PHOTO: A HOUSE MADE FROM A SHIPPING CONTAINER (IMAGE: BIANCA CROSS)
We’re out of timber and we’re out of homes, so it’s time to see beyond the trees – Josie Adams gathers some non-timber options for building your house.
New Zealand homes and timber go together like housing and crises. Whether it’s a 19th century villa, a 1970s Mediterranean-inspired build or a classic state house – timber is involved. We love the stuff. It’s strong enough to hold a roof, flexible enough to sway with an earthquake, and literally grows on trees.
But all good things must come to an end. The dream of home ownership is slipping further out of reach every day, and now we hear there’s no more timber. Does this mean no more houses?
No! In this country we are proud of our number eight wire mentality, and we won’t let a shortage of building material keep us from home ownership. We cannot build a house out of number eight wire, but we have some other suggestions.
We make no guarantees prospective homeowners will receive financing for builds involving the following materials.
Brick
If there’s one thing I learned from the tale of the three little pigs, it’s that brick homes are one of the only wolf-proof forms of housing on the market. There are very few wolves in New Zealand, but the winds of change blow just as strong. Build for a stronger tomorrow; a third pig tomorrow.
Stone
It’s nature’s brick!
Cave walls
It’s raw stone! There are plenty of lava caves in Auckland, where homes have exploded in value out of most people’s reach. These caves are well-sheltered and many of them are conveniently situated near public transport.
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