86 | BUILDING Christchurch - Character Builders Cost effective, high performance builds Kelly Deeks Character Builders has expertise in the styles and specifications of bygone eras and creates new character builds with the classical look as well as modern performance and energy efficiency. Christchurch construction firm Character Builders is getting young people into their first new homes, using smart thinking and modern techniques and products to provide cost-effective, yet high performance builds. Character Builders has been operating in Christchurch since 1997, and over that time has completed many renovations and restorations to historic or old homes and buildings, pre-purchase building inspections, as well as moving into the new homes market in 2002. In addition to contemporary new homes, Character Builders has expertise in the styles and specifications of bygone eras and creates new character builds with the classical look as well as modern performance and energy efficiency. Character Builders owner Guy Gillespie says energy efficiency and comfort can be achieved in many ways with today’s materials and technology. “Double glazing, thermally efficient window frames, floor and wall details, and mechanisms to store and shift natural heat around your home are all options that can be incorporated into your home.” And in most cases, the impact of systems and materials has little effect on the appearance of a home, allowing Character Builders to create compelling replicas of homes from yesteryear. Guy says market demand has now driven his firm to branch into high-performance, simple new builds that befit this new generation of first home builders’ demand for cost-effective performance and efficiency. “What inspires and excites me is seeing young people get into homes, and they can’t do that by conventional means because it’s outside their budget. If a young couple has the opportunity to have a piece of land, there are ways of building that are very cost-effective and still high performance.” Character Builders is now working on a project that defines what can be achieved for a minimum spend on a simple, high performance new home. A thermally insulated concrete floor slab has no contact with either the ground or the air, so eliminates thermal bridging right from the bottom of the home. A hydronic in-slab water heating system is heated via 20 photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, which produce enough energy to run the home and provide credit during the summer. The walls are 140mm and insulated at R3.6, while the roof is insulated at R5. The joinery is triple glazed uPVC, and mid-set into the walls for even higher performance. The young couple building this home have saved themselves about $10,000 by buying a second hand kitchen, and they managed to get a house load of second hand doors, saving another $2000 to $3000. They have repurposed some metal fascia and cladding, and even installed the cladding themselves under Character Builders’ supervision, lowering the build cost even more. “They’ve put the time and effort in, saved tens of thousands of dollars, and they’ve got themselves a home that’s well above standard,” Guy says. The 120sqm home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas, a deck, and a spa pool. Guy says today’s clients only want high-performance builds, and even the Building Code has now finally moved in a way that lifts the “If a young couple has the opportunity to have a piece of land, there are ways of building that are very cost-effective and still high performance.” performance requirements for thermal insulation and exterior joinery. “ We recognise the value of history, but we also recognise the innovations that need to be made in housing and how we can do it well. No one wants to build a leaky, drafty home that was really popular and modern in 1920. Now we want to be contemporary, just like they were back then, and with our building understanding and methodology we can add to the value of what’s old, and also be part of what’s new.” ELECTRICAL LTD RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL 022 677 1695 c.t.hughes@protonmail.com 24 HOUR SERVICE POWER • DATA • SECURITY • VENTILATION
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