[Brit Guy]

Just a thought, but if NZ is as ‘green’ and environmentally friendly as its supposed to be… why is there lack of insulation and double glazing in the houses? I have noticed that some folk on this forum seem to think that the cost of heating is exorbitant, and I guess rightly so given the lack of good insulation. Is it that New Zealanders just don’t feel the cold?
Are there no concessions from local authorities in the way of ‘insulation grants’?

[Carol]

It's because the standard uniform you need to buy to become a kiwi is:
polyprops
(more than one pair acceptable and both top AND bottoms are necessary)
Fleece Jacket from Kathmandu (Outdoor type of store)
Swan dri (I think that's what they are called...they are waterproof anyway - a sort of woollen jacket.

So you see.....insulation and heating is unnecessary because you wear all of that indoors too! :nice1


And....
you must have an electric blanket!
;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

[Brit Guy]

Ohhhhhh… I see. Well as for the Swandri, I can agree that they are great. Me and the wife went to the Swandri factory when we were there… bought a couple of coats. I use mine when I go out hunting, real warm. However, I am a firm believer in having a nice warm house to relax in, nothing worse than getting home from a hard days work in winter, and finding the house like a bloody freezer!

[Diny]

Brit Guy

I agree. I can cope with any amount of harsh, cold weather as long as I know that when I get home the house is nice and warm - especially the bathroom, there really is nothing worse than freezing in the shower.

I was talking to my father in law last night, he was asking me all about our plans,hopes etc for when we get over there. I told him that I wasn't looking forward to spending winters in a wooden house with no heating, insulation or double glazing. He said "yeah it does get cold but you'll get use to it" ..... er ..... I don't think so !!!!!

Diny

[Michelle and Richard]

Have looked at a lot of houses recently and yet to find one with central heating. Best you can hope for is gas wall heaters (very small) and heated bathrooom and kitchen floors.

Kiwi answer is if your cold put a jumper on. Sorry but their houses are freezing but English mate who has been here years says you get used to it and when you go back to England you will find central heating oppressive !

Michelle (sat next to pathetic heater in balmy Auckland)

[veronica]

No you dont and we haven't worked out the answer to Britguys question
about greeness yet either. I think that a lot of people here genuinely believe they are 'green' but don't seem to see cause and effect on this issue. Obvious to us that the less insulated the house the harder the heating has to work so the more energy is consumed. They have got the technology now for solar powered underfloor heating as well as water heating so thats the road we aim to go for in the longterm.

[shagen]

I am with Diny, at least the bathroom has to be warm...

If you guys think you have it bad, we come from the tropics and getting used to the climate alone is bad enough, let alone a freezing home!

:exit

[Brit Guy]

Unfortunately, I get real aches in some of my joints in cold weather (early onset of arthritis), and for this reason we considered Aus as opposed to NZ, however, I hope that it may not be as bad as the UK, especially Chch, as it is drier according to the weather stats. I must say that the hot (excuse the pun) topic of ‘cold weather’ surprises me, as according to all the charts, most parts of NZ have more sunshine, higher average temperatures and less rainfall than the UK… however, it seems that most of you (south island) seem to comment most negatively on the weather.

Our idea is to have a house built to our own spec’. I am considering the following points re heating:

Double glazing (a must)
Solar heating of water
Underfloor heating
Heat pumps
Extensive insulation throughout

I would be grateful for further comments on this, especially from those who have done/are doing similar.

[Diny]

You are quite correct what you say about the weather. In my experience the NZ climate is no better (and alot more rain) that we have here - but like I say - that's just my experience.

However ..... over here we have brick houses with double glazing and central heating (as a rule). So - no matter what it's like outside we are 'toasty' on the inside.

Sitting in a weatherboard house (which is usually built with a good space between the floor and the ground) - no d/glazing, no heating, no insulation, the draft will hit you from all sides and top and bottom ...... believe me .... you WILL feel the cold.

[Yogi]

Hi,

We've been thinking about this too. Once we are there and ready to own a place am thinking we will have to get one built. Mrs Yogi won't do without central heating forever that's for sure.

Been told a good estimated build cost is $1000 per sq metre, wondering how much to add for decent insulation, double glazing and central heating (radiators or underfloor radiant). Anyone know?

May even consider hiring a bunch of british brickies and getting it built in good ole brick/concrete block with an insulated caverty wall and dry lined using untold luxuries such as air bricks.

Cheers,

Yogi.

[Mildred]

So why isn't there much central heating? Is it because its too expensive, or not enough heating installers? If hubby comes over with a view to installing central heating is he going to be rushed off his feet and financially o.k. or is he going to be without work as no one can afford to put heating in?

I know there is a lot of LPG out there, but don't imagine this makes much difference - but wot do I know. I only just know how to turn the thing on :?

I had an electric blanket when I was a little girl but nearly set fire to the bed. I had badly wet the bed but being self conscious I didn't tell my mum. Well she turned the blanket on that night and well, the rest is history. Well I was only five years old - that's my excuse anyway.

[cpgrant]

I spent a year in Seattle, another supposedly "green and environmentally friendly" area, and I was surprised how many older apartments and homes were lacking in proper insulation and central heating. We lived in a large loft apartment and even though it never gets all that cold in Seattle (rarely below freezing, only occasional snow) I spent all winter freezing. Once the sun went down, the temperature in our place would plummet and the collection of electric wall heaters were hopelessly outmatched. And our electric bills - ouch!

But in my apartment in Montana, I've got the old fashioned centralized steam heat, double glazed windows, and proper insulation. It's always toasty come winter. It can be 40 below zero (F, or C) with a 50 MPH gale blowing outside and it's still cozy indoors. It's going to be tough to give that up :(

[Diny]

According to my father in law, electricity and gas is fairly expensive in NZ and he says that the reason central heating isn't popular is becuase very few folks could afford it. He also says that it's just what they are use to and that they don't really notice the cold.

Well I'm very proud of him for being such a hardy sort. However, I have no intention of 'getting use to it' - by hook or by crook I WILL have a warm house.
:nice1

Diny

[veronica]

what Diny says is true in that there is a very proud sort of attitude that Kiwis are to tough to need heating, Blow that for a lark, I'm not. The heating insulation etc is all here and the people to install it are about. Its just not the norm yet for it to be put in automatically.
I would disagree slightly with the comments about the weather. I can't answer for the North Island but the south Island tends to be quite dry and very often sunny (often its a lovely day outside but cold indoors, and apparently is hotter than the north in the summer. I have come to the conclusion that it is quite windy too.

[Diny]

Hi Veronica.

I'm glad that the heating equipment and the people qualified to install it are available ..... I shall sleep easier for knowing that I won't be freezing my tush off.

My comments regarding the weather - yeah I know that it's a general rule of thumb that NZ has slightly better weather than the UK - but I did say 'in my experience' ....... yeah I've had nice weather out there but boy oh boy have I had some rubbish too - far more than I was lead to believe I would get !!

I can honestly say that weather - what ever it may be - doesn't bother me. Rain or shine, hot or cold, wet or dry .......... I just like my houses warm.

Diny :nice1

[upandrunning]

The reason they don't mind the cold is because they are either in a semi state of hypothermia or they are too pissed to notice!

On a serious not though they are thinking of amending building laws in the next 3 years to say new dwellings must have double glazing.....trouble is the kiwis will need to have to look up double glazing in a dictionary or something!

[Diny]

Upandrunning :eek :eek :eek :eek :eek :eek :eek

[Brit Guy]

Upandrunning...

Sounds like you are somewhere you don't like, and shouldn't be.

[Diny]

I'm sure (hoping) that Upandrunning's remarks are made tongue in cheek.

Diny

[Bushpig]

Dont be so bloody soft. Its not that cold. Harden up poms. get a fire going and harden up

:roll:

[Stu]

Aaaarrrhhhh.... harden up ya pack of sissies! How do you know what sorta clothes you will have to wear outside in the mornings if you don't have the old handy indicator of frost of the duvet?

Most houses do have insulation...later houses anyhow, and all new builds have ot have Batts installed in the walls etc (Pink Batts...fibreglass padding).
Getting the roofs done? Easy enough, even on old houses, they have this stuff they just spray/pump into your cielings, really keeps the place nice (We put it in here decades ago)
Double glazing? Never seen it here.

Central heating...well.... my Dad, being a Cannuck, was horrified like many of you to find kiwi homes so cold, and when we fianlly settled in this place (family home, here for the last 50 years!), Dad had a commercial deisel heater installed. It is great, really warms the place up when it is on...trouble is, the tank holds 600l, at around 90c-$1/l for heating oil (more than ord Deisel as it has kerosene in it), that lasts for around 3months .... makes for an expensive warm house.

Because it is such a damp climate though, what DOES help enormously is to have a dehumidifier... without actually heating a house, they sure make it far more comfortable!

I tihnk another reason our houses are cold is that we have quite large window areas in most houses, and as you say, no 2ble glazing....

Same climate as old blighty?? Hey, could be,but a LOT less gloomy in the winters...longer days, more sunlight hours, makes it a little less depressing than the Pom winters. And if the weather DOES get to you, hell, $1,000 gets you a week in fiji for a break away....

cheers, Stu.

[shagen]

Way to go Diny :nice1

I am just curious, with the number of Brits moving to New Zealand, why hasn't the concept of a warm house caught on? :no

[miep]

We've just finished building our house here in Welly.
It has underfloor heating, solar hot water, lots of insulation and double glazing in timber frames. It is also mostly made out of concrete and is just wonderfully warm and dry.
We were told that $1000 per square meter would build us a house. Yeah right! That would build you a cardboard shack with a tin roof. If you want anything resembling the quality of a modern european home you have to at least double that figure.
I think the weather here is much better (and more variable!) than in Holland but because all the houses are so cold it feels worse than it is. One of the first things I bought when we moved here was thermal underwear, never needed it before! Our first rental was beautifully renovated but absolutely b****Y freezing. Even when the sun was out it didn't really warm up because most of the windows were south facing (north is the warm side here). When we asked the landlord why he didn't put any heating in or underfloor insulation he basically told us to toughen up.
When we were building the house many people told us we were crazy to spend money on double glazing but now that its done everybody remarks on the pleasant climate inside and whether we have the heating on when mostly we don't.
Our living room window measures 8 m by 3 m, if that were single glazed you wouldnt be able to use that room on a cold night.

We've designed the house with the sun in mind, all the concrete serves as thermal mass to store the heat gained during the day and to release it at night. The main windows have eaves so that in winter when the sun is low it can shine inside under the eaves and warm up the house and in summer the sun will only come in late afternoon.
So far the theory seems to work, on sunny days in winter the house warms up so much during the day the heating doesn't need to come on at all at night. We're hoping for a long hot summer to find out if the theory works then aswell ( we only moved in last june)

BTW the NZ government has been to advising everybody to heat up their house more than they're used to as research shows that damp and cold housing gives a far greater incidence of asthma. And apparently NZ leads the developed world when it comes to the nr of people with asthma.


The building code is being tightened when it comes to insulation and there is talk about giving subsidies for solar hot water and other "green" incentives so things are definately moving in the right direction.

Cheers, Miep

[Diny]

Guess we must sound like a pack of sissies :oops:

I think the cold weather and the cold houses came to me as one hell of a shock !! Having spent alot of time over the years with many Kiwis here in the UK, I've been told so many times that the UK weather is so cold, so wet, so dull, so windy etc etc.

I have to admit that I was lead to believe that NZ could boast endless summer days, temperatures in the high 30's, mild winters and rarely a need for a jacket. I think those chaps were hamming up the NZ climate as part of their 'NZ is best' mission.

When I first visited NZ in the summer of 1990 I was shocked by the amount of rain, cold winds and downright chilly days we had. Sure - we had some really nice weather too ..... but like I've already said, nowhere near as wonderful as I had been lead to believe. I think it's the 4 seasons in one day thing that amazes me - quite spectacular really. On my last trip to NZ (March this year), I was gobsmacked at how cold my inlaws house got at night, it was downright uncomfortable - and it wasn't even winter !!

A whinging, sissy pom I might be, but as a final thought, last year my Kiwi husband was getting ready for bed in his parents house, the room was like a walk-in freezer .... his exact words .......'this is bloody stupid isn't it'.

Hey - maybe we could start a 'suggestion thread' ....... 10 ways to keep warm without central heating ;)

When all is said and done - cold houses won't kill us, but why be uncomfortable when the tools to make you warm are out there?

Diny

[bbq]

When all is said and done - cold houses won't kill us, but why be uncomfortable when the tools to make you warm are out there?

Diny

Dead right, when I moved to England at first we all lived in a old fashioned Gypsy caravan for over 2 years. Permanently emptying the buckets on the floor for the leaks, mum walking half a mile for water collected in buckets every morning, one tiny heater, no toilets (the wood are only a hundred yards away). Some of the heaviest snow falls in England for ever (1960-62), and of course the proverbial tin bath outside.

Did it affect us, I am sure it did my mum, thinking back how she had to break the ice of that tap to get water .....Us kids, not really, I remember how cold and wet it was, but we got through it. We kept warm, by all sleeping in one bed (Mum, 3 kids, and Dad when he was around - he travelled the UK looking for work and was seldom with us)

BUT NOW, the thought of leaving my lovely warm house for a draughty one in NZ is not appealing, and I think I will be doing my best to get the best insulation poss :nice1

cheers

alex

[Moorf]

Well, I have to come clean here - I thought everyone moaning about heating or LACK OF heating in NZ houses were wusses.... :oops:

BOY I look stooopid now. I can cope with chilly (we renovated a cottage in Scotland and thought THAT was cold before we got a fire going...) but no, these places are FREEEEZING... and most rentals have the fireplaces blocked up :eek so you are stuck with one poxy heater!

We got back from the casino on Saturday night - our first night in the house - and I was in tears.. it was so miserably cold - I'm talking "bone deep" cold and we had 2 duvets and one cover on the bed and even that took us a while to warm up ;)

We bought 2 oil heaters in the sale at Bond & Bond ($99 for two) and they are taking the edge off, but I am still sat here in my hooded fleece with the hood up!! :wah

At least we haven't bought yet and we'll know what to budget for when we do!! Insulation, double glazing and central heating!

[goldwheels]

I agree with you veronica about the weather here on the south island, we are down near Timaru, and it hardly rains compared to the UK. Where as in the UK you used to sit in doors because it was always peeing it down or it was to bloody cold, here even in the winter there have been several T-shirt days. You do get the cold frost at night but when there's a frost your more than likely to have a glorious day.

We looked into central heating bearing in mind there is no mains gas on the south island, so it would have to be diesel. There was a firm in Christchurch that quoted us about $8000 parts only, this is to heat a large 4 bed house. Nearly all the parts would have to be exported from the UK.

Looking at statistics for home heating, we found that the most economical was heat pumps, and surprisingly wood is the dearest. We have two down stairs (5.5 kw heat out) and yet to fit a larger cassette type ducting of to the bed rooms upstairs (8kw heat out). They say it's a dollar a day to run one continuously through the day and night.

[Diny]

Goldwheels

You and I must be talking about a different NZ !!! :laugh

Diny

[Yogi]

Someone posted some excellent links on heatpumps a while back.

Does anyone know how cold it needs to get outside before they will not work?

Additionally, does anyone know approximate purchase install costs for a 4 bedroom place?

Cheers,

Yogi.

[Raeven]

Aaaarrrhhhh.... harden up ya pack of sissies! How do you know what sorta clothes you will have to wear outside in the mornings if you don't have the old handy indicator of frost of the duvet? cheers, Stu.

LOLOL, Stu, you kill me!! But I know it's no exaggeration.. my husband has spoken of frost on the duvet, although only when staying down Invercargill way with family. And he admitted that there, it was bone-crushing-standing-nekkid-out-in-the-chill-arctic-wind cold. We're heading to the top of the South, so hopefully not as bad as that!!

I'm having a hard time gauging the whole cold thing. For the past 20 years, I've lived in a climate with so little variation you can't tell summer from winter. It's pretty much 70F (21C) year round. We close our windows and doors occasionally to clean them. But before I moved here, I lived in one of the most extreme temperature-swing areas in the US, in the great plains of Montana far up north. We frequently had cold temperatures of -30F (-34C) and occasionally -50F (-45C) -- and that was before wind chill was factored in. Hated it, stayed in a lot, worried about frost bite when I went outside but can't say I worried about it endlessly. But I'm worried about the cold in NZ!! I know it will get colder than where we are now, and I know it's a lot more humid there than in north central Montana, so that will make it feel colder. I also know it will take time to acclimate, but I just can't get a handle on how miserable I'll be.

We hope to build a home eventually, but we won't be doing it for awhile. If we manage to get there before the end of the year, we hope we can acclimatize gradually as winter sets in. Insulation and proper heating in any house we buy is a big priority.

All your postings have been very enlightening, and I guess I'm going over expecting to be unhappily cold for awhile!! Thanks for preparing me for the reality!! :wah

All the best, Rae

[Timbo]

Hey Mr Bushpig, from what I hear it doesnt get anything even close to cold up in your far flung corner of New Zealand. Maybe your the soft one. :laugh

[veronica]

The 'normal' central heating we would have at home is expensive here but we would be looking to have underfloor which is surprisingly catching on here. If the situation is right it can be solar underfloor heating which is even better.

Moorph, (and any one in the same chilly situation) go and buy a hotwater bottle. Was the first thing I did when we moved in here.

[cpgrant]

... But before I moved here, I lived in one of the most extreme temperature-swing areas in the US, in the great plains of Montana far up north. We frequently had cold temperatures of -30F (-34C) and occasionally -50F (-45C) -- and that was before wind chill was factored in. Hated it, stayed in a lot, worried about frost bite when I went outside but can't say I worried about it endlessly...

I'll actually miss the extreme winter when I leave. There's something bracing and wonderful about crisp, clear, and cold, cold, cold weather. Best time of year for back country snowshoeing or x-country skiing down in Yellowstone is in mid-January. Seeing a herd of Bison, in the midst of a blizzard is an unforgettable experience.

However, what I *won't* miss about Montana's weather is the summer heat. In July and August it can easily get up to 100 F (38 C). Sure, it's a dry heat, but it's still hotter than blazes!

[veronica]

You don't have to miss the cold there are mountains and snow. (although bit short of bison here, sheep do)

[Timbo]

Veronica. Do you have "herds of wilderbeast sweeping majestically accross the plain"?

[Diny]

Or the hanging gardens of Babylon maybe madam?

Good old Basil Fawlty!

Diny

[upandrunning]

i am up and running cos we decided on the 26th august that we couldn't be bothered to wait for our ita, selected from pool on 18th august.
So we packed house sort of, had leaving party (very important, dutch courage reasons to remain drunk!) and left blighty on September 9th.
Husbandd got poisoned by heathrow catering or cathay pacific, but still manage dto land job in first week, very easy to blag here,bit like the wild west!

So I guess we are staying, just house and school to sort,

I guess you could say that we are running, not away from anything though just headless chicken style!

[cpgrant]

You don't have to miss the cold there are mountains and snow. (although bit short of bison here, sheep do)

Yeah - I'm definitely looking forward to hiking and skiing the "southern alps". :yes

[Moorf]

Hiya upandrunning - where are you based?

We did pretty much the same as you - what work are you in?

Ohhh questions questions!

Moorf

[veronica]

no wilderbeest, just bewildered sheep.

[shagen]

Hi Upandrunning & Moorf,

So you guys just picked up and left after your EOI was selected?

The reason I am asking is coz I am in a similar situation. But we are not sure if we should also pack up and leave for NZ. Is getting the ITA just a matter formality or is there a possibility that it will not come through.

I am a little worried coz the website says that I was successful but I have not seen anything in the mail, other than the initial letter that said we were selected.

My plan was to leave for NZ in Feb/Mar next year to look for a job and settle things while the family comes down later. After reading your posts, am wondering if I should do it now than later next year. I am sure if I got a job then the work permit thing could be done and it is a route to PR.

What do you guys think?

Cheers,

[goldwheels]

Goldwheels

You and I must be talking about a different NZ !!! [quote]

Hi Diny
Not a different NZ, just a different island. :roll:

When you see on the weather forcast the north island always seems to have more rain than Canterbury. Hasn't South Canterbury got the lowest rainfall though out the island. When NZ was suffering from all the floods on the north island we had hardly had a drop here.

May be others from the Christchurch area will agree with me that the weather is far much better to what they had in the UK.

Only just over a month ago we had the highest temperature for the island which was 24 degC. :cool

Yes it is cold at night, I have never before had an electric blanket on my bed until we came here.
:cheers

[Moorf]

Hi Shagen

Personally I don't feel qualified to advise on what moves you should make and when :no , for us it was a risk assessment scenario, plus we don't have kids/family to ship over.

In our case we had already sold one property in preparation for the move and kept another in the UK as a "bolt hole" and income (it's rented). Whether or not we have our ITA in the near future I just don't know, we won't be top of the list as we don't have jobs.

Warren started talking to recruitment agencies today - his skills are certainly good for this area of NZ - but the agent did say that the job market was a bit "slack" at the moment. Thankfully we still run our co. in the UK and we also have a contract we can pick up at any time (again, via a client in the UK) so the risk to us is pretty minimal. We do feel that, at this point, we shall need to extend our visitors visa (you can do this online) to allow the EOI process to catch up with us.

If we don't get jobs, and we don't get our ITA/PR sorted by March - June next year then we have a return ticket and will just have to continue the process back in the UK and come back here again once sorted!!!

As you can see - we are quite flexible!!

:nice1

Moorf

[shagen]

Hi Moorf,

Thanks for that. I have 2 kids so I am not planning on taking big risks. We can weather it out for awhile but after reading some dreadful stories of people not being able to find jobs at all, might not want to risk moving there without a job.

Now, when I call up recruitment companies I get one of two standard answers. "When you are in NZ, give us a call" or "When your PR is sorted out, then come and see us". So my dilemma really is, would an employer offer me a job with a visitor visa?

Glad you and Warren are progressing well. Let us know how it goes...

Cheers,

[Moorf]

Yep, they are the standard replies to job info requests when you are not in the country. Have to say, they are ALOT more accommodating when you are here... eager to meet, even if no jobs suitable at the time.

I have seen many posts on here where people have come over and landed jobs relatively easily. We haven't really tried v. hard - literally only spoken to 2 agents, so we're not going to worry just yet. We were just testing the water. Might be worth a "trip" here to chat to some agencies and do a bit of ground work?

[Timbo]

Getting back on topic, TARA, can you tell us all (if you have already...sorry) what the situation is like up in Northland with regard to cold/damp/condensation. Is it REALLY the winterless wonderland we are led to believe?

[Tara Sage]

Sorry Timbo :? I am not in Northland I'm in Rangiora just North of Christchurch.

It does get cold here, but we have a good logburner that once it is lit will heat virtually whole house!

We get a bit of condensation in the mornings, but nothing to major all in all things ok here, but I think we were lucky to find such a nice rental.

We viewed a few and some of them I didn't even want to go in let alone live in :? :(

[Timbo]

:oops: :oops: :oops:
Anyone in Northland???? Rescue me please..

[Radders]

If it's anything like Auckland it rains an awful lot in the winters, but I never needed anything other than a fleece while I was there!

[Brit Guy]

Sorry I’ve not responded to some of the posts.. been in hospital for a spine op.

Anyway, it’s great to read the differing responses from all who have contributed. It seems clear to me that we are all individuals when it comes to how we prefer to heat (or not) our homes. Some of the more ‘hardy’ amongst you prefer the more regimental, cold shower, frosty start-to-the-day, whip-me-with-stinging-nettles approach, whilst to others, the thought of not being able to flick a switch to bring on the central heating, seems like living in the dark ages.
I would suggest that we are all individuals when it comes to what we consider to be acceptable. For those who would scoff and call folk who cannot (or would prefer not to) live without heat, I would say that acclimatising to something you are most definitely not used to can be somewhat of a shock. This works both ways, as I would suspect that you would be as uncomfortable in a warm/hot/dry centrally heated house, as those who are used to this environment would be if they had to live in your single glazed, wood burning, non-insulated, weatherboard clad home.
I think also that for the many folk here who are embarking on a quest for a ‘new life’, are also trying to make the transition as comfortable as possible. Lets face it, most of us in the UK complain bitterly about the weather, so why on earth would we want to move to the other side of the world, with all the stress and costs involved, only to live in a house that makes us feel ‘colder’ than we were back in dreary old England? As for me personally, up until a few years ago, I used to sleep with my windows open all year round! Now, unfortunately I have arthritis in my wrists, neck, back, fingers etc (possibly brought on by sleeping with my windows open all year round), and I find that cold weather really does not help. It isn’t so bad if I am walking and keeping warm, however when I am inactive, relaxing (or asleep), it really tells on me. So, for me, it will be essential to have adequate heating, and in so, I would insist on insulation of the highest spec, else you are just heating the atmosphere!
I would ask if anyone has any links to ‘heating systems’ ‘double glazing’ etc, that they leave a link or even start a new thread with the info…. It could benefit people (us included) who are looking to build their own house.


Regards


Kevin

[Dave & Sandra]

Gosh Kevin - you have got problems. I have a bad back which bothers me even more when I'm cold - tensing up the muscles and all that, so I can sympathise in a way. How are you doing after the op?

Was visited by a bloke from ARL Air Conditioning today www.arltd.co.nz who advised that it would probably cost $12,000 to $14,000 to install a heat pump system in our 'villa' in Feilding. That would be in living room, two bathrooms and three downstairs bedrooms. The two dormer bedrooms don't really need it as the heat rises straight up there, in fact I'm thinking of living up there until we can get a heating system installed. :laugh. But it is getting warmer now. Didn't light the woodburner until 4pm yesterday in expectation of the temperature dropping in the evening.

Also got info from www.chilltech.co.nz

Sandra

[Brit Guy]

Hi Sandra

Thanks for the concern, I’m doing far better than I thought possible. I had a prolapsed disc, which they had to partially cut out, along with some vertebrae… Anyway, I was up and walking within eight hours and back home the next day… just got to take it real easy for a few weeks.

Thanks also for the links, I am looking at them as I write this.

Regards

Kevin

[veronica]

We've just had a quote on solar waterheating huge new tanks (showers for 20+) etc and solar underfloor heating for a new bit (9metres x 6 metres) for a backpackers hostel we are converting and its come in at $20,000, I know its not your average domestic set up, we don't have one of them, but thought it would give some idea.

[clg]

Thanks to those posting prices! It is good to be able to look at this armed with a bit more information.

Chris