They do say the 3 most important things to consider are location, location, location. But for me, that doesn't just mean the suburb, & the street, it actually means the…

Hebel, yes, better thermal properties than brick.
Steel frame no. Timber does the job, as long as termite protect is adequate. It's MUCH more sustainable (as long as it's sustainably sourced),…

What is the block's orientation Philsta?
For me, a home's orientation is EXTREMELY important. Getting northern sunlight into your living areas in winter, keeping the sun out in summer. Get this…

I'd agree that at the price we pay for double glazing (far higher than overseas I believe), it doesn't usually make financial sense. That money could be better utilised first…

As advised by SaveH2O, a hot water relay is a good idea. I haven't looked into them in about 12 months, but last I looked the stand alone ones (like…

As arcadelt has insinuated, much of your general heating should be done by the sun (as it's free), & powerful.
What we're talking about here is "passive solar design". Orientating your…

I haven't looked into it for a few years OP, so things might have changed. But as long as the granny flat meets certain requirements, then you only need "complying…

Wrote a big post, lost it when the website refreshed, which happens often. Hate this site on mobile, so visit it less frequently...... End rant!
Edit: grrr, even my edits get…

Wrote a big post, lost it when the website refreshed, which happens often. Hate this site on mobile, so visit it less frequently...... End rant!
So a brief recap. I'm no…

It's not just the glass though, Australian houses leak like sieves, & are poorly insulated. Double brick seems about the most stupid way to build, & it's all over WA.
Especially…

Along with being dark, if your home isn't orientated correctly it will also be cold. A correctly orientated home will receive abundant northern sunshine through its windows in winter. A…

It would be great if everybody could have double glazing, but everything comes at a cost, & the cost of double glazing is certainly significant.
I'm not expert, but in Perth's…

Minor bedrooms are all NW facing, ouch! I certainly wouldn't be putting bedrooms here, as they'll get very hot on summer evenings. I'd be leaving the minor bedrooms out the…

Where's the main entrance into the home? Hopefully from the living areas, not the end of the bedroom hallway. You'll also have to find out where you can locate your…

I’d definitely get rid of that second window at top of bedroom 1
Agree. OP, a NW window in the master is a bad idea. It's difficult to shade, at the…

Looks like the place is orientated pretty well to me. Once the block deviates from north around 45° things get a bit difficult. As true north is a great orientation,…

What is the orientation of the block OP?
The orientation of your home will play a huge part in the comfort of you home, & in the cost incurred for heating/cooling…

But don't forget about "embodied energy". It's not just about the energy it takes to operate a home, but also the energy it takes to manufacture & transport a home's…

Generally, as has been mentioned, for a corner block the setbacks on the street frontages are the largest (probably around 4-6m), while the other two setbacks are much smaller (around…

To ben888 & the OP, there's more to consider than cost to your wallet when you're talking about house size. The initial & ongoing cost to the environment is great.…

In that case, I'd make the best of your block's orientation. Putting the bedrooms in the towards the rear, facing SE. Leave the NW for your living areas, as it's…

Hi Bobo5050,
I'm a bit late to the party here, but will try to offer some advice anyway. When you say you haven't signed anything yet, are you talking about the…

Great post by arcadelt, agree with everything they've said.
OP, good to see you've been looking through the Your Home website. It's extremely useful.
I'd recommend that you continue looking for the…

Hahaha 😂 Sad, but true.

OP, I congratulate you for considering orientation at this early stage. Most people don't consider it at all, or consider it once they've already purchased a block, which may make…

Refrigerated AC is also much more costly to operate for cooling (though reverse cycle AC is now the cheapest form of heating).
Evaporative cooling is cheaper to run (uses a fair…

I'd expect that in SE QLD you'd be a good candidate for a ground coupled slab. As the ground will be cooler in summer than the air temperature, & warmer…

Yeah, I had heard there was legislation coming in banning electric HWS's. I think I'd also read some discussions about exempting HWS's connected to solar PV from this ban.
Though I'm…

Agree with other posters. Gas is becoming an expensive way to heat water, & it's not an environmentally friendly option. LPG is the most expensive option of all!
Heat pumps are…