Getting Conned by Forced Sustainable Living Additions

lisanne · Apr 26, 2009 11:08 am

A lot of states now have building requirements that need to be met for sustainability etc. In Victoria all homes need to be 5 star rated - that's just life but will benefit you in the long term and I think it's a good thing.

My builder applied for my 5 star rating before I had even signed the contracts and it came back as needed a few extras -shrug- that's part of building.

onc_artisan · Apr 26, 2009 12:19 pm

I agree lisanne...
Wait til power is 5 times the price it is, Hey and it wont be long...
If I am being paid 66c/kw to gridfeed my solar power and am being charged 12.4c/kw
to use it, it is plain to see our power is HEAVILY subsidised...
one day soon the cost will be real. When all is privatized look out

If your house is 30% more efficent that will workout to be a big saving...
something a kin to forced saving

The less you have to payout, the less you have to work

GSK · Apr 28, 2009 11:00 am

The estate that we're building in in Point Cook, VIC requires all houses to have a 6 star energy rating.

Fun times!

Australian5Star · Apr 28, 2009 1:19 pm

GSK

It might sound scary but its really not that much of a headache if the house orientation/design is good to start with
If I can help with any questions you may have please feel free to ask

GSK · Apr 28, 2009 3:47 pm

Australian5Star

GSK

It might sound scary but its really not that much of a headache if the house orientation/design is good to start with
If I can help with any questions you may have please feel free to ask

I'm sure it will be fine.

We've already opted for quite a few environmental products.

That said, do you know anything about grey water systems?

d3p · Apr 28, 2009 5:40 pm

is it the water you use to gardening and flushing toilet?

mine in point cook, in featherbrook, not sure if they have grey water system?

Australian5Star · Apr 28, 2009 6:59 pm

Sure do....what is it exactly that you would like to know

GSK · Apr 29, 2009 10:12 am

Australian5Star

Sure do....what is it exactly that you would like to know

Everything?

ICK · Apr 29, 2009 10:24 am

Getting back to the main point, I think some builders do make the most out of having to make your house '5-star rated'. Its definitely a question one should ask when investigating builders, some builders cop the costs to make the house 5-star, I know ours do and have for us.

But other builders will charge you good $$'s to upgrade insulation, solar panels etc, which we copped at contract stage with a different builder - no mention of it prior its just there as a large figure when they have you with pen in hand to sign so I completely understand the concerns!

I don't think this thread is a rant about having to be sustainable and spending some extra $'s - I think the point is some builders use this as a money making scheme and are not reasonable about it.

Hellman109 · Apr 29, 2009 10:58 am

ICK

I don't think this thread is a rant about having to be sustainable and spending some extra $'s - I think the point is some builders use this as a money making scheme and are not reasonable about it.

IMO they should make the laws so no builder can advertise a non-5 star compliant plan, presuming it was on a flat block and whatever direction they choose for facing.

Advertising a house that under no circumstances would pass 5 star is like advertising a non-roadworthy car.

Macy · Apr 29, 2009 11:14 am

ICK

I don't think this thread is a rant about having to be sustainable and spending some extra $'s - I think the point is some builders use this as a money making scheme and are not reasonable about it.

I agree.

Btw grey water refers to water from your washing machine and shower. Some systems simply hold it temporarily but if you don't do anything it is released automatically to the garden within a certain time (24 hours I think) and it needs to be used with an irrigation system in the ground rather than sprinklers or a hose so as not to create spray mist. Other systems, obviously more expensive, actually treat it so it can be stored for longer and doesn't need quite the same precautions as untreated grey water.

d3p · Apr 29, 2009 6:02 pm

hmmm this issue seems to be similar, well allow me to draw summary:

"they were 'forced' to add approx 15K of additions to their house for sustainable living improvements"
* there can be 2 possibilities here:
A. they were not 5 star rating. so they need to be standardise to 5 star rating
B. they were 5 star rating, but their location is too good, hence council required them to be "above" 5 star rating.

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm....

bingoshelley · Apr 29, 2009 6:22 pm

we got our 5 star easy without using solar or sustainable stuff not a big deal for us not sure why now

joles · Apr 29, 2009 6:26 pm

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm....

If the front of your block faces north that isn't so good, unless all your living areas at the front of the house (highly unlikely). North is best for the living areas, usually the side or rear of the plan. Plus if your block faces north, many estates will not let the solar panel on the front of the house, that means it has to go on the side (east or west) and will get less sun, hence the need for an extra panel.

archaeobabe · Apr 29, 2009 6:49 pm

I guess the other question about being 'forced' to take certain actions is whether it was an estate requirement- my estate requires a rainwater tank of a certain size (based on block size). Joles' estate requires certain colour choices. These estate requirements are what you agree to when you purchase a block in that estate. Of course, I'm not sure if this was the situation for Desmondp's friends, but just a thought!

d3p · Apr 29, 2009 7:35 pm

hi joles
i am on corner block, facing east. the long side facing north. (my living area is facing north)
i wonder if i still be required to add another panel ?
thought north side is the best side ? :th:

joles

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm.... :th:

If the front of your block faces north that isn't so good, unless all your living areas at the front of the house (highly unlikely). North is best for the living areas, usually the side or rear of the plan. Plus if your block faces north, many estates will not let the solar panel on the front of the house, that means it has to go on the side (east or west) and will get less sun, hence the need for an extra panel.

claego · Apr 29, 2009 8:24 pm

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm.... :th:

This is interesting. The back of my house where the living area is, also facing north. They did tell me it is a good location too but didn't say that i need to add more panel, just the standard one will do. Is this something to do with council or the land developer?

lisanne · Apr 29, 2009 8:30 pm

claego

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm.... :th:

This is interesting. The back of my house where the living area is, also facing north. They did tell me it is a good location too but didn't say that i need to add more panel, just the standard one will do.

If your block faces North, like d3p has said hbis does, then the rear is South facing and the ideal location for a solar panel is North but you wont put a solar panel on the roof at the front of your house.

So, if the front of your house faces South, like mine then the rear is North and ideal for a solar panel and my living areas are North and West which is great ::smile::

joles · Apr 29, 2009 8:33 pm

d3p

hi joles
i am on corner block, facing east. the long side facing north. (my living area is facing north)
i wonder if i still be required to add another panel ?
thought north side is the best side ? :th:

joles

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm.... :th:

If the front of your block faces north that isn't so good, unless all your living areas at the front of the house (highly unlikely). North is best for the living areas, usually the side or rear of the plan. Plus if your block faces north, many estates will not let the solar panel on the front of the house, that means it has to go on the side (east or west) and will get less sun, hence the need for an extra panel.

The North side is best, but if you are on a corner and the North faces out ward to the street, your estate may not allow you to have one on the North side so they may have relocated it.

Hels · Apr 29, 2009 9:16 pm

lisanne

claego

d3p

Interestingly enough, went to builder, i was told, because my land facing North, which is good.... council probably require me to install another one solar panel in addition to my current 1 panel solar hot water plan. I am like what ??
Basically what they are trying to say: because i own land in very good position, they ask me to put some more $$$towards my solar panel ? doesn't it suppose, the government should give me $$$ instead ?
hm.... :th:

This is interesting. The back of my house where the living area is, also facing north. They did tell me it is a good location too but didn't say that i need to add more panel, just the standard one will do.

If your block faces North, like d3p has said hbis does, then the rear is South facing and the ideal location for a solar panel is North but you wont put a solar panel on the roof at the front of your house.

So, if the front of your house faces South, like mine then the rear is North and ideal for a solar panel and my living areas are North and West which is great ::smile::

The aspect of our block is identical to yours Lisanne.

I am all for the 5 star rating and more, it's a big part of why we are moving as the current place is very cold in winter and the power bills are huge. No thought was given to how it faces on the block so all the living areas face south. And on the east side there are big floor to ceiling windows that cop the sun in summer and make it hot and uncomfortable early in the day, then we are stuck with a hot house all day.
Anyway, the new house is position correctly on the block, we upgraded the ceiling insulation and added wall insulation. Also added an extra solar panel on the roof for the HWS and we purchased land in an estate that uses recycled water. Oh, and most of our windows in the east side have only a 700 drop and the west side will have a big pergola running the length of it, or walls with no windows.