House Construction Prices

Whether you are looking for information on house extension costs or new build construction prices we can help you assess your budget price.
For a helpful chart to estimate the cost of your project see the information set out below.  First measure the floor area of your building or extension then assess the complexity of your plans and read off the sliding scale of costs per square meter.
Estimating small building projects can be a complex process because it depends on the many factors that affect the construction prices. You will only get an accurate idea of the price for your individual project when all the drawings and schedules of work have been completed outlining your particular requirements, the type of house construction and any other factors specific to your project. New build houses tend to be cheaper per square meter than house extensions and renovation projects.
It is then advisable to get several builders to price the documents and compare prices. No two building contractors will arrive at the same price, but ensure that the priced document breaks down the items of work so you can compare properly. You also need to take account of how long the builder thinks the job will take and how many jobs they undertake at the same time. Get references from previous customers and visit any similar jobs the contractor has completed.
Below is a simple guide intended only as a starting point for you to assess if your house construction plans match your budget for the project. The actual eventual cost will depend on a myriad of factors such as geographical location, availability of contractors, complexity of the works and your specification for the construction. Use the diagram and budget descriptions as guide to the possible costs in pounds sterling per square meter for your overall construction costs excluding VAT.

Average £1,000 per square meter.
Low cost construction with no site constraints. Budget fittings and specification.
Average £1,250 per square meter.
More scope for construction choices and internal fit out.
Average £1,500 per square meter.
Standard construction and structural work. Average range fittings and specification.
Average £1,750 per square meter.
More structural complexity such as underpinning. Bespoke joinery or specialist items.
Average £2,000 per square meter.
Complex structures such as basements. Luxury features, handmade kitchens and wet rooms.
EXAMPLES OF OTHER BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
London and South East weighting and other ‘hot spots’ could add 15% to 20% to project costs.
Difficult site conditions or access problems could add to project costs.
Size and shape of the project can add to or reduce the build costs. There is an ‘economy of scale’ so that the larger the size of project the more the price per square meter should reduce.
Reductions can be made if you have the skills to project manage the build yourselves by employing individual trades rather than a main contractor. Expect to reduce the costs by 10% to 15% typically.
Further useful reading:
Spon’s Architect’s and Builders’s Price Books
Davis Langdon
Spon’s House Improvement Price Book
Bryan J.D. Spain
The Housebuilders Bible
Mark Brinkley
The Site Managers Bible
Len Sales

Planning a Homes Location

When Choosing a Home Site
Take the High Ground!

When choosing a lot or placing your new home on the site, it is usually advantageous to pick the highest point that is practical. If selecting a lot in a relatively flat subdivision try to get one near the top of the grade if at all possible. It is no accident that the "house on the hill" is usually the most expensive in town! This is partly due to the view, but also the fact that they will have no drainage problems even if the rest of town is under water.

There are numerous subdivisions being built on property that has never had any flooding or drainage problems. These same subdivisions often have major flooding problems within just a few years mainly because of overbuilding. Buildings, streets, driveways, sidewalks and patios all contribute to the problem by diminishing the area of land that rain water can seep into.

Municipal storm sewers can alleviate the problem but municipalities in growing areas often have not planned far enough ahead to control it properly. This could mean that your property taxes may have to be increased by substantial amounts, perhaps double or triple, as the local governing body finds that they must tear up fairly new streets and sewers and replace them with more capacity.

Either that or face the wrath of new homeowners that have their life savings in a home with 2 feet of water in the basement and 6 inches in the garage. It is a good idea to drive around the neighborhood where you are considering to build during, or immediately after an especially heavy rain.

Site Considerations

1. Neighborhood. Are the properties well maintained? Check proximity to schools, recreation, shopping etc.

2. Zoning restrictions and/or moratoriums on building. Visit your local building department. Check for easements.

3. Drainage. Is the property in a flood plain or on wetland? Soil erosion?

4. Soil type, especially if the property does not have municipal sewer and water.

5. Is there well water likely to be found at a reasonable depth?

6. Is it feasible to have a septic system and a viable well on this property?

7. Is there a homeowners association with many restrictions on use? The real estate agent should know.

8. Covenants, deed or otherwise. (Closing documents)

9. Public and utility easements. (Plat of survey)

10. Taxes and impact fees. (Zoning department)

11. Access to the property.

12. Will the soil support a foundation?

13. Topography, trees and other vegetation.

14. Do you want to live in the city, country or suburbs?

15. Amenities of the community, such as schools, fire & police protection.

16. Is the community building new schools or other public works that will mean higher taxes.

17. Will the sun be blocked by buildings? What is the view?

18. Is there room for future expansion?

19. Are there plans for a nearby airport or new highways?

Determine that your site is suitable for building. Your local health or building department should be able to tell you if it is feasible to have both a well and a septic system on a particular piece of property. This may require a soil test and/or other studies.

If your lot is within a municipality, the local building and zoning department will likely have this information. Excavating contractors should also know what the soil conditions are. By the same token, a local well driller will probably have a good idea of how deep a well is required for your location. Contractors are an excellent source of technical information.

Also consider any special excavation conditions that may be encountered. Determine where you will access the property and where you will locate the house, garage, well and septic system. If there is municipal sewer and water, where does it enter the property? Be sure to verify with the proper authority where you will be allowed to access the road, (place your driveway). Plan a turnaround of some sort, especially if you live in snow country.

You must also consider the environmental impact of your building. If you have a low lying lot that collects water after a rain you will need to find a way to drain it. Do not assume that you can just haul in enough fill and build up your lot to drain the water off. Your neighbors may have some choice thoughts about that!

Very few, if any, local governing bodies will allow you the change the environment in that manner. Even if you get away with it, the owners of the neighboring property would probably sue you, even if it is vacant land. You do not need that kind of aggravation, and besides, you may lose in court. (It won't make you any friends either.)

In order to get a building permit, you will probably need a plat of survey by a licensed surveyor. Check with the previous owners as they may already have one. It may have been included in the closing documents.

Once you have done all of the above you can decide on the the exact location of your home on the lot, and the style of house that best suits the lot and neighborhood you have chosen. Be sure to consider the impact of tree removal if necessary. Local regulations may govern this.

No more slippery bathrooms

It was a Sunday morning and Ms Lee was bending down to arrange items in the cabinet. After completing the task, the 66-year-old wiped off a bead of sweat that was trickling down her forehead and stood up.

As she began to walk towards the shower, she suddenly lost balance and fell backwards onto the cold, hard floor. A sharp pain shot through her legs and back, and her elbows went numb as she was using them to support her weight. It took a while before the sexagenarian realised that she had slipped and fallen.

We have often heard about how dangerous a bathroom’s slippery floor can be. While it is one of the most focused upon areas during renovation, it is important to ensure that proper bathroom tiles are installed to keep family members – especially young children and the elderly – safe.

To further understand the importance of incorporating safety features into bathroom floor design, StarProperty talked with Michelle Johnson, marketing manager of Niro Group Malaysia, a tile manufacturing company.

What are the most commonly-used tiles for bathroom floors?
In general, they are ceramic and porcelain tiles. Ceramic tiles are generally less expensive, but the cost is actually dependent on the brand and design.

On the other hand, porcelain tiles are more durable: heavy duty and low maintenance. Porcelain tiles also have lower water absorption and can be replicated into a lot of designs such as marble, wood and metal.

What factors should be taken into consideration when choosing bathroom floor tiles?
While the bathroom is divided into two areas (dry and wet areas), the choice of tiles is dependent on the size, design, theme and surface (of the bathroom). It also depends on the budget and the level of maintenance required.

In terms of bathroom floor surfaces, which type of tiles should we look for?
For the dry area, it is recommended to use matt-surfaced and non-polished tiles. For the shower area, it is recommended to use a surface that is rough, textured or structured for anti-slip purposes. It is not advisable to use smooth and shiny tiles for both areas.

How do we pick bathroom floor tiles based on designs and themes?
As the tiles for each bathroom are dependent on the theme, the three most commonly sought after looks and designs would be the minimalist (simplistic), the classic and elegant, and the modern and contemporary. Although tile designs are chosen based on an individual’s taste, the current trend is swerving towards the minimalist and modern look.

There is a perception that smaller tiles for the bathroom floor will make it less slippery.
The common perception that smaller tiles are better for the bathroom floor is not true. The size of the tiles depends on the size of the bathroom. It is recommended that larger-sized tiles of 30 X 60 cm (1 X 2 foot) are used for the bathroom floor.

Is sealing required when tiling the bathroom?
Sealing is not necessary. However, it is advisable to build a ventilator in the bathroom to prevent dampness…or to open the bathroom windows to let in fresh air.

What can we do to make our bathroom floor tiles last longer?
Caution should be exercised when using acid or acid-based cleaners such as those containing “hydrofluoric acid” as they can adversely affect the texture of tiles or cause a chemical reaction known as etching.

Is it advisable for Malaysian homeowners to tile their own bathroom floors?
Malaysian homeowners are not advised to install the bathroom floor tiles themselves as there are other considerations such as water treatment and piping. Furthermore, Malaysian homeowners in general do not have the skills to tile a bathroom.

From Left to Right: Yura Ivory, Yura Led Grey, Borgogna Cinder Ash, Borgogna Misty Grey Mosaic

All tiled-up
Below are recommended designs/ themes for bathroom floor tiles:

Minimalist
Yura – Inherits the characteristics of Italian natural stones.

Modern or Contemporary
Borgogna Stone – Inherits the characteristics of natural stones from North-West France.

Granite Stone – A material with random effect and fine veins. Made up of natural stone colours complete with a rock surface for an anti-slip effect. Includes features of beautifully-crafted mosaic.

Nordik Stone – Displays the affection and appreciation of the famous “North Stones” from the North of Europe. It has a surface that is slightly hammered.

Regal – Premium tiles produced with a special technique that result in random effects on polished, matt and rock surfaces.

Black – Literally associated with the feel and experience of being open to mystery and preparing for the unknown.

From Left to Right: Regal Noce, Regal Vanilla, Black Noir, Granite Crema, Granite Gris

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Bathroom Lighting

Looking in the Mirror to See the Real Picture with Bathroom Lighting

People should pay attention to the lights that surround their bathroom mirror "because it affects their own appearance... . Mirror lighting needs to be bright but not glaring, accurate yet flattering," say the people at Elflist.com (which stands for Efficient Light Fixtures, a non-profit lighting education group in Seattle that’s sponsored by local electric utilities).

As you shop for light fixtures to accompany your bathroom mirror, ELF suggests you keep some things in mind when choosing bathroom light fixtures: fixture placement, lamp (or bulb) type, and fixture style. The following is an excerpt from an ELF article on bathroom lighting:
Placement
The best mirror lighting surrounds the face with light, providing light from all sides to minimize shadows under the chin, eyes, cheeks, and forehead. A wall sconce on either side of the mirror can work nicely. If the mirror is a whole wall mirror you can mount the fixtures right on the mirror. Avoid using ceiling mounted fixtures as the sole source unless the room is very small with light-colored walls. Large bathrooms often need additional lighting. Definitely don’t rely on recessed cans for mirror lighting, the shadows can be horrendous. The most common placement for mirror lighting is on the wall above the mirror. Though not ideal, it avoids most conflicts with mirror size, medicine cabinet doors, and room dimensions. However the fixture needs to be long enough to light the sides of the face.

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You Are What You Breathe

Improving Your Home's Air Quality

You've seen the pictures of Los Angeles from afar: Nubby skyscrapers rise up and disappear into a brown smudge that covers the city like a lid. Perhaps you've been there or visited a city where, if you breathe deeply, your lungs catch and send you into coughing spasms. How relieved you are when you retreat to your home, where the air quality is much better.
Or is it?
Every 24 hours, you inhale 10,000 liters of air, much of it in the sanctuary of your own home. What you might not know, however, is that some homes' air quality has been shown to be two to five times worse than the outside air. Why? And what can you do to improve your home's air quality?
In recent years, Americans have grown more concerned with energy conservation, which has added to the problem of poor indoor air quality. Our energy-efficient homes have become tight, sealed-off havens that increase the amount of potentially harmful gases in them. Add the harmful household chemical compounds that have "enriched" our lives for several decades, and you have a not-so-savory recipe for low-level toxins that could lead to long-term damage to your health.
Upwards of 70,000 synthetic chemicals are in use in the United States today; many of them can be found inside your home. They keep your carpets from squashing, staining and fading; they hold your expensive kitchen cabinets together; they soften vinyl; they ward off mold. But while they make your life attractive and fungus-free, many of these chemicals contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that "outgas," or vaporize. They mix into the air in your home and form an unpleasant and even dangerous "chemical soup." The average American home has 50 to 300 VOCs and also contains molds, dust and dust mites, combustion by-products and pet allergens. Not the sort of air most of us would want to breathe.
Fortunately, there are resources available to those facing the problem of scary air in their homes. One such source, Building a Healthier Home, provides a road map for people in every budget range to follow on their paths to healthier homes. The author, environmental engineer Dan Morris, explains the necessity of a planned approach to healthy home construction. Typically, those in construction use "what's out there"; in other words, if you're not involved in every step of the process, your home will be built out of readily available, low-cost materials that are easy to install—materials that will profit your supplier and builder— not you. So speak up! Get a guide like Morris' and educate yourself before you build.
Start at the foundation. Seal the concrete and isolate it from the main living space. Don't install carpet directly on the concrete floor; you'll be asking for trouble in the form of mold and dust mites. Provide adequate light and ventilation.
Now for the floors. Remember, the glue that holds together those old standbys—particleboard, plywood and oriented strand board—contains urea-formaldehyde, which has been found harmful even with low-level exposure. Choose instead flooring materials that have few or no toxic chemicals.
Before you lay down that plush carpet, examine its makeup. New carpet contains 60 to 200 chemicals that are designed to make the carpet manufacturers happy—not you or your lungs. Although the heaviest levels of outgassing occur during the first few days after installation, those chemicals will continue to leach into your air for years. Consider covering your floor with something hard and smooth instead, like wood, marble, ceramic tile or even linoleum. If you're nothing without your carpeting, consider wool and low-pile coverings.
Your heating and cooling systems can be serious sources of pollution. If not properly filtered and maintained, they'll spread pet allergens, dust and unwanted moisture throughout your home. If funds allow, choose a system that controls fresh-air intake, humidity and circulation.
When it's time to color your home, learn the components and types of paints. There are actual "levels" of safety assigned to paints; it's up to you to make an educated choice for you and your loved ones.
However daunting the task of healthy building may be, there is help out there. The added costs are not nearly as frightening as some may assume—usually somewhere between five and ten percent—besides, it's difficult to assign a monetary value to the health benefits you reap. And if your home is already built, don't worry. There are plenty of steps you can take to increase the air quality within.
Why not take a moment to walk through your house right now and, using the guidelines you've just learned, assess the elements that might be contributing to poor air quality?
Start in the bedroom, arguably the most important room to "fix." You and your loved ones spend a full third of your lives in the bedroom, so try to lessen the amount of VOCs and other irritants. For example, don't accept dry-cleaned clothing until they have been properly dried. If you use a humidifier, keep it clean and refill it daily with clean water. Consider removing the carpet in your bedroom, which harbors dust mites and their attendant allergens. Speaking of dust mites, the fewer soft, unprotected items in the bedroom (unprotected pillows, mattresses, curtains, chairs, etc.), the smaller the population of dust mites.
How about your kitchen? Perhaps the worst culprit here is household cleaners. Open those windows when you clean! Before you purchase cabinets, ask the salesperson about formaldehyde content and release. Some types of pressed-wood products emit less formaldehyde than others. After installation, open the windows. Check your gas stove/range. Make sure they are properly vented and burning with a blue flame tip—not yellow or orange. And remember: Never use your gas stove to heat your home.
Move on to your bathroom. Here, an exhaust fan will solve myriad problems. It will remove moisture, lessen odors without the use of air fresheners, and rid the room of gases from personal care products.
Down in the basement, moisture is a major culprit. A dehumidifier is a good idea; remember to empty and clean the water tray often. For ground-moisture problems, clean and disinfect the basement floor drain regularly. Stored hobby products (paint, glue, etc.) should be sealed tightly in their containers. Cleanup duties should occur outside; if inside, open the windows or use an exhaust fan to clear the air of potentially dangerous vapors. And, of course, don’t forget about radon. Test your home for it. Do-it-yourself kits are easy and inexpensive. For more information, contact your state radon office or call (800) SOS-RADON.

Building Your Dream House?

Contracting your own home is a noble undertaking, and one that requires a good bit of pre-construction planning. It is important to anticipate things that can go wrong in the building process. Mistakes can be very costly to overcome, so becoming aware of some of the common problems that plague home builders, from novices to experts, is in order. Following are some of the major things to watch out for.

Inadequate planning. Don't jump into the project without a complete and well thought out plan. All your decisions--from design to construction methods to decorating--should be made from the start and there should be nothing left to chance. Since this is likely your first major construction project, it is important to gain as much knowledge as possible about every phase of the process, including the pre-construction tasks such as estimating and time management scheduling. In fact, these planning tasks will set the stage for the overall success of the entire project. Many people focus more on the actual construction processes (things that you should be hiring professionals to handle), rather than developing a thorough plan.

Wrong decisions. Even seasoned professionals make wrong decisions sometimes. Since you are probably new to the building game, you will need to do your homework. Research, research, research should be your mantra. Learn all you can about the products you plan to use and the people who will be doing the work. Many novice home builders make the mistake of using the most expensive materials and products thinking that they are better quality.

But buying expensive materials can make your costs soar, and can even negate the savings you are reaping from being your own contractor. One owner, for example, used a new synthetic-type material for his deck that cost about three times the amount of regular pressure treated deck lumber. His thinking is that it would last longer. In fact, it probably will. But when he needed to sell the house unexpectedly, buyers did not appreciate the extra cost of the material...many even thought it was a cheaper product because it wasn't "real" wood. He was not able to recoup any of the costs for the upgrade, and in fact it may have even hurt the saleability of the home.

Don't think that using the cheapest subcontractor, or conversely the most expensive, is the way to go either. Some subcontractors will under bid the job and then try to make up the short fall in extras. This does you no good. Others bid high thinking that you won't know any better. The key here is to get three bids and get references. Yes, it takes some time and energy, but it will pay off in the end.

Blowing your budget. Having a good estimate and keeping track of your finances are both critical to your success! Cost over-runs are one of the biggest problems builders face. You can ensure your project stays on budget simply by completing a solid estimate and tracking every dollar you spend. This means that you need a good cost accounting system. You don't have to spend a fortune on software though. You can track things by hand or use a simple software product to keep good records.

If you keep these three things--upfront planning, mindful decision making, and budget constraints--in mind throughout your project, it should flow much more easily and the outcome will definitely be more successful.

Bill Edwards has built more than 200 custom homes over the last 30 years and has also helped many people build or remodel their own homes using his tested methods. He currently heads up American Home Counsel, a consortium of professionals in the home building, real estate, development, financing, and education professions. Their goal is to help educate people about home building, home remodeling, and home buying and selling.

Danger spots in Bukit Antarabangsa

A FEW areas in Bukit Antarabangsa, where a landslide claimed several lives in December last year, has been identified by the local residents associations as hotspots for disaster.

Ampang MP Dr Zuraida Kamaruddin along with members of the residents’ association, Coalition of Bukit Antarabangsa Residents Association (CoBARA) and members of its Community SlopeWatch programme as well as Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) councillor Izzudin Che Din visited the areas yesterday.

Residents are worried over the lack of proper drainage along the road outside Kyoto Garden Condomium. In need of repairs: Part of the wall surrounding a private property that has collapsed.

“When it rains, the water flows down the road and straight into the condominium compound. This is undue stress on the slope on the other side of the condominium,” SlopeWatch president Abdul Razak Bahrom said.

He said there was no drainage hole or pipe along the road shoulder that enables the water to flow into the drain.

The residents association (RA) of the area had written a complaint letter regarding the matter to both the MPAJ and the Public Works Department (JKR) last year but there has been no response so far.

Zuraida said she had even seen the basement of the condominium flooded due to the rainwater that flows in from the road.

Another area of concern is between the Oakleaf Park Condominium and a private property on which a bungalow stands and where part of the wall has collapsed into the drain along with a section of the bungalow’s wall.

The wall was built by the MPAJ and is believed to have been reinforced by the bungalow owner before the concrete wall surrounding the property was built, said Abdul Razak.

Of no help: The two drains built along the slope.

Another wall built by the MPAJ and which is part of the drain opposite Taman Bukit Utama and at the foothill where Puncak Bukit Utama is located is also on the verge of collapse.

“Residents of Taman Bukit Utama, who usually use the road next to the drain, noticed the condition about a year ago. We don’t really know if it was that way before the landslide last year because we don’t usually use the road,” Puncak Bukit Utama resident YT Chan said.

Chan added that the residents had contacted the developer IRDK Developments (M) Sdn Bhd but were told that the drain and wall had been built by MPAJ.

“We have also sent a letter to the MPAJ and recently received a reply stating that they will be sending someone to fix the problem by this week,” Puncak Bukit Utama resident Jason Seah said.

Seah, however, said that they wanted to know what exactly was going to be done and whether the action taken was a temporary or permanent solution.

The last location the group visited was halfway up the slope and about a few hundred metres away from where the landslide had caused the most damage last year.

The group had to make their way carefully up the slope as it was uneven as well as muddy and slippery. “Though there is evidence of works that have been carried out to install pipes and drains on this slope, it is obviously not well done. Water collects into puddles on top of the slope,” said Taman Bukit Jaya RA committee member Zakaria Mat Zakaria.

He said the area was the location where MPAJ had set up their command centre during the landslide.

Zuraida, whose last visit to the area was during the landslide, said that the government had allocated RM60mil to JKR to fix the slope.

In bad shape: The group checking on a wall along the foothill of Puncak Bukit Utama that is on the verge of collapse.

“It is shoddy work. It doesn’t look like a million-ringgit job. I don’t under­stand why the drain they built comes to a dead end on the slope itself,” she said.

The puddles are about 20m away from where the drain ends.

She said the breakdown of the alloca­tion by JKR showed that RM10mil was to repair the slope and another RM10mil to reinforce the slope next to Kyoto Garden Condominium.

“The drainage problems that residents are worried about should also be fixed using that allocation because it is the source of the problems,” Zuraida said.

She said that she would be following up on the issues brought up by the various residents associations in the area with MPAJ, the developers and JKR.

Troubleshooting Common Toilet Problems – Toilet Tank

Toilet Tank Components

Toilet Tank Components
The toilet tank is where all the major plumbing takes place in a toilet. The purpose of the tank is to contain the water needed to flush the toilet and to conceal the plumbing apparatus that fills and empties the tank.

Open any two toilet tanks and you'll often find very different components inside. Why? Well new technologies and materials have evolved over the past several decades, but in the end, there are just two major components with several variations. The two major components are:

Fill Valve and

Flush valve

The Fill Valve is the mechanism that fills the tank with water. It is also known as a Ballcock valve or sometimes a refill valve. It comes in four variations:

Plunger Type Fill Valve

Diaphragm Type Fill Valve

Float Cup Type Fill Valve

Floatless Type Fill Valve

Toilet Fill Valves / Ballcocks

The Flush Valve is what releases the water stored in the tank, closes the flow of water into the toilet and allows the tank to refill for the next use. It is the assembly that bolts to the bottom of the tank and includes the overflow pipe and the valve seat. The flush valve has two common variations used to seal the valve seat:

Tapered Rubber Float Ball or

Flapper Ball (tank flapper)

Decorative Wall Painting Techniques

How To Instructions for Your Next Painting or Faux Wall Finish Project

Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Do you long for a cozy, welcoming room? Consider decorative wall painting techniques, such as sponging, ragging, stenciling or stamping. Even if you have no experience, you can brighten even the dullest room quickly and cheaply with one of these easy decorative wall painting techniques.

Before painting your room, pick out a color scheme for your walls. When you chose your paint, remember that many painting techniques use two shades of one color. If you are using one of the techniques that does use two shades of color, you can pick a darker color than you normally would chose for your base color, since the lighter top color will make the final result much lighter.

To sponge or rag a wall, paint on your base color and let it dry thoroughly. Then, dip your sponge or rag into the lighter paint color and sponge or drag the lighter color over the base coat until you are satisfied with the effect. If you are unhappy with your final result, you can repaint any areas that you don’t like with the base coat. Once the repainted area is dry, repeat the faux painting technique.

If you are considering using a decorative painting technique such as stenciling or stamping, you may just want to create a wallpaper effect by stamping or stenciling a simple design over your base coat. However, you may want to go a step further with your project and use stencils or stamps to create a faux brick or stone wall. You don’t need to be an artist to create one of these faux finishes. Just follow these simple steps. First, paint the walls with the color you chose for the mortar between the bricks or stones. Once the base coat is dry, stamp or stencil your bricks or stones over the base coat. Once the brick or stonework is dry, spatter a bit of the darker color over your faux art to give it depth and make it appear more realistic.

Creating faux effects such as making your walls look like they are made of plaster or suede can also really make your room stand out. You can easily learn how to create these seemingly difficult finishes at your local paint store. Paint bases that automatically give a suede or textured effect to the walls are a shortcut that even artists use to create fun finishes.

Finally, no matter which decorative wall painting technique you choose, remember that it is just a few layers of paint. You can always redo the finish on your walls as you learn more about the art of decorative painting.

This article was provided courtesy PaintSplashes.com where you can find tons of information on faux painting and interior painting ideas and techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Niall_Roche

Avoid Common Building Problems - Avoiding the Low-Bid Dilemma

Building a house is a lot of work for the builder, but it's also a lot of work for the homeowner. Here is some seasoned advice to help smooth the construction process.
The homeowner's work begins with hiring the builder, or general contractor, which is where many projects start to go wrong. Yet, problems arise even with the best builders. Costly mistakes, lack of communication, poorly thought-out decisions, inadequate planning, failure to pay attention to the details, and inattention to budget can plague the best-intentioned home construction project.
Building a home is a complex process and a number of small mistakes will happen. On the other hand, you can avoid the biggest and costliest mistakes if you do your homework, communicate clearly, and respect the people building your home.
Avoiding the Low-Bid Dilemma
When you bid out your new home to a carefully selected list of contractors, it's awfully tempting to simply go with the lowest bid. That can be a mistake. Massachusetts general contractor, Andrew Goldstein, calls low bids "seductive," and said it's a fallacy to assume that you should "put out the bid to three or four people and then go with the low bid. The problem with all bids is comparing them once they're in. If you really trace down the nightmares, you'll find that a large part of the problem is that people go for the low-bid price."
"When somebody bids something too low, they may have done it on purpose and plan to make it up later, or they may have done it accidentally. Either way, they'll soon be in trouble because they're losing money. On some level, they may start doing things subconsciously like shaving time and cutting corners."
It's difficult for the average homeowner to know whether the low bid is really the lowest because all builders figure costs differently. "You have to get apples-to-apples bids, which is hard to do," Goldstein said. "Every builder does it differently. If you are going to put out bids, it's good to put out your own template."
Creating your own template means putting together a list of specific tasks that each contractor will have to treat similarly. "One way of creating a template is to take a look at your house. You probably won't be able to think of everything, but list things like painting, heating, foundation, roofing, framing, insulation, siding, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring, maybe tile. If a homeowner thinks about it for a half hour they can create this template. Say they even left out six or seven things-whatever they came up with at least gives them some basis to compare bids."
You might take this process a bit further and add more specifics to each category.
For painting, ask for costs to apply two coats of a specific brand of paint; for plumbing, ask for total costs to rough-in, connect to the municipal water supply and sewerage system, and to install all fixtures, specifying the brands and models.
Once you receive quotes from your list of potential contractors, you can do equal comparisons. You still won't know everything, but you'll have a fair understanding of each builder's costs in relation to the others.
In other words, do your homework. "You have to do your homework or else don't complain," Goldstein said. "If you do it in a casual way, you should expect poor results."
Don't Forget the Paperwork
Let's assume that you chose a reputable, reliable builder, somebody you feel you can trust to do his best building your new home. Are your worries now over?
"Something you want to do now is protect yourself," Goldstein said. "Once you get a contract, make sure the builder has a license. And you should make sure they're carrying liability and workman's compensation insurance."
In most states, the homeowner will be liable for any damages or injuries occurring on the job if the contractor isn't insured or is under-insured. Goldstein recommends that homeowners get certificates of insurance on both liability and workman's compensation, as well as on the builder's automobile insurance policy.
To further protect yourself, ask the builder for a lien waiver, which releases you from responsibility if the builder fails to pay subcontractors and suppliers.
"I can't speak for every state, but in Massachusetts, if you pay your builder and he does not pay his subcontractors, they can come after you. The same goes for the suppliers. You want to do as much as possible to make sure that once you pay him, he pays them."
The lien waiver is important for a number of reasons. Your contractor will have subcontracts with a lot of different companies and people, including roofers, excavators, mechanical contractors, painters, and all the other trades that most contractors hire for a job. The contractor also buys materials from several different supply firms, where he likely has accounts. If they're not paid, every subcontractor and every supplier will have a right to file a "mechanic's lien" against your property if you're not protected by a lien waiver. If such a lien is filed against your property, you can't sell or refinance the property until the lien is removed. Be wary of a builder who won't supply lien waivers.
Be Sparing with Changes
If we were to create a list of the biggest potential problems homeowners face when having a home built, change orders would probably rank right up there with hiring the builder.
A change order is a written order to the builder to change the plan of work, whether deleting some element of the construction project, adding some element, or, most likely, simply changing some element, such as swapping a lower-quality countertop material like laminate for a higher quality material like solid-surfacing. Minor changes usually don't cause problems. It's the bigger changes that cause problems because they have a ripple effect throughout the tightly scheduled construction project.
"If you assume the builder is competent and honest, the biggest problem in terms of budget and schedule is changes," Goldstein said. "If a homeowner cares about his money and his schedule, he should try to understand what he's building before he starts and be happy with it. But once you start changing your mind, it's costing you money and you're demoralizing the builder."
Goldstein, whose general contracting company, Thoughtforms Corporation, was chosen Custom Builder of the Year by Custom Home magazine, has thought a lot about this issue and offers good advice. "Change orders make the (construction) process less-efficient and cost more," he said. "Let's say he (the builder) has ordered the lights you chose for the kitchen but you say, 'No, we're going to get different lights.' Or he's ordered your cabinets and you've suddenly changed your mind. These changes add layers and layers of inefficiency," Goldstein said. "It's demoralizing to the builder and it sets a tone."
He gives a similar example involving decision making. "Let's say (the builder) bid the job with a tile allowance" and it's time to schedule the tile installer, "but you haven't picked out your tile yet," he said. "That can slow down a number of other jobs the builder has to schedule. What you're saying is that you've changed your mind, that the sub (contractor) doesn't have to come now. That sends a message to everybody on the job that the schedule isn't important."

A Few Fine Points
Take care of the little things and the big things take care of themselves, the saying goes. That being the case, the little things often add up to big things, and there are a few of the little things you should remember as you work with your contractor to build your home.
One of these is communication. "You should have formal meetings, even if you plan to show up every day," Goldstein said. "You should have a formal meeting scheduled. You sit down, you go over the issues, problems, questions. If there's a lot discussed, meeting notes are taken."
These don't all have to be long or in-depth meetings, but these meetings need to be established in a formal way. "What this means is that you're imposing a discipline, that there's a formal structure here," Goldstein said. "This doesn't limit you from having informal conversations. But it gives the meetings, and what you say at them, a little more weight." These meetings will also help make sure you know what's going on so you're not taken by surprise.
"You're dealing with a construction project that is completely reliant on the people doing it," he said. "Other consumer products are made over and over, identically. Here we're doing it outdoors, it's a big thing, it costs a lot of money," and both the homeowner and builder will find the process smoother when things get talked out on a regular basis.
Finally, Goldstein offers a more subtle piece of advice, one whose meaning bears on virtually every relationship in the working world. "I would suggest that, as much as possible, the homeowner should convey to the people who are working on their project-and I don't mean in a phony way or that they buy them things-but they should convey an appreciation that these people are trying to do a good job for them," he said. "These are people who are out there working with their hands, and this means a lot to them. If the homeowner comes across as arrogant, they'll ultimately end up with a worse job. But if, in an honest way, they can let it be known they appreciate that, they'll get a better job."

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Home Inspection

System For Home Inspection

Although architectural details, wall and floor coverings, modern conveniences and many other factors are important in the buying decision, the focus of this inspection is on the structural/mechanical/electrical condition of the property.

The house inspection is designed to give the real estate agent or prospective purchaser a system to detect some of the readily accessible major flaws or deficiencies in the significant components and systems of a home. It is not designed to, nor does it profess to facilitate detection of all flaws, problems or occurrences that might exist in any given home.

To maximize time efficiency and to ensure all of the major sections of the home are take into consideration, we have developed a systematized approach to the inspection. This is a simplified overview of systems that professional home inspectors use when they are inspecting a home.

To assist you in following the system, we have provided a checklist that will guide you through your own house inspection.

General Inspection

The first step in inspecting a home is to examine the big picture for the home. Notice the area the home is located in. Are there other homes of similar age and construction details relative to the home you are inspecting? A comparison will give you a general idea of the upkeep of the home. Have there been significant modifications to the exterior of the building and if so, how is the workmanship?

Exterior Inspection

Start at the exterior front of the house and work your way around the house (clockwise or counter-clockwise) at a distance which allows you to view a complete face comfortably. On each face (front, sides, rear) start your visual inspection at the top of the structure and work your way down to the ground and lot area. As an example, you would start at the front and note the roof and chimneys, the gutters, fascia and soffits.

Then, moving down the exterior wall coverings (brick, wood, aluminum), noting windows, doors, etc. Examine any porches or decks down to the foundation, then the grade or slope of the lot area, followed by any coverings, such as flower beds, walkways, interlocking brick, driveways, etc.

Move nearer the house, to examine more closely any details which may have attracted your attention, without skipping any items. Having completed the front, move to the side of the house and start the same procedure (roof to ground)

Interior Inspection

On the interior, begin your house inspection in the basement and then follow the system throughout each floor in the house. The system for inspecting the interior is to begin with the floor, go to the walls and then the ceiling, and then consider any appliances or other items in the room. Move from room to room, always in the same direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) so as to not miss any areas. If you see a door, open it!

In the utility room in the basement, first notice the floor, the walls (possibly the foundation walls are visible here), then the ceiling (floor joists may be visible), then go to the furnace, hot water heater, electrical panel, plumbing system, etc. When inspecting the floors, walls and ceilings, scan the entire area that is visible, not just one section.

In a finished room you would notice the floors, walls (including windows) and ceiling. Next look for the heat sources, electrical outlets and switches, fireplaces, closets etc. In bathroom or kitchen, notice the floor, walls and ceiling, then the plumbing fixtures.

Home Condition Inspection

While performing the home inspection, whether at the exterior, the interior or one of the mechanical systems, note the system first, then its relative condition. For example, if you were inspecting a wall on the interior of the home you would first note that the wall is plaster, and then examine the wall for cracks and irregularities.

Problems

The following are some typical problems or occurrences to look for in the major components and systems of the home:

Problems With Roof
Is the ridge (peak) showing a sag, or is it straight and level?
Is the roof sagging between the rafters or trusses?
Are there any signs of deterioration of asphalt shingles, such as curling, wasping, broken edges, rounded corners or key holes (slits) becoming wider that normal?
Are there any loose flashings, at the chimney, roof-to-wall connection or elsewhere?
Does the wooden roof deck appear rotten or delaminated under the last row of shingles?
Are there any roof vents visible?

Problems With Chimneys
Is the masonry cap cracked or broken? Are any bricks flaking or missing? Is any mortar missing? Is the chimney leaning?

Problems With Soffits and Fascia
Note whether the soffit and fascia are wood, aluminum or plastic Any loose or missing sections?
If wood, are there any paint problems? Any visible rot?

Problems With Gutters and Downspouts
Ensure gutters slope down toward downspouts- is there any rust or peeling paint?
Are there apparent leaks or loose/sagging sections?
Are the downspouts extended away from the foundations?

Problems With Wall Coverings
Look for missing mortar
Are the bricks flaking or cracking?
Look for loose, missing or rotten siding, deteriorated paint.
Does the siding appear new? Does it hide the foundation wall?
Are the exterior walls bowed, bulged or leaning?

Problems With Windows And Doors
Look for problems with paint or caulking, and rotted wood components. Are the windows new or older? Are they the original windows?
Problems With Porches and Decks
Cracking or flaking masonry?
Check for paint problems, rotted wood, and wood-earth contact.
Note any settlement or separation from the house.
Inspect the underside, if accessible.

Problems With Foundations
Check for cracks, flaking or damaged masonry.
Note any water markings and effluorescence (whitish, chalky substance) Any bowing, buldging or other irregularities?
Soft mortar?

Problems With Lot Area
Does the grade slope away from the house?
Any settled/low areas next to the foundation, or cracked walks/driveway? Is the property lower than the street or neighboring properties?

Problems With Basement
Note any evidence of water penetration (stains, mildew/odors, effluorescence, loose tiles etc.)

Problems With Floors
Check for deteriorated coverings or cracked ceramics. Any water staining or other damage? Sloping or sagging?

Problems With Walls
Randomly sample to check that the windows and doors work. Are the walls straight vertically and horizontally? Look for cracked or loose plaster. Look for stains, physical damage or previous repair evidence. Any drywall seams or nails showing?

Problems With Ceilings
Check for cracks in the plaster or loose, sagging plaster. Look for stains, mechanical damage or evidence of previous repair. Seams or nails showing?

Problems With Bathrooms And Kitchens
Check that all fixtures are secure. Are there any cracks in the fixtures? Note the conditon of the tiles and caulking in the tub/shower area. Are the faucets working? Do they leak? Sufficient water pressure? Look for staining and rot under the counter-tops Randomly sample the operation of the cabinet doors and drawers.

Electro-Mechanical Considerations
Type, style and age of heating & cooling systems. When were they last inspected or serviced? Type of water supply piping and drains - any visible rust and corrosion? Size and age of electical service - are the outlets grounded? Visible wiring in good condtion? Have there been any upgrades?

Read more: Home Inspection - A Checklist For Common House Problems
http://www.whatprice.co.uk

Buying a New Build Home

Many people decide to ‘buy new’ from a housebuilder in the belief that it will be a much less troublesome experience than buying somebody else’s home. In reality however, these people go on to find the experience more stressful than they could possibly have anticipated. The reason for this is that the purchase of property is not subject to the Sale of Goods Act or the Supply of Goods and Services Act which cover the majority of purchases, with the result that there is a general absence of consumer rights and legal redress in what is a significant and high-risk purchase. Most consumer complaints relate to:

• The time taken to finish building, despite promises of a much earlier completion date, having sold their old home and paid a significant deposit
• Misdescription / misrepresentation of the property or the area. What consumers were led to believe in terms of the specification of their property or use of land surrounding their property have not been the case.
• The contractual process after exchange of contracts – the 10 day notice period and the inability to claim breach of contract for poor workmanship
• The inability to gain access to ‘snag’ the property before completion
• The quality of finish on moving in and the time taken to come back and rectify the faults
• Absence of customer care in the period after moving in, compared with the time leading up to completion.
• No legal right to damages or compensation even if major problems with the property cause significant disruption and loss of amenity.
• General dissatisfaction with the NHBC, the warranty provider for the majority of new homes.

Choice of housebuilder

In terms of the main UK housebuilders, no one organization can be said to be better or worse than any other with regard to quality of build. They are only as good as the contractors they use at the local level. However, there is a good deal of variation among them in terms of the after-sales care they offer, and it is a good idea to research this by talking to anyone who has moved in to that development. Small local housebuilders can often be said to provide better attention to detail, but it is important to establish what you can expect from them after handover with regard to addressing any defects or damage.

Buyer beware

The majority of new homes will have a warranty underwritten by the NHBC (The National House Building Council). Although this provides the more comprehensive coverage than other warranty providers, it does not guarantee a home without defects or the immediate resolution of any problems you encounter.

If your new home is ‘build complete’ but you haven’t yet exchanged, request a quality audit. This can be carried out by a professional snagging company such as New Build Inspections Ltd who will carry out a detailed inspection and provide you with a comprehensive snagging list of defects to be addressed. You can then insist this be incorporated into the contracts to be exchanged.

If your property is not build complete by the time you’ve exchanged contracts, arrange an inspection prior to legal completion. This will ensure the property is comprehensively snagged before you move in, and there won’t be any nasty little surprises awaiting you when you do!

Notice to complete

Once your property has been issued with its certificate of habitation by the warranty provider (usually the NHBC), the housebuilder will give you notice to complete, during which time your solicitor will draw down funds from the mortgage provider in order to transfer them on the day of completion. The exact number of days will be specified on your contract, although it is usually around 10 working days. The builder may ask you to complete sooner than the contracted number of days but you are quite within your rights to refuse.

During the notice period, your property should be fully completed and habitable. There may be one or two touch ups to do, but in general it should be finished to a reasonable standard of quality with no major faults, damage or unfinished areas. Unfortunately you cannot delay completion on the basis of snagging items, unless they are significant or numerous enough to render the property uninhabitable. Any attempt to delay completion will only precipitate threats of late interest charges from the builder.

After completion

After completion (or handover) of the property, what few consumer rights you have will be guided by the warranty provider (in most cases the NHBC), so refer to your handbook to see what you are covered for and what the procedure is for reporting a defect or making a complaint. In general, you should be contacting your builder in the first instance, but if it is taking unreasonable time or they refuse to respond, then should make a claim through your warranty provider and they will contact the builder on your behalf. As mentioned however, this will not necessarily lead to satisfactory and speedy resolution, and many people find their issues can drag on for months, sometimes years

Passive Solar Technique: Let Nature Heat Your Home

Categories: Green Building

 

Homeowners are increasingly worried about their dependence on fossil fuels. They’re also more and more intrigued by the information about solar energy. Why? Because it saves money, benefits the planet, and makes for a comfortable house that requires little in the name of back-up fuel.

James Kachadorian, civil engineer and founder of Green Mountain Homes, has all the information a homeowner needs in order to implement a passive solar house. Read on!

The following is an excerpt from The Passive Solar House: The Complete Guide to Heating and Cooling Your Home by James Kachadorian. It has been adapted for the web.

During the summer of 1973, the U.S. economy was booming. We were all whizzing down the highway at 70 miles per hour, the legal speed limit. Gasoline was about 39 cents per gallon, and the posted price of Gulf crude oil was $2.59 per barrel. That year, my wife Lea and I had purchased a lovely old Vermont farmhouse, heated by a coal-stoking boiler that had been converted to oil. The base of this monster boiler was about three feet by six feet, and when it fired, it literally shook the house. We tapped our domestic hot water directly off the boiler, so we had to run the unit all four seasons: Every time we needed hot water, the boiler in the basement fired up. We were burning about 2,500 gallons of fuel oil each year, and in the coldest winter months, it was not unusual to get an oil delivery every two weeks.

Since we had no other way to heat our home, we were entirely dependent on the oil-gobbling monster, and on our biweekly oil deliveries to survive the Vermont winter. Our only alternative source of heat was an open fireplace. Though aesthetically pleasing, the fi replace actually took more heat out of the house than it gave off.

At that time, I was the vice president and general manager of a prefabricated post-and-beam home operation. Like others, I shared the industry opinion that the heating contractor’s job was to install the heating system that the homeowner wanted. As designers and home producers, we were not responsible for that part of new home construction. Home building plans were typically insensitive to the position of the sun. Our prefabricated home packages were labeled simply “front, back, right side, left side,” not “south, east, west, north.” We offered little or no advice on siting, except that we needed enough room to get a tractor-trailer to the job site.

To give you an idea how little energy effi ciency was considered in 1973 in house design (an area of home construction that has since received enormous attention), our homes had single glazed windows and patio doors; R-13 wall and R-20 roof insulation were considered more than adequate. (“R” is the thermal resistance of any housing component; a high R-value means a higher insulating value. Today’s homes typically have much higher R-values.) Homeowners in the 1970s rarely asked about the R-values of their home components, and our sales discussions were less about energy efficiency than about how the house would look and whether it would have vaulted ceilings.

The point is, we were not yet approaching the task of design and construction in an integrated, comprehensive way. We had not yet recognized that all aspects of a design must be coordinated, and that every member of the design team, including the future resident, needs to be thinking about how the home will be heated from the first moment they step onto the site.

THE OIL CRISIS

In 1973, an international crisis forever changed the way Americans thought about home heating costs. After Israel took Jerusalem in the “Six Day War,” Arab oil-producing nations became increasingly frustrated with the United States’ policy toward Israel. In the fall of 1973, these oil-producing nations began to utilize oil pricing and production as a means to influence international policy. In October 1973, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met and unilaterally raised oil prices 70 percent. The impact of this price hike on U.S. homeowners who heated with oil was spectacular. Fuel oil prices soared.

Then the oil embargo hit. In November 1973, all Arab oil-producing states stopped shipping oil to the United States. By December 1973, the official OPEC member-price was $11.65 per barrel—a whopping 450 percent increase from the $2.59-per-barrel price of the previous summer. Iran reported receiving bids as high as $17.00 per barrel, which translated to $27.00 per barrel in New York City.

In addition to giant price increases, oil supplies became uncertain and the United States, which depended on foreign oil for fully half its consumption, was facing the real possibility of fuel rationing for the first time since World War II.

Richard Nixon was president, and his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, spent most of that winter in what was termed “shuttle diplomacy,” racing from country to country attempting to bring a resolution to the crisis. He didn’t succeed until March 18, 1974, when the embargo against the United States was lifted. It had lasted five months.

As the international oil crisis was played out over those five months, every oil delivery to our home was marked by a price increase, invariably without notice. Worse, our supplier could not assure delivery. My wife and I had two small children, an energy dinosaur of a house, and no other way to keep warm but to burn huge amounts of oil. We couldn’t even “escape” to a warmer climate, because there were long lines at the gasoline pumps. We had never felt so dependent on others as we did that winter. It was plain scary!

We have done a little better recently, as today only one-fourth of U.S. oil comes from OPEC. Most imports come from more stable Western sources, and are so diversifi ed that a full-scale war in the Persian Gulf in 1991 caused
no gas lines at home. However, we are still over 50 percent dependent on foreign oil sources.

All the concerns about energy seem to have reached a boiling point in September and October 2005. Back-to-back hurricanes in the Gulf region of the United States crippled our refining and fuel distribution capabilities, and oil and propane gas soared to new record highs.

THERE HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY

I have a background in engineering, and the energy crisis of 1973–1974 provided an incentive for me to investigate solar heating. It was obvious to me that as a country, we had forgotten the basics of good energy management. I just knew that there must be a better way to design and build houses that would capture the sun’s heat and work in harmony with nature. I also have a background in business, and I realized that the energy crisis had opened up a market ready for new ideas about how to heat homes. The energy crisis had shaken us all into action.

The years immediately following the 1970s energy crisis saw a remarkable emergence of new ideas about solar energy. Solar conferences were held, and the public was treated to frequent articles that described new solar home designs in popular magazines. The results of this collective effort were largely positive. Many new ideas were tested. Some succeeded, and others failed, but building specifications focused on energy efficiency developed during that time have now become standard practice. For example, double-pane high-performance glass is now used almost universally in windows and patio doors. Standard wall insulation is now R-20. That was previously the roof standard; standard roof insulation is now R-32. The science of vapor barriers took huge leaps forward, and highly effective vapor barriers are now standard. Exterior house wraps, such as Typar and Tyvek, are applied on most new construction to tighten up air leaks. Appliances are now more energy efficient. Heating systems have undergone major improvements. These days, it is even common for “smart houses” to monitor lighting and to turn lamps and heating equipment on and off according to need. In sum, we are now building better energy-efficient houses, in large part due to the wake-up call we got in the winter of 1973–1974.

Patterns of Home

Technorati Tags: pattern of house,siting of house

Pattern Four — Capturing Light : A House that Follows the Sun

The Jacobs family house on a bluff in Rhode Island by architect Tut Bartzen.
Photo: David Duncan Livingston

The owners wanted a practical house, one that took full advantage of the light and the spectacular views and one that allowed ease of movement from indoors to out. In keeping with its New England setting, the basic form of the house is straightforward — a two-story rectangle with cut-away chamfered corners facing south.

The house is carefully positioned on the site. By setting the house with its leading corner facing south, two full sides of the building receive south sun, filling the interior with light from morning until night.

A wide porch with a balcony above wraps the south corner, inviting an easy flow from the living room, entry, and bedrooms out toward the view.

The porch roof provides natural seasonal light control for the lower floor, limiting the entry of light when the sun is high in the sky at midday in summer. When the sun is lower in the sky — early morning and evening, winter, spring, and fall — the angle allows light to penetrate the porch and enter the rooms beyond. As the day or the season gets cooler, the sunlight reaches deeper into the house.

Upstairs, each of the three bedrooms has windows to the east; as the sun comes up it gradually fills the rooms with light, waking the occupants gently. Each bedroom also has windows on a second wall, balancing the light in the room and increasing the period of direct sunlight. By mid-afternoon, the bedrooms are protected from heat gain by the placement of the bathroom and fireplace to the west.

Siting the house diagonally to the south takes maximum advantage of available sunlight. Every room gets direct sun at some point during the day.
Image: Taunton Press

The high living room ceilings allow space for transom windows above the glazed doors and windows that fill walls on three sides. The bright, open space changes mood as the sun moves from east to west.
Photo: David Duncan Livingston

Jabobs House, ground floor.
Image: Taunton Press

Jabobs House, upper floor.
Image: Taunton Press

Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.

At breakfast, the eastern sunlight enters the kitchen and adjoining dining room. Diners start the day with the early warmth of morning sun balanced by light from the kitchen window to the south.

By noon, the warm midday sun strikes the south face of the building, with its chamfered corners oriented to the view. A long wraparound porch shades the south side on the lower floor, giving midday protection to a kitchen window that fills the south-facing wall and to the French doors that open from the living room to the porch.

By late afternoon, the sun has moved around to the west and enters through the corner windows of the living room.

It is important for afternoon and evening activities to have a sense of the light but also to be protected from heat gain. Here the protection is created by dense landscaping outside the corner windows, which blocks the sun as it gets low in western sky.

The west-facing corner of the stairwell landing has windows that bounce light onto the very center of the house, where it falls down the stairs and into the entry hall — a balance to the more direct western light.

Discuss this article in our Home Design Forum...

Patterns of Home

Part of the ArchitectureWeek Patterns series. Text and images excerpted with permission from Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials of Enduring Design by Max Jacobson, Murray Silverstein, and Barbara Winslow, copyright © 2002 The Taunton Press, Inc. The book is available from The Taunton Press and at Amazon.com.

Exterior House Painting Preparation - Introduction

Introduction, Difficulty Level and Needed Tools:
The most important step in exterior house painting does not involve a paintbrush but rather paint scraping tools. Preparing the surface prior to painting your home will make or break your paint job. It is rarely the paint film itself that fails but rather the adhesion of the paint to the surface below (often called "substrate" in painting lingo). The reason paint fails to adhere is because the surface to which it was applied was dirty, wet or was loose itself. So making sure your paint surface is clean, dry, free from grease, oils and flaking or loose paint will give your primer and paint a good surface from which to bond. Painting the exterior of your house over a dirty or poorly prepared surface is like building a house on a bad foundation, and that's never been a good idea.

Let's review the tools you'll need to get byour house ready for a paint job that will last many years.

* Difficulty LevelAverage (Laborious)

* Needed Tools and MaterialsPaint Scraper
* Putty Knife
* Sandpaper / Sanding Block
* Stiff Brush
* Heat Gun Paint Remover (possible)
* Power Washer (possible)

Site Analysis

Understanding all the features of a site, using and protecting the best, and minimising the impact of the worst.

Ground Stability

Proper investigation of ground conditions is a crucial part of the site assessment process. You’ll need good information about ground stability and bearing pressure to determine whether the site is suitable for building, where on the site to locate any building, and the type and size of foundations you specify for the type of construction proposed.

Cutting corners when assessing ground stability can lead to serious problems such as some degree of building failure. If in doubt, call in expert help from a structural or geotechnical engineer.
What to look for

In your site visit, consider:

* general landforms – can you see any clues which point to a risk of landslip, soil creep, or subsidence?
* what are the soil types present – some types of soil can bear more load than others, and some expand and contract with changes in moisture levels (see soil types below)
* drainage/runoff, water table, and presence of natural springs or waterlogged soils
* proximity to mine works, quarries, exposed banks and landfill sites
* bearing capacity of the soil
* presence of expansive clays.

Look out for warning signs such as:

* slumps/hollows
* cracks in the ground
* sudden changes in slope
* leaning fence posts, power poles and trees
* remnants of buildings
* hollows in the centre of a flat area of ground
* undercut banks
* banks cut steeper than the angle of repose for the soil type – repose angles are in the order of 33º for sand, 25-40º for dry sediment, 30º average for soil
* evidence of slips.

You’ll also need to consider past use of the site, including the possibility of buried structures, contamination, and earthworks and uncompacted fill that may affect ground stability.
Determining bearing pressure

The allowable bearing pressure of soil is a measure of its ability to carry the load of the building without excessive (more than 25 mm) settlement. Bearing pressure must be measured at the base of the foundations and will depend on soil type.

For buildings within the scope of NZS 3604 Timber-framed buildings the requirement is for an ultimate bearing pressure of 300 kPa. Indications of good ground include:

* the foundations of adjacent buildings are satisfactory
* there have been no landslips in the vicinity
* all fill complies with NZS 4431 Code of practice for earth fill for residential development
* there is no organic soil, peat or soft clay.

If the ground does not meet these requirements, a comparatively simple soil strength test method referenced in NZS 3604 using a scala penetrometer may be employed. See BRANZ Bulletin 438: Using a Scala Penetrometer for more information, or NZS 4402 Determination of the penetration resistance of a soil.

If it the ground does not comply, or the building is outside the scope of NZS 3604 you’ll need to have the ground condition verified by an engineer experienced in soil investigation.
Soil types
Peat subsoil

Peat, which occurs in low-lying areas, is compressed dead vegetable matter which has been preserved from decay by acidic groundwater. The surface of the ground may appear stable and dry, but the peat can be present in a deep layer which can compress appreciably under the weight of a building. If you suspect peat is present, you’ll need to consult a specialist soils engineer. The extent and depth of the peat will need to be determined by drilling a number of bore holes. Where the peat layer is thin it may be able to be removed to expose firmer soils below, or a specifically designed raft foundation and floor slab may be needed.
Sand

Sands vary in their particle size and in compaction. Some types of sand have low bearing capacity so you’ll need to use piles, driven down to a firmer layer, in conjunction with a specifically designed slab.
Expansive clay

Some soils contain substantial amounts of clay material, which increases markedly in volume when wet and shrinks when dry. Certain trees can add to the severity of shrinkage through their uptake of moisture.

If these soils may extend to a significant depth below the surface, and especially if they occur at a level where the water content fluctuates periodically, substantial uplift of the surface may occur during wet periods, followed by subsidence during a dry season. The amount of this uplift varies with the clay content of the soil but can be as much as 50 mm in some areas.

Remember that putting a building on a clay soil will change the moisture content, and result in a new pattern of expansion and contraction. Moisture content will also be reduced by large paved areas such as sealed driveways and patios, tree planting, and subsoil drainage.

The effect of the clay movement is influenced by the moisture content of the site at the time of construction. It is important that, once the excavation has been carried out, the slab is laid without delay to minimise drying out of the area which will be beneath the slab.

In areas of potential movement of subsoil, the use of rigid elements such as brick veneer and concrete block should be avoided unless the slab and foundations are specifically designed.
Fill

If the building site contains areas where the levels have been shaped by earth fill, either excavated from within the site or imported, it is important to ascertain that this fill complies with NZS 4431 Code of practice for earth fill for residential development.

A certificate showing compliance should be obtained. If such a certificate is not available, have tests done on the area to determine its bearing capacity and to ensure that it does not contain unsuitable material. If the bearing capacity of the fill is inadequate, the foundations must penetrate through to solid bearing.
Sloping ground subject to slipping

The stability of a sloping site is difficult to define. Slips can occur on slight slopes which have no obvious warning signs on the surface, particularly when soil becomes saturated. Look at the condition of similar slopes in the area, and also look for cracks, slumping, leaning trees, tilted fence posts and other evidence of subsidence.
Water table

A very high water table can lead to extra costs by making construction more difficult and because of the need for pumping of excavations and provision of land drainage to remove the water.

A high water table implies that water pressure in the soil is high, which means the soil will be correspondingly weaker. High water pressure will adversely affect the stability of any slope and increase the loading on the retaining structures. Certain types of expansive clay soil will increase markedly in volume when they are wet.

If the building site is surrounded by large areas of higher ground, underground water will tend to flow to the site. This may cause pressure beneath a concrete floor slab or increased moisture levels beneath a timber floor; it can drive water into timber piles. Subsoil drainage may be necessary.

Initial indications of a high water table include:

* reeds
* surface water or boggy ground
* springs.

The history of the site (obtained from documents such as the certificate of title) may confirm that the subsoil is suitable for the type of building proposed. If there is any doubt, its suitability can be established by digging trial holes.

For sites where a low rise building is proposed, digging some trial holes by a mechanical back hoe or by hand can provide useful information.

When digging trial holes, a record should be kept containing:

* date of excavation
* location of hole on the site
* relative level of hole if the ground is not flat
* overall dimensions and depth of hole
* excavation system used
* ease of excavation
* rainfall that occurred while the holes were being dug
* groundwater conditions and water table level (if found)
* soil descriptions and depth of each layer
* positions from which samples were taken.

During excavation of trial holes, precautions must be taken to support the sides of the hole so that it can be safely entered for taking samples. On completion, the trial hole should be backfilled by compacting the material in 150 mm layers so that future work in the area will not be affected.
Finding information

The first step in assessing ground conditions is to get the background information from the local and regional councils (see the site analysis checklist), the certificate of title and a site visit.

Wherever there are doubts about ground stability, always consult a geotechnical engineer.
For your clients

To help your clients understand the hazards that might affect a site and how to identify them, refer them to www.smarterhomes.org.nz/siting-landscaping/hazards.

Siting Guide For Your New House

Before you buy or build your new house please make sure of these tips below.

Say No to these:

1. Peat land (avoid flood, fracture, floor sinking)

2. Land slope more than 35 degree ( avoid landslide)

3. House distance less than 500 meter from any industry (produce noise, dust, bad smell etc)

4. House distance less than 500 meter from heavy traffic road (main road - avoid noise).

5. Nearest Street level higher than the house. (flooding, accident)

6. Study the previous land used and avoid these:

i. former mining land.(avoid fracture, floor sinking)

ii. former dumping site.(avoid fracture, floor sinking)

7. House distance less than 500 meter from sewage treatment system like septic tank, sewage ponding system etc.(avoid bad smell)

8. House distance less than 3km from livestock. (avoid flies and bad smell)