Insights and guides for building a high-performing home in Perth
From understanding NatHERS ratings to choosing the right block of land, these guides are written to help you make informed decisions about your next home.
Narrow lot homes in Perth
When the north face is a side boundary and the setbacks eat the block, the design has to work harder. Four moves that make a small lot live properly.
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Knockdown rebuild in Perth
Demolition costs the same whatever you rebuild. What the permits and asbestos rules actually require, and why an established block is an advantage.
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Twelve homes a year, on purpose
What a small builder can do that a volume builder cannot, and why your drawings stay yours either way.
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Two storey homes in Perth
How we build a second storey that holds temperature as well as the ground floor, and the home that reached 10 stars doing it.
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Why upstairs is hotter than downstairs
The four reasons an upper floor gains more heat in Perth, and what double brick has to do with it.
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Design first, or builder first?
Five questions to ask before you pay for a design, so the price is tested while changing it is still cheap.
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Passive solar vs Passiv Haus: what is the difference?
The most common point of confusion for anyone researching energy-efficient homes. A plain-language explanation of two distinct approaches.
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Is Passiv Haus certification worth it in Perth?
What certification involves, what it costs and whether it makes sense in Perth, or whether building to the standard is enough.
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What does it actually feel like to live in a 9-star home?
Real comfort descriptions, real utility bills and real seasonal observations from a Norde Homes client. The article that makes the technical tangible.
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Why standard double-brick homes struggle in Perth's climate
Why a double-brick home built to the minimum works against Perth's climate, and what separates one that performs from one that does not.
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Understanding NatHERS ratings: what the stars actually mean
What the rating scale measures, why 7 stars is the minimum not the goal and what the gap between 7 and 10 stars means for your comfort and running costs.
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The smartest upgrade is the one that costs nothing: orientation
Why the single most impactful design decision happens before the architect picks up a pen. Perth-specific sun path context for the block-selection phase.
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The real cost of building an energy-efficient home in Perth
Direct, transparent price comparison. Passive solar vs standard double brick, with a 10-year running cost view. No hedging.
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How reverse brick veneer works
Insulation on the outside, thermal mass on the inside. The wall explained layer by layer, and why it suits Perth.
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Reverse brick veneer vs double brick vs timber frame
A side-by-side comparison of the three main wall systems, and which one we recommend for most Perth homes.
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Staying cool without running the air conditioner
How shading, thermal mass and night ventilation keep a Perth home comfortable through summer with minimal cooling.
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Double glazing and windows for Perth homes
Whether double glazing is worth it in Perth, and where the glazing budget is best spent for comfort.
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The blower door test and airtightness explained
What airtightness means, how it is measured, and how much a Perth home really needs.
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Practical insights on building a high-performing home in Perth. No spam, just useful information.
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Whether you are researching, have land or are ready to build, we would be glad to hear from you.