12 Things We Avoid Specifying in New Homes
The National Construction Code sets the legal minimum for new homes. Our practice standards often go further, particularly where comfort, durability, indoor air quality, resilience and future adaptability are concerned.
The products and details below may be appropriate in some circumstances. However, they are not our usual starting point for a new home or major renovation.
For every project, we ask a simple question: will this decision support the home and the people living in it over the long term?
Where a familiar product creates an avoidable weakness, we look for a better-performing alternative. Final selections still depend on the site, the existing building, the brief, the budget and specialist advice.
1. Compressed insulation at roof edges
Standard roof trusses can leave too little room for full-depth ceiling insulation near the external walls. Rather than accepting a thinner layer at the perimeter, we prefer roof structures that maintain consistent insulation coverage wherever practical. Raised-heel trusses are one way to achieve this in a new roof.
2. Gas cooktops in new all-electric homes
For most new homes, we favour induction cooking. It is responsive, easy to clean and avoids combustion inside the home. It also works well with rooftop solar and removes the need for an ongoing gas connection when the rest of the house is electric.
3. Switchboards with no spare capacity
Homes are taking on more electrical loads, including heat-pump hot water, reverse-cycle heating and cooling, solar, batteries and electric vehicle charging. Allowing spare switchboard capacity, suitable conduits and sensible access during construction can make future changes much easier.
4. Downlights that interrupt the insulation layer
Recessed fittings can create gaps in ceiling insulation. Compliant fittings and careful detailing can reduce the impact, but we often use surface-mounted or pendant lighting where it allows the insulation layer to remain continuous.
5. Standard single glazing
There are situations where specialised single glazing may be justified, particularly in an existing or heritage building. For most new residential work, well-selected double glazing provides a stronger starting point for year-round comfort, condensation control and acoustic performance.
6. Resistance panel heaters as the main heating system
Electric panel heaters can suit a small, occasionally used space, but they are rarely our preferred primary heating system. Efficient reverse-cycle air conditioning generally provides better heating and cooling performance. The right system still depends on the home, climate, zoning and energy modelling.
7. Evaporative cooling without a climate and use assessment
Evaporative cooling can work well in dry conditions, but performance falls as humidity rises. It also uses water and requires open windows or relief air paths. We compare it with efficient reverse-cycle systems before deciding what will provide reliable comfort for the household.
8. Incomplete draught sealing
Uncontrolled air leakage through doors, windows, exhaust fans and access panels can undermine insulation and comfort. We treat the air barrier as a coordinated part of the design, with attention to junctions and penetrations as well as the products themselves.
9. Wet-area and roof details that make water hard to manage
Waterproofing and drainage failures cause expensive damage. We design shower setdowns, falls, junctions and drainage paths carefully, and we simplify roof drainage where the architecture allows it. Box gutters and valleys are sometimes necessary, but they require appropriate sizing, overflow provisions, access and a realistic maintenance plan.
10. High-emission finishes without a clear reason
Paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring and composite products can affect indoor air quality. We prefer durable, lower-emission materials supported by useful product information. Selection should consider the complete product, its installation, maintenance and end-of-life options rather than relying on a single marketing label.
11. Gas-boosted hot water in a new all-electric design
Where the site and household needs suit it, a heat-pump hot-water system can integrate well with an all-electric home and rooftop solar. System selection, location, noise, climate performance and household demand all need to be considered.
12. No allowance for future solar, batteries or electric vehicles
Future-ready design is less about predicting technology than avoiding preventable constraints. Even when solar, batteries or vehicle charging are not included initially, suitable roof space, electrical capacity, conduits and access can be planned early at relatively low cost.
Why these choices still appear
Many are familiar, readily available or cheaper at the point of construction. That does not automatically make them wrong. The problem is choosing them by default without considering whole-of-life comfort, running costs, maintenance and future change.
Our approach
We do not apply a product blacklist without context. We test each decision against the project brief, site conditions, existing building, budget and long-term performance goals.
Good design is often less about adding expensive technology and more about coordinating simple decisions early.
Planning a new home or major renovation?
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