Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

A recent Wall Street Journal article detailed issues any homeowner should address before beginning to remodel your home. St. James Plantation custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc provides the same quality construction to our remodeling clients as we do a custom home.

 Let us help you create your dream home in St. James Plantation!

Spending on remodeling is expected to reach $316 billion this year alone and the number is still climbing, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute. So make sure you know exactly how big a renovation you can afford and whether it justifies the time you intend to spend in your revamped home. The Nest, a home-improvement Web site, says before making any big changes to your home you should ask yourself these big questions:

How long do I plan to stay in my house after the renovations?

Am I doing just cosmetic fixes or am I ready for an all-out overhaul?

Am I prepared for the home upheaval?

Are the renovations keeping with the style of my home?

Are my DIY choices reasonable?

To view the full article, click here.

Courtesy of: Marshall Loeb, WSJ, MarketWatch

St. James Plantation custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes contributed to the Kids Summer Stock 2009. Sponsored by the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, Kids Summer Stock is a community-wide food and funds drive aimed to help school children who no longer have access to free or reduced priced meal options during the summer months. Through a series of concerts, festivals, and events, collections of food and funds helped fill the empty shelves of Food Bank warehouses in Durham, Greenville, Raleigh, Sandhills and Wilmington. The drive was especially imperative at a time when food drive donations tend to slow down and at risk children are out of school and are still in need of three daily meals.

July 8, 2009

Alternative Energy:  Technology of Today Fueling the Jobs of Tomorrow

           Every citizen of this country has felt the squeeze of higher energy costs.  Whether it’s increasing utility rates or gas prices, American families and businesses consistently rank energy costs as a top concern.  Our nation relies heavily on fossil fuels including petroleum, natural gas, and coal.  It is vitally important to our national security and our economic security that we continue to look at expanding domestic production of these traditional energy resources, while also look to the future of cleaner, greener, American-made alternative energy sources.  Southeastern North Carolina has such promise to be on the cutting-edge of these energy alternatives that I am hosting a summit on alternative energy to highlight what the future may hold.

            This event, called Alternative Energy Summit:  The Technology of Today Fueling the Jobs of Tomorrow!, features preeminent speakers in the fields of marine spatial planning, alternative fuels, bioenergy research, energy efficiency, worker training, and alternative electricity generation.  The Summit will be held on Monday, July 20th at 9:00 a.m. at the Burney Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

            The first panel will help answer the question, “How can we tap into our ocean resources?”  The waters off our beautiful coast contain significant power that may be able to be harnessed and turned into energy.  Dr. Sandra Whitehouse of the Ocean Conservancy and Dr. James Leutze of the North Carolina Senate Advisory Committee on Offshore Energy Exploration will focus on the possibility of harnessing the immense wave energy generated by our oceans.  They will also look at how we can site various energy facilities, such as windmills, offshore energy platforms, and pipelines in a way that maximizes energy efficiency while minimizing impacts to the environment and local communities.  Dr. Steve Eitelman of UNCW will discuss the University’s ongoing research into algae as a feedstock for vehicles fuels.

            The second panel will focus discussion around the question, “Can biofuels reinvigorate the economy of North Carolina?”  Mr. Steven Burke of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina will discuss the Center’s efforts to cultivate and fund alternative energy research at its campus near Raleigh.  Many companies throughout the state are looking into biofuels development, and the Biofuels Center can provide the resources and technical assistance to make these projects a reality.  Dr. Siva Mandjiny of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke will discuss the research project that the University is undertaking regarding readily-available agricultural waste as feedstock for conversion into vehicle fuels.  This process could provide extra value to farmers while creating an affordable way to make alternative fuels. Mr. Gary Nealy of Southeastern Community College will discuss efforts to train workers in the field of biotechnology to service the growing industry.  The average annual wage of U.S. bioscience workers was $71,000 in 2006, more than $29,000 greater than the average private-sector annual wage.

            The third and final panel will look at the question, “Can the southeast generate significant renewable electricity?”  There are concerns that the resource-deficient southeast cannot meet aggressive goals for alternative electricity generation.  Mr. Larry Shirley of the North Carolina State Energy Office will discuss the state’s efforts to increase wind and solar generation while also pursuing a strong energy efficiency program.  Conservation can significantly help reduce electricity bills and reduce our consumption of energy sources.  Mr. Chip Leavitt of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation will be discussing the efforts and challenges of local utilities to generate more energy from clean sources.

            Alternative energy development has great promise here in North Carolina and across the country.  Some day in the not-so-distant future, we may see local electricity plants burning agricultural, solid, municipal, and animal waste for nearby communities at an affordable rate supporting many jobs.  Investments made today in research, development, and deployment will bring us to that day.  Join us on July 20th as we prepare for the future!

Wilmington, NC builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc was among the winners of the 2009 Communicator Awards that were announced by the International Academy of the Visual Arts in May of 2009.  With thousands of entries received from across the US and around the world, the Communicator Awards is the largest and most competitive awards program honoring the creative excellence for communications professionals. Among the winners are Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc with the Award of Excellence for their website. Visit www.communicatorawards.com to view the complete list of winners which includes Nike, Skittles, Johnson & Johnson, Warner Brothers, IBM and John Deere.

The Award of Excellence is the highest honor given to a home builder website. Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc.’s website has previously been awarded the national W3 Award, the North Carolina HBA’s STARS Award and the local Wilmington-Cape Fear HBA’s MAX Award.

The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 450+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media.  Current IAVA membership represents a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including:  Condè Nast, Coach, Disney, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Estee Lauder, HBO, Keller Crescent, Monster.com, MTV, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Tribal DDB, Victoria’s Secret, Wired, Yahoo!, and many others.  See www.iavisarts.org for more information or view the Winner’s Gallery.

“The quality, creativity and execution of this year’s work is a true testament to the talents and abilities of communications professionals from around the world.  The entries received reflect an increasingly diversified industry and the work once again sets the bar extremely high,” noted Linda Day, director of the IAVA.  She added, “On behalf of the entire Academy, we are honored to have once again judged the 15th Annual Communicator Awards and we are proud to honor the outstanding communications professionals who continue to push a high standard of excellence.”

Mark Johnson Custom Homes’ website was designed by Provis Media, a full service interactive agency based in Wilmington, NC.

We would like to introduce you to Morning Star Bamboo Flooring, an eco-friendly hardwood flooring option that we used at our Wilmington, NC Green home. Morning Star grows and harvests their bamboo in a low, mountainous region of China. Every bamboo plant harvested grows back to the same maturity level in four to six years, far faster than trees and without the need for replanting.

Bamboo is a product rapidly gaining in popularity as a home element that can be enjoyed with minimal environmental impact. The plant’s incredible versatility has allowed it to become a raw material for flooring. Bamboo is a grass, but when mature it possesses a hardness that’s greater than many woods, including popular flooring choices like red oak, white oak and northern hard maple. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, growing quickly and then ready to be harvested and processed into flooring. Bamboo flooring planks have a tongue-and-groove design to make installation as straightforward as it is for traditional hardwood. There’s simply no reason not to choose bamboo for your floor!

For more information on Morning Star Bamboo Flooring, visit their site!

To view Mark Johnson Custom Homes’ Green home and other homes available for sale, visit our Inventory Page!

This home’s bamboo flooring was installed by Ed Newsome’s Hardwood Floors, Inc. of Wilmington, NC, where Quality Work = Customer Satisfaction.

St. James Plantation Green builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc and the EPA encourage you to “Pick Five” simple actions to protect the environment’s resources.  Small adjustments to your current lifestyle can make a huge impact over time, such as turning off the water when brushing your teeth. And even the smallest efforts can help keep you and your family safe. Learn about the UV affects in your area, be aware of the pesticides in your home or change your bulbs to compact fluorescent.

For the complete article, click here.

To learn about a new device that will help monitor your lifestyle choices and save you money, read our previous blog post on The Energy Detective.

The newly appointed United Way of the Cape Fear Area President Christopher Nelson has been spending his first few months in the position meeting with local business leaders hoping to spread awareness and increase activity. St. James Plantation custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to join Nelson and the United Way of the Cape Fear Area in their efforts.

Focusing on the issues and concerns primarily in our region, Nelson anticipates making an impact where the community is in most need and to impact the greatest amount of people.  The United Way is committed to finding the causes of a community’s problems, such as youth violence and homelessness, and address the root of those problems rather than just applying quick fixes or “band-aids”.

To read more on Christopher Nelson and the United Way of the Cape Fear Area, click here.

To become involved, contact the United Way of the Cape Fear Area.

The featured article below highlights how “Built Green” homes are growing in value over time, whereas their uncertified counterparts are not. “Built Green” includes homes that have been certified with the United States Green Building Council. This also includes Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes’ new Landfall Country Club LEED registered home. The ICF-built, 2,770 square foot home is expected to increase in value in the same way as the homes in Seattle. The Wilmington, NC Green home is also an Energy Star rated home, and according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, home values increasing are only one of the benefits of a green built home.

To read the complete article, click here.  

For more information on the Landfall Green home in Wilmington, NC, visit our Progress Portal and enter the Username “51” and Password “2009”.

Wilmington, NC Green builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc would like to introduce you to the AquaOne Technologies’ H2ORB, a patented water management system that can help you manage your utility costs and so much more. The H2ORB prevents toilet overflows, detects water loss, and identifies and resolves toilet malfunctions. This “Green” product eliminates excess water use and saves energy and natural resources.

An important fact to understand is that a minimum of 6 billion gallons of water in the U.S. are wasted per day due to leaking toilets. How is this possible? The US Census Bureau states there are over one billion toilets in the U.S., the American Water Works Association states one out of five toilets leak, and the Environmental Protection agency claims 30-500 gallons per day are wasted by small “silent” leaks.

The H2ORB senses toilet overflows or water leaks and an automated shut-off valve intercepts the flow of water to the tank and shuts off the water flow. H2ORB’s audible alarm and clear icons alert the homeowner that a fault has occurred in the system. Its icons then let you know the precise location of the fault and that the water has been shut off before the problem can become a major cost issue.

For more information, visit their site!

Landfall Builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes has built one of the most energy efficient homes in Wilmington, NC. But energy efficiency alone will not optimize your utility savings. It takes changes in your lifestyle to save the most on your home’s utilities. A new device, The Energy Detective, will help drive your behavior to do simple things such as turning off lights when not in use and doing your laundry in the evening. TED, an intuitive, real-time, accurate electricity monitor screens your energy usage and presents the information to you in a simple, easy-to-understand format. We are currently using The Energy Detective at our LEED registered Green home in Landfall. Invest in one for your home to save money and time!

TED (The Energy Detective) is a simple, yet extremely accurate, home energy monitor that allows you to see electricity usage in real-time. You no longer have to wait for the ‘electricity bill surprise’! TED will accurately tell you what your bill is going to be long before the electric bill arrives. Meanwhile, you will learn more about conserving energy, saving money, and helping save the environment.

With its patented solution to home energy management, TED quantifies electricity and displays the results on its easy-to-read LCD screen. Unlike some complicated electricity conservation systems, TED is a simple, intuitive and affordable way to monitor and manage your entire home’s energy consumption. Think of it as your home’s speedometer.

With its two-second reaction time, TED provides immediate feedback on energy usage. For you, that means no surprises. You can see what you’re spending on electricity each second, as well as what you’ve spent so far today or so far this month.

For a more comprehensive look at your electricity usage, and to really ‘see’ where you may be wasting electricity (AND MONEY) check out “TED Footprints“… dynamic software that allows you to log your electricity usage on your PC for graphing, charting, seeing trends, load-profiling and much more! And with the help of TED, you’re not only able to better manage your own dollars, you are also helping your neighbors, your community, and the environment through energy conservation.

For more information, visit their site!

The Energy Detective was installed by Electronics 2 You of Wilmington, NC, one of Coastal Carolina’s finest home audio establishments.