Design
Shading Northern Windows
In a post about Passive Solar I talked about shading North facing windows. That doesn’t mean installing roller shutters, or blinds that pull down over the window. Shutters and blinds tend to make the rooms very gloomy and depressing, and…
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Building On Pipeline Easements (Or Close To)
Previous posts have talked about Sewer and Drain Easements but you build close to or over a pipe on an easement? Permission You must get permission from the owner of the easement to build on the easement. Some easement owners…
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Passive Solar – What Does It Mean?
Do you want a house that is filled with natural light in the summer without overheating, and minimises your heating bills in winter? ……….If you do, then a passive solar house is what you need. Here are some of the…
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Separate Toilets?
Most house plans show a toilet in the master bathroom but a separate toilet in the other bathroom……………. Why? Maybe it’s because you don’t want visitors to see the bathroom, but where are they going to wash their hands? Is…
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Room Height
Rooms with higher ceilings always seem lighter and more spacious. They can feel cooler in summer as the heat rises above your head, not so good in winter though! They are better for fitting ceiling fans, probably the cheapest form of…
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Buying Plans From The Internet
These days there are a vast number of house plans available of the Internet. There are very many high quality companies that provide plans on the net. However as with all internet based service you need to be careful. Climate…
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Soil Heave – Protecting the Slab After Construction
Once the house is completed it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be concerned about the foundations. This is particularly the case if your house is Built on Clay as there is a risk of ‘Slab Heave’. This is the result of moisture…
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Somewhere to Store Your Bins
Thirty or more years ago storing garbage bins didn’t used to be a problem. There was only one bin and block were big so finding somewhere to leave the bin wasn’t a problem. Now we can have at least three…
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Ceiling Fans
If you have tall rooms a ceiling fan can make a real difference to your comfort without large bills. Summer While a ceiling fan does not lower the temperature it will make the room feel cooler by: The breeze improving…
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Comparing House Sizes
Since 1988 SI, or metric units, have been the sole legal units of measurement in Australia. However many builders and real estate agents still quote property in squares, which is an Imperial measurement. Are they trying to confuse you or…
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