Matuka Lodge

There comes a time when we make a decision that affects the rest of our lives. Choosing to build a home is one of those times! There are numerous new home builders out there, but are they good enough to build your home? It takes a lot of money and a great amount of researching before you can build your own home. It also requires a lot of trust in those who will be working on it! To help you out we’ve created these handy tips:

• Understand your needs before buying. Do you want a house in the suburbs or a house in the country? What about the distance to work? Schools? Think about the things you may need in the future before building your home.
• Consider location. It is rare that a house will improve in value in a bad area. Do some research on the area surrounding the land before digging in the spade.
• When construction has started, make sure to spend a decent amount on structural components such as windows and doors. Safety and security are the some of the most important aspects of your home, as well as for you and your family.

Hot water heat pumps are a great way to heat your home and are increasing in popularity due to their convenience and cost effectiveness. They are more energy-efficient than electric cylinders and could save you about $500 a year on your electricity bill!

Hot water heat pumps use energy from the air or ground outside, utilizing gas compression to heat up your water and your home. The heated water is stored in an insulated hot water tank to supply you with cheap heat for you and your family (see diagram).

There are several benefits to having a hot water heat pump installed in your home:

• Hot water heat pumps are a highly efficient way of heating your water, and only use a third of the energy of a normal electric water heater.
• They are generally better than solar water heaters because they don’t require the sun to heat up your water, so you can stay heated even when the weather is playing up.
• Beneficial for those with large families or office spaces due to their cost effectiveness and ease at which they heat large spaces.
• Hot water heat pumps pay for themselves after 5-7 years.
• Can connected to existing or new hydronic underfloor heating systems.

If you’ve had any personal experiences with hot water heat pumps and how good they are, let us know in the comments below!

Our first post is about swimming pools. Swimming pools used to be seen as something of a luxury back in the 80′s and 90′s but are becoming more and more common as time goes on. Also, with Summer well and truly on its way there’s no better time to invest in a pool for you and your family. So your decision is made easier, here’s 5 quick tips to help you out:

1: Cost
The biggest consideration to take when building a pool. How much can you afford? Think about space, depth, materials, builders fees, heating costs, upkeep etc. Make sure you have enough money to get the job done. A huge multi-level pool complete with waterfalls and palm trees is useless if you can’t swim in it.

2: Location & Privacy
If the pool is outside, make sure to position it in a sunny area so the water stays warm. Hopefully this will be in a place where you can enjoy doing laps and relax in seclusion. Build screens or plant trees to maintain privacy.

3. Access
Will you need to add new paths to your property to accommodate the new pool? The pool needs to be accessible – make sure this is something you consider while in the planning stages.

4. Safety
Swimming pools pose a risk to the well-being of children in your neighbourhood and under the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987, the Building Act 2004 as well as council bylaws, all swimming pools and spa pools must be fenced. The importance of this is paramount. Make sure your pool is securely fenced before filling it. This cannot be stressed enough.

5. Salt vs Chlorine
A clean pool is a priority for pool owners and there are two directions you can go to keep your pool sparkling. Salt pools are a little more expensive than chlorine ones but well worth it, as chlorine generators do all the hard work for you – and you don’t have to handle chemicals! As always, do some research on this to see which works best for you.

Welcome to our new site! We’re all about the home. Home construction, interior design and anything home related are what we talk about here! Check back frequently to find ways to improve your surroundings.