Building beats buying To buy, or to build? When we compare the two, building beats buying for some very good reasons that might just surprise you. Buying brings instant gratification, but comes with some significant compromises. So let’s look at j...
Bricks and steel Homes built with bricks are by no means uncommon in Australia. Brick homes with steel frames are also becoming popular. Is the bricks and steel combination simply an industry trend, or are there compelling reasons why builders choos...
Outdoor living spaces It could possibly be argued that there’s nothing new about outdoor living spaces. After all, we’re all familiar with the great Australian patio or veranda. Perhaps what’s changing is where homeowners are choosing to place...
Cost effective Building What’s a ‘cost effective home’? When we think of cost effective building, most Australians consider the build itself and nothing more. That’s only natural, seeing as everybody wants to get maximum value for their buil...
The scarcity of land has had a variety of impacts, often forcing new home builders to consider areas outside those they had originally favoured, buying smaller blocks than preferable and, increasingly, driving the purchase of blocks with existing bui...
Brick homes versus lightweight for thermal efficiency - skin deep? Today, lightweight homes are often tabled as a legitimate alternative to more traditional constructions using brick masonry – but is comparing a home built entirely of lightweight ...
New home orientation and shade How sunlight impacts on your new home throughout the days as the seasons change is a primary consideration. As a rule of thumb, living areas should face north. Consider minimising window area on faces of the home that ...
The value of solitude…and togetherness. Building; for some families it's all about their love for their own private spaces and for those who need to find a quiet place, it’s hard to beat a two-storey home. With bedrooms and perhaps a rumpus area...
It starts with a compass… Aspect. It sounds like something your mum and dad might have talked about, but getting it right is absolutely vital. The way your home is situated on the block can have a huge impact on its livability, energy efficiency, ...
Hold on – can’t we just renovate? Despite the magic that we often see on TV shows, renovating can be inconvenient, tiresome, and works out on average to be more expensive per square metre than building. There’s also the very real danger that w...
Steel is stronger and moves less. At the risk of sounding obvious, steel is stronger than timber. Crucially, the structure formed by a complete steel frame is significantly stronger than a traditional timber frame. This makes a steel framed home the...
An injection of extra cash can make all the difference for home builders, especially during challenging times, and a comparatively generous $25,000 Homebuilder Grant was enough to get a lot of people in Adelaide across the line and help them to get s...
