Solar Panels: The Final Chapter

Well it is complete. After almost a year of getting the permit for the tree, the energy updates to the house, the tree removal, the installation, and all of the inspections it is done. The system is screwed to the roof, turned on, and making power. I hope this is the biggest project we have to tackle as home owners. It has taken a very long time. I have to say it is worth it. We have made a true improvement to the home and its value. It was not always easy to see to the end of the road, but we had the good luck of working with really good companies.
Our tree removal company Austin Tree Surgeons were professional, and promptly brought to our attention and repaired very minor damage done to our fence when removing the tree. I will absolutely use them again when we need them, and would recommend them to anyone. What they did for us was no small job. It was two solid days of work getting that mammoth out of the yard, and they did it for a very fair price. href="http://www.austintreesurgeons.com/images/middlehome_leftpic.jpg">

The folks at Green Collar Operations were great every step of the way. You will have to do this evaluation if you want to sell a home in Austin. When you get the evaluation done it will be good for 10 years. They told me that in Austin homes can lose as much as 30% of their cooled and heated air in the attic or through poorly shutting windows and doors. They sealed up our duct work and put in a heck of a lot of insulation for us. Which we really needed. the house is much more comfortable, and I think it was worth more than what we spent. There are city and federal rebates for this work that you should look into as well, and they will be happy to help you with the paper work for the rebates from the City of Austin.
And finally wonderful folks over at Texas solar power. They stuck with us through all of this. They came out on the weekends to meet with us to go over proposals, and they were there through all of the inspections. The best part, which I could not guarantee to everyone, is they came in significantly under their original price, by keeping an eye on the price of the panels, and having a really great master electrician who found that we did not need an electrical upgrade. They could have easily stuck with their original price and we would have never known. If you choose to work with them you will be getting a great group of professional who know their stuff.

53rd Annual Zilker Botanical Garden Festival

I am so excited about this weekend. The weather forecast is beautiful it should be 80 on Saturday, and 72 on Sunday. You can not ask for better weather to hang out at an art show. This show is unique in that it is in the Botanical gardens. You get to stroll through an amazing array of plants and flowers, which in itself is a great way to spend the day, but on March 27th and 28th you also get to buy plants, and visit with artists. And we have three Etsy Austin Team members who will be presenting their wares this weekend.

Bandy of PigseyArt.etsy.com makes the greatest journals out of rebound recycled books. It is so fun to watch people find a title that they loved as a kid or one that their grandmother used to read to them. You can see that happy memory wash over their face. She spends hours at book stores looking for titles that may have been thumbed through too often for people to want to read them, and gives them a new life with a new author.



Amy of CraftChi.etsy.com works in lots of different mediums, that all stem from her great ability to draw. She screen prints house wares, accessories, paper, and t-shirts. She also makes rubber stamps, and can create a screen with your design that you can use at home. The organic cloth she uses for her tea towels and pillows make you want to touch them. Her crisp graphics still have a soft flow to them that feel light and bold all at the same time.



You will also see me Megan of demiduval.etsy.com for all of your functional metalworking needs. There will be plenty of new plants you will not be able to leave without. If you need a stainless steel flower pot to put them in please look for me at booth 700.

Solar Panels (almost there)

Well we have come a long way, and are almost there. The panels are on the roof, and it has all been wired. We just have one final inspection from the city to make sure everything is correct. I am sure it will be. The folks at Texas Solar Power have been great. Brian Burke has met with us on the weekends, and has kept us invloved in every part of the process. If this is something you have ever thought about look into it. Even if you have not thought about it look into it. The Federal Government is offering rebates for these types of updates, and depending on your city untility they may offer incentives as well.