Return on investment perception is that if you make an improvement, you should be able to sell it for the same, or add value to the house. But every time we do those things, today's buyers are also interested in ... balance between immediate return (energy savings) and long-term returns (aesthetics). Energy-efficient retrofits almost always return the money.

Every project has its own unique logistics—and thereby unique costs. These are the five business components that can help in identifying the unique costs of each project.