Heat pump has the same problem as electric... there is no good location for the storage tank

Hi all,
I am trying to find a solution for hot water for a new build. It is a long, narrow house and finding a suitable location for a HWS is…

It's all easy if you have an unlimited budget.
I have already calculated that double glazing is not worth it from a cost point of view. It would increase my place…

About U values, yes these look good for low-e but as I say it’s only a reflector of radiant heat whereas double glazing really slows heat conduction. Add to this…

I had a meeting with Jason Windows again and the guy said that the double glazing is usually not worth it. He suggested ComforPlus Low E glass in a few…

I am buildings with a small builder called Ultimo Constructions. Seem pretty good so far; they have won quite a few HIA awards over the last few years.
I avoid awning…

Thanks for your response and great information.
Interestingly, in the energy report it came out to 29.1 MJ/m heating and only 9.7 MJ/m cooling. Being in Perth I totally would have…

I ended up getting quoted $3300 by the builder for double glazing on most of my windows, though not all. These are from Jason Windows.
I am not sure whether…

You seem to want everything taken to an extreme.
I am more than happy to sacrifice a star on the energy rating and have a house which looks and feels nicer…

I added anticon and it increased the rating by 0.1 star. Wasn't worth it in the end for the $2.3k it is now costing me.

I finally got my energy efficiency report and it came in at 6 stars 38.8 mJ/m².
About 30 mJ of that is for HEATING, and only around 9 mJ for…

The quote for Antico 50 was only about $2300 so I reckon we will go for it. Thanks for the advice.

A small investment?
Thanks for the advice but you've probably added about $30k worth of modifications. The double glazing alone would be tens of thousands. Unfortunately I do not have unlimited…

Thanks Stewie
I can tell of course that the solar absorbance can decrease significantly with different roof colours, but don't really know how much difference it actually makes in the…

Hi all,
Our house plans finally got approved after sitting in the too-hard basket at the council for the last 3 months and we also got advice from the builder today…

I am building with Ultimo Constructions in Balcatta and have found them to be pretty awesome. You actually sit down with the registered builder and CEO (Angelo Rossi) from the…

Thanks Alex,
We decided against the 'upside down' house as we want a good connection between the indoor and outdoor living areas since we have been living in an apartment for…

So I have had to start working with a new builder and have a new floorplan again that we are pretty sure we are going to run with, though with…

Thanks ; so much awesome advice. You are such an asset to this forum!
The overshadowing is a tough one. The neighbors to our north (the block is subdivided straight down…

I have seen a few others ask for a critique of their floor plans on here so I thought I would join them...
This is for a narrow block (8.5…

Hi all,
Does anybody have experience with when upgrades are priced in terms of a building contract?
We have done a preliminary agreement with the builder and the drafting has all been…

Thanks
If it was a bit over the regulated amount of overshadowing then of course I would let it slide, but as it stands it is more than double.

I've had a bit of a chat to them but they are careful not to give too much away. I wanted to go in and talk to them and show…

Thanks for the comment but this is not practical.

Thanks for your reply. I'm in WA. I know the codes do vary a bit from state to state.

Is a house likely to just get refused planning permission if the overshadowing is more than double the allowed area?

Hi,
I am wondering if you have any feedback about the Polaris flooring? My builder is recommending it but I have read some stuff about gaps appearing between the planks due…

Nice. Must be exciting that it is almost done. It's a long way off for me sadly. Where is your place? My block is in Scarborough.
Yeah, I am trying to…

Thanks again for your reply and tips! It is much appreciated.
We bought the block and we are designing a house now.
The setbacks etc. make it kind of challenging to…