How well did your architect perform?
There are literally hundreds of things that an architect does for you behind the scenes, but distilling it down, as a benchmark for success, what 5 key things should your architect have achieved for you before you start popping the champaigne? #1 Improved your life A big ask there for sure, but think about it […]
Common Design Mistakes #1: Fencing
Can you spot the fence design mistake?
Reducing Building Costs
(A version of this article was published in The Press newspaper, Christchurch, and on the Stuff website on 4/7/2020) After “How much will it cost”, probably the second most common question I hear (once the shock has worn off) is; “how do I build it more cheaply?”. There are certainly a bunch of options that can save […]
Cost to Build a House
Scenario 1: 2000/m2 This might get you the very worst of the bland building company designed / out-of-a-catalogue type houses: single story, the cheapest materials and fittings the builder can source, on a typical flat site with no planning or environmental constraints. The design return on investment outcomes for ‘wow factor’ & appearance, context sensitivity, […]
Leaky Building Syndrome, And How To Avoid It
Horror stories about poor construction standards in homes built during the 1980’s to early 2000’s dominated the news for many years. Popularly known as “leaky-building- syndrome “, this phenomenon sent shock waves through the New Zealand building industry and shivers down the spines of many potential buyers of houses built during that period. Many prospective […]