Couldn't agree more.

Here in Perth (not sure about the other states) it is only mandatory to have roof insulation in new built houses. This was only introduced a few years ago as well. As the houses are generally 1 storey and quite large wall insulation would be really expensive.

As another poster said, most Aussies look at you very strangely when you question why the houses are not built better. The houses look very nice on the surface but the workmanship and standards are not so great on some of the finer details. I have had 3 houses built here in Oz and the standard is pretty much the same whatever builder you choose.

A lot of newer houses have a large amount of window area, which would be fine if they were double glazed but they are about as thick as a piece of paper!! Which means hot in summer and cold in winter.

The house I just sold here (coastal NSW) was less than four years old. No insulation, no heating/aircon with very drafty single glazed windows that took up about 60-70% of the exterior wall space. And every other house in the street (part of a "quality" estate) was the same. We were fortunate to have really nice carpet in the lounge in that one but every other house I've lived in here has been tiled in all living areas. But anyway, the priorities over here is having lots of windows for light/views and having the house look nice on the surface, not any form of efficiency. It may change slowly now that we have energy star ratings applied to homes as well but it'll probably be a long time before it's standard.

I'm actually Australian, it's my husband that's British. But I was the one that first suggested moving back, here's some of the things I miss:

- Politeness! Didn't realise how rude it is here
- Better food/general shopping (variety, price, etc)
- Sense of belonging (yes, I felt it much more over there)
- Fewer people "keeping up with the Joneses"
- Not having to rely on a car just to get anywhere
- Ease and lower cost of going abroad
- Homes that are cozy and welcoming
- Decent restaurants and especially the pubs
- Stunning scenery that doesn't involve a beach
- My two favourite cities, London and Edinburgh

My lovely Australian friend who was living in England, hated it, and couldn't wait to get back to Australia. He was totally unimpressed with the Lake and Peak Districts because they didn't have kangeroos bouncing around - bless him! Mind you he now lives in Tasmania which is as beautiful as the Peaks and Lakes.

Tasmania also build shoddy houses with no insulation, and it's far colder there than the mainland. My friends live in a weatherboard house, with a wood burning stove in the living room. They have portable radiators for the rest of the house. Poor sods!

Imagine living in a house in 40 degrees with no air conditioning? Some of them do.

Interesting post. Would I be right in seeing a business opportunity here for insulation and double glazing? I'm guessing energy costs are much much lower than here in the UK to allow such poorly insulated properties to be built and for home owners to be so not bothered. Insulation costs are negligeble and pay for themselves very quickly as I have found out to my immense savings .

I'm guessing that a/c costs in summer must be high in most areas of Australia and cheap loft insulation would help keep the cold air in. Double glazing would also help though is somewhat more expensive, though is also better from a security viewpoint.

Don't know if I'm hijacking this thread or whether I should open another one, but do Aussie build houses have cavity walls in the same way the brick built properties in the UK do? If they do, is there any reason why they can't be filled with glass fibre in the same way they are here?

Now I'm not some beardy weirdy enviromental type but a tight Yorkshire man who likes the idea of saving money, with saving the environment as secondary.

Any comments welcome (including whether a new thread should be set up)

Yeah it's all about building costs. In most of the world they build cheap houses with no cavity walls and usually just concrete or blocks so there is no insulation. The houses in the UK are fantastic by comparison but "teeny weeny" in most cases.

I like my open plan, large rooms with high ceilings and can deal with having the AC on whenever I need it. I do sometimes wish though that they'd get a clue about proper buildings

Hi, i feel the same... green grass, going hiking and not being scared of every insect and the possiblity of snakes; rain; people who get my jokes; mr kipling cakes; sainsbury's and tesco; garages that sell wine; feeling confident about every day stuff; feeling confident in my job; ...

TAKE ME THERE!!

I agree with all the things people are saying they miss, I lived out of the UK in the desert in the US for years and came back. I am just not sure all the things people say they are coming back for (apart from family and friends) are worth giving up jobs/ houses and security for at the moment. There are massive numbers of job losses in the UK every day, today Vodaphone, tomorrow who else? The Post Office is going under with the pension scheme at risk in today's news. I would think about leaving tomorrow if it was not for my grandchildren and children, could not leave them until the grandchildren are older.

Please don't underestimate how depressing it can be living here in the UK at the moment, despite carpets, good TV programmes, central heating and insulation. I love the UK but feel sad about how it feels at the moment living here.

What do I miss about the UK....dare I say the weather?

I knew Canada would be cold and snowy...but that's no comfort when winter just drags and drags and drags. The cold you get used to...to the point that when it warms up to 10 below it seems spring-like when you're out. But the snow......
To be fair, clearing it's not that much of a problem...most of the time.
But it's so annoying to clear it and then a passing plow dumps a load across the drive you just cleared. But at least there are plows. Sidewalk plows to clear footpaths too.

As for summer...we all think the UK has sticky days. But try the humidity here on some days. I kid you not, but sometimes I walk out of an air conditioned shop and my glasses steam up just like they used to in the UK in winter walking into the pub from the cold.

Sometimes I think that it is not so much missing the uk (for me anyway) it`s not liking the country you are currently in. If that makes any sense What I mean is, If things are tough it would be better to be tough in familiar surroundings and people.

I have just been out for a walk, the weather is lovely and mild, if rather grey. The birds were singing as if they were looking forward to spring, the crocus flowers are out and snowdrops still out, I can see why people miss this. In the desert we had wild flowers but you had to hunt for them. If every day is sunny you can start taking it for granted.

I also have my friends who I went to school with and worked with over the years that I meet up with and have a history with, you can't replace that feeling of catching up with old friends and having a laugh and a drink and meal together, better than counselling

I can imagine why you would find the current situation sad but it is happening pretty much everywhere. By the sounds of it Canada is doing it tough, Australia is too. I think the difference is it is cheaper in the UK and there are distractions such a spring bulbs, a ray of sunshine and birds singing.
Here, it's been so hot, that my skin has developed an allergic reaction, it's bone dry and the scenery is just bland.

I spoke to a friend in the UK last night. She was so angry about what she perceives as a loss. I found the conversation quite sad. Her and her husband have run into money problems but instead of taking sensible action, they are angrily clinging onto depreciating assets such as flash cars and material things which are just adding to the problem because they are costing them money they don't have.
I'm seeing it here too. People who are so angry because they don't have the spending power they once did. Yet they can't see how much they do have like their health, open spaces, freedom to go and sit in a nice place, smell flowers, read a good book, etc. It's like if it doesn't cost money, it doesn't have a value.
I am worried about meeting this attitude full on when I get back home.