wood, furniture and landscaper, greg hattan
30 April 2010
28 April 2010
eco-cubby directory of designers and architects
ooh eco-cubby
i like this, ed ewers
uncle trev's house (hobart)
but i really like this mob,
rexroth mannasmann... collective
create space
close up #1 re
close up #2 ce
close up #3c r
another kind of cubbyhouse completely, by wood&landscaper, greg hattan
i like this, ed ewers
uncle trev's house (hobart)
but i really like this mob,
rexroth mannasmann... collective
create space
close up #1 re
close up #2 ce
close up #3c r
another kind of cubbyhouse completely, by wood&landscaper, greg hattanlooking for good design
arcokay, search on google: recommend architect melbourne (sustainable OR recycled)
visiting sustainable houses in melbourne - Sunday 13th Sept ‘09, 10am – 4pm, FREE entry, no need to book you can just show up!
visiting sustainable houses in melbourne - Sunday 13th Sept ‘09, 10am – 4pm, FREE entry, no need to book you can just show up!article on shmeco: i want a sustainable house, how do i start?
excerpts,
The design process
There are three possible approaches to design:
*do it all yourself
*engage a designer/architect to create the whole design to your basic requirements
*engage a designer/architect to work with you.
The third option covers a range of possibilities and needs a negotiated working relationship that’s manageable and trusting. A designer’s professional reputation depends on how well his/her designs perform. They won’t compromise effective passive solar design because the owner insists on a certain orientation or huge windows just to obtain a good view of the vineyards.
Before engaging a designer:
$decide your budget
&outline your needs
Ensure you’ve ‘learned the concepts’ as above. Ask around.
*do it all yourself
*engage a designer/architect to create the whole design to your basic requirements
*engage a designer/architect to work with you.
The third option covers a range of possibilities and needs a negotiated working relationship that’s manageable and trusting. A designer’s professional reputation depends on how well his/her designs perform. They won’t compromise effective passive solar design because the owner insists on a certain orientation or huge windows just to obtain a good view of the vineyards.
Before engaging a designer:
$decide your budget
&outline your needs
Ensure you’ve ‘learned the concepts’ as above. Ask around.
Find a designer/architect
Check the names of designers and architects listed in Sustainable House Day entries or in Sanctuary and other publications. Look at their websites. Ask for to see examples of their work – plans, photos, descriptions, specifications, performance data. Talk to them about their special interests and recommendations. An introduction to a satisfied owner and a tour of their home would be ideal. Some designers are noted for their affordable designs, others for their individualistic styles and their website and examples should indicate this. Ask for a cost guideline for design and building. This is usually expressed as dollars per unit of area.
Find a builder
What are the special qualities of a builder? What’s different about building an energy efficient versus a traditional home? Some of the factors are as follows: Walls and ceilings of energy efficient homes have better insulation than traditional buildings. This usually means thicker batts so wall frames and ceiling joists need to be of larger section than usual. These are available from timber yards but some extra work is involved in cost estimation and construction.
There may be extra layers of other insulation and air gaps to be incorporated. Because walls are thicker, room dimensions may be affected and standard size wall panels may need to be cut to fit. The use of environmentally friendly adhesives, particle board bonding agents and paints means more hunting around and head scratching for the builder whose main concerns are usually structural strength and wearability. Each time the builder encounters an obstacle, there’s a delay to evaluate the alternatives and discuss with the owner. As the factors to be considered include energy efficiency, waste minimisation and eco-friendly methods and materials – as well as cost - this can become an involved process. It’s far easier for the builder to rely on previous experience and go with the quickest and cheapest solution.
There must be some understanding between owner and builder whereby the owner accepts they are imposing special conditions on the contract and is prepared to pay more for these to be met. The builder accepts that the project could take more time and must be prepared to work through problems to the owner’s satisfaction on the understanding that this will be paid for. The builder should realise that a successful outcome – a manageable house with a happy owner – will enhance their reputation as a builder of sustainable homes.
Personal recommendation is more valuable than any form of business promotion. Spending an extra hour or two solving a problem with the owner costs far less than a newspaper advert and the return in terms of extra business is far greater. So find a builder via personal recommendation if possible. Check similar sources to those mentioned for finding a designer. Check the Master Builders’ Association for a register of trained ‘eco builders’ and the Master Plumbers’ Association for ‘eco plumbers’.
There may be extra layers of other insulation and air gaps to be incorporated. Because walls are thicker, room dimensions may be affected and standard size wall panels may need to be cut to fit. The use of environmentally friendly adhesives, particle board bonding agents and paints means more hunting around and head scratching for the builder whose main concerns are usually structural strength and wearability. Each time the builder encounters an obstacle, there’s a delay to evaluate the alternatives and discuss with the owner. As the factors to be considered include energy efficiency, waste minimisation and eco-friendly methods and materials – as well as cost - this can become an involved process. It’s far easier for the builder to rely on previous experience and go with the quickest and cheapest solution.
There must be some understanding between owner and builder whereby the owner accepts they are imposing special conditions on the contract and is prepared to pay more for these to be met. The builder accepts that the project could take more time and must be prepared to work through problems to the owner’s satisfaction on the understanding that this will be paid for. The builder should realise that a successful outcome – a manageable house with a happy owner – will enhance their reputation as a builder of sustainable homes.
Personal recommendation is more valuable than any form of business promotion. Spending an extra hour or two solving a problem with the owner costs far less than a newspaper advert and the return in terms of extra business is far greater. So find a builder via personal recommendation if possible. Check similar sources to those mentioned for finding a designer. Check the Master Builders’ Association for a register of trained ‘eco builders’ and the Master Plumbers’ Association for ‘eco plumbers’.
Manage the project
Managing the project means converting the design into reality. This includes obtaining approvals, engaging the different trades, coordinating their activities and paying them as work progresses, nagging them if it doesn’t, solving problems, checking compliance with codes and standards and a host of other things through to practical completion. You can engage a builder who will manage the project or do it yourself.
Doing it yourself can save money or can get you into trouble and cost more money. Several SHD owners report having managed the project themselves - presumably successfully as the houses were safely opened on the day. None of these people had managed building projects before but all had gone into it in an organised, pre-planned manner. They were prepared for some give and take with tradespeople and weren’t in a mad rush to meet deadlines. Also they were ready to do some unskilled hands-on work themselves.
One owner reported that she’d developed a set of questions to check the eco-knowledge and experience of tradespeople before selecting them. After engaging them she did odd jobs such as tidying up, spreading gravel, breaking up old concrete and other tasks requiring no great skills. This created goodwill and tradespeople reciprocated by doing minor extra work free of charge.
Doing it yourself can save money or can get you into trouble and cost more money. Several SHD owners report having managed the project themselves - presumably successfully as the houses were safely opened on the day. None of these people had managed building projects before but all had gone into it in an organised, pre-planned manner. They were prepared for some give and take with tradespeople and weren’t in a mad rush to meet deadlines. Also they were ready to do some unskilled hands-on work themselves.
One owner reported that she’d developed a set of questions to check the eco-knowledge and experience of tradespeople before selecting them. After engaging them she did odd jobs such as tidying up, spreading gravel, breaking up old concrete and other tasks requiring no great skills. This created goodwill and tradespeople reciprocated by doing minor extra work free of charge.
BP Architects (Bridget Puszka) – [cheltenham]
Positive Footprints (Chi Lu) [altona meadows]
house in belmont
**your home technical manual (4th ed)
***your home - renovator's guide
23 April 2010
creatives
cruising for good architects found something else
moluv - world's best web design
another site called sächerpunch which sounds funnier and smarter than it is (ah well)
also, heavy backpack
moluv - world's best web design
another site called sächerpunch which sounds funnier and smarter than it is (ah well)also, heavy backpack
21 April 2010
getting picky
how do you find an architect you like within the parameters you need?
*someone good to work with
*someone who produces work you like and will give you a space you like
*sustainable design
*keeps costs down
other people's
Tips on finding your Architect (uk)
Ten tips how to find or choose an architect (us)
advice from local architect, paul coffey, on rrr 'the architects' (podcasts) and works for gregory burgess:
Design something well, in this case a building, and you will never need to change it.
The reason people renovate buildings (excepting changes in program to accomodate more or less people) like the ones shown is because they are particularly bad buildings. No design and average/poor construction.
Here's another few invaluable tips;
- Avoid lifestyle TV
- Avoid anything that is promoted as stylish.
- Avoid the word 'style' altogether.
- Also avoid words such as 'trend', 'contemporary', 'feature wall' etc.
- Ceiling fans are great. If you look further than Channel 7 or 9, you will discover that there are some well designed and modestly priced ones on the market, plus you don't have some ridiculous plastic box stuck to your roof.
- Stop, stand back, have a serious and objective look at your building and have a serious and objective think about what it will need to work at it's optimum. Then build that.
- or speak to someone who knows what they are talking about.
age blog - renovation nation
and the author's other website, http://www.renovationplanning.com.au/ hmm
includes:
how much should it cost (2009 $$)
second hand building materials
renovating to budget tips
energy-saving renovation
dos/don'ts for the bathroom
dos/don'ts for the kitchen
lots of researching ...
steel frames for the owner builder (and presumably architects)
and! a real-life cheap reno story
*someone good to work with
*someone who produces work you like and will give you a space you like
*sustainable design
*keeps costs down
other people's
Tips on finding your Architect (uk)
Ten tips how to find or choose an architect (us)
advice from local architect, paul coffey, on rrr 'the architects' (podcasts) and works for gregory burgess:
Design something well, in this case a building, and you will never need to change it.
The reason people renovate buildings (excepting changes in program to accomodate more or less people) like the ones shown is because they are particularly bad buildings. No design and average/poor construction.
Here's another few invaluable tips;
- Avoid lifestyle TV
- Avoid anything that is promoted as stylish.
- Avoid the word 'style' altogether.
- Also avoid words such as 'trend', 'contemporary', 'feature wall' etc.
- Ceiling fans are great. If you look further than Channel 7 or 9, you will discover that there are some well designed and modestly priced ones on the market, plus you don't have some ridiculous plastic box stuck to your roof.
- Stop, stand back, have a serious and objective look at your building and have a serious and objective think about what it will need to work at it's optimum. Then build that.
- or speak to someone who knows what they are talking about.
age blog - renovation nation
and the author's other website, http://www.renovationplanning.com.au/ hmm
includes:
how much should it cost (2009 $$)
second hand building materials
renovating to budget tips
energy-saving renovation
dos/don'ts for the bathroom
dos/don'ts for the kitchen
lots of researching ...
steel frames for the owner builder (and presumably architects)
and! a real-life cheap reno story
09 April 2010
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