Kit Homes
Preventing House Gaps and Cracks in Extreme Australian Climate
Australia is a land of weather extremes. Recent news reports are talking about the fact Australia is experiencing one of the worst heat waves the country has seen in the last century with 45.5oC temperatures being recorded.
This is hard on people, but it’s also hard on the environment. Australia has a national identity that incorporates extreme droughts and periods of flooding rains that test the soul. But it’s not just the soul being tested, because extreme temperatures, drought and monsoon-like rains can create a lot of soil and house construction problems too.
Stability and Endurance
When you build a house, you expect it to be stable and enduring. You don’t want it shifting which can lead to gaps and cracks around windows, doors, and even where walls meet walls or where walls meet the roof. The house needs to remain steady and not shift along with the ground on which it stands.
The First Kit Home Was Built in Australia!
Did you know the first kit home was built in Australia? The home was called the “Manning Portable Colonial Cottage for Emigrants”. It was designed in the 1830s by doting father H. Manning who was a London carpenter. His son had decided to immigrate to Australia and his father wanted him to have a house when he arrived. The first kit home was pre-cut in London and then stored on a ship for delivery to Australia. Upon arrival the pieces were assembled into a house.
The kit home proved to be immediately popular. The son Manning sold many of them to Australians in the years after his arrival. From that point on the kit home has played a significant role in providing affordable housing to people around the world. Homes like those sold at OzKit Homes in Australia represent state-of-the-art design and construction techniques that have evolved over the last 179 years.
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Kit Homes for Vacation or Second Homes
When you are ready for a vacation or second home, the kit home makes an ideal choice for a lot of reasons. Owning a vacation home is the dream of many people including those with young families making it too expensive to travel and elderly who prefer to stay in familiar surroundings. But the cost of building a second stick home can be prohibitive and that leads to the first reason why you should consider a kit home.
Kit homes are much less expensive than stick homes for comparable features, yet you get exceptional quality and all the features you want in a home. You are not “settling” for less when you buy a kit home because it can be built with the number of bedrooms you need while including customised window placement and spacious room design. Moving a wall here and there can create bigger rooms or more rooms depending on your needs.
But the great feature of the kit home is the fact you can buy a very small home if that is what you want. The manufacturing process makes the kit home affordable no matter what budget you have in mind. Many stick home construction contractors are not interested in building the one or two room cabin, because contractors don’t believe they can make enough profit. You don’t run into that problem with the kit home, because the design of the home makes it cost efficient no matter what size is involved.
Location, Location, Location…
Why Kit Homes Are Ideal for An Australian Location
Many potential home buyers wonder if and why kit homes are ideal for an Australian location. To begin the discussion perhaps the best starting point is to talk about the Australian climate. From one geographic location to another the climate varies widely.
In northern Australia the climate is tropical but southern Australia presents a temperate climate. While Queensland and the Northern Territory enjoy a very predictable weather pattern the climate and temperatures are less dependable in the south. Typically summer time in the northern states is hot and wet while summer in the southern states is simply hot.
Ready For Whatever the Australian Climate Brings
The various locations have specific needs when it comes to issues related to the weather and climate. Droughts are a frequent problem in the desert areas that are semi-arid. Dust storms and even tornadoes can be a threat.
Advantages of Open Floor Plan Kit Homes
The advantages of open floor plan kit homes should be considered before you select a home that has interior doors and broken up space. Depending on your unique lifestyle and specific needs you may decide that an open floor plan is just what you want. But careful thought should be given to the choice.
Choosing a floor plan that will work for you is essential if you are going to be happy with the end result. The point is that you may enter the home of a friend and be impressed with a particular floor plan or design. The home might be beautiful and look as if it belongs in a magazine. It may also work perfectly for the family that lives there. However, selecting a floor plan based on looks alone can present problems later.
How To Choose A Floor Plan
The ideal floor plan for you and your family will be one that meets your specific lifestyle needs. If someone in your family has a disability that makes using certain house features more difficult then you will definitely want to consider that and make necessary adjustments. For example, wheel chair access will mean you need wider hallways and more spacious rooms.
“Greening” a Kit Home
Some buyers ask if “greening” a kit home is possible. The answer is yes. In fact, the process is standardized to a great degree through building rules. Additionally, many kit homes exceed the minimum standard requirements.
You may not be quite sure what “greening” means. First of all, think kindness to the environment. Going green is all about saving energy and eco-friendliness. Reducing waste and decreasing negative impacts to the environment will lead to a brighter and sustainable future.
Clarification of “Greening”
Because kit homes are manufactured with energy efficiency in mind the homes themselves are environmentally friendly. In 2004 the Aussie Building Rules, BASIX, were implemented. These guidelines resulted in great improvements in the criteria for home building. Builders are now required to include energy and resource preservation into the home-building process.