12 Products That Shouldn’t Exist in New Homes Anymore
The NCC sets the legal minimum standard for new homes. Our practice standards sit above that baseline.
Some of the items below may still be capable of achieving minimum NCC compliance in the right circumstances. That is not the test we apply. Our question is whether the product, system or detail supports long-term comfort, durability, health, resilience and future adaptability. If it does not, we remove it from the brief.
Every project we take on starts with a baseline question: What can we improve on?
This list is not aspirational. It is not “best practice if budget allows.” These are our minimum requirements for any new build, extension or major renovation we design.
If a product or system undermines comfort, durability, health, or future adaptability, we’re removing it from the brief. No exceptions.
Perimeter Ceiling Batts
Perimeter batts exist to compensate for poor roof design. They are typically used where standard trusses sit too low at the wall plate to allow full depth insulation. The correct solution is not a tapered batt. It is a raised-heel truss that allows consistent insulation coverage right to the edge of the thermal envelope. If insulation has to be compromised at the perimeter, the roof structure has already failed the performance test.
Gas Cooktops
We do not specify gas in new homes. Induction cooktops are faster, safer, easier to clean, and operate without combustion inside the home. They are compatible with rooftop solar and all-electric systems, and they eliminate ongoing gas connection costs. Gas cooktops persist largely out of habit. From a performance, health, and future-proofing perspective, they no longer make sense.
Switchboards Installed at Capacity
New homes are becoming increasingly electric, whether clients realise it yet or not. Heat pump hot water, reverse cycle heating and cooling, EV charging, batteries, solar systems and smart home technology all require electrical capacity. Installing a switchboard with no spare capacity assumes the house will never evolve. That assumption is unrealistic. Allowing for future circuits is a basic, low cost decision that avoids expensive retrofits later.
Recessed Downlights That Compromise Insulation
Every recessed fitting punctures the insulation layer and weakens the thermal envelope. While compliant fittings exist, multiple penetrations still reduce overall performance. We favour lighting strategies that allow insulation continuity, such as surface-mounted fittings or carefully coordinated alternatives. Lighting should enhance a home, not quietly undo its thermal performance.
Single Glazed Windows
There are high performance single glazing options available, and in isolation they can perform better than standard glass. However, in most residential applications, they rarely stack up against a well designed double glazed system, particularly when comfort is assessed across the whole year. Double glazing improves:
thermal comfort in winter and summer
condensation control
acoustic performance, especially in urban and suburban environments For us, double glazing is the baseline. Single glazing shifts discomfort and energy costs onto the homeowner long after construction is complete.
Wall or Ceiling-Mounted Electric Panel Heaters
Panel heaters are cheap to install and expensive to live with. They provide uneven heat, poor controllability, and high running costs. We specify reverse-cycle heat pumps or hydronic systems that deliver efficient, controllable comfort and align with an all electric future. Ease of installation is not a valid reason to accept poor long-term performance.
Ducted Evaporative Cooling
Evaporative cooling depends on dry air to work effectively. Increasing humidity events mean these systems often underperform precisely when they are most needed. They also consume water, occupy roof space that could otherwise support solar, and offer limited zoning control. In many Victorian contexts, they are no longer a resilient or reliable cooling solution.
Poor or Absent Draught Sealing
Air leakage is one of the largest contributors to poor thermal performance, yet draught sealing is still treated as optional in many new builds. Unsealed doors, windows, exhaust fans, and access panels allow heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. The fix is straightforward, inexpensive, and highly effective. A home that leaks air cannot perform well, regardless of how much insulation it contains.
Tiled Showers Without Proper Setdowns and High-Risk Box or Valley Gutters
Water management failures remain one of the most common causes of building defects. Internally, poorly detailed tiled shower bases without proper setdowns significantly increase the risk of waterproofing failure. Externally, we avoid box gutters and valley gutters wherever possible. Even well-designed systems can fail if:
maintenance is neglected
debris accumulates
a large hail event is followed by heavy rain
We have seen this sequence cause failures in otherwise sound buildings. Design that relies on perfect maintenance to avoid damage is not robust design.
Where water can be directed simply and visibly, it should be.
High-VOC and Non-Recyclable Materials
Material selection affects indoor air quality, occupant health, and long-term environmental impact. High-VOC paints, solvent-based adhesives, vinyl flooring, and difficult-to-recycle composites are still common, despite healthier alternatives being readily available. We prioritise materials that support good indoor air quality, durability, and responsible end-of-life outcomes.
Gas-Boosted Solar Hot Water Systems
Gas-boosted systems are often presented as sustainable, but they still lock homes into fossil fuel use. All-electric heat pump hot water systems are more efficient, easier to integrate with solar and aligned with where residential energy systems are heading. For new homes, gas boosting is an unnecessary compromise.
No Provision for Future Solar, Batteries, or EV Charging
Future-proofing is not about predicting technology. It is about avoiding preventable constraints. Even if solar panels, batteries or EV chargers are not part of the current brief, we allow for:
roof space
electrical capacity
conduits and access.
This costs very little during construction and avoids disruptive upgrades later.
Why These Products Still Appear in New Homes
Most of these items persist because they are familiar, fast, or appear cheaper upfront. But homes are long-life assets. Decisions made to save a small amount during construction often create decades of higher costs, reduced comfort, and avoidable frustration.
Our Position Is Simple
These are not upgrades. They are not “nice to haves.” They are the minimum standard we apply to every project to ensure homes perform well, age gracefully and support the people who live in them. Good design is not about adding complexity. It is about removing the things that no longer belong.
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