lapsed kiwi

Worth a read:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4046969a10.html

Wiz'n'Ton

'A triple win' eh?

More like 'at long last'!

Great news for all purchasers of new houses though - and with govt. subsidies for insulation etc in older homes can only be a good thing.

A tentative from this froum member.

RobClubley

About time!!

$5k on a new build is nothing compared to the extra comfort and long-term savings.

to return or not

Yippie Yeah!!

Might consider staying after all...?

Wiz'n'Ton

'course you should stay mate, especially if you are looking at building. Once you're in a warm home, that's a major minus of NZ well out of the way

sky

Yea well it's all very nice if you want to build a timber framed home but try to build anything radical and you are just told that you're a hippy and go get a life.
We so wanted to build a straw bale or adobe home here in Waiamakariri district council with double glazing I might add but I defy anyone to get Prime or any of their old timers to approve it!
You just won't be able to I can almost guarentee it
So what's that all about then?????

cherry

Now thats a fact and I would happily pay $5000 extra on a new build any day to get the added benifits that double glazing and extra insulation has to offer .I bet some people here pay that a year in fuel costs running 2 cars and think nothing of the loss.We are lucky in having a new home but without Double glazing which we have had in the UK for the last 20 yrs plus so really miss the noise reduction and extra heat insulation not to mention the wet widow syndrome here which probably adds up to why NZ has the second highest ashma rate in the world.Now must get some quotes for D.Glazing ,Rob any help there ?.

sky

And don't even think about buying a total span barn and making that into a house in my area cos the council will make you change the cladding and it'll cost you in excess of $18,000!!! Thank god we nearly bought one but didn't but a kiwi couple we know did and they are so financially stretched now it just is not funny!

RobClubley

I can wholeheartedly recommend Rylock in Johnsonville - they did a great job on our windows, prices were reasonable, and the guys who did the work have been by far the best we've had in our various house jobs.

Unlike all of the other contractors they cleaned up after themselves, every day, with their own vacuum cleaner, they didn't borrow my tools/extension leads/ladders/hosepipes without asking like the others did, and they made their own cuppas too - (after Melanie said she woudn't be making them tea all day so they should help themselves)

nzer57

Councils won't touch them because there's no spec or code for them. You have to get a design cert from an engineer.

I built a house out of insulation panel in the early 90's. Required a different construction technique and the building code bracing specs couldn't be applied to this design.

Found a civil engineer who did the deal for nicks - no problems after that

sky

They're ok with the earth buildings but there are just a few old boys who insist on a cavity in the cladding on the outside walls of straw and adobe and as you prob know that's just ridiculous.

nzer57

Yep. There's a few inspectors who can make life frustrating to say the least