Well almost! Such an awesome couple of days as our bedroom pod appeared from nothing, to be an almost complete shell. Thanks to the prefabricated Formance SIP panels we are building with and our awesome builders. This method of building really is awesome and we can already see the benefits of using it, both the short term efficiency as well as the long term thermal efficiency and structural strength.
We couldn’t have been more excited or happier to see it all take shape, even better than we had imagined. And I loved spending a few days on site, lending a hand where I could, while not getting in the way or slowing progress up! It’s a pretty cool experience to help build your own home that’s for sure.
All of the panels lining up along the section, waiting to find their home in our home.
Garrick and Ray finalising the plan of attack for the day.
The panel layout and construction plans from Method Build.
Apprentice builder Rawiri cutting the top plates to size for each panel.
And then it began. Dan easily slides one of the first panels into place, forming the end wall of our bathroom.
Such an efficient system. In under an hour we had a large section of wall up, forming the bathroom and laundry. You can see the beautiful slit windows offering glimpses into the bush.
And before long the guest bedroom’s huge window opening appeared. So cool!
I took a couple of days off to lend the guys a hand. Which I did, while I wasn’t taking photos!
Loving life!
Loved being able to help put together our home. Just wish I could spend the next 2 months on site full time!
Sharing a moment with Garrick!
No explanation.
Taking shape beautifully. It was so awesome to see the pod materialise the way we had envisaged. Tucked perfectly under the bush canopy like it had always been there.
Dan fixing a top plate into place.
With the ceiling panels going in and sealing the building up, it suddenly felt like we had a real home!
The ceiling panels are huge – 315mm thick, 6m long and weigh 150kg. Just looking at them you know our house is going to be a thermally efficient machine!
Dan and Garrick manoeuvring a panel around. Looking through the bathroom window and down to the end of the pod where our master bedroom will be.
have your builders finished with the panelling yet also I know nick from method build
Hey Wilson, yes the panelling is finished, but only on one pod. The other pod will be ready for panelling early in the New Year.
I was just wondering where your awesome house is
We’re in Castor Bay, Auckland.
Hi Ben & Kylie
Looks like you will be in by Xmas. Was just wondering what the hole in the floor is. Do you have sip floors?
Cheers & merry Xmas
Hey Richard. Haha, that old chestnut! Great progress though in such a short time.
The holes in the floor are wet areas, so bathroom and laundry. So needs a different floor laid below our tiles for waterproofing reasons.
No, we didn’t go with the SIPs floors. As majority of heat is lost up and out, focussed on walls and ceilings. We’ll be using insulpro (http://www.insulpro.co.nz) insulation in our floor
Hello Ben and Kylie, I’m loving watching your dreams come true.
If you suddenly have a torrential downpour on the walls before they are made “waterproof” will it matter? Will they just dry out without expanding like weetbix?! Thank you for sharing too, by the way! Rose.
Thanks Rose! No, they are fine for at least 30 days without being ‘waterproofed’ – so plenty of time to wrap and clad once they have been erected.
Thanks for following
Great stuff guys – awesome project. Have been following your progress and I’d love to do something similar!
Cheers Rob, you should! Hard work but very rewarding!
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