Contractor Mark Franzoso gives tips to Ossining homeowner Lori Damato about how she can save energy.

The Home Energy Assessment Program – sponsored by Westchester County, the Workforce Investment Board and the Business Council of Westchester – will be offering free home energy assessments for 2,000 county residents on a first-come first-served basis.  The assessments will be offered by professional contractors and the homeowner can decide whether or not to go forward with more comprehensive testing and repairs if needed.

“These assessments are free, come with no obligations and may help homeowners save money in the long run,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “Wasted energy costs money and hurts the environment, and this program can help on both fronts.

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Homeowners can call 211 to set up an appointment with an authorized contractor. A representative will screen the caller to determine whether they qualify for a free assessment and answer any questions.  An authorized contractor will then call the homeowner directly within 24 hours to schedule an appointment.

The following contractors have been hired by the county with the help of a $200,000 federal grant: Bright Homes Energy Ideas, Comfort Solutions, Green Star Energy Solutions, All HVAC Service, Bright Home Energy Solutions and Franszoso Contracting. The participating contractors (who responded to a bid request by the county) are being reimbursed $100 for each audit they complete.

To be eligible for the program, the homeowner’s property must be located in Westchester County; the person contacting the Call Center must be the owner of the property; and the prospective client’s dwelling must by 4,000 square feet or less. The program will run through May 31, 2011 (or until 2,000 audits are conducted – whichever comes first).

Homeowners will get the results of the complimentary assessment immediately after the contractor’s visit. At that point, homeowners can decide whether they should follow up — at their own expense — by hiring that contractor, or another, for a more comprehensive assessment, which usually involves several diagnostic tools and specialized computer software. At that point, if additional repairs are needed, the homeowner would need to arrange for those independently.

Call takers at the 211 Call Center can also help homeowners learn about federal grants or state incentive programs that could help with any needed repair costs.

Thanks to Westchestergov.com for this article. The article can be found here: http://www3.westchestergov.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2794:new-program-to-help-homeowners-save-on-energy-costs&catid=74:news&Itemid=300137

Mark Franzoso with his 1930’s Chevrolet Truck

To read more, go here.

Rep. John Hall (NY-19) visited Franzoso Contracting – to discuss the benefits of the House passed Home Star Energy Retrofit bill he cosponsored.   This bill will create new jobs while it creates incentives for homeowners to save energy and money on their utility bills. Read more here.

Mark Franzoso being interviewed on News 12 Westchester.

Congressman John Hall, Mark Franzoso and Alberta Leone

Honesty and quality for everyone

Putting customers first and treating them right is something Mark learned at an early age. After high school he took a job at a construction company in Connecticut, where he learned the home improvement business. By 1980 he knew it was time to go out on his own, and together with a good friend and an old, wood-grain-paneled station wagon he bought for $250, Franzoso Contracting began.

It was tough at first, but his skill, hard work and ethic began to pay off. For $500, the station wagon was replaced a year later by a used yellow Chevy pickup with a white hood. And little by little, more and more people got to know, appreciate and recommend Franzoso to friends and neighbors. The business grew. And it grew, he says, “by providing every customer with honesty, quality and total satisfaction in every job. Because you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”

“Unbelievable improvement”

Since then, his company has grown from two people to 85 experienced sales, administrative, production and installation specialists whose knowledge and expertise are “state of the art and a cut above the rest. As far as I’m concerned,” he says, “it just can’t be any other way.” Many of his staff have been with him for 20 years and more. That old Chevy pickup has since given way to 30 work trucks, and he has built the finest, most complete and continually updated showroom of roofing, siding, windows and more in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties.

For homeowners, the true beauty and advantages of today’s home improvement are better technology and far more choices. With his company, however, customers have even more to choose from because the relationships he has developed over the years with manufacturers across the country enable him to offer products no other contractor in the area can get. And, as he helpfully advises customers, many of these products qualify for the $1,500 energy tax credit included in the federal stimulus package.

“Since I began, the changes in technology have been unbelievable — across the board. Things are always changing and my company is too. We offer customers a number of green products, and we’ve been venturing into energy-saving rooftop solar as well,” he says. “It’s a natural extension of our business, and, I think, the future of this industry.” Mark also adds that out of all the states, New York has one the highest rebates for renewable energies like solar. Almost 40 – 45% in some cases.

The people’s choice. Again and again.

In an industry that has often been tainted by stories of shoddy workmanship and questionable business practices, Franzoso has achieved a level of customer confidence and satisfaction few contractors in any industry can equal. Over 70% of his business comes directly from repeat customers and word of mouth. He also keeps a repair crew active six days a week, and the majority of service calls they make entails repairing work done by other contractors.

Right from the start, Franzoso promises every customer the same two things he will and won’t do for them: He will do the very best job, down to the smallest detail, but won’t take a penny until the job is done. “I want people to be comfortable,” he says, “I want the customer to always have the upper hand.“

With home improvement, Mark believes, “you want to choose a company that’s dependable, reliable and honest. I’m never going to be the cheapest. But I can guarantee that when you go with us, no one can deliver the goods like we can — a fully licensed operation, customer service, products, expert installation techniques, and crews that are always clean-cut and courteous, and who always leave your grounds clean and spotless.” He also adds that every square inch of his workmanship is backed with a lifetime warranty.

At the same time, he invests and reinvests in both his company and staff with training courses and certifications for products, techniques and specialized areas like household lead containment and asbestos removal.

Today, 30 years after it all began, Franzoso’s reputation for honesty and quality have made his company the largest home improvement business in Westchester and Putnam counties. His trucks, signs and thousands of satisfied customers are now an everyday part of the landscape. His company website www.franzoso.com regularly records over 10,000 visits every month, and he stays actively connected to the community through direct support and sponsorship of local charities and the arts, including the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, where he serves on the Board of Directors.

“There are most parts of Westchester,” he says, “that if you call us, we can come to your house and literally point to one of our jobs. I always tell everyone that our work is showroom quality, and that’s why we have a showroom in every neighborhood. We’re here to stay,” he adds, “this company will be here forever.”

Obama was traveling to Savannah, Ga., on Tuesday to outline the Home Star program. Obama called for energy rebates in his State of the Union address, and officials hope the plan will be as popular as last year’s Cash for Clunkers money-back program for autos.

READ MORE

What makes a window energy efficient?

• Quality Frame Materials: A variety of durable, insulated and low-maintenance framing materials reduce heat transfer and help insulate better.
• Multiple Panes: Two panes of glass, with an air or gas-filled space in the middle, insulate much better than a single pane of glass. Some ENERGY STAR-qualified windows include three panes for even greater energy-efficiency, increased impact resistance, and sound insulation.
• Low-E Glass: Special Coatings reflect infrared light, keeping heat inside in winter and outside in summer. They also reflect damaging ultraviolet light, which helps protect interior furnishings from fading and the more a window product can reject or absorb the UV energy the longer the life of the furnishings being protected. Franzoso Contracting, Inc. can offer insulated glass packages with as high an R-value as R-10 and double or triple pane glass with multilayered gas coatings.
• Gas Fills: Some energy-efficient windows have argon, krypton, or other gases between the panes. These odorless, colorless, non-toxic gases insulate better than regular air.
• Warm Edge Spacers: A spacer keeps a window’s glass panes the correct distance apart. Nonmetallic and metal/non-metal hybrid spacers also insulate pane edges, reducing heat transfer through the window.

What Makes a Door Energy Efficient?

• Multiple Glass Panes: Double or triple-paned insulating glass is used to reduce heat flow.
• Tighter Fit and Improved Weather Stripping: New frames may include a magnetic strip to create a tighter seal that reduces air leakage around the edges which is similar to the way your refrigerator
• closes and seals itself.
• Improved Core Materials: Fiberglass, wood cladding, and steel with polyurethane foam core are among the most energy-efficient door materials available today.

Franzoso Contracting can easily help you determine how you can best improve your home’s energy efficiency with beautiful new windows, doors or skylights. Our extensive showroom here in Croton is packed with samples of quality products that can make a real difference in your daily life. And, there’s even special state and federal programs that offer financial incentives and low- or interest-free financing to help make it easy to decide to go the energy-efficient route for your home!

So call or come in today! Franzoso Contracting is always here for you, our knowledgeable staff will help you make the right choices for your needs, and our expert installers will do a beautiful job to help make your home the energy-efficient showplace of your neighborhood! Please visit our comprehensive website at http://www.franzoso.com, or call us at 914-271-4572.

This Free Report brought to you by: Franzoso Contracting : 33 Croton Point Ave • Croton On Hudson, NY 10520 • (914) 271-4572