My better half and I have decided to build a small house for our declining years (some time away yet, but fast ....sighhhh.... approaching). As if we didn't have enough problems, we'll do it as Owner-Builders. What's more, we want it to be a sustainable house, with no A/C and no heating. We've got a block, we've engaged an architect, who has drawn us the plans, we got the planning approval and O-B licence. Now we're sweating over the kitchen layout and design and we try to wrap our heads around the jargon, etc. We'll build on a slab, with external and some internal walls of Energy-Lite sandwich panels (Blue Board, polysterene, gyprock) bolted to steel studs, truss Colorbond roof and huge windows facing North . Other inner walls will be masonry blocks, with float and set plaster, to give us thermal mass. The floor in the Nothern part has to be dark tiles to catch and store the winter sun. There'll be a SHW, grey water system, recirculation pump and (hopefully) a solar array, so we get 5-6 star place. At least this is the wish list.
Right now we can't understand how anybody can remain sane after visiting a few scores of displays and stores, with million choices and combinations of this and that. Lucky, lucky project builders!! And this's only the beginning! But we'll get that house built or end in a looney bin. So far the latter appears more likely.....