Modern Bird House
Just moved into your new modern house and would like to encourage birds in your garden? Think all the bird houses look old fashioned? How about this? It’s called Camera Shutter. Or this? It’s called Right Angle. These bird…
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Should You Use Yor Own Building Inspector?
Although I give lots of opinions on all aspects of building a house, including checking quality, I would never say “Don’t employ your own Building Inspector.” I’m very experienced in the construction industry and have done lots of research so…
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Pebble Gardens
Stone Mulches, Dry River Bed, Desert Gardens, they are all variations in having a garden covered with stones rather than having soil or an organic mulch. It’s popular as a low maintenance finish to your new house garden. I have…
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Mushroom House
Ever wished you had the life of a garden gnome? Just while away the days sitting in the garden with your fishing rod? Then perhaps what you need is one of these Japanese dome houses. To find out more go…
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Insulation – Heat loss Suspended Timber Floor
I have previously posted about the Heat Loss from a Slab Floor so how does that compare with a suspended timber, or particle board, floor? Well its not as bad as you might think because the the space under the…
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Building on Fill – Screw Piles
I have previously posted about building on fill using Concrete Piers. Well one alternative to constructing concrete piers is to use Screw Piles such as the one to the right. These are made from a thick steel tube with: A…
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Arch Window Fail
This arched window is a shocker. The arch is one of the most basic structural forms being simple and exceptionally strong. Besides the curve of the arch the basic principle is the arch springs from a solid support, like this…
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Insulation – Heat Loss Slab On Ground
Why is there less fuss about insulation under a concrete raft slab than ceilings and walls?…………well here are a few interesting facts: A thick layer of earth provides a reasonable amount of insulation. The soil contributes to the thermal mass of…
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Letter Box Fail
Can you see the mail box? Do you think the people in this house don’t like to get post?………or do they like to give their postie a challenge? The only way to deliver a letter is to push the bush…
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Why Aggi Drainage Pipes Have Slots In The Base
A lot of people aren’t sure how drainage pipes work. “Why doesn’t the water run out of the slots at the bottom?” is a question that many people ask. The pipes work on the principle that the soil/gravel around the…
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