Do you watch the Block?

I do, although I don’t see too much ‘Reality’ in this Reality TV Show.

What’s Unrealistic

The Judges Opinion’s – In ‘Sky High’ and ‘Glasshouse’ we had one winner and one second place from contestants that regularly got marked down by the judges while some of those that were regularly praised struggled to make money. This was in spite of contestants that the judge’s liked getting much more money to spend on their apartments.

Tradies Work Practices – It’s remarkable what Tradies will put up with to get their faces on the TV so don’t expect:

• Tradies to drop everything and rush round to start your job.
• Different trades to work on your job at the same time.
• Any work to be done after 4.00pm.

Suppliers – Don’t expect any special deals on unusual fitting, or same day delivery . . .next week is more likely!

What’s Realistic

Keith – There is always one ‘A#^e h#%e’ on every job who keeps saying “You can’t do that!”and you have just got to learn to deal with them.

The Importance of  Programming – The producers seem to delight in having Keith’s team working on the structure at the same time as the contestants want to finish their rooms . . . so the contestants are held up. . . but it does show that you need to make sure the structure is right before you even think about finishing off works.

Stress – There will always be some stress on a building project. Unrealistic timescales and living on the job and it really does multiply.

No Downlights – In the episodes I have seen their seem to be a noticeable lack of down lights. Perhaps this lighting idea really has ‘Jumped the Shark!‘

Have I got it wrong? Are Shaynna, Neale and Darren really the style gurus they think they are?

Why not leave a comment?

and 600 Posts Completed!

Back in November 2009 I thought I would start a blog to record some of the things I have learnt about houses.

I didn’t have any idea where this journey would take me.

Well four years later I suppose I can say I am an Author (even if it still makes me laugh)

If you want to find out more about various key stages in having a house built why not buy a  Guide . . . . Warning – Lots of people buying one usually finish up buying more!

All Guides are full of advice for anyone thinking about a new house

Loads of Check Lists.

Just $4 Each

To Find Out More

CLICK HERE

I would like to think these are the best selling books, although I don’t really know, but lots of people tell me they are great value . . . . and they are the MOST REASONABLY PRICED!

I was planning to have some time off blogging over the Christmas period. . . . but with a Pre-Christmas rush I actually passed the 1,000 anewhouse E-book sales for 2014 on Christmas Eve!

That brings total sales to over 1,850.

All full of advice for anyone thinking about a new house

Loads of Check Lists.

Just $4 Each

To Find Out More

CLICK HERE

Here is a house that doesn’t need air conditioning!

Wishing all New House enthusiasts a

Peaceful Christmas

and a

Happy New Year

The photo is from the Third Annual Snow Sculpture contest in Breckenridge, Colorado, which attracts contestants from all over the world.

I will be having a few days off from blogging from Christmas until the New Year but will be back on 2nd January 2015.

It’s the anewhouse Blog‘s 4th Birthday!

Over the journey I have

• Published over 570 posts
• Sold  over 1,700  of my anewhouse Guides
• Increased the monthly site visits to 9,000.

To all of you blog followers . . . . . and especially those who have bought a anewhouse Guide……

THANK YOU

It  makes me feel that what I’m doing is worthwhile.

Brian

To find out more information on the blog, and me, see ABOUT

Welcome to this, the 501st Post on the anewhouse Web Site.

The blog has certainly come a long way over the past 3 and a half years.

The site is currently getting around 8,500 visits a month with over 20,000 pages viewed each month.

Of those page visits the top 5 most popular topics (apart from the home page) are:

1. Construction Stages
2. Room Height
3. Soil Classification
4. Building on Clay Soils
5. Waffle Pod Slabs

What do you think is the most useful topic?

Regular visitors to this blog will notice a few changes going on.

A logo has appeared next to the title at the top of the page, and some of the other parts of the blog are looking different.

My daughter, a professional web designer, has decided that dad has been muddling through for long enough and needs a re-branding and general upgrade of the look. I can’t disagree as my interest for this site has been more about the content, rather than the look.

Work on changing the look and feel of the site will continue over the next couple of weeks. It will include new covers for the two existing E books, and the new book “Choosing a Block”, to be released soon.

One thing that will remain the same is the actual content of the posts and books

Well it’s the anewhouse blogs’s 2nd birthday this week.

As well as that milestone this week I have also:

• Made my 250th Post.
• Sold my 250th anewhouse Guide.
• Got to a page view rate of 12,000 per month.

To all who have visited the blog and especially those who have bought one of the guides……Thanks,  for making me feel that what I’am doing is worthwhile.

Brian