It’s the most common question we get asked – what is the cost of building a house in New Zealand? Most people say – how long is a piece of string? However, we’re not here to give some vague answer, we want to create clarity around the topic. (Note: this article has been updated in …
New Zealand introduced new insulation rules for newly built homes and these come into effect during 2023. This article gives you a simplified view of what these insulation changes mean to you, if you’re considering building in the near future. Firstly, how is the amount of insulation in a home measured? Insulation in construction is …
When you’re building a home, one of the most critical decisions to make is what exterior wall cladding to use, as it has such a large impact on the look, style and durability of your home. Therefore, we’ve put together the below helpful guide to summarise wall cladding types & prices, to help you with …
Designing your forever home may be a daunting task if you struggle to visualise 3D objects & spaces, so to help with this we’ve been embracing 3D house design software to help our clients out. For the last 10+ years at Arcline we’ve been using various different tools to design in 3D. Firstly, we use ArchiCAD and Revit as …
Smaller houses are often the subject of great debate. Many believe these lifestyles are more eco-friendly, as these houses put less strain on the environment, and most people with interest in green living love cosy houses. Best Modern House Design The best modern house design uses more eco-friendly modern building materials than traditional houses. Foundation …
Architects and Architectural designers often use the phrase “form follows function” to describe their work, but what does that actually mean? The idea behind form and function goes much deeper than deciding whether your house will have a toilet in the bathroom. The function is more about how things work together, and form is more …
Moving into a bach is one of the most exciting parts of a New Zealand summer. The idyllic 3-bedroom house design that has endured for centuries is a lot of fun, but can also be a pain if it needs constant upkeep. We’ve put together this guide to help you determine what makes an excellent …
A barn-style home is the latest house design trend in New Zealand. Barn style houses have tapped into the “cottagecore” or American Dream theme, that has driven a lot of design influence over the last few years. They’re also known as “loft-style” houses due to their high ceilings, wooden beams and exposed brick walls. These …
Why Have Barn Houses Been The New Zealand Trend? Read More »
In July 2019, the New Zealand government implemented legislation on the standards of healthy homes. This act ensures that homes are in good shape and new house plans are built according to specific safety standards. The act outlines six standards that houses must follow. A new house design must incorporate all these elements, and landlords …
A basic floor plan is a blueprint for the house design. Usually, blueprints are drawn on a 1:100 scale, meaning 1m equals 1cm on the basic house floor plan. It provides a bird’s-eye view of your house. Dotted lines show the roof and eaves locations, different hatching, squares and lines reference the surface in an …
