When was the last time you checked the rebate programs available locally? If you’re a contractor, doing a little research to get familiar with the offers and programs available is well worth the effort. Knowing about a money-saving rebate your customer can take advantage of can be a great way to close a deal.
A new year often means a new deal has been voted on by your energy providers. The good news is, many rebate programs are still going strong, and some utility providers such as Xcel and many others are offering larger rebates in 2017 than they did in 2016.
Rebates can create more paperwork, but they can also be substantial. For example, BPU in New York offers 25% of the cost & up to $4,000.00 on qualified residential and commercial projects. Most utility providers have residential energy rebates for new construction or existing homes. Ultimately these programs are offering substantial amounts that shouldn’t be overlooked, and if you have a customer wanting to design a home that qualifies as Net Zero, the rebates go even higher.
Does your company insulate commercial buildings? California has over a dozen commercial programs with a few that can provide over $100,000.00 in incentives to design energy efficient buildings. Commercial is not limited strictly to new construction. One commercial energy rebate program we found had incentives for adding insulation to multi-family complexes in both the common areas and the tenant. There are commercial energy rebate programs with incentives for things like adding insulation to multi-family complexes in both the common areas and the tenant areas, but finding them may take some time and patience.
One thing to keep in mind as you look for rebates is that it costs utility companies a lot of money to provide power grid service to new customers that are farther away. They save money by decreasing the energy demand for these areas, and that is the main reason there are more rebate options the farther you get from where power is being generated.
The best advice is to always check with your local providers. While some utility companies have easy to navigate websites, some do not. A great place to check is www.dsireusa.org. Their website is very user friendly, and you may be surprised to find out how many programs they list in your area.
Any time you plan on getting a rebate for you or your customer, make sure you know the guidelines. More often than not, there is some sort of verification process involved. For example, Mid-American Energy requires an inspection before the insulation is added. As always at IDI, our goal is to help you grow your business, and knowing about a deal or program that can save your customer money is a great way to help boost sales. We hope this will be your company’s best year ever. Contact your local rep or join us at our next training event for more information on growing your business.
By Ken Allison
Ken Allison works for IDI Distributors as a Business Development and Building Science Expert. Learn more about rebates, code requirements, and other tips for growing your business when you attend one of our regional training events for applicators and contractors. Click Here to find one near you >