About the Show:

"The sticker price of a home is not the same as the cost to own it. When you build efficiently, you are essentially prepaying for your energy at a fixed cost for the next 30 years, rather than renting it from the utility company at a rate that goes up every single year."

– David Stitt

In this second episode of Stitt Happens, Randy sits down with David Stitt, CEO of The Stitt Group and Stitt Solar, to talk about what actually goes into building an energy-efficient home in Northwest Arkansas—and why it matters more than you might think. They get into the real costs of homeownership beyond just your mortgage payment, the choices that make the biggest difference in your utility bills, and why what worked 20 years ago isn't going to cut it anymore. Whether you're planning to build, thinking about solar, or just curious about how to make your home work better for you, this conversation has some genuinely useful information.

Episode Summary:

Most people think about the cost of a home in terms of the purchase price or mortgage payment. But Randy and David spend this episode talking about all the other costs—the ones that hit your bank account every single month for as long as you live there.

With Arkansas utility companies proposing major rate hikes and energy costs becoming less predictable, the conversation about how homes are built is shifting. David shares what he's learned over decades in the building industry: that building to "just code compliant" leaves a lot of money on the table and a lot of comfort out of your home. They talk through why certain building choices—from insulated concrete forms to energy recovery ventilators—actually translate to lower bills and healthier indoor air, not just feel-good buzzwords.

The conversation covers battery storage, solar panels, and how net metering laws in Arkansas are changing what makes sense for homeowners. David even explains Stitt's two-year energy guarantee and the third-party modeling that backs it up.

Whether you're building your forever home or figuring out how to make your current house more affordable to run, this episode gives you the questions to ask and the information to make better decisions.

Key Takeaways:

1. Code-built homes meet the legal minimum, but rarely deliver optimal performance or cost-efficiency.
2. Monthly utility bills can add hundreds to a home’s true cost—energy efficiency isn’t just eco-friendly, it’s a financial strategy.
3. Retrofitting a home after it’s built is far more expensive than doing it right from the start.
4. Advanced insulation options like insulated concrete forms (ICF) greatly improve comfort, durability, and resilience to weather.
5. Fresh air ventilation systems (ERVs) maximize health and comfort, especially important in high-allergen areas.
6. Third-party HERS ratings provide homeowners unbiased proof of energy performance and projected savings.
7. Stitt’s “net zero” approach means homes produce as much energy as they consume—often with solar and battery combos.
8. Changes in net metering laws and utility rate structures make on-site battery storage increasingly smart and financially favorable.
9. Solar works great in the Ozarks:...