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

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

I am very pleased with my experience with Evergreen Home Performance. I met several times with Richard Burbank and he was very detailed in his explanations to all of my questions. He provided me with several options for improving the insulation to our home. The team of installers were very professional and respectful of our home. They did a great job of cleaning up every day after the days work and they were also very responsive to all my questions as well as we collaborated to get our home better insulated. It was a pleasure to work with Richard and…

Brian C.

Falmouth

The Evergreen Team did a fabulous job, well exceeding our expectations, In just over a week they transformed our very drafty, noisy 213 year old house into a snug, draft-free, quiet haven with warm floors! The team was prompt, did everything they said they'd do and more. We are thrilled!

Trudy M.

Bridgton

Evergreen Home Performance shows its expertise from start to finish. Evergreen did three house projects in winter/spring/summer 2020 for me, attic insulation, crawl space under a porch insulation, and basement foam/vapor barrier. From my initial discussion with Bryan, I understood the reasons for choosing different types of insulation, the associated costs, and time estimates. Evergreen scheduled in advance, came when they said they would, and the crews were highly professional in their work and demeanor.

Iris S.

Portland

We initially contacted Evergreen through Efficiency Maine for an energy audit, which was conducted promptly and professionally by Justin McEdward, one of their Energy Advisors who is BPI-certified. After a thorough inspection of our newly purchased home, Justin explained in great detail what we needed and did not need. It was agreed that Evergreen would remove all of the existing attic insulation, which was not adequate, and replace it with blown in cellulose, to a rating of R-60.

Thomas W.

Scarborough

Evergreen has insulated two homes that we've owned now and both times we experienced exceptional service and craftsmanship. Our rep, Justin, went above and beyond answering questions and the installation team was attentive to every detail, including pulling out old poorly installed insulation and redoing a bathroom fan that wasn't up to current code. They also left the place spotless every day! Our home is already so much warmer this fall and we are looking forward to using less oil this winter.

Eva G.

Falmouth

Professional, friendly and hard-working staff. The product/approach they use for insulation is top notch. We felt the difference immediately, both from added warmth and eliminating drafts. The team and management were easily available to answer our questions or coordinate meeting times. Highly recommended.

Kevin J.

Yarmouth

My husband and I bought a home on the water in Owls Head and decided to make the investment in Evergreen's recommendations for insulation. Brian Robinson spent 3 hours examining every nook and cranny before he made practical suggestions and explained them thoroughly to us.

Marie McNeely

Owls Head

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

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

I have always been impressed by the high level of service, quality of work, and excellent follow-through provided by Evergreen Home Performance in the three projects that they completed at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm over the past several years.

Paul D.

Wells

Thanks Evergreen Home Performance for helping to make our home more efficient. Many thanks as well to Bryan for the initial walk through and recommendations to make our home more efficient and to Dave, Roland, and Jacob for a job that was done professionally and courteous.  We were amazed at the level of efficiency and everyday they made sure to protect our floors, carpets, and furniture. We had daily discussions with Dave about progress and what was being done and where they were at in the project.

Carol Fink

Evergreen listened and produced a thoughtful evaluation, proposal and comprehensive plan for our attic and basement. They exhibited excellent workmanship, teamwork, and came back as planned after the completion of the job to test the outcomes. Their overall performance as insulation and home improvement contractors is truly outstanding and we highly recommend them.

Susan S.

Saco

The Evergreen Team did a fabulous job and was very tuned and responsive to the particular needs we had. The job was done right on budget and we are thrilled with the improved warmth and energy efficiency.

Ira M.

Rockland

I never leave reviews, but had a great experience with Evergreen and wanted to spread the word! In short, we worked with them to insulate our roof this winter and have noticed surprising immediate results. The constant ice dams I have wrestled with are completely gone, and the home is noticeably more comfortable. It's a little too early to tell if our oil bill is going to reduce, but I imagine we will see an impact there as well.

Joel W.

Portland

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