Bangor Home Show by Bangor Daily News

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

43rd Bangor Home Show opens Friday By Brian Swartz BDN Maine Special Sections Editor

Dean Appleman senses that New Englanders fed up with a long winter and a tough economy “are interested in getting things done around the house this spring.” That’s why he expects to “have a great crowd this year” as the 43rd Annual Bangor Home Show opens Friday, April 12 for a three-day run at the Bangor Auditorium and Bangor Civic Center. The Bangor Home Show will feature more than 220 businesses and organizations displaying information and materials about their products and services. From a mini-modular house to cookware demonstrations to energy-efficient windows and doors, visitors will find information on almost every conceivable home-improvement project.

The show hours are: • 1-9 p.m., Friday, April 12; • 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, April 13; • 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, April 14. Admission is $7 per person and free for children ages 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. Ads published in local newspapers will feature coupons worth $2 off the adult admission price. Parking is free at Bass Park during the show. The auditorium and civic center will be filled with exhibitors, and some businesses will set up displays outside the auditorium. “I have sold out the show again,” Appleman said. “The vendors are excited. “They can’t wait for the show to come around. “The economy is showing a slight little turn upward,” said Appleman, whose All Seasons

BDN Photo by brian swartz

A hot tub bubbles as Bangor Home Show visitors speak with exhibitors inside the Bangor Civic Center. Promotions has produced home shows in New England for decades. “People are coming out to the

home shows to talk to the professionals, to the contractors, to the people who can help them with

their home-improvements plans.” HOME SHOW

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BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show HOME SHOW

FROM PAGE 2

Based on the home shows already held this year in Rhode Island and Vermont, Apple-

bdn photo by brian swartz

Visitors fill the aisles while checking out Bangor Home Show exhibits inside the Bangor Auditorium on a Saturday afternoon..

man anticipates that many homeowners will seek information about specific homeimprovement projects while attending the Bangor show this weekend. “Attendance has been better than normal at our recent shows elsewhere,” Appleman said. Among the 2013 displays will be a minimodular home designed and built by Kent Homes of New Brunswick and marketed by Broughman Builders of Ellsworth. The mini-modular home will be set up beside the main entrance to the Bangor Auditorium. Bangor Hydro-Electric is returning to the home show, and by the main entrance, “Skip Johnson of Circle D Foam Insulation is going to do demonstrations all weekend long about foam insulation,” Appleman said. Appleman has always been amazed at how the Bangor Home Show attracts as many visitors, if not more, than similar shows held in more populated regions. The Bangor Home Show needs little promotion “to bring people through the doors,” he said. “I don’t need to bring in anybody from HGTV. I don’t need to hire major celebrities to come in and wow this crowd,” he com-

mented. “People come to this show to buy product. Everybody knows the Bangor home show has a great reputation.” For exhibitors accustomed to dwindling crowds late each day at other shows, Appleman tells them that the Bangor show is different. “People keep coming into the show even late in the day. When you have 500 people in the building and it’s almost 9 o’clock on Saturday night, that tells you this is a successful show,” he said. The 2013 show marks the last one to be held in the Bangor Auditorium, scheduled for demolition after the adjacent Cross Insurance Center opens later this year. “This is bittersweet,” Appleman said. “We’re going to continue on with the Bangor Home Show in the new building, but to leave” the auditorium, “it’s saddening. I’ve been around it since I was a child” and his father, Al Appleman, produced the Bangor Home Show, he said. “I am looking forward to our future in the new center,” Appleman said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun going into the new building.” For more information about the Bangor Home Show, log onto www.homeshows.com and click on the “Bangor Home Show” link.

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

Gagne & Son returns

Well-known company opens new store on Main Road in Holden By Brian Swartz BDN Maine Special Sections Editor

Once again a household name in the greater Bangor area, Gagne & Son has opened a facility on Route 1A in Holden, a fact that will be highlighted at the company’s booth during the 43rd Annual Bangor Home Show. “Years ago Gagne & Son had a precast plant in Veazie,” said Mike Michaud during a recent telephone interview. “It has closed. Gagne & Son has not had a presence in the Bangor area since the Veazie location closed.” That changed last May, when Gagne &

Son opened its newest facility at 252 Main Road, Holden. Managed by Leo Gendreaux, the facility carries the company’s full line of products. The phone number is 992-5660. “We wanted to re-establish ourselves in the Bangor market by popular demand,” Michaud said. “Our products are very popular,” Michaud said. “We looked at several locations in the greater Bangor area and found that [Holden site] to be the best location.” Reflecting its renewed commitment to the region, Gagne & Son “returned to the Bangor Home Show last year in conjunction with the GAGNE & SON PAGE 5 

bdn photo by brian swartz

A Bangor Home Show visitor pops a lawn tractor hood to check the engine.

GAGNE & SON

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show FROM PAGE 4

opening of our Holden store,” Michaud said. “I can tell you first hand that I worked the Saturday of the show, and it was unbelievable how many people remembered Gagne & Son who came up to us,” he said. Michaud met show visitors from Ellsworth, Lincoln, Milo, and “all over the area. “We do a lot of these home shows … one in every one of our markets for our [eight] stores,” he said. “It’s really hard to survey how well those shows do for us. We are there to promote our products, but we also support our landscapers who use our products,” Michaud commented. “We are a manufacturer of concrete products: regular building blocks, precast materials. We are also a manufacturer of hardscaping products: retaining walls, a wide variety of pavers,” among other products, he said. With stores in Auburn, Belgrade, Holden, Kittery, Naples, Saco, Topsham, and Westbrook, Gagne & Son employs approximately 90 people. At the Bangor Home Show, Gagne & Son will display “a fully operational pizza oven” and “a brand new pub table, which we invented with our retaining wall materials. The

BDN photo by brian swartz

Bangor Home Show visitors watch as an exhibitor’s representative demonstrates a flagpole that can be raised and lowered.

table top is made from Hampton limestone,” Michaud said. Techno-Block, a Gagne & Son supplier, will set up a 54-foot tractor-trailer outside the

Bangor Auditorium entrance to “feature all of their products,” he said. “They manufacture pavers and retaining wall materials. We distribute their products.”

At each home show in which it participates, Gagne & Son raffles a valuable product and donates the proceeds to charity. Last year the raffle raised more than $7,000 for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. This year, according to Michaud, the company will raffle “a complete backyard patio with a pub table and chairs and the pizza oven, along with the pavers and retaining wall blocks for a sitting wall. This has a value in excess of $8,500. The tickets are available at the [Bangor Home] show and at all our locations for a donation of $5.” Tickets will be sold at each home show in which Gagne & Son participates. “The drawing [for the winner] will be held on Saturday, May 19 at the Northern New England Home & Garden Show in Fryeburg,” Michaud said. “There will be one winner. “We will deliver the prize at no charge as long as you are within 20 miles of any one of our locations,” he noted. “All proceeds from the [2013] raffle will go directly to the Miranda Leavitt Diabetes Fund,” Michaud said. “It is a local organization to benefit people diagnosed with Type I and Type II diabetes in Maine and northern New Hampshire.” For more information, log onto www. gagneandson.com.

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show VENDOR......................................................................BOOTH # 302 Stillwater Avenue Furniture.............................270A, 271 AAA Northern New England.............................................. 203 ADT Night Watch Protection.............................................. 295 ADT Security...................................................................... 160 Aerus Electrolux.........................................112, 113, 156, 157 Air & Water Quality............................................................ 127 Allen/Freeman/McDonnell Agency................................... 283 Allenfarm Fence Co. Inc. ........................................... 288, 289 American Concrete Homes................................................ 273 American Concrete Industries (page 8)............................ 321 American Sleep Therapy............................216, 217, 218, 219 Andersen Windows.....................................130, 137, 311, 314 Andy’s Pool Store/ A&W Pool Co. Inc..............................326A Aquaduct Seamless Gutter Systems and Home Improvement...................................... 233, 234 Aquatic Development Inc.................................................. 168 Atlantic Designs Inc........................................................... 306 B.W. Hewes & Associates LLC........................................... 206 Back in Balance Wellness Center..................................... 255 Bangor Daily News............................................................ 296 Bangor Hydro Electric Company....................................... 119 Bath Fitter.................................................................. 149, 320 Better Ways Tub Refinishing............................................. 259 Black Bear Medical (page 11)................................... 248, 249 Bluegreen Corporation...................................................... 228 Bonsey Brothers Inc.................................................. 126, 127 Boulderz Poolz & Spaz LLC............................................... 201 Broughman Builders Inc. (page 4).................................... 227 Camden National Bank...................................................... 212 Camp & Cottage Store, The............................................... 272 Carefree Window & Siding Co........................................... 215 Casco Bay Home Improvement................................. 139, 140 Central Maine Moving and Storage.................................. 118 Central Maine Stone Works............................................... 238 Circle D Sprayform Inc............................................... 120, 121 CN Brown Electric.............................................................. 158 Coastline Homes................................................................ 278 College Pro USA................................................................. 116 Collegiate Entrepreneurs................................................... 110 Comfort Furnace Infrared Heat......................................... 260 Commotions.....................................................................330B Concrete Countertops of Maine........................................ 202 Cross Insurance................................................................. 224 Cutco Cutlery..................................................................... 276 Daily Bread......................................................................... 207 Darling’s Agency................................................................ 115 Dave Ireland Builders........................................................ 267 Dave’s World...................................................................... 247 Dead River Company......................................................... 315 DIRECTV............................................................................. 277 Disabled American Veterans............................................. 111 Dogwatch Hidden Fence of Greater Bangor..................... 138 Dorr’s Equipment Co....................................C Outdoor Village Downeast Seamless Gutters.......................E Outdoor Village Easy Living Products................................................. 123, 266 EBS Building Supplies/Stone Division (page 10)............318B Elco Geothermal................................................................. 235 Electrical Solutions of Bangor........................................... 274 Ellsworth Building Supply..........................141, 142, 316, 317

Bangor Home Show

The 43rd Annual

BANGOR HOME SHOW April 12, 13 & 14

Vendors in red type are also advertisers in this supplement. Vendor list is accurate as of April 8, 2013. There may be late changes before the show, so be sure to check at the show. Energy Layout Consulting................................................. 106 Evergreen Home and Hearth...................... A Outdoor Village Flagstones.......................................................................... 290 Frank Webb’s Bath and Lighting Center................... 208, 209 Fresh Air Ventilation.......................................................... 291 FW Collins...................................................130, 137, 311, 314 G.E. Strout Heating............................................................. 155 Gagne & Son (page 3)........................................................ 323 Godin’s General Contractor Inc......................................... 169 Granite Shop, The.............................................................. 329

Granville Stone & Hearth................. 304 A, D Outdoor Village Great Northern Painting.................................................... 246 Green Thumb Lawn Service............................................309B Greenway Equipment Sales...................................... 324, 325 Greenworks, The.............................................. Main Entrance Hammond Lumber Co................................................ 319, 322 Harbor Shore Landscaping Inc.......................................... 213 Hazelton Woodworks......................................................... 258 Health Craft Cooking Show............................................... 328 Hickory Dickery Decks...............................164, 165, 166, 167

Hilltop Log Homes.............................................................. 313 Holgerson Inc..................................................................... 143 Home Depot....................................................................... 250 Home Energy Answers...................................................... 294 Intercoastal Concrete & Waterproofing............................ 210 Irving Energy................................ 152, 153, F Outdoor Village Island Pool & Spa.....................................................302A, 303 Jerky Hut, The........................................... Civic Center Lobby Keith Trembley Home Solutions........................................ 135 Kent Homes................................................................ 240, 241

Kitchen Craft.............................................................. 204, 205 Kuhns Bros. Log Homes.................................................... 128 Lakonia Greek Products.................................................... 146 Legacy Home Improvements Inc....................................... 133 Lepage & Eaton Countertops..................................... 150, 151 Liberty Mutual.................................................................... 214 Little Giant Ladders........................................................... 162 Lumber Liquidators................................................... 263, 264 Lymans Farm Store.................................................... 102, 103 Lynch Landscaping Inc...................................................... 265

M & K Flooring................................................................... 131 Maine Alternative Comfort LLC......................................... 239 Maine Cedar Specialty............................................... 230, 231 Maine Energy............................................................. 107, 108 Maine Residential Construction LLC................................. 249 Maplecrest Lilies............................................................... 117 MMJ Promotions................................................................ 105 Moosehead Cedar Log Homes........................................... 220 My Pillow........................................................................... 101 Myerowitz Chiropractic & Acupuncture Clinic................. 236 Nagy Sales................................................................. 237, 122 Neighbors Supporting Neighbors Food Pantry................. 114 Nelson Candies and Fudge................................................ 200 New England Fire Safety................................................... 229 New Form Building Systems Inc....................................... 244 Non-Visible Fence of Central Maine.................................. 223 Northeast Flagpole Company..........................................318A Northeastern Log Homes................................................... 275 Oak n Pine Cabinet Shop................................................... 163 One Stop Home Repair............................................... 225, 226 Osborne’s Plumbing & Heating Inc................................... 265 Overhead Door Co. of Bangor............................................ 301 P.D.Q. Door................................................................304B, 305 Pearl Contractors....................................................... 144, 145 Pella Windows & Doors............................................. 327, 330 Penquis.............................................................................. 109 Pine Tree Waste................................................................. 136 Pinetree Foam & Insulation............................................... 292 Portland Glass............................................................ 256, 257 Prazi USA........................................................................... 262 Prudential Northeast Properties....................................... 269 Qualey Granite & Quartz.................................................... 308 Quality Home Products...................................................... 124 Quiltladies J & J................................................................. 268 Rainaway Seamless Gutters............................................. 261 Red Brick Lending............................................................. 132 ReVision Energy................................................................. 159 RH Foster Energy LLC..............................................161, 326B Rhonda LaVoie, Scentsy Consultant................................. 293 Sandollar Spa & Pool................................................. 129, 307 Sherwin-Williams.............................................................. 134 Showcase Homes.............................................................. 125 Silverline/American Craftsmen................................. 251, 252 Simply Cannoli................................................................... 104 Sleep Number............................................................ 253, 254 Softub Inc................................................................... 221, 222 Somerset Stone Center.............................................. 147, 148 Sun Dog Solar Store.......................................................... 154 TC Hafford Basement Systems......................................... 312 Time Warner Cable............................................................ 279 To The Queen’s Taste................................................. 232, 243 U.S. Cellular........................................................................ 242 Up & Up Post and Beam Homes Inc................................309A V.L. Walton’s Flooring........................................................ 310 Viking Lumber.............................................130, 137, 311, 314 Water Treatment by Home Supply Center and Hampden Hardware.............................................. 211 Wicked Wine Candles........................................................ 245 Williams Roofing................................................................ 284

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

BDN photos by brian swartz

One Bangor Home Show exhibitor sells mailboxes that swing when struck by onjects like a snowplow.

Exhibits that feature bathrooms and kitchens are always popular with Bangor Home Show visitors.

WinsMor Garage Door delivers full service Belfast company serves commercial, residential customers WinsMor Garage Door Company in Belfast is a full-service overhead garage door company offering residential and commercial doors, garage door openers, custom doors, roll-up truck doors, and parts, as well as service and repair. The company, founded seven years ago, moved into a spacious new showroom on Route 1 in February that accommodates displays of two working garage doors, electric garage door openers, samples of several other products, and photographs and videos showcasing some of its completed jobs. Working displays include an insulated steel raised-panel door with a LiftMaster ½-horsepower chain-drive electric garage door opener and an American Tradition steel carriage house door with a LiftMaster

½-horsepower belt-drive electric opener. Owner Michael Mortell has more than 35 years of experience in the garage-door industry, having grown up in Massachusetts learning the trade from his father and working with family members, including his uncle, brother, and brother-in-law. He prides himself on offering the best possible prices and quality workmanship. The company motto is “Everyone Wins at WinsMor.” “Value is all about smart design, troublefree operation, and the absolute best price on the street,” Mortell said. One of the company’s goals is to never be undersold by the “big guys.” To ensure fast, quality service, every truck is stocked with all the proper tools and

equipment to do any installation job. “Most of our jobs are able to be completed with one or two technicians, with the time frame varying depending on the work involved. Our technicians are very efficient, and we have a reputation of installing or repairing your garage doors right the first time,” Mortell said. WinsMor offers “big company benefits, but with that local business feel,” he said. “We are large enough that we are able to install residential and commercial garage doors throughout the whole State of Maine and most of New England, including Cape Cod and the islands, yet we still offer very personable attention and dedication to all of our customers.” Mortell has passed his knowledge and work ethics on to his technicians, and his

passion for running a successful business on to his staff. “When you have someone from WinsMor Garage Door Company come out to your home, you get someone who is happy, someone who likes being there, and is knowledgeable, skilled and professional,” Mortell said. “Our staff is comprised of people who appreciate the opportunity to take care of you. Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with the many different contractors and homeowners that we deal with on a daily basis,” he said. “We accomplish this by consistently providing our customers with clear communication, easy-to-understand estimates, and prepared professionals who provide quality workmanship at the best price. We take every opportunity to listen to our customers’ needs and to understand their situations,” Mortell said. WinsMor carries a wide variety of products to suit every budget, with insulated garage doors starting at about $600. The company also carries garage door openers, which, in addition to added convenience, extend the life of garage doors by moving them at one constant speed, Mortell said. Visit the company’s showroom on Route 1 in Belfast, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends by appointment. To learn more, call 930-3667, or visit the company’s website at www.winsmor.com.

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

Efficiency Maine helps reduce energy costs Goal is promoting efficienct, cost-effective use of energy Efficiency Maine is an independent trust dedicated to promoting the efficient and cost-effective use of energy to save money for Maine residents and businesses, grow the economy, and create jobs. Established in 2002 as part of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, in 2009 Efficiency Maine became an independent trust consisting of a nineperson board of directors and tasked with administering all of Maine’s non-transportation energy efficiency and alternative-energy programs. According to Communications Director Paul Badeau, Efficiency Maine programs: • Deliver Maine’s lowest-cost energy resource; • Help customers acquire energy resources that cost less than supply to help individuals and businesses meet their energy needs at the lowest cost; • Benefit program participants as well as all customers on the electric grid. “In fiscal year 2012, Efficiency Maine programs saved Maine people $142 million in avoided electrical energy costs,” said Badeau. “During that same time, our programs also helped more than 1,600 businesses complete more than 2,500 projects to save an estimated $44 million over the lifetime of the measures installed.” Efficiency Maine is currently offering a $600 incentive to homeowners who get a home energy assessment (also called a home energy audit) through a Participating Energy Advisor. “An energy audit is a great first step for someone who wants to make their home more energy efficient,” said Badeau. “It is a top-to-bottom assessment of your home’s

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Exhibitors at the Bangor Home Show feature almost every conceivable home-improvement product, including invisible fences designed to keep an enthusiastic dog in its yard. energy efficiency. “An energy advisor will look at the insulation in your attic, and if accessible, in your walls. He will look at the crawl space, any moisture issues in your basement, even assess your appliances,” Badeau said. “After that, he will give you a detailed report, which serves as a game plan for taking action on making your home more energy ef-

ficient. It allows the homeowner to prioritize what he or she can do, and focus, piece by piece, on tackling the energy efficiency needs of the home,” he said. This makes efficiency improvements more manageable by identifying which projects need to be done first, Badeau said. For example, it would make no sense to install a new heating system before first addressing

any air sealing issues in the home. For a limited time, Efficiency Maine is also offering up to $600 to help weatherize homes and protect them against chilly drafts with air sealing and insulation. Simple air sealing can help people lower their energy costs and make their homes more comfortable. Customers of the natural gas company ENERGY PAGE 11 

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

Black Bear Medical will have large exhibit By Sheila Grant Special to the BDN

Not many businesses could claim such diverse clients as health professionals, athletes, the recently injured, pediatrics, and the elderly, but Black Bear Medical has products to meet a wide range of needs. Health professionals will find stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and other items for the medical bag, while athletes can gear up with compression sportswear. Black Bear Medical carries a full line of rehabilitation products designed to help those recovering at home; these products include wheelchairs, power chairs, scooters, hospital beds, and walkers. “We also have stair lifts and ramps for people to use at their homes,” said Brian Tracy, a Black Bear medical sales representative. In addition to Stairglides and modular ramps, the company offers vertical wheelchair lifts, a variety of vehicle lifts, lifts to help people get up and down from furniture within the home, and numerous other items

BDN photos by brian swartz

Visitors throng the aisles inside the Bangor Auditorium on the Saturday morning of the Bangor Home Show.

to address accessibility issues.

A variety of products for those suffering from incontinence, urological issues, and

other health problems are available, as are light therapy boxes for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder. Black Bear offers Philips LifeLine Medical Alert services and products that ensure that people who are living alone will get help sooner if they fall and cannot reach a telephone. The Black Bear Medical booth at the Bangor Home Show will feature many of these products, as well as break-through fitness precuts and the latest in pain-relief technology. “We will be doing free demos of the Laser Touch One, which is pain relief in the palm of your hand,” said Tracy. “This is a fairly new product that we sell a lot of now.” The Laser Touch One combines cold laser treatment with micro-current electrical stimulation and can be used at home to treat pain from injuries, arthritis, and chronic pain, Tracy said. “We are trying to get this out to the public. This is a huge alternative to pain medications, whether over-the-counter or prescripBLACK BEAR MEDICAL PAGE 11 

A potential customer checks out the quote on a versatile ladder being sold by an exhibitor at the Bangor Home Show.

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

BDN photos by brian swartz

Desire is written all over the face of a Bangor Home Show visitor as he tries the controls on a lawn mower..

A young hobbit has found the home of his dreams at the Bangor Home Show. BLACK BEAR MEDICAL

FROM PAGE 10

tion drugs,” he said. “Our hope is to get that in front of people who are wondering what they can do to change their lives,” Tracy said. This really can change the life of somebody who’s been suffering pain for years; it already has,” he said. The Black Bear display will also include: • A functioning stair lift on a short flight of stairs so that people can see it in operation; • Ramps for accessibility; • A patient lift used for moving individuals from bed to wheelchair and back; • A power wheelchair; exercise and rehaENERGY

FROM PAGE 9

Unitil qualify for an additional $600, for a total of $1,200 in assistance for air sealing and insulation improvements. To qualify, homeowners must get an energy audit through a Participating Energy Advisor, who can be found via the Efficiency Maine website. “Efficiency Maine also offers low-interest loans to homeowners to make various energy efficiency upgrades to their homes, ranging from high-efficiency heating system replacements and insulation work to appliance

bilitation equipment; • Biofreeze, a topical pain reliever. “We will have the Philips Medication Dispenser on display, as well, to get that out to the older population that might be concerned about medication errors,” said Tracy. There will be a drawing for a door prize at the Black Bear Medical booth, and the company is offering Bangor Home Show discount prices on several products, including the Laser Touch One and stair lifts. Black Bear Medical has sales locations in Portland and Bangor, as well as online catalog sales. For more information, call 1-877-9899849 or 992-2337 respectively, or visit www. blackbearmedical.com. upgrades and moisture mitigation,” said Badeau. “Loan payments are often offset by the monthly energy savings. In addition, we offer a number of rebates on ENERGY STAR appliances.” Efficiency Maine also offers special pricing on energy-efficient CFL light bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer, Badeau said, and new this year, rebates on LED bulbs. For more information, call 1-866-376-2463 or visit the website, www.efficiencymaine. com.

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013

Bangor Home Show

Tour new mini modular home at Home Show Broughman Builders introduces new house line from Kent Homes By Brian Swartz BDN Maine Special Sections Editor

Visitors attending the 43rd Annual Bangor Home Show will see the latest in modular homes: The Pine Cone Mini Modular, one of several mini modulars houses designed and built by Kent Homes. “The mini modular was introduced into the United States this year with us,” said Mike Wight, who along with his wife, Daisy, owns Broughman Builders in Ellsworth. The company has sold and set up traditional Kent modulars for some years; the Wights will bring the Pine Cone Mini Modular to the Bangor Home Show so people can learn why these homes are popular with retirees and young families and as camps and cottages. As designed by Kent Homes, a mini modular house resembles a mobile home in length and width, but the resemblance and functionality stop there: A mini modular house is just that — a house. Built to BOCA standards, a Kent mini modular house “is all wood-construction, built to regular construction standards” and with 2x10-inch floor joists, Wight said. “When it arrives, it is 100-percent finished inside.” Each mini modular house is designed for energy efficiency, with R-21 insulation in the exterior walls, R-30 in the ceiling, and R-28 in the floor. A Fujitsu heat pump provides heat and air conditioning; designed to run quietly, the in-wall-mounted heat pump has a compressor located outside the house. “This heat pump will heat the whole house until it goes to minus 10 below,” Wight said. “The back-up heat is electric baseboard, which you won’t need most of the time, even

photo courtesfy of kent homes

An artist’s rendering of a mini modular house designed and constructed by Kent Homes of New Brunswick reveals how the wood-framed house looks when set up on a homeowner’s land. in Maine.” The heat pump eliminates the costs associated with installing, fueling, and maintaining a standard oil- or gas-fired heating system. With its house-type construction, a mini modular can be equipped with a wood stove or a pellet stove. Kent Homes offers its mini modular homes in lengths ranging from 44 to 72 feet; the standard width is 16 feet. The Pine Cone Mini Modular on display outside the Bangor

Auditorium entrance measures 16 feet in width by 50 feet in length. The front door opens onto a 6-foot porch, leaving a 44x16’ living space. Each house can be customized for its buyers; while the Pine Cone features two bedrooms, a larger house can feature up three or four bedrooms. Each house offers modern appliances and meets all building codes in terms of electrical, heating, and plumbing systems. The mini modular “is a one-box modular,” Wight said. The typical modular home involves two or more “boxes,” the actual house sections transported to a construction site. Among the additional costs associated with setting up a modular home is hiring a crane and operator to lift the boxes into place. A Kent mini modular can be set up on a frost wall, a full slab, or a basement. Placing a mini modular on a slab eliminates the need for a crane; placing that same house on a frost wall or basement requires a crane. Under the right circumstances, “we can set it up in one day,” Wight said. The fully finished mini modular also re-

duces housing costs by eliminating the need for set-up crews, which typically need two to four weeks to finish a traditional modular house. “If you don’t need to hire a crane or the set-up crews, you’ll save about $20,000 in set-up costs,” Wight said. Lending institutions view a mini modular as a house, so mortgage rates can be lower than for a mobile home. Wight estimated that “a nice trailer could run $40,000 with 7-8% financing for 15 years.” Gazing at the Pine Cone Mini Modular, he said that “with this being a real house, you can get 3½% for 30 years.” According to Wight, a mobile home de preciates in value as time passes, but a mini modular house would not. “As property values rise in a neighborhood, so will the value of a mini modular,” he said. With housing costs running in the triple digits today, a mini modular home provides an affordable way for many people to buy a house. For more information about mini modular homes, call 207-667-7870, email sales@broughmanbuilders.com, or log onto www.broughmanbuilders.com.