Using Kitome Pty Ltd

Has anyone had experience using Kitome Pty Ltd?
I am interested in building with one of their kit homes.

I'm in the middle of a long saga of building a Kitome house.
We're doing all the work we can ourselves (ie everything except plumbing and electricals).
I would suggest unless you have building experience or have a tame builder, it's probably beyond the handyman capacity. You wouldn't believe the number of times we've had to go net searching to find out what a particular bracket does, or go annoy builders to find out how to do something.
There is an Alan Staines book on building thrown in with the kit, but it's of limited assistance, as it, of course, does not cover specific details on many of the individual features of our house, and deals mainly with brick and tile construction.

edited August 2, on request

Let's just say there are better choices. Much better.

What other ktis are better than kitome? Or what things are wrong with kitome? Is it just hard to put together, or are there problems with materials as well?

We found a design we liked with valley kit homes (the daniela 2) but had no satisfactory response to questions. We then found a similar design with kitome (the hazelbrook). We are in Vanuatu, so have not looked at any display homes. So far the information provided by email has been very good.

More information on any kitome or other kits (valley kit homes in particular) would be a help. As we are not in Australia we are relying on brochures and websites a lot.

There are not many reviews on the internet - I have found some forum postings. I have only read positive things about the steel frame kitome, but have read one bad experience with the timber frame kitome and the comments on this forum. We would be getting timber frame, and now I am a bit worried.

Whether or not it is Kitome, Kentucky Homes in Victoria (are they still operating) or a registered builder in any state, the question is best asked - can you give me a list of references. Any reputable firm after your business will jump at the opportunity to showcase their satisfied customers and get your business. Go to the source.

Anij, I really can't say much.
Suffice to say our local council ordered us to stop work for a time, as they were not happy with the quality of some of the timber, but the frame had been stuck in the weather for a while.

I have built more than 10 Kitome Kits in central west nsw for customers now and i find them very proffessional in what they do and the way they conduct business. I have asked Kitome management about your house starry and what materials were used that council found unsuitable, they told me that your frame and sub frame sat uncovered for over 12 months. As for anyone else that has bad dealings with this company, i find it very hard to believe, given that the owner manages the business and is very approachable.
As for stan syaing there are much better choices and not giving a reason, well that says it all to me.

Hi

why wasting resources and money for a framed box.
It makes more sense to look a something more substantial such as concrete or lightweight concrete or even mudbricks.
It is more energy efficient, more comfort, fireproof and not too expensive.
Especially in Australia with so many bugs, insects,snakes.....framed houses are the worst possible choice as they offer ideal livingspace for these animals.

regards

windowexpert

I think you are kidding yourself if comments like yours are considered productive. I have my doubts especially froma person that self titles themselve an expert.

Doesnt greenpeace a have a forum that you might like to join.

Hi Builder Bob,

I understand that you want to make a living with your kitset, but why do you say that my comments are not constructive Because I promote quality housing and more advanced building methods . Do you turn nasty on me because this goes beyond your knowledge

Why do I need to go to the Greenpeace forum? Because I am telling people that there are
better alternatives to "decorated" sheds.

Mate, get real we are in the 21st century

regards

windowexpert

So thats why you call yourself an expert !!!!

Hi Mr Builder Bob,

calm down it is just a discussion

Why do I call myself windowexpert????, because I have been involved with windows and building for many years.
As a fully qualified joiner I have been involved in various projects in Europe and New Zealand from multistorey office buildings and appartment buildings, historical buildings to modern energy efficient housing. Have you ever worked in a house from the 16th century??
If you would have you would understand the meaning of substantial buiding.
It is amatter of basic physics to understand the importance of thermal mass, especially in hot climate.
Now it's time for you to come forward with your own background before you judge me

wish you a happy day

Thanks everyone for comments on kitome. Funnily enough, the other option we are looking at is building in concrete. We live in Vanuatu, so have to consider cyclones and earthquakes, and are building near a river, so have flooding to think about as well. Kit homes are really appealing in the sense that everything is "there" to just be put together, but by the time we add on shipping costs and 35% import duty it is not cheap. Then again, there has been a ban on using sand from the island we live on, so building in concrete is just getting more expensive as well. Right now living in a tent seems to be a good option.

All that needs to be said is that i run several of my own companies and have done for many years sucessfully. I am not an employee , nor do i call my self an expert

Greetings Anij.
Well you certainly got some replies & your possibly more confused than ever.
I can't add anything of value except to say that in deciding upon the type of construction it should match the climate and will at the end of the day come down to cost.
windowexpert is correct in as much in saying that bulk thermal mass is possibly the correct way to go with your climate type but orientation and cross flow ventillation should be an essential part of your design. There is no point in building with a solid mass if you can't get rid of the build up of heated air which will happen. Building with a blanket use of double glazed windows is both uneconomical and unnecesary. A combination of double glazed, Low-e, louvres, thermally broken frames etc should be incorporated, with each home being site specific and orientation specifc.

It is easy to receive generalisations but at the end of the day you have to live in it. Take everything with a grain of salt and keep on researching - good luck on your venture.

Hi Peter,

it is highly uneconomical to play around with two different profiles in order to accommodate some single glazing.
We don't do any single glazing, we glaze everthing with 24 mm units and that works very well.
A canvas of solid walls and double glazed windows is a start to create a comfortable home.
Next month we are going to replace a houselot of single glazed windows.
The house is five years old and it was one of this houses were the architect decided against a canvas. Just another failed experience with single glazing.
Lucky the owner has a lot of money
regards

windowexpert

OK window expert I wasn't going to be involved with your broad statements and uncircumstantiated claims throughout the various forums but lets go.
Give me some figures to back up your thoughts & i'll pit them against my 22 years of energy efficiency design experience & lets see who's making fairy tales.
Don't come across with this is only a discussion - lets have some facts about spiders & snakes and have some constructive discussion so that readers can be directed in the right direction.

Quote - "it is highly uneconomical to play around with two different profiles in order to accommodate some single glazing". Why ?

Quote - We don't do any single glazing, we glaze everthing with 24 mm units and that works very well. Works very well for who ?

Quote -A canvas of solid walls and double glazed windows is a start to create a comfortable home. Its not the start but is possibly on the list depending on the location of the home amongst many other variables

Quote - Next month we are going to replace a houselot of single glazed windows.
The house is five years old and it was one of this houses were the architect decided against a canvas. Just another failed experience with single glazing. - who says it was a failed experience besides yourself. Do you want to name the architect and give him the chance to reply or are you making generalisations again ?

Hi Peter,

call me broad or talk about fairy tales.
You are trying to reinvent the wheel and I keep it simple and that works well.
I have lived myself in one of this decorated sheds with single glazed windows.
I have lernt my trade and gained my experience were people have been building for hundreds of years and how come that this buildings do last
I have work to do , heaps of work

I'm not trying to make a case of this but there are people reading this forum that are looking for experienced and qualified guidance in making decisions that will impact on them for a very long time.
If someone has informed information to pass on, that is excellent.
Statements such as 'You are trying to reinvent the wheel and I keep it simple and that works well.' besides not only being frivolous, wrong and having nothing to do with the statements you have previously made (& are obviously passionate about), does not answer my post. as I said ...Lets go for it. For me to be frivolous lets start off with a list of double glazed window manuf. of the 16th century or how you can justify the 16th century rendering methods that needed yearly, monthly and even weekly repointing to cover up cracking and prevent water penetration.
Let's hear some qualified statements - one by one & i'll answer them
. . . if not let's leave it be and get back to answering questions with informed & non biased information.

Hi Peter,

Your quote:""""Possibly the first question - is it cost effective against turning on the air conditioner switch ?""""""

A clear indication of shortsighted thinking and you are worried that people get mislead, but that what you are doing, you advice false economic thinking, because energy costs are far more than the power bill for all of us.

Your questions:

It is not economic to import and stock twice as many extrusions to accommodate single glazing. We would have to charge for more for our frames but I rather use double glazing throughout at nearly same cost.



It works well for the homeowner, minimum condensation, noise reduction energy efficiency.
No matter how you twist around things but you can't beat physics.

A canvas of solid walls and double glazed windows are a good start, from there the competent architect will dertemine the size and location of windows and the design of the building depending on the location and climate.
The use of shade devices, louvres, controlled ventilation, heatpumps are of course part of the concept.


Some questions for you?

How do you control the extreme temperature differences between the inside surface of your single glazing and the room temperature. On a hot day In a cold night
How do you control condensation on your single glazing


Double glazing works, it is proven and increasingly used everythere in the world.


Off course there was no double glazing in 16th century but modern double glazed joinery made thousands of this buildings very comfortable to live in without loosing the benefits of a substantial construction.
The render on this buildings lasts certainly much longer than the one on this framed fake mediteranian style buildings on which every joint of the hardbord becomes visible.

windowexpert