October 4, 2023
The client was initially based in Hawkes Bay but wished to build a retirement home near Wellington in order to be close to their grandchildren. This lovely couple wanted a home large enough to host their family as well as their extracurricular activities. This meant creating a unique space to accommodate an indoor pool, home gym, art studio, wood workshop, and lush garden.
October 4, 2023
Our goal was to build a home that was warm, sustainable, and of course, affordable. We immigrated to Queenstown from Utah, USA with our two children in 2010, so while we were accustomed to feeling cold outside, we were not used to cold houses inside. We were determined to build a home with centralised heating that could easily maintain a constant, comfortable temperature whilst being sustainable and energy-efficient (under 50kwh/m2/a). On a fixed budget of $400,000 for all build costs, we had to make the most of what was available to avoid ridiculous power bills during colder months.
We initially wanted to buy an Evolution home that was on the market but unfortunately missed out. Because of this, we decided to build the same floor plan with the same company, Rilean Construction. Being able to visit the other Evolution homes and visualise the space with our possessions was a real game-changer. Having the opportunity to ask about the concept plan’s performance made the process a lot easier. I (Annabelle Numaguchi) was so excited that a company was committed to building energy-efficient homes, that I joined the company as Marketing Manager!
October 4, 2023
This property is nestled between mountains that overlook the Clutha River. At the heart of this project was the end goal for the home’s occupants to absorb the beautiful 360-degree views from this stunning location. It was crucial then to design a home that brought the outdoors in without compromising comfort and warmth.
April 27, 2022
Imagine living in a warm toasty home with heating that you don’t see or hear. It’s just there, pleasantly warm. Damien McGill from the Healthy Home Cooperation tells us how.
July 20, 2021
Understanding the geotechnical requirements of your section is critical when building a new home!
June 17, 2021
Build a warmer home from the ground up with MAXRaft®.
Insulation is one of the most important aspects of home construction in terms of energy efficiency and comfort. However, it is also a major point of potential failure when it comes to heat loss and insulation quality. Without proper insulation, your home is going to lose heat, while you fork out for expensive utility bills to compensate for this heat loss.
May 12, 2021
Sustainability and ethical processes have become more important than ever in the wake of
growing concerns about climate change. Consumers want to know that they are putting their
money in the right place by supporting businesses that are climate change friendly. With these
issues at the forefront of major decisions, it’s more apparent than ever that transparency is
critical. So part of the buying decision process now involves researching a business’
environmental and sustainability practices.
December 25, 2020
Despite 2020 being a challenging year for everyone between COVID-19 and a looming recession, MAXRaft saw an increase in business toward the end of the year. With a focus on local business and development, many people have turned their sights to MAXRaft in order to build back better and stronger. Like most businesses, it was a quiet time from March until August due to the uncertainty in the marketplace. While other businesses turned to hibernation, we put this time to good use by improving our systems and processes, as well as looking at ways to better serve our customers and the building community.
August 6, 2020
Passive Housing is a voluntary standard of building homes (or structures) that are energy efficient and optimised for their local climate. Passive Houses are so energy efficient that they use the equivalent power for heating/cooling that you would to run your fridge! That’s between 75-90% less energy than a conventional house.
April 17, 2020
Inspiration for the year ahead. In this article we’re going over 5 building trends that may or may not give you the inspiration you’ve been looking for. From exterior to the interior, we’ve got you covered with the hottest trends right now.
