Give homebuilders, remodelers some propane love

When is the last time you met with a homebuilder or remodeler in your marketing area to discuss how propane can make their construction businesses more successful? Talking with a builder on the job site as you are setting a bulk tank doesn’t count as a meeting.

Give them some propane love by scheduling a meeting with each of the builders in your area over a cup of coffee or other beverage of choice to discuss why propane is a viable energy choice for their construction projects.

Discussion topics

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Just like you, builders wear a lot of hats and have many considerations when selling, planning and building a home or major remodeling project. Recommendations from builders on different aspects of the construction process, including energy choices, are valued by the homebuyer.

Are builders and remodelers in your marketing area prepared to confidently recommend propane to their clients? If not, you have some work to do. Here are some topics for discussion with builders:

Protect energy diversity: Propane is always one of the energy choices for construction projects, except in those jurisdictions where draconian regulations have outlawed energy choice by banning the installation of gas appliances.

“Electrify everything” is bad policy: Stretch codes that support electrification raise the cost of homebuilding, increase the operating costs for homeowners and marginalize home comfort. Most builders know this, but you may need to remind them.

Propane is reliable: The propane industry has an enviable reliability record compared to some of the news we have heard about forced power outages and unplanned electricity brownouts and blackouts. You should be able to talk with builders about your 100 percent reliability record with your scheduled delivery customers that has come about with the adoption of advanced scheduling software and tank monitor systems and an abundant supply of domestically produced propane.

Natural gas may not be the best choice: A growing percentage of homeowners on existing natural gas mains and those on natural gas main expansion projects have turned down natural gas service for a variety of reasons.

High hookup costs for natural gas, plus interior gas line replacement and appliance conversions or replacements, can drive out energy cost payback many years. Some consumers don’t like the high cost of unavoidable monthly meter charges and other fees after hookup and dependence on a government-regulated gas grid intrusion rather than the on-site energy potential of other energy choices such as propane and solar.

Some of these same reasons for not hooking an existing home to natural gas may be reasons a builder recommends propane instead of natural gas to the new homebuyer, even if the building site has access to natural gas.

Propane provides access to clean energy anywhere: Propane can provide clean, on-site energy no matter where the construction project is located. Conventional propane is cleaner than most grid-sourced electricity today, and the advent of renewable propane means it is unlikely grid-sourced electricity will ever catch up. Propane is clean now and getting cleaner.

Propane is affordable: While energy costs may vary in different regions of the country, propane generally costs more than natural gas and less than electricity, making it an affordable energy choice for homeowners. Natural gas utilities always try to exaggerate the cost of propane compared to natural gas, and electric utilities use complicated “utility math” on their consumer billing to hinder price comparisons to propane.

Get involved

We haven’t even gotten to the discussion topics of achieving net-zero energy by building with propane and other conversations around accelerating decarbonization with propane. Find out more about talking with builders and uses of propane for residential construction and remodeling at propane.com.

Reach out to your current builder clients and find new ones by joining your local homebuilders association, and become an active and supporting member. Throwing a little propane love their way will bring rewards for all involved.

Tom Jaenicke is vice president of propane marketing services for Warm Thoughts Communications. He can be reached at tjaenicke@warmthoughts.com or 810-252-7855.