MORE TIPS ON NEW HOME BUILDING! INSIDE. Since October 2018 OCTOBER BRINGS FALL AND CO-OP MONTH

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1 MORE TIPS ON NEW HOME BUILDING! INSIDE Since 1940 October 2018 OCTOBER BRINGS FALL AND CO-OP MONTH

2 POWERING THE AMERICAN SPIRIT Energy Issues - It s your opportunity to ask questions Candidates Energy Forum Wednesday, October 3, :00am-11:30am The Florian Gardens 2340 Lorch Avenue (near I-94 & Hwy 93) Eau Claire, WI Join us for a discussion about energy issues with the area s state legislative candidates. This is your opportunity to ask your questions. Public is invited! Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by:

3 PLUGGED IN Your Touchstone Energy Partner MEMBERS HELP ACHIEVE MAGAZINE AWARDS The willingness of members to allow Eau Claire Energy Cooperative editor, Mary Kay Brevig, into their homes for co-op-oriented feature stories has helped ECEC s monthly magazine continue as an award winner. Eau Claire Energy Cooperative was recently honored by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association with four awards, including two top awards and two honorable mentions: CO-OP MONTH It s not just for October Even though October is officially Co-op Month, your Eau Claire Energy Cooperative celebrates cooperative measures throughout the entire year. From providing energy saving incentives to help members save money, to providing reliable power, to working with young people in the Youth Ambassador Program, to providing an opportunity for members to work with staff through the Member Advisory Council, ECEC believes in engaging members in the cooperative. Line workers have spent time helping other co-ops during flood and stormdamaged events. The cooperative continues to support local member-driven events throughout the area, including Breakfast in the Valley, live-line safety demonstrations for all ages, and many more. We salute our employees and members! MY CO-OP Co-op News Award Photography Award Honorable Mention for Energy Education Award Honorable Mention for Human Interest Award Pictured above is the cover story from ECEC s June 2018 WEC News magazine about Henry and Lynne Henning, enjoying a more energy efficient lifestyle due to energy savings attained for they home through Focus Energy and Eau Claire Energy Cooperative. You can read it and other feature stories from the magazine at Click on MY CO-OP. October

4 Building up to your PERFECT CONTRACTOR This is a continuing series of articles following Kyle and Kelly Rasmussen as they journey through their home building process. Last month we featured the Rasmussen family as they began their new venture with a groundbreaking at their chosen home site. You can read up on all of the articles as they appear on our website at com. Click on MY CO-OP and then WEC News. How do you find the right builder for your new home who would be a good person to ask? Why not ask someone in the business? According to Christina Thrun, executive director of the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association, with over 400 associate and builder members, they know the businesses and the quality of work they offer. They strive to connect builders with people who need their professional services. Challenges of finding the right builder Christina Thrun CVHBA Executive Director When picking the right home builder for your project, Thrun stressed the number-one challenge is probably finding a builder that fits your project and your expectations. Work to build a relationship with the builder. Find out where their strengths and weaknesses are. Talk with others who have used the builders you are considering. Are there any horror stories? Did the builder keep the lines of communications open? Did they alert you of any changes in plans ahead of time? What are their expectations? What are your expectations? Were planned steps of the process on time? If not, how were they handled? Feel the space figure your family s floor plan According to Thrun, It s good to have a specific floor plan in mind. What s the best home floor plan for you? Do your research and visit homes with different floor plans to get a feel for the space and how large the rooms need to be. The summer Parade of Homes offered by the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association offers up a variety of homes and floor plans to visit. How does the flow of the home feel to you and the family? It s a great way for the family to try out different floor plans. Many builders have a variety of floor plans to choose from and can easily make suggestions for your family. Does a 20'x20' room have the space you envisioned? Or, is it too large? Do you want your master bedroom close to the garage or the front of the home? Your lot can affect how you plan the room layout where is the noisiest part of the outdoor lot and will it affect where you have the bedrooms placed? Do you want the kitchen off the back of the home where you can watch the kids out in the yard? Or if you don t have children, maybe that does not matter. Don t forget the lender Yes, money will be involved, and the sooner you find a lender, the sooner you can proceed with your new home build. There are a variety of ways to finance the new home. If you already have a relationship with a credit union, bank, or other mortgage lender, check them out. Find out what their requirements are and what you need to do in order to get approved. Do you need to pay down some credit cards? Do you need to sell another home before you build the new one? Ask questions, and make sure your credit is cleaned up by the time you apply. Make your research fun! This could be the largest money decision you will make in a lifetime. So, take your time and find out as much as you can before you build. Make it a fun process. Talk with friends and neighbors who have already gone through the new home build process. What words of wisdom can they share? Take the time to visit model homes, open houses, and special events where home touring is encouraged. Take video tours online. To find about the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association and find a professional for your new home build, go to 16 Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

5 Technology aids new home building for both builders and homeowners PLUGGED IN When asked about the biggest change in home building over the past decade, Cody Filipczak immediately answered, Technology. People are easily able to find home designs online and have access to so many plans. According to the co-owner of C&M Home Builders and Real Estate, Technology helps both builders and home owners customize home designs, pick out materials and accessories. And, the entire industry is more Cody Filipczak C&M Home Builder owner technologically advanced, with people using smart phones, portable devices right out in the field. He added, It s easier to connect with people immediately, allowing us to get things done efficiently. As the builder of choice for Kyle and Kelly Rasmussen (see their story in the September issue of this magazine online at Cody says that leading-edge software allows building project managers to make a variety of design changes on the fly, allowing more choices for the homeowner. Move a wall here and add a bathroom there it s a way to make the home a little more personal, allowing new homeowners to make changes to fit the family s lifestyle. Cody and Molly Filipczak have owned C&M Home Builders since 2005, adding the real estate department later. It was a natural addition. They began with a small framing crew and began building more houses in Through C&M Home Builders works to build energy efficient homes. They help new home owners take advantage of Focus on Energy incentives, and save money on their utilities. Find out more about energy efficient homes at Eau Claire Energy Cooperative also has incentives available. the years they have come up with some tips to help people dreaming of having their own home built to think through the entire process. How to choose a builder: 1. Choose an experienced builder Like a surgeon, find someone who is not operating for the very first time. 2. Look at the bones of their homes Are they well built? 3. Get referrals Talk to people in the business, including banks, title companies, realtors, contractors, etc. 4. Is the builder set financially? Any builder operating on a shoestring may not be able to get the best prices for materials, etc. 5. Does the builder have a tracking system to keep the new build on budget? Do they share updated reports so you know the home is on track, budget-wise? Step back and analyze your own budget But, before choosing a builder, Filipczak cautioned people to step back and analyze their own budget, wants and needs for a new home. Things to think about first include: 1. Price point What is affordable? Figure out your financing and choose your financial institution. 2. Location Where do you want to live? What s convenient? 3. Style What style home do you like best? Choose the main style and leave the details for a little later. Then, take this information to the builder you ve chosen and begin talking. And, have fun. There will most certainly be some stresses along the way, but Filipczak says to, keep a sense of humor and enjoy the process. It s fun to see a project come together and to see the end results come together. Wondering about the design of kitchen cabinets or colors to paint your rooms? What about special finishes to give your new home a personal touch? Watch the November issue of the WEC News magazine for a special interview with Molly Filipczak, co-owner of C&M Home Builders. MY CO-OP October

6 Thank your Board of Directors Your cooperative is governed by a nine-person board of directors elected for three-year terms by consumer-members just like you. At each annual meeting, three director positions are up for election. Watch your WEC News magazine and our website at for upcoming election information. Your next annual meeting is set for Tuesday evening, March 19, 2019, at The Florian Gardens, Eau Claire. Seated from left to right in the front row are Andrew Bourget, vice chair; Clarence Boettcher, board chair; and Jeffrey Frieburg. Back row from left to right include Robert Gadwill; Thomas Schwartz; Judith Anibas, secretarytreasurer; Joseph Becker; Michael Schummer; and Frank Neibauer. Youth Ambassador Super Hero Tours! October 17, 2018 Metropolis Resort & Chaos Water Park, Eau Claire Learn about their energy saving processes. 12 1:30 p.m. Lunch included November 14, 2018 WQOW TV18 Off Highway 93 just south of new Farm Fleet, Eau Claire 12 1:30 p.m. Lunch included Member Advisory Council October 15, 2018 Note the new October Meeting location: Chippewa Valley Technical College Energy Education Center West Campus Meeting and dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. Meeting includes a tour of their facilities Adjournment at 7:30 p.m. Attending the meetings give me the opportunity to give input on the direction of the co-op, such as MemberSolar. Ruth Campbell, Member Advisory Council We are lucky to have a cooperative that provides this opportunity for its member highly recommend that others take advantage of this opportunity! Barb LeDuc, Member Advisory Council Each quarter anywhere from a dozen to 22 volunteer ECEC members meet with the Board Chair Clarence Boettcher and President/CEO Lynn Thompsonto discuss energy issues at the co-op headquarters. If you are interested in finding out what the Member Advisory Council is all about or want to sign up, call or click at or 18 Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News Your Touchstone Energy Partner Lynn E. Thompson, President/CEO Mary Kay Brevig, Editor, Manager of Communications & Public Relations 8214 Hwy 12, P.O. Box 368, Fall Creek, WI Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. 4 p.m. Mon Fri Non-emergencies: Emergencies & outages: Toll FREE hours a day, 7 days a week Diggers Hotline: 811 or Call 3 working days before you dig.

7 Don t miss out on Energy Efficiency Incentives!

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