A little confused

Quote:

Originally Posted by mullfitz

I have got plans drawn up and about to submit to council for a new house in the country

I am a little confused about a couple of things

1. Which to use for stumps and flooring the two below are my main choice as the land is on a bit of a slope access is a little difficult but the soil report says that there is a few boulders around.

http://www.mega-anchor.com.au/

http://www.bluescopesteel.com.au/go/...saght-uni-pier

2 What to use for outside cladding
Hebel or colorbond ?

I know Hebel is expensive but by the time I put insulation with colorbond price difference wont be to much difference

What you pick in either case depends on who is doing the job (you or contractor), your engineering requirements and what look you are seeking.

With regard to your subfloor, both the mega anchors and uni piers are expensive (Unis cost $20-$25 for the head plus the actual stump which starts from around $30....even before you start talking about concrete). Mega anchors are also engineered for high wind areas so if that doesn't apply to your site then you are potentially wasting your money. The advantage is that they are rapid to assemble and install - so your contractor potentially costs less.

Basic gal steel, brick or timber stumps may also be an option. They are easier to make (good DIY) but can be fiddly to install (bad for contractors). Personally, our new extension started out with uni-piers, moved to plain gal RHS in concrete and has now shifted to plain old H4 timber...simply because of price and the fact that the existing house is on timber and we are owner builders.

The choice between Hebel and colorbond is tricky because they are such different finishes with very different fixing methods - and it is such a personal choice.

Personally I'd be going for colorbond because I think it looks more interesting and because in all honesty I think it'd be much cheaper once design, fixing and finsihing considerations are included. Steel is lightweight even compared to the Hebel so the frame doesn't need to carry as much weight - so it doesn't require extra engineering/materials. The fixing method for steel is dead simple (just a few screws) while Hebel needs glue, screws, special battens etc. Plus colourbond is supplied as a finished product while Hebel is as raw as Gyprock - so it still needs fillers, sealers and paint or render to finish it. Insulation under steel is cheap at around $8/sq m. Sarking is common to both finishes.....