I have not installed it but they are good products and worth the spend. The other choices are http://www.hrv.com.au and http://www.sola-mate.com.au.
You could…

The rendered polystyrene is a good product. You should also have reflective foil (eg bradford enviroseal, or air cell or similar, with an air gap (important) to reflect away the…

A few points.
1. You have lots of thermal mass inside the house given you have RBV, so you can live without the slab. You normally want 6m2 of thermal mass…

Ok. This is a tricky one. But something is possible. Firstly, sarking has 3 purposes 1) stopping condensation (esp on metal roofs) coming inside 2) secondary rain barrier 3) reflecting…

I think the go is R1 (R1.15 westaflex product) but not the 1.65 product unless you are in alpine areas. R value is R value so you will lose less…

You will need to render or render paint on the inside (look at the dulux website for treatments), but you should not need to seal on the outside as it…

Cheapest and best solutions:
- sarking (check under roof - should be there for metal roof)
- draught sealing - doors, windows, exhaust fans
- good blinds (not holland, roller) - roman…

DG
I don't think you need extra thermal mass. You have a slab floor correct? Spend the money on better insulation, including slab edge and proper draught sealing and double glazing.…

I think you can do both. They are both cheap. Just lay concertina foil batts across the top of your bulk insulation, getting where you want to from d69's perspective…

Hi all just an update.
Similar results to BK ... EZ is performing really well. I have 130m2 and it is looking great after 6 weeks and first mow. Heavy showers…

Hi Evel
the most improtant thing you can do to stop heat ingress is to EXTERNALLY shade your windows, with awnings or similar. 'Pull stick' or 'vertiscreen' are fine. This will…

Draco
I am assuming you want to use greywater on the garden. This would normally be my recommendation as it is more complicated to try and re-use in toilet. Out of…

You must add sand and top dress with sand / sandy loam etc. Grass always grows best in sandy soil.
Sorry just to clarify I used zeolite because I have…

Ok, here is my 2 bob's worth.
I live in bayside Melbourne. I have laid 3 turf varieties in the last 18 months.
At my old house I laid tall fescue 100m2…

http://www.dtbpumps.com/rain_return.html
Buy a rain return from these guys. Sump and pump in one. About $1100.
You need a float switch to go from the sump to the tank…

http://www.beaconshop.com.au/index.php? ... t&Itemid=1
Amy batten fix $18 (discounted to $13)
http://www.beaconshop.com.au/index.php? ... t&Itemid=1
liquid (fitted with 20w large ball globe) around $60.

Hi all
giving this is in the 'eco-living' sections, can I just say that downlights mounted in the ceiling are terrible from an environmental perspective. Under australian standards, you must allow…

Namz
where are you? This is the most important. The cost of insulation is normally about half in the actual install, I would always go for the 4 over the 2.5.…

I would go for a roof fan. Whirlybirds work at the wrong times. A few good products are the solar star (get the 240v product with a thermostat) or look…

Piper
go with a velux skylight, double glzaed with a blockout blind. You then have the best of all worlds. Make sure you roof has sarking in it. This will make…

You can buy expol batts on www.buybuildingsupplies.com.au - delivered
Concertina batts from www.concertinafoilbatts.com again delivered
or masterwall.com.au
.. self install should onlt take a…

d3p
I don't know if your builder is saying wall wrap only ... you could read it as foil wrap + 1.5 batts (this would be a standard install). You would…

OK .... can I add some value here ... hopefully. I HAVE JUST DONE IT - Retrofit DG that is.
I have a 1914 double brick house in Melbourne with a…

Can someone clarify for me - does this mean limit the amount if windows on the East and West, or not to glaze windows on the East or West?
A very…

D69
this is the best analogy yet. Thanks. Will use it.
Having done all the first steps, you will then 'halve' your heating bill by plugging those windows holes with DG ...…

Wake me, I note you are in brisbane, but wouldn't you go for bulk on the ceiling rather than refelctive (given the anticon is reflective).
T&V sorry to take so long…

Stephen
Put the wooden floor where there is no sun and insulate really well under it. Where the sun hits, put the slab or (better in my opinion) a hebel floor…

D69,
you know we love you here. You post heaps of good information and are doing great things for the environment. However, a couple of things ...
- Ed is a…

D69
I couldn't agree more ... but its hard to do something about that on a retrofit (ie for me and others here) ... I would love to reverse the orientation…

One last point in favour of DG windows. Thermal mass works really well for a 'non-conditioned' / free running house ie you will rarely need to turn the heaters /…