sky

It's not going anywhere apple, our plans are still stuck in council ... they requested site levels just last week which cost us another $600 so our plans must be top of the pile. We've chosen everything but our carpet colour so far.

Boopy

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.

danny.f

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.

Kippers

Taupo doesn't burp.
It goes pow! whoomph! kaboom!...... and obliterates the whole of the North Island

Were you thinking of Ruapehu?

Kip

thebears

Same mindset as me

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.

soulflour

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

Apple12

Yes of course the are houses made of brick, however this tends to be the cladding - the internal framing is wooden.

soulflour

Sorry, I should have been specific.

I meant that I know of a fair few houses here (northland) built of real, proper, bricks!

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 )

SF

sky

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

The Weezer

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

mazi

Well, I'd have to agree (clearly there is the odd exception)

Apple12

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

Boopy

Weezer, have you seen much of NZ. We are surrounded by many beautiful housing areas, with very large houses, adequate heating and no damp. There are houses here like you describe, but there are also some very nice houses.

sky

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.

soulflour

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