A Financial Approach to a Net Zero and Hurricane Proof Retrofit
Last Updated: Mar 10, 2025After a career that has included designing solar-energy systems and energy-efficient lighting systems; starting his own company, ShineRetrofits, which he built up and sold; and working in eCommerce, real estate investing, and finance, entrepreneur Erin Shine had an idea:
Table of Contents
- How Much Does it Cost to Live in a Net Zero Home?
- A Remarkable Retrofit
- Advice to Homeowners
Let's prove you can sustainably and attainably build houses that are actually affordable for first-time homebuyers.
His first project, a retrofit and remodel of a 1984 wood-frame home in the Cape Coral area of Florida, proves just that. After pouring through MLS listing in cities throughout the US, he says that community was his best option. He grew up in the area, still has family there, and knows the real estate market. Also, the house had a perfect roof for a solar array.
"It was an experiment to see if it would work," he says. "I'm in my mid-30s. Half of my successful professional friends still can't buy a house." In Cape Coral, Shine purchased the 1,835-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath house for $199,900. His project costs were $84,357.14. The total amount spent, then, was $284,257.14. For reference, the median home price for this area is $318,301.
Shine's solar-powered, all-electric, net-zero, and hurricane-resistant home is now his primary residence. He also started a new company, Attainable Home, to showcase the home and grow the home retrofit business to be more sustainable.
For Shine, the process of retrofitting a home to be more sustainable was all about numbers. Using a spreadsheet, he analyzed the upfront and payback costs of every upgrade. Why? "Real estate is the number-one wealth-building vehicle," he says. "Attainable Home is about how we can remodel homes realistically and affordably."
How Much Does it Cost to Live in a Net Zero Home?
The home's 9.38kw solar-powered system has 24 panels and micro-inverters. The panels are also "the highest-rated ones I could find for hurricane resistance." The array powers not only the home but also Shine's Tesla. Shine calculates that he's saving $1,800 a year in electricity costs, and $592 a year in gas, for a total yearly electric and gas savings of $2,392.
- The mortgage payment, after a 20% downpayment and an interest rate of 2.99%, is $926.34 per month.
- His property tax payment per month is $95.98.
- Homeowner's insurance per month is $147.17.
- The water bill is $85 per month.
- The monthly utility solar net-metering hookup fee ("even if you're net-zero") is $21.69.
- The home has also budgeted $1,000 per year for maintenance ($83 per month).
So, the total monthly cost to own the house, then, he says, is $1,359.18.
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Advice to Homeowners
"I'm not an expert in building science," Shine says, adding, with a laugh, "I know enough to be dangerous."
"My passion is for macro-economics, monetary systems, and real estate investing," he continues. "I come from the commercial world, in which nothing happens unless it makes monetary sense." This home "proves you don't need to use natural gas. You can retrofit an existing house into a comfortable, all-electric, net-zero home with all of the conveniences. As an investment, retrofitting a home in this way beats out bonds and the stock market. By making sure the retrofit makes financial sense, you're enjoying energy savings, as well."
The main focus of Attainable Home, he says, "is the financial side of the industry and sustainability. Start with the lowest hanging fruit when you're doing efficiency or renewable projects and trying to make the financing work. Chip away at all the items with the lowest payback on your money and highest return on investment first. This approach will, in turn, bring down the overall costs for the complete project."
Shine's project "is now a full net-zero asset and home. The home, and my lifestyle, produce zero-emissions net-net (after a short period to recoup the building costs and emissions)." Shine has also established that his primary residence could also be used as a rental if needed. "Beyond that, this house checks all the boxes of using real estate for long-term wealth building and asset ownership."
Camille LeFevre
Camille LeFevre is an architecture and design writer based in the Twin Cities.