Building Tips

With our extensive experience in the industry we are able to pass on to our clients many building tips which can add value to their project and/or save on costs.

We subscribe to many trade publications to assist us with current building products and processes, and as members of the NZ Registered Master Builders Association we are also continually updated with new products and systems.  

RENOVATION TIPS - 2011

When a change is needed many home owners are now often choosing to renovate rather than sell their homes.  As a consequence, in recent years a large part of our business has been carrying out alterations and additions to existing homes.

There are many important things to consider when planning home renovations.  It is essential that the existing and the new parts of the house fit together in a way which looks good, meets new building regulations and is cost effective.  The problems caused by leaking homes in recent years have given rise to many new regulations and also the introduction of Licensed Building Practitioners.  Murray Shaw is already a Licensed Building Practitioner and by mid 2012 all carpenters will need to be Licensed to legally carry out most building work.                            To find out more about Licensing search the Department of Building and Housing web site on www.dbh.govt.nz/LBP.

Just one of the newer building regulations is the need for wall cavities behind exterior cladding.  However, in some circumstances there will not be a need to install cavities to the existing parts of the house where the existing cladding has been performing satisfactorily.  With some cladding materials it may not even be necessary to install a cavity in new areas.

Some materials incorporated into existing homes are no longer available unless they are especially made, which is costly.  There are often ways of mixing old and new materials so that these costs can be avoided.  This is where an experienced builder and designer can examine the make up of the building and give informed advice to the home owners.

When carrying out renovations it is a good time to look at the energy efficiency of your home and how it complies with the current Building Code.  In fact to obtain a building consent for some alteration projects the design will have to comply with Building Code Clause H1 - energy efficiency.

Insulation and heating are important areas to look at when making a home more energy efficient, and many older homes have outdated heating systems and very poor insulation, or none at all.

A look at the whole house or even just the area being  renovated is well worth it, and consideration can be given to -

- replacing interior walls and fitting insulation behind them, rather than just redecorating

- fitting double glazed windows and doors.  These are not the luxury item they were a few years ago.

- updating to more energy efficient heating and lighting

Any additional building costs which may arise during the renovation are often repaid over time with lower heating and lighting costs, and living in a warmer home will have health benefits for everyone.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BUILDINGS

The movement towards environmentally friendly and sustainable building is a concept we have taken on board, implementing as many as possible of the new trends and products available.

Government and Councils are introducing more and more "green requirements".  An example of this is the recent requirement of the Waikato District Council  that all new premises in their territory have a rain tank.  This is part of their Water Supply Bylaw, and has been enforced since March 2010.  The Council is attempting to create more sustainable water supplies, and encouraging storing rainwater for non-drinking use.

The Council requires a rain tank for all new premises that will be more than 30 square metres, where the premises is connected to a Waikato District Council water supply, and where the premises have facilities that use water such as a toilet/laundry that the roof water could be used for. 

The new connections to a Council water supply will have a water meter.  The water will be billed based on the amount used.

The rain tank does not have to be plumbed into the house.  However, if the rain tank is used for something such as flushing toilets, a Council water supply connection should be provided as backup for dry weather.

Rain tanks are optional for modifications to an existing premises, including building consents that involve a new water connection.

The minimum tank size for urban properties if 5,000L and there is a minimum roof area that must be connected to the tank.  The required roof area depends on the number of bedrooms.  For rural properties connected to trickle feed, the minimum tank size is 22,000L.  For commercial properties the minimum tank size of 5,000L applies but a larger rain tank may be required for large projects. 

While this particular new requirement will add to the building cost our recent experience is that many of the new requirements and products can be incorporated into a project at no extra cost.