External walls
Hebel vs Brick vs Cladding
Windows
Glazing
Type | Impact | Composition | Cost Consideration | Alternative |
---|---|---|---|---|
Double Glazing | Heating + Cooling + Sound | Thickness of glass panes | Above +- 80kg you need to pay for onsite glazing which can cost $500 per window | Low-e, Hush glass |
Low-e | ||||
Hush | ||||
Comfort | ||||
Tinting | ||||
First Floor Layout
Structural Support
Where the rooms sit will impact the need for either a steel beam or LVL* support. Rooms that sit over an empty space below require these structural supports and just having a timber frame wall may not be sufficient.
Steel supports under 6m can generally be handled by a few tradesman however spans over this can be expensive as they will likely require a crane to be used which add further costs.
To reduce this consider the following
- Brick on brick – If the floor above is supported by bricks then you dont require any extra support for that area and just for the usual spans across the house.
* LVL: Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives