11 Oct 12 8:30 AM

peng - yep I had a lightweight aerated concrete cladding solution, which was fixed to timber battens. ...read more

10 Oct 12 7:38 AM

I had a layer of 7mm ply wrapping the whole building, fixed directly to the framing. So when the builders installed this, they left it overhanging past the bottom of the bottom plate by 25mm. I was ab......read more

9 Oct 12 8:03 AM

peng - I recently built a new house in ChCh. Concrete slab with hydronic underfloor heating. I too struggled to find any system that would provide edge insulation, due to the engineers/foundation requ......read more

14 Aug 12 4:56 PM

I have been living in my new home for the last 10 months, after installing hydronic underfloor heating. Admittedly I am down in ChCh where things are a little cooler, but I can honestly say I have nev......read more

7 Mar 12 8:10 AM

I would be very interested to see some photos. ...read more

14 Feb 12 2:12 PM

Couldn't agree more GW!...read more

3 Feb 12 10:34 AM

This looks like a very interesting product. Where else has it been used (worldwide) and how long has it been around/in use? R4.5 walls with only 165 thickness sounds almost too good to be true! Wish i......read more

1 Feb 12 8:16 AM

Seriously Guess What. Why do you bother? People come on here for advice and suggestions. All you seem to offer is negativity, mainly about how 'far behind' NZ is. Believe me we all know your thoughts ......read more

7 Sep 11 12:03 PM

Janey - my lights are finally fitted off and powered up. All I can say is the switch lighting 12W downlights are very bright. It is hard to compare to how standard 50W halogens would look, but I have ......read more

1 Sep 11 11:10 PM

GuessWhat - are you saying you are refusing to share your process and design with this forum - so you can 'get the rewards' yourself? Of all the places that your designs would be welcomed and apprecia......read more

8 Jul 11 10:00 AM

Hey Janey, I haven't fitted any lights yet - the gib is currently being put up so still a couple of months away (after plastering and painting). I can't wait to see how all these lights perform....read more

10 Jun 11 10:45 AM

I have just bought a load of LED lights from these guys (via Redpaths in Nelson) and they arrived last week. Very nice looking gear. I haven't installed them yet so can't comment on the light....read more

3 Jun 11 11:58 PM

Hi Zimmerer - not sure exactly what type of building paper, think it is just the standard stuff Placemakers supply - not aware of anything special being specified. As for fixing rates - I have 4 guys ......read more

3 Jun 11 11:53 PM

Hi Case - yeah I have put a single coat of Drydens WoodOil. It was recommend by a few different people. I added some tints to give some UV protection and ended up with the pretty cool colour that look......read more

1 Jun 11 9:04 AM

Update: just talked to my builder and we have decided to go with stainless annular grooved nails. Based on a fair bit of research and talking to a few people in the industry I am pretty confident the ......read more

1 Jun 11 9:00 AM

Yep the framing behind the boards is at 400 centres. The cavity battens are a plastic product called Cavibat which are a honey comb type design so even when installed horizontally provide a drainage p......read more

31 May 11 5:15 PM

And a second question - if I did decide to go with annular grooved nails - is there any difference in terms of corrosion resistance between stainless steel and silicon bronze nails? I live a block and......read more

31 May 11 4:41 PM

Hey PS - thanks for that. There will only be a single fixing across the width of the board, and all holes will be pre-drilled. And yes, the timber has been fully seasoned. So in theory I should be fin......read more

31 May 11 4:03 PM

Hi, We are about to start fixing the exterior cladding on my new build, which for the first floor is vertical shiplap macro weatherboards. I need to decided what type of fixings, and was wondering if ......read more

1 May 11 10:51 PM

Hi Dingo - sorry for the slightly off topic question but I just wondering what you are using to get R7.2 walls and R12 ceilings?...read more

19 Apr 11 4:27 PM

Great to hear!! Can't wait for my place to be finished so I can try out my thermal heart windows as well!! Enjoy the warmth NickB....read more

10 Apr 11 9:28 PM

Thanks mostly to the great info on here I have ended up going with 140mm framing and have just specified 7mm ecoply to wrap around the whole build. It was a late call but one I am very happy I made in......read more

7 Apr 11 6:24 PM

I have decided to go with ThermalHeart windows as well (from First Aluminium in ChCh). There was a significant increase in cost but I am hoping it will be worth it. I am in the early stages of my buil......read more

7 Apr 11 9:00 AM

Hey guys, I have just completed my slab edge insulation and did something similar to what PhilB showed. I placed 30mm Platinum Expol poly wrapped in reflective foil around the edge (not sure how effec......read more

5 Apr 11 9:21 PM

Yeah mate - I never get those notifications either. Does anyone? Would be interested to see your link tho....read more

30 Mar 11 2:19 PM

I am not intending to use any tape - for the simple reason that prior to deciding I was going to use the Ecoply 'Barrier' solution I was going to have a standard timber frame + building wrap + exterio......read more

30 Mar 11 9:58 AM

I just emailed the architect from the Resilient House article so will see if he has anything to add. I can't imagine there will be anything wrong with wrapping in building paper over the ply - after a......read more

30 Mar 11 12:02 AM

Any north americans on here who would care to comment? I think I will do as Dean and Lionsong suggest - and leave off the sealant and tape, and just wrap the ply in building wrap. Cheers, Ben...read more

29 Mar 11 2:50 PM

All joins are going to be over studs - so there is no need for the PVC option. Thinking about it - with this being the case - there is not going to be any air flow through the barrier at all. So the o......read more

29 Mar 11 1:49 PM

Hi, Well the Ecoply turned up on site today and the builders and busily putting it up. They are all of the opinion it is a great idea and will be pushing for it in future jobs. They are questioning wh......read more

26 Mar 11 2:18 PM

Futurist - what LED downlights did you use and how much did they cost - if you don't mind me asking? I am in the process of designing my lighting for a new build and am looking into the various option......read more

24 Mar 11 11:16 PM

GuessWhat - afaik very few (if any) residential houses failed to the point of collapse. Therefore the code, which was only designed to withstand a quake of half the magnitude of the one we received a ......read more

23 Mar 11 7:29 AM

I was sure I replied to this last night! Anyway - thanks for that very informative post (as usual) Dean. It basically confirms my thoughts that this sort of ply 'wrap' can only be a good thing - espec......read more

22 Mar 11 5:39 PM

Good to hear Dean - likewise we were pretty lucky here in Sumner, although plenty of damage to homes obviously. I am under way with my new build with the ground floor framing up and awaiting structura......read more

8 Mar 11 9:50 PM

Hi, I have already asked a question re. LED lighting on here and thanks to all those that replied. I have come across a pretty good deal for the Philips Master GU10 LED - which is a 7W bulb, has a goo......read more

22 Feb 11 11:36 AM

Hey - looking for suggestions on how to fix a problem that has 'surfaced' during the polishing of my concrete floor... I laid my UFH pipes myself and ran a string line across the entire floor to make ......read more

19 Feb 11 4:40 PM

That is a great summary Rex - much appreciated. I guess I need to sit and down and establish if I can afford the extra money for wool and get the added R rating, or go with polyester which seems like ......read more

18 Feb 11 9:00 PM

Nicolevenice - are you suggesting polyester is a better option? It does sound like a good product - especially the guarantee that it will NEVER sag and will always hold its shape. I realise both poly......read more

12 Feb 11 7:58 AM

I heard somewhere that wool is very good at retaining moisture - which can be viewed two ways I guess - if you have any moisture in your walls the wool will absorb it, but then what happens to it? And......read more

12 Feb 11 7:54 AM

Well so far only the slab has been poured so it is hard to gauge I guess. But he is actually a very good friend of mine who I have complete trust in. He is working labour only and I know for a fact he......read more

11 Feb 11 2:56 PM

Interesting tip 'People Space' re. the fixing. I will pass that onto my builder. I have had a chat to my supplier about the macrocarpa and he assures me all his timber is air dried for at least 6 mon......read more

11 Feb 11 12:14 PM

Hi again, I am about to select my cladding timber and have two options - macrocarpa and cedar. I want to leave the timber to silver off naturally and both these timbers give the desired effect. Obviou......read more

10 Feb 11 9:37 PM

Yep - so the wool is stacking up pretty well then. It is about 25% more expensive tho. And what about the sagging - anyone got any views on that?...read more

10 Feb 11 2:24 PM

Polyester Pros: cheaper, supposedly holds it form indefinitely Cons: lower R rating Wool Pros: high R rating, natural product Cons: expensive, can sag after a few years (?) They are both easy to insta......read more

3 Feb 11 12:00 PM

Yeah good points Mike. I am starting to think the pipe in the driveway might be the best option. BTW - I am already installed a solar hot water system which I am hoping will provide a lot more than 30......read more

3 Feb 11 9:08 AM

Yeah I had considered that 'Nelson'. I am going to have a fridge with a cooled water dispenser so that shouldn't be a problem. I still wonder if putting it in the ground is potentially the best year ......read more

2 Feb 11 2:41 PM

Actually a mate suggested putting it in my roof space just last night - I suppose in summer you would get all the solar gain from the heat in there, and in winter you would be re-using the heat from t......read more

2 Feb 11 1:11 PM

Hi, I was told of an idea a few months back which seemed like a pretty simple and quick win. To take the water main from the street and feed it into a relatively long coil which you bury in the ground......read more

26 Jan 11 8:26 PM

Yeah I have decided to pull the trigger on the more expensive of the two - the double walled one. It just looks a much more well built unit and I don't want something buried in my wall that is going t......read more

25 Jan 11 3:29 PM

I am very interested in these two products, however the difference in price is significant. I.e. one is a quarter the price of the other. One is a single walled exchanger, the other double walled. Oth......read more