Willowside Project, Day 48

Today, we're finally getting the contracts together and signed.  It's been a month and a half but we have an excellent package put together and one that they can afford.  I've got a separate contract for the HVAC contractor and another for the solar electric installer, plus mine equals three.  If the other two companies and I didn't know and trust each other, I don't think this would work because if one of us drops the ball or doesn't get finished by June 20th or so, we're all three screwed.  The last day to submit the final papers, including all closed contracts and final inspections, to the funding agency - the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program or SCEIP - is 5pm on June 23rd.  If all is complete and on time, SCEIP will send out a check for the full amount on July 1st.  If we don't get it in by the 23rd....well..they'll be $60,000 that the three companies involved won't get until the next pay date on August 1st.  Ouch. That'll put a dent in my cash flow.

So we're off to the SCEIP office, John Doe and I and 3 contracts.  We were very careful to get all our little ducks in a row so an hour or so across the desk from Taylor and we're submitted.  Right now, the SCEIP office has around a 10 day turnaround for approval, which is pretty quick.  Next I have to get the Energy Upgrade California (EUC) files together and submit those online, another multi-hour project, because they need to approve the project before we can start, also.  They're not doing any financing, but they will send John Doe a check for around $2,750 after the project is completed so it's well worth the application hassle.

But we all three swear that we can make it.  The companies:
Zero Energy Associates from Sebastopol, doing the furnace, AC unit, ducts, and DHW.
Harmony Farms from Sebastopol doing the solar electric system.
And I'm doing the air sealing, insulation, miscellaneous framing, and shepparding this project through.  Interesting way to do business, eh?

Also, John and Jane Doe have decided that now that we're in contract, they're willing to come out of the closet, so to speak.  John and Jane are actually Muchtar and Rohana Salzmann on Willowside Road.  They are the owners of Emerisa Gardens Nursery just west of Santa Rosa (my favorite in the County, and I didn't know they owned it when I first started this project).  Besides going public with their names, I'll now be able to take more photos.  That'll make the work much clearer.