Are houses in NZ so bad that it might not even be worth moving there?

[K&R]

Ive only just begun reading about the poor quality of houses in NZ. It had never even occurred to me before that I might be wearing rose-tinted specs with regards to houses being cheaper in NZ than England.

Im really worried now! Is it even possible to buy a house that is insulated, warm and not damp?

Is it even worth emigrating to NZ if it is a constant battle to keep your home warm and dry? EEEKKK!!!

And it might be a stupid question, but is it even an issue in areas that are warm and (mostly) dry all year round?

[Wooly_Cow]

I don’t think you can say that all houses are rubbish here. Yes you can find houses that are well built and well insulated however the average house standard is below what the climate demands. The trick is to look around and take your time to find an area and house that suits you. Also imho I wouldn’t over extend yourself on the purchase but allow 10% of the purchase cost as a fund to address the issues you might find. The cost of adding insulation and heating could be potentially offset by grants as well.

As for the relative cost, I believe that houses here are every bit as expensive relatively speaking. As an emigrant you might be able to bring some capital with you, but at the moment that capital will be worth 30% less than it was previously in dollar terms. Also don’t forget that mortgages rates are higher than most other developed countries and that most banks will require 20% or over deposit.

….but it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some lovely houses in New Zealand, but there are many absolute horrors!

[benandclare]

We've swapped a small 3 bedroomed detached in Wellington, Shropshire with very small garden for 10 acres and new well insulated and well built 4 bedroom large , by UK standards , house.
We're now living a lifestyle that is/was not possible inthe UK.

Now we were very lucky because we brought over a large amount of "loot" and exchanged at a very nice rate .

There are some absolute shockers of housing out here, some of the rentals I mow at are just tin shacks.........

It will certainly pay to do your home work . If you can afford a house that is lees than 2 years old you should be ok or even better build it yourself.

[Mgee]

There's a lot of variety between houses in NZ. Some are OK, either new or renovated ones, some are just glorified sheds. If you want a dry and warm one, then a house less than 5 years old seems to be the best bet.

The NZ government introduced a program geared towards making the houses more energy efficient last year, and that seems to have raised public interest about insulation, double glazing and decent heating. If you look at www.trademe.co.nz (look at both houses for sale and for rent), you'll get the picture. Even in well-insulated houses central heating is rare, and heating seems to be done with woodburners and free-standing electric radiators.

I'm from Finland and thus have even higher expectations about housing quality because I'm used to houses where the indoor temperature doesn't fall below +20c even if it is -27 outside like we had a week ago... The variable quality of housing in NZ means that I need to be prepared to shop around for a decent place to live in and be prepared to pay more than the average price for the comforts.

It is possible to find a decent house in NZ -my friends live quite comfortably in a fairly new house that is well insulated. They only need to use the heaters occasionally during the winter and the house stays dry. Dehumidifiers seem to be fairly common and seem to be reasonably priced, and they can help too if you live in a rental and more permanent solutions aren't possible. Also with heating extra heaters can be used, it's just a question of how much money you want to spend...

[James 1077]

Personally I wouldn't ever buy a new house - far too many problems with build quality. Our house is a lovely old (by NZ standards - 1910) wooden villa which has stood the tests of time. It has insulation in the floors and ceilings and we have put in an HRV system (cost about $3,500 I think) to provide ventilation as the insulation stops the house from being able to breathe as it was designed to.

No problems with damp, no leaky building syndrome and, above it, it looks nice rather than some horrible office block style glass construction like many of the modern houses that blight the cityscape!

[Daniel]

I don’t think you can say that all houses are rubbish here.
….but it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some lovely houses in New Zealand, but there are many absolute horrors!

As mentioned, everything depend on your budget and money availability, and as everywhere you go, you will find a range of construction quality...

Regarding to mortgages, maybe, after the crisis, this matter could change in a way that can be an additional obstacle for the middle class... I hope it doesn't happen like that.

[Tia Maria]

Ive only just begun reading about the poor quality of houses in NZ. It had never even occurred to me before that I might be wearing rose-tinted specs with regards to houses being cheaper in NZ than England.

Im really worried now! Is it even possible to buy a house that is insulated, warm and not damp?

Is it even worth emigrating to NZ if it is a constant battle to keep your home warm and dry? EEEKKK!!!

And it might be a stupid question, but is it even an issue in areas that are warm and (mostly) dry all year round?

I have a renovated villa, which is a very comfortable home. So yes it is possible but you pay a premium to buy well renovated houses and it costs money and time to retrofit insulation, double glazing and heating.

What tends to happen is that people budget for such things. Lets just say $15k for heating, $2k for HRV, $15-25K for Double glazing (depending on size and type) and Insulation for $2-10K (depending on amount and grants).

I'm sure someone will come along and tell me if my figures are madly out, but about 40-50K plus the cost of any redecorating that needs doing - particularly if you are having wall insulation done.

So they allow 50K but then realise their budget of $500K for a house was unrealsitic and actullay they need $600k, so decide to buy and fit insulation/heating later. Then they realsie if they do need to retrofit everything it not only seems madly expensive compared to their NZ yearly wage (maybe about 75% of it) - as you are no longer thinking in your home currency in the way you were when you first budgeted - but also now you have to allow for living through the installation, which is a pain.

So yes it can be done but you have to be realistic about whether you will do it. Ideally you will have a heating/insulation fund that you do not touch for anything else, no matter what! And then you arrange to stay in your rental for a 2 week overlap with the house you've bought while everything gets installed, (although windows are probably the hardest to arrange to be ready for a specific time).

Also buy your house wisely - no too windy, not too shady, roof in good condition, weatherboards or plaster in good condition.

Cheers

Tia

[catt]

I love my house..........what else is there to say, best house we have ever had, insulated, big detached and fantastic view across the bay which definitely beats looking out across the road to my neighbours any time. The name of the game is to do your homework, research, research, view, view and view again. Dont buy anything until you have seen it in the flesh so to speak.

[Fern01]

Ive only just begun reading about the poor quality of houses in NZ. It had never even occurred to me before that I might be wearing rose-tinted specs with regards to houses being cheaper in NZ than England.

Im really worried now! Is it even possible to buy a house that is insulated, warm and not damp?

Is it even worth emigrating to NZ if it is a constant battle to keep your home warm and dry? EEEKKK!!!

And it might be a stupid question, but is it even an issue in areas that are warm and (mostly) dry all year round?

Geez, what a load of --------------I've seen plenty of homes in Britain where I've been amazed at such poor design and cramped conditions, looking as though they are all virtually nailed together, thin walls where you can hear your neighbour breathing. A tub in a room for a bath, (no separate bathroom,) as to whether they were properly ventillated and heated, I very much doubt, did I believe throughout Britain they were all the same, NO.
I've lived in a few houses in N.Z. for all these years, and certainly not in the type that you describe.

[newarrival]

Catt, what a lovely view! can't get much better, I guess

As to the housing question..., I have a friend in Germany who lives in a sort of Penthouse apartment at the moment. They have lots of windows, and it is kind of open through two storeys. She had 16 degrees inside while it was so cold this winter- this is definitely not a typical thing, but it happens, as you can see.