|
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by Apple12
(Post 4385979)
I think you could also say that councils *everywhere* are set in their ways, just one of those facts of life things. How is the house building going Sky? My workmate is having the framing for his new house arrive on Mon, it is so exciting watching the changes.
And Sharks, I would be quite wary of deciding how you want a house to be before you have actually lived here. A bit like my ideal of having a two up two down council house in Macau- there are reasons why it won't happen, and there is no hope of understanding these things until you get here. |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by kiwi_child
(Post 4384697)
:lol: PMSL I spent 30+ years of my life in NZ and in the whole time experienced one tremor, once, in Christchurch (The epicentre of the quake was actually on the west coast)
It's true NZ has major faultlines through it, but that does not mean the place is dangerous or overly risky to live in. The big earthquake in NZ history was the 1931 Napier one. The quakes or tremors that tend to occur are around 4 on the richter scale...in other words, no big deal. As for volcanoes, virtually all of them are extinct and the ones that aren't are again no big deal. A volcano can be alive but remain inactive for hundreds, even thousands of years.:thumbup: I didn't suggest that NZ is a dangerous place, I wouldn't have left UK to come here if that was the case. www.geonet.org.nz/recent_quakes.html will show you how regular they occur. When people do their research before emigrating they need to have an awareness. |
Re: Housing?
I have been here 16 days,felt two during the night,and missed a third cos my car suspension is crap,last Wednesday.
There is plenty of evidence available to suggest the volcano in Taupo is burping and slowly rising,and the house we have bought is slightly damper than my wife. Don't care. It's just life as I understand it here. Gin and tonic still tastes the same,and I'm just as likely to have a f***ing heart attack listening to people winge as I am being shaken or burned to death. |
Re: Housing?
Taupo doesn't burp.
It goes pow! whoomph! kaboom!...... and obliterates the whole of the North Island :blink: Were you thinking of Ruapehu? Kip |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by sharks
(Post 4384225)
Housing - a lotta people seem to think it's built crap in NZ - rising & falling damp etc.... Is it not possible to buy a great site with a run-down clapboard, knock it down & rebuild to imported, ecologicaly friendly specs? can they do it? would it cost that much more? I can see carbon taxes looming and much higher energy bills...
Although its not the build quality I am concerned about its the floorplans are not for me. We are looking at building for the sole reason of getting what we want. |
Re: Housing?
This earthquake thing is SUCH a myth - the houses were traditionally built from timber because NZ had (and still has) a plentiful supply of the stuff!
In some parts of the south island where the rock is good enough you'll find houses built of rock. If bricks could be easily & cheaply dug out of the ground you'd find brick houses in those areas. In fact there ARE plenty of brick houses around - and plenty too in areas like Welly RIGHT on the fault lines - and they're still standing!! Houses these days are more likely to be built of hardiplank with timber framing - those are the materials most available to new zealanders. Rather than looking back to your experience of UK houses, look to the traditional settler homes in the USA etc. and you'll find really similar designs and construction. There was a bit of a problem round here with a valuer that always seemed to (in the agent's eyes) undervalue wooden properties - he turned out to be English and hadn't been here very long! He's now more used to NZ housing and cultural attitudes towards it (ie the LAND has the value here, not the structure upon it) and his valuations are more in line with kiwi valuers. I have a 50ish year old cottage, and i LOVE kauri villas - i'd have one if I could! They're NOT crap. You try lifting a kauri 4x8 pole on your own! compare it to a cheap pine or softer-wood pole of today and it's like comparing granite to polystyrene! Aside from borer (which can be controlled) and the obvious issues with insulation (duh! it wasn't around when they were built, and is easily fixed) they'll last, with the proper care and attention. We put some french doors in the other day - in about two hours! wooden houses are BRILLIANT for rennovating - cut hole, insert door, finish off, paint! I work in the industry (although not for much longer! yipee!) and i can promise you that surrounded all day as i am by folk discussing their builds/plans to build/rennovations/engineering etc. etc. etc. earthquake soundness is NEVER mentioned!! SF |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by soulflour
(Post 4395347)
In some parts of the south island where the rock is good enough you'll find houses built of rock. If bricks could be easily & cheaply dug out of the ground you'd find brick houses in those areas. In fact there ARE plenty of brick houses around - and plenty too in areas like Welly RIGHT on the fault lines - and they're still standing!!
Houses SF |
Re: Housing?
Sorry, I should have been specific.
I meant that I know of a fair few houses here (northland) built of real, proper, bricks! :lol: There are also lots of timber framed houses with brick cladding, yes, it's getting more and more popular (i think it's such a shame! I LOVE villas :D ) SF |
Re: Housing?
There's a gorgeous old brick built convent here in Rangiora, it's traditional english double brick skin built. I wanted to buy it when it came up for sale a good while ago now but couldn't afford it :(
I had a photo of it somewhere, I'm off to see if I can find it :p |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by sharks
(Post 4384225)
Housing - a lotta people seem to think it's built crap in NZ - rising & falling damp etc.... Is it not possible to buy a great site with a run-down clapboard, knock it down & rebuild to imported, ecologicaly friendly specs? can they do it? would it cost that much more? I can see carbon taxes looming and much higher energy bills...
Building materials are extremely expensive, and there are not alot of choices, which probably explains why all the houses seem to look alike. They're small, and very plain, almost as if they're a child's drawing of a house; just a square or rectangle with some windows and a door. Larger houses are often ill-proportioned, tacky, and look cheaply built. I find NZ architecturally-challenged big time. Look at this article in today's NZ Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10423900 |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by The Weezer
(Post 4399310)
[They're small,]
and very plain, almost as if they're a child's drawing of a house; just a square or rectangle with some windows and a door. Larger houses are often ill-proportioned, tacky, and look cheaply built. I find NZ architecturally-challenged big time. |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by The Weezer
(Post 4399310)
I've lived in NZ for two years, and spent alot of that time searching for a new house. Unfortunately, many houses here are very poorly built, and suffer from damp and mildew.
Building materials are extremely expensive, and there are not alot of choices, which probably explains why all the houses seem to look alike. They're small, and very plain, almost as if they're a child's drawing of a house; just a square or rectangle with some windows and a door. Larger houses are often ill-proportioned, tacky, and look cheaply built. I find NZ architecturally-challenged big time. Weezer, you seem to love generalisations. I can assure you that the home I have chosen to buy and live in is not poorly built, damp, cold in winter or mildewy - why on earth would I choose a house like that when there are plenty of good solid houses available! Thought you might to have a look as this link from a news story last week in the UK, just to show you that the grass isn't always greener. NZ may not have all the answers, but it is not alone in that: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6339469.stm |
Re: Housing?
Originally Posted by The Weezer
(Post 4399310)
I've lived in NZ for two years, and spent alot of that time searching for a new house. Unfortunately, many houses here are very poorly built, and suffer from damp and mildew.
Building materials are extremely expensive, and there are not alot of choices, which probably explains why all the houses seem to look alike. They're small, and very plain, almost as if they're a child's drawing of a house; just a square or rectangle with some windows and a door. Larger houses are often ill-proportioned, tacky, and look cheaply built. I find NZ architecturally-challenged big time. Look at this article in today's NZ Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10423900 |
Re: Housing?
There are some absolutely gorgeous houses over here, we stayed in a beautiful one on the cliffs in Sumner and it was all wood and beams and natural materials. Out of my league though price wise.
Lots and lots of the housing is pure sh*te though and not worth the money but you have to remember that you are really paying for the land under it and not the house put on it. Councils are getting a lot more fussy too but not fussy about the right things as far as I can see. |
Re: Housing?
The hills around here are FULL of the most amazing, innovative, houses. We're lucky enough to have friends living in some of them so I get to visit many, many of them :)
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 10:16 am. |
Powered by vBulletin: ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.