Dollars and Cents of Building Green...

There is a perception that building green or using more eco-friendly products is going to be costly or expensive...but not necessarily.

Here are some reasons that going green can actually SAVE you money:

1st) green building materials (especially paints, finishes and wool carpeting) are an investment in your health (saving money on doctors' bills can be factored into this equation),

2nd) most of the green building materials will actually outlast their toxic counterparts by as much as 2-3 times longer (ie: Marmoleum flooring is still down in homes that were built in the 1920's, whereas vinyl flooring in homes from the 1980's would need replacing - that's an extra 60 years longer that an 'eco' floor can last)

3rd) you can always recycled or reuse old materials out of an existing structure, which will cut your costs. Go to a Habitat for Humanity store or build with cob, where materials are virtually free.

But to be fair, building green can also be (like anything), as expensive and extravagant as you want it to be. For example, the carpet lines at Build It Naturally range from $1-$10 per sq. ft. and the reclaimed wood can cost you anywhere from $4.95-$13.95 per sq. ft. depending on the look, specifics, species, etc.

We can help make a space very upscale and eco-chic - and it can be done on a low, medium, high or off-the-charts budget. There is something for everyone - all price ranges and all project needs. So before you decide that 'green is expensive', look deeper into it and you may find that it is will end up saving you money in the long run.