Infographic: How Home Improvement Financing Works

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how home improvement financing works infographic at Evergreen

(View as a downloadable PDF version)

Nobody loves to talk about money. But when it comes to making your home a more efficient and comfortable place to live, you want to know how much it is going to cost you, and what your options are! Let’s walk through financing this example of how a home improvement project that cost $10,000 could actually end up as a monthly payments well below $100, using the available Efficiency Maine rebates and financing options.  

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The Project

In this example project, Evergreen Home Performance performed an energy audit and found this Mid Coast Maine home was in need of:

  • Attic Air Sealing & Insulation

  • Basement Insulation

  • Entry Door Replacement

The total initial cost of the project: $10,000

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The Savings & Rebates

You stand to save between $50 and $$3,500 on qualifying energy upgrades through Efficiency Maine Rebates. (You must be a Maine resident to qualify, and depending on the loan type you may need to meet minimum credit score and debt-to-income ratio requirements.)

$10,000 Project Cost – $2,500 in Efficiency Maine Rebates (basement & attic zones) = $7,500

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For the remaining balance of your project, the Efficiency Maine Home Energy Loans and the National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF) offer both low and no interest financing options. $5,000 of the project is in home efficiency projects that Efficiency Maine Home Energy Loans can be used for. NEIF EnergyPlus Loans can be used for the entry door replacement portion of the project, at $2,500.

Efficiency Maine Home Energy Loans: borrow up to $15,000 over 10 years with no fees, and interest rates as low as 4.99% APR. 

NEIF: borrow up to $35,000 when using a NEIF approved contractor, at a fixed interest rate ranging from 7.99% to 12.99% APR, based on your credit. 

Estimated monthly payment of remaining balance of $5,000 to be financed through Efficiency Maine over 10 years: $53

Estimated monthly payment of remaining balance of $2,500 to be financed through Efficiency Maine over 10 years: $33

After rebates and employing both financing products this $10,000 project will give you a more comfortable & beautiful home for just $86 a month!

*actual monthly payment will vary based on program(s) used, and approved APR.

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Efficiency Maine & National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF)

Nationally recognized lenders that we trust & so can you. No gimmicks, no closing costs and we do most of the paperwork for you! 

Evergreen Your Home For Low Monthly Payments

Want to know what your monthly payment would look like for your home improvement project? Get in touch with the Evergreen team today! Learn about all your options by giving us a call at 207-594-2244 or get in touch here.

Want to know how to finance your next home improvement project?

Talk to Evergreen today! 207-594-2244

Great job installing windows and insulation.

Bob S.

Rockland

Evergreen completed the work at my home thoroughly and professionally. An inspector from Efficiency Maine came to inspect afterwards and described it as "state of the art" and "outstanding". The crew was very pleasant and considerate during the project. Their cleanup each day was perfect. Communications with the office were easy and reliable. I am very satisfied.

Catherine H.

South Portland

They were highly recommended. I found them to be very knowledgeable and so helpful, with practical ideas. Despite my not living within their service area, they were generous with their knowledge, describing the usual solutions to correct leaks in my basement, and what the result is likely to be by following path A, B or C, and why. I was discouraged. Talking with Evergreen helped me see that my basement problems are far from insurmountable and really, fairly common in 100-year old homes. There are proven solutions.

Rosalind J

Damariscotta

We are thrilled with the job Evergreen did to transform our 213 year old home into a warm, draft-free, cozy space. The entire team led by Bruce was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and hard working. If Evergreen could transform our home in this way, we are sure they would make a comparable difference in YOUR home!

Jonathan M.

Bridgton

I made the mistake of NOT hiring this company last year when I bought and renovated my home. I have brought them in now and what a difference. This group knows what they are doing. They take a complete look at everything and believe they can make your home more energy efficient. They are very professional in the way they approach problems and solutions. And they find ways to save me money. Don't bother with anyone else. Bring Evergreen in before you do anything. Let them assess your issues and give you the right solutions.

Shaw

Owls Head

Very Satisfied with the work performed by Evergreen. Professional employees, high quality work done in a timely manner. My sales rep was Justin, and he was phenomenal During the initial walk around my house, he gave me great ideas for how to improve the efficiency of our home. We will consult with Evergreen for our future home projects.

Adam G.

Westbrook

I was extremely pleased with the professionalism and quality of service that I received from the Evergreen team. I met Richard to discuss options for insulation. I knew immediately that I wanted to do business with them because he did not try to over-sell extra services that I did not need. Dave was the project manager. He was not only kind, but very respectful of my home. I would highly recommend this company.

Darlyann M

Bath

I cannot say enough great things about working with Evergreen Home Performance. Everything including the initial consultation, the fabulous work crew, the office support and the final resolution was handled in a caring and professional manner. My only regret is that I did not know about them earlier. I enthusiastically recommend Evergreen to anyone with concerns about home energy use.

Darlene R

Bath

I used to spend winters in the bathtub because my house was so cold. This was my first winter roaming around my whole house comfortably. This even led me to decorate a little. My heating oil usage has been reduced by over a quarter: I rarely have to boost the thermostat because the temp stays at a constant. The Efficiency Maine rebates, together with the energy savings, make it affordable for me to pay for the loan I took out to finance the project. I do not worry about my pipes freezing.

Claire Helene Bevan

Camden

We absolutely loved our experience with Evergreen. The team was incredibly kind, professional and great to work with. We're very impressed with the quality of work of the Evergreen team and how easy they made everything! Our house had barely any insulation ahead of this project and the results are amazing. Insulating the attic, walls and basement with Evergreen allowed us to tear a 50-year-old furnace, ductwork and oil tank out of the basement and now heat the home with new heat pumps. Evergreen also added 100 sq ft of clean, new storage space to the attic!

Nick S.

South Portland

I was very impressed by the professionalism of this company and the workers. Brian R. was very prompt in replying to my questions; the crew was meticulous in all parts of the work and attentive to the safety aspects concerning Covid; and Brian was extremely thorough in the final inspection. My attic is now snug and warm and I've noticed that the second floor is warmer as well.

Julia S.

Rockland

Several years ago Brian Robinson evaluated the crawl space at my summer home on Islesboro where I knew moisture was becoming a problem. I had done quite a bit of work in the space many years prior with mixed results. When Brian offered some suggestions, they were ideas that incorporated work previously done, and would be a relatively low cost effort to improve the situation. He offered this advice over several phone conversations of some length, informally, and at no charge.

Cliff R.

Islesboro

Evergreen has just completed Phase 2 of 2 at my home. They are professional, hard-working and courteous. They communicate well..no surprises. They've gone above and beyond to make my home comfortable and were very respectful of my home.I recommend them unequivocally!!!Many thanks to Brian, Brian, Rick, Eddie, Dawson and the rest of the Evergreen crew!!

David Henry Feldman

From beginning to end – that is from the moment Justin McEdward stepped into our home to assess our energy conservation needs until the crew left – the Evergreen Home Performance process went absolutely smoothly. Justin made a thorough inspection and took pictures with an infrared camera. His proposal described the scope of work in detail, and he explained what we could expect the proposed work to accomplish. Our proposal was forthcoming within a couple of days, and Justin was available to discuss it and answer questions.

Adrienne Harkavy

Evergreen came back this year to finish insulating our house. We have been remodeling and renovating an 1850s cape for several years. Their employees are very professional and pleasant to deal with. Over several years Brian Robinson has been able to schedule us in for several small areas that needed addressing and finally turning a room we used to close off in the winter into a comfortable usable space. We primarily heat with wood and since Evergreens great work our furnace has only come on ONCE this winter. Fantastic. Really satisfied customer in Thomaston.

Chris F.

Thomaston

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