Selection
Low Bank Valuations
People building a new home are often shocked when their bank valuation is less than the cost of the land plus the build cost. Problems With Low Valuation The two issue are Unless your deposit is larger than the difference between the Final…
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Passiv Haus
What is a Passiv Haus (Passive House)? Well as you might have guessed the term originates in Germany, and relates to a method of achieving more sustainable performance (and lower Energy Bills) It’s a technique which doesn’t rely on good orientation, high thermal…
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Sensor Switches
Fed up with lights being left on! Why not plan some internal sensor switches for your new home. Unlike the sensor lights commonly used for outdoors its common to have a sensor switch wired into the lighting circuit rather than a…
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Electrical Abbrevations
Looking at an electrical plan, or reading an electrical specification, and wondering what all the abbreviations are? Well here are some of the more common ones you may encounter, many with links to other posts: 3ph – Three Phase Power…
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Why I Won’t Be Buying Anti-Bacterial Paint
Or Any Other Home Anti-Bacterial Products! The other night on the television I saw (at least 5 times) an advert for anti-bacterial paint. Here are five reasons why I think this is marketing hype, and I won’t be buying it:…
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Ingress Protection (IP) Ratings
If you have bought an outside electrical switch, light, power point, or child proof power point, you may have seen it described with an IP rating. . . . but what does the IP numbers mean? Understanding The Numbers Well the…
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Additional Electrical Fittings
Most builders standard electrical fit out is fairly pathetic. A single batten light fitting and a couple of double power points in each room! I have even seen single power points! Typical Builders Prices For Electrical Upgrades Downlights – $130-160…
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Energy From Sun.
Have you ever wondered why it gets so HOT in the roof space on a sunny day? Well there is a lot of Energy coming from the Sun . . . .approximately 1.37 kw /m2 shines on the Earth By the…
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Light ‘Colour’
When you are buying a light bulb you may have noticed the box says things like “Warm White” or “Daylight White” but what does it mean? . . . . . . and which should you buy? Colour Temperature Light…
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NEIGHBOURS
Would you worry if you saw this guy (from Jim’s Jihad?) mowing the lawn next door? Unlikely. . . but it does illustrate the fact that neighbours can have a big effect on your enjoyment, or otherwise, of your house. In…
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