" OR MORE.

YES FIBERGLASS COSTS LESS. AND AS SOON AS YOU PUT IT IN IT COSTS YOU MORE! EVERY MONTH!
Posted: Nov 07, 2006 10:16 PM
As a spray foam contrator, I know what you guys are saying. As a business man, I want to do what I can to make money. If I can make money putting in bad insulation for people who are not smart enough to know better, than I might as well, as long as I can make money doing it right? I try to convince potential clients to make the right choice but it isn't going to work all the time. I've done both. Foaming is more work than fiberglass, I'm just asking what kind of money do "the bad people" make by stapling a piece of crap to a wall in your area? I'm sure we are all in this business to make money and I'm just looking for another way to make more, if it is worth my time that is.
Posted: Nov 07, 2006 10:33 PM
rooffoamer, are those savings based on actual results that you have encountered? If so, how long have you been foaming? Like I said, I haven't been in business too long, so I may not have too broad of a clientel to put together those figures, but worth a shot non-the-less. Any more input would be appreciated.
Posted: Nov 08, 2006 09:07 AM
no, these people are smart enough to know better! you show them utility bills that are 1/2 of what they are paying now and they figure it out real quick.I can hand out color brochures.those are good. I also give them photo copies of actual utility bills with actual readings. this particular house is 1900 sq ft. solar hot water. using a Goodman/2 stage/95% efficiant furnace/46,000 btu.has the plastic pipes going outside for intake/exhaust. 4" of foam in rim joist.blue board on basement walls with a 1" layer of sprayfoam over that.premium windows with argon gas/low-e glass. 3.5" in walls (and 2 car garage walls) 5.5 ceiling deck.hot roof/zero venting.lots of cauking by the owner inside & out. gas bills last winter: $29.95-$81.19. $81.19 was the largest bill.
when somebody sees a bill for less in their own community (not 3 states away) that gets some attention. again, these people ARE smart enough to know better!
Gerry Wagoner
Posted: Nov 08, 2006 01:53 PM
Fiberglass makes a great air filter.

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