infonews.co.nz
INDEX
REAL ESTATE

Craft Homes are Confident that a Quality Home Can be Built For the Same Price as a Minimum Code Home

Thursday 1 October 2020, 10:42PM

By Beckie Wright

1645 views

Craft Homes find that one of the most frequently asked questions they are posed when discussing the building of one of their high performance homes is, “How Much”? Followed by, “That looks expensive – we can’t afford a home like that”. So they explain that a Craft Homes high performance home is one constructed in a way that maximises energy efficiency, and when building this type of home, their focus is on delivering a comfortable and well-ventilated home that’s both energy efficient and very quiet. Homes of any size or style can be built to this high standard using a range of different techniques and materials. 

They also explain that a quality home can be built for the same price as a minimum code home but it requires an integrated design process, where the builder is involved from the start, with a clever design. Craft Homes offer their clients the components of a high performance home but some of the procedures to get there are costly, so they adhere to the principles that underpin building high performance homes, without requiring the compliance procedures.  

Sydney architect Andy Marlow has recently built such a house in Sydney, and says the project was first conceived as a passive solar design. “The geometry remained unchanged. The construction systems were optimised, although you’ll never be able to tell once it’s finished. This home will be delivered for $22,000 less than its original passive solar cousin.” This home was a certified passive home, the gold standard for high performance homes. 

Craft Homes give you the choice of creating a sustainable home that is smart, healthy and better for the environment. The energy efficiency of one of their high-performance home can be accurately predicted and verified prior to commencing construction. This is achieved using energy modelling software, which allows for any changes to be made at the design stage, rather than during construction, saving on costly changes to plans 

At Craft Homes their primary focus is on improving the insulation and airtightness of the floor, walls and roof. This is often referred to as the building envelope, which is like a blanket that wraps around the home and keeps the heat inside. They also use technology, such as mechanical heat recovery ventilation, to maintain a warm, low humidity environment within the home, reducing the need for additional heating or cooling sources, which can be expensive to run.  

Many think that building sustainably is unaffordable and simply out of reach, but this isn’t the case, so for more information on Homestar homes, home builders NZ and high performance houses NZ please go to https://www.crafthomes.co.nz .