MOST CASTLES ARE ANCIENT STRUCTURES, FORTIFIED AGAINST ATTACK FROM INVADERS, BUT IF YOU'D JUST SURVIVED A NATURAL SIEGE ` A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE ` YOU MIGHT TAKE REFUGE IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF CASTLE ` ONE THAT FORTIFIES YOU AGAINST NATURE ITSELF. BRIGHT MUSIC BRING YOUR GRAND PLAN TO LIFE WITH ANZ, PROUD SPONSOR OF GRAND DESIGNS NZ. 'GRAND DESIGNS' THEME SONG CAPTIONS BY IMOGEN STAINES AND CATHERINE DE CHALAIN. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016. BIRDS CHIRP GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC ANDY MACBETH IS A HIGH ACHIEVER ` AN ENTREPRENEUR AND MULTISPORT CHAMPION WITH A DREAM TO BUILD A CUTTING-EDGE HOME. HE LIVES IN QUEENSTOWN WITH HIS PARTNER, JO DENTON, A PHYSIOTHERAPIST, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, ELLA AND BRYDIE. INDISTINCT CHATTER LIFE IN THE ALPINE ADVENTURE CAPITAL MAY SEEM IDYLLIC, BUT THE FAMILY CAME HERE AS REFUGEES FROM THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES. I'LL NEVER FORGET IT. IT WAS JUST A REALLY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE TO` TO GO THROUGH. AND NOT JUST THAT DAY; IT WAS JUST THE DAYS AFTERWARDS, THE WEEKS AFTERWARDS. THEY'RE NOT GOING BACK AND ARE BUILDING A NEW HOME IN QUEENSTOWN. ESSENTIALLY SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE WE'VE HAD A VERY, UM, DISRUPTED SORT OF LIFE, AND THERE'S BEEN NO REAL PERIOD OF STABILITY IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE LIVING. WE SHIFTED FOUR TIME LAST YEAR. CLEARLY WE DON'T WANNA KEEP DOING THAT, AND THAT'S PARTLY WHY WE JUST REALLY WANNA HUNKER DOWN IN THE NEW HOUSE AND HOPEFULLY GET A STABLE PHASE IN OUR LIVES AS A FAMILY. UH, WE'RE ON OUR SEVENTH MOVE NOW SINCE THE EARTHQUAKES. YEAH. SO... WAVES LAP ...THIS IS THE LAST ONE. (LAUGHS) AMBIENT MUSIC A YEAR AGO, ANDY AND JO BOUGHT A 23-ACRE SITE WITHIN COOEE OF WHAT IS, IN WINTER, THE SKI HUB OF CORONET PEAK. IT'S AN AREA DESIGNATED AN OUTSTANDING LANDSCAPE ZONE. THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD THE LAND FOR 10 YEARS AND ALSO WANTED TO CREATE AN AMAZING HOME HERE BUT HAD TO ABANDON THEIR DREAM. THEIR LEGACY IS A MATURE ENGLISH ARCADIAN GARDEN. WHAT A GORGEOUS SPOT. YEAH. IT'S QUITE AMAZING. WE, UH, WERE REALLY ATTRACTED BY THE ESTABLISHED TREES ON THE SITE. WE'RE, UM` WE'VE GOT WALNUTS AND CHESTNUTS, AND, UM, YEAH, PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT CONTINUING THE PROGRAMME OF PLANTING AND PUTTING IN A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS ON THE LAND. BUT THEY ALSO LEFT BEHIND A PROBLEMATIC LEGACY. GOSH, LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE'S BEEN HERE BEFORE YOU. YEAH. QUITE AMAZING SITE. UM, A LITTLE DAUNTING WHEN WE FIRST SAW IT ` FOR ME. WE CALL IT STONEHENGE. (CHUCKLES) OK. THE FORMER OWNER ACTUALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY DIGGING OUT THIS BIG HOLE. HE HAD A GRAND VISION OF ALMOST LIKE A CASTLE-LIKE STRUCTURE WITH STONEHENGE. SO THESE CASTLE RUINS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA STAY IN YOUR PLAN? ABSOLUTELY, YEP. WE REALLY WANNA RESPECT WHAT'S BEEN DONE, AND WE FELT IT WOULD BE, UM, SACRILEGE TO RIP IT ALL DOWN AND COMPLETELY LOSE IT. AND, UM, I THINK THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY, UM, DO SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL AND PROFOUND WITH` WITH WHAT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE AND THE MODERN SPIN WE'VE GOT ON THINGS. WONDERFUL. SO A REALLY INTERESTING COMBINATION, THEN, OF TWO QUITE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS WORKING WITH THE SITE. YES. ANDY AND JO HOPE TO BALANCE THE IMPOSING PRESENCE OF STONEHENGE WITH A 420M2 HOME THAT WILL JUT OVER THE OLD STONEWORK. ABOVE A GARAGE WILL FLOAT A CANTILEVERED FLOOR WITH AN OFFICE, A DANCE STUDIO AND GYM. THE HOUSE LINKS BACK TO THE LAND AND NARROWS LIKE A WEDGE, CULMINATING IN ANDY AND JO'S BEDROOM. A STEEL STAIRCASE WILL LEAD TO A SECOND CANTILEVERED FLOOR, NICKNAMED THE TOWER, HOUSING THE GIRLS' BEDROOMS. THE HOME WILL FEATURE STATE-OF-THE-ART INSULATION FROM AROUND THE WORLD ` PREFABRICATED PANELS FROM AMERICA, TRIPLE-GLAZED GERMAN WINDOWS AND CLADDING OF THERMALLY TREATED ASH FROM ESTONIA. A STEEL ROOF RISES FROM THE REAR OF THE HOUSE TO THE TRIPLE-STOREYED FRONT, WHERE ANDY AND JO WANT A SWING BRIDGE TO CONNECT TO THE HILL BEHIND ` A QUIRKY TWIST TO A HIGHLY ENGINEERED, FORTIFIED HOME, NOT UNLIKE A MODERN-DAY CASTLE, SITTING ON TOP OF THE OLD STONE RUINS. SO FROM CASTLE RUINS A MAJESTIC NEW HOUSE WILL BE BUILT. EXACTLY, YEAH. THAT'S ON THE PLAN. AND WITH A VIEW LIKE THAT. I KNOW. FANTASTIC. YEAH, IT'S A GREAT BACKDROP, ISN'T IT? THAT'S WHAT WE FELL IN LOVE WITH WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP HERE. INCREDIBLE. MM. TELL ME ABOUT THE TIME FRAME, GUYS. HOW LONG IS THIS GONNA TAKE? WELL, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET IN BY EARLY NEXT YEAR, BUT... YEAH. ...GOTTA BE REALISTIC. I'M THINKING, COS WE'RE SELF-MANAGING THE PROJECT, IT PROBABLY WILL MORPH INTO 12 MONTHS-PLUS. SO YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY DESPERATE TO GET INTO THIS FINAL FAMILY HOME, AREN'T YOU? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, WE'VE, UM,` PRIOR TO THE EARTHQUAKES, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD OUR OWN HOME ` AS A COUPLE AND WITH CHILDREN. AND WE DIDN'T REALISE HOW UNSETTLING IT IS, UM, MOVING FROM RENTAL TO RENTAL. SO, UM, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I JUST CAN'T WAIT. YEAH, WE JUST WANNA GET OUR OWN PLACE ` OUR OWN HOME. YEAH. BRIGHT MUSIC ANDY AND JO ARE RENTING A HOUSE 15 MINUTES FROM THE BUILDING SITE, WHERE THEY'RE FINALISING PLANS FOR THEIR PERMANENT HOME. WHAT ABOUT BRINGING IT OUT THIS WAY, THOUGH? WRAPPING ROUND THE DECK SO` SO OF THE ANGLES WOULD HIT THE ANGULAR BIT OF THE HOUSE. YEAH. WHILE ANDY PLANS TO SPEND $1.5 MILLION ON HIS NEW HOME, HE'S ALSO BUILDING BUSINESSES. HE INVESTS IN POTENTIALLY RISKY DEVELOPING COMPANIES, PRIMARILY IN FOOD PRODUCTION. WE'RE FUNDING THROUGH SAVINGS, BUT THERE'S LIKELY TO BE A PORTION OF DEBT THE CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT` THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ISN'T THE HOUSE ON ITS OWN; IT'S THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THESE BUSINESS I'VE GOT TAKE FUNDING. AND SO, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY'RE ALL GOING, THEY MAY HAVE CASH NEEDS OR THEY MAY BE PRODUCING EXCESS CASH. SO WE'RE HOPING THE LATTER, AND THAT HELPS THE BUILD PROCESS. BUT ALL IT TAKES IS A FEW CURVEBALLS WHEN YOU'VE GOT MULTIPLE BUSINESSES AND IT PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON AN ARCHITECTURAL BUILD. ANDY PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING AN EARLY ADOPTER OF NEW TECHNOLOGY. THAT'S WHERE WE FIRST DESIGNED THE BARRELS, YEAH. ONE OF THE BEST DESIGN THINGS WE'VE MADE, ACTUALLY. UM, IF SOMETHING'S IN MY COMFORT ZONE, I'M NOT REALLY` UM, GET BORED PRETTY QUICKLY. I DIDN'T WANNA BUILD A CONSERVATIVE HOME. UM, SO THINGS LIKE CANTILEVERS AND THE IMPORTED MATERIALS, THE FACT THAT WE'RE USING A LOT OF UNIQUE PRODUCTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN USED BEFORE. I DO LIKE A CHALLENGE, AND I LIKE CREATING THINGS AND INVENTING, BEING INVENTIVE. AND OFTEN THOSE VERY THINGS ARE RISKY. STIRRING MUSIC IT'S THE END OF WINTER BEFORE WORK FINALLY BEGINS ON THE MODERN MACBETH CASTLE. WE HAD ONE OF THE WORST WINTERS IN PROBABLY 30 YEARS, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT LOCALLY, AND WE DECIDED TO ACTUALLY BUMP THE BUILDER, UM, BY ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO GET STARTED DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE SITE. JAMES CLARKE, AN EXPERT IN ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDING, IS PROJECT-MANAGING. WE'RE FORMING OUT THE BASEMENT NOW. UM, THIS IS ALL IN PREPARATION FOR THE BIG MID-FLOOR POUR. THE AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURE IN QUEENSTOWN IS 6 DEGREES. EVEN SO, FEW GOT TO THE LENGTH OF INSULATING THEIR GARAGE. AS MUCH AS IT'S THE GARAGE, WE STILL WANNA MAKE IT A CONDITIONED SPACE, SO ALL OUR GARAGE DOORS WILL BE SEALED AND HAVE THE THERMAL PROPERTIES, BECAUSE ANDY, UH, WILL USE IT AS A WORKSHOP. YOU KNOW, THEY SEE THE CHILDREN MAYBE DOING SOME ART IN THERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALWAYS LIVED IN PROPERTIES THAT` OLDER PROPERTIES THAT ARE MARGINALLY FREEZING. (LAUGHS) AND, UM, YEAH, WE JUST WANTED A REALLY WARM, COSY HOME FOR THE FAMILY. THIS IS ANDY AND JO'S FIRST BUILD FROM SCRATCH, AND ANDY'S KEEN TO BE IN THE THICK OF IT. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ` BUSINESS FRIENDS ` BUY PORSCHES IN THEIR MID-LIFE CRISIS, BUT I THOUGHT, 'I CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. I'M GONNA BUY A DIGGER.' SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ON MY BUCKET LIST TO HAVE ONE OF THESE, SO I'VE FINALLY GOT IT. AN EXCUSE TO, UM` FINALLY HAD AN EXCUSE TO CONVINCE JO WHY I SHOULD HAVE ONE. HE'S LIKE A LITTLE JACK RUSSELL. HE'S JUST GOTTA KEEP GOING AND GOING AND GOING. ANDY AND JO ARE SPENDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO INCLUDE WHAT'S KNOWN AS PASSIVE HOUSE TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR HOME. THEY WERE SOLD ON THE IDEA AFTER VISITING THE HOME OF DESIGNER MICHAEL SLY. HEY, CHRIS. HI, MICHAEL. NICE TO MEET YOU. WOW, BOY, IT'S QUITE A HEATWAVE COMING IN HERE. CERTAINLY IS. DEFINITELY WARMER THAN OUTSIDE. SURE IS. GOSH, WHAT A LOVELY VIEW. YEAH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT. THERE'S NO HEATING, IS THERE? NO, NO. THIS IS A FULLY PASSIVE-CERTIFIED HOUSE ` UM, THE FIRST IN QUEENSTOWN. THE HEATING THAT DOES EXIST, THAT JUST COMES FROM US LIVING. SO WE HAVE COOKING, BATHS, SHOWERS, UH, THE COMPUTER ON, TV ON. THEY ALL GENERATE HEAT, AND THAT'S ENOUGH HEAT TO KEEP THE HOUSE WARM. WE'VE BEEN DOWN TO -7 AT NIGHT, AND STILL THE HOUSE IS 22 DEGREES INSIDE. THE TRICK IS IN THE HOUSE'S THERMAL ENVELOPE, ITS SHELL AND HOW IT ACTS AS A BARRIER TO HEAT LOSS. WITH THE DOORS AND WINDOWS CLOSED, IT'S PRETTY MUCH AN AIRLOCK, WITH A MACHINE THAT HELPS IT BREATHE. THIS IS THE, UH, MAGIC BOX THAT RUNS THE HOME. UP HERE WE'VE GOT THE HEAT-RECOVERY VENTILATION. THAT'S THE WARM EXHAUST AIR LEAVING THE BUILDING. THAT WARMTH HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE COOLER INCOMING AIR. SO THIS JUST CONTROLS OUR WHOLE HOME. IT'S LIKE THE HEART AND LUNGS OF THE HOME. MICHAEL AND PROJECT MANAGER JAMES ARE PART OF THE TEAM PUSHING FOR BETTER-INSULATED HOMES. WONDERFUL IDEAS, BUT HOW ON EARTH CAN THEY BE APPLIED TO ANDY AND JO'S HOUSE? CONTINUOUS INSULATION, NO GAPS, NO DRAFTS. NO WAY OF BRIDGING THE HEAT OUT. UM, A LOT THAT WE'VE, SORT OF, FAILED TO DO AS A BASIC LEVEL IN NZ WITH MOST OF OUR CONSTRUCTION. IMAGINE A SLEEPING BAG, AND THEN GET A KNIFE AND YOU PUT LOTS OF HOLES IN IT. THAT'S WHAT WE LIVE IN IN NZ PRETTY MUCH. IT ALL MAKES SENSE, BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT'LL WORK IN A HUGE HOUSE LIKE ANDY AND JO'S. IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE. ONE INTERESTING THING IS HE HAS GOT SOME WHAT WE CALL ACTIVE SYSTEMS THAT HE WANTS TO HAVE IN THE HOME, WHICH WE WOULD TEND TO NOT, UM, REALLY NEED, TO PUT IT SIMPLY. HEATED, UM, CONCRETE WALLS, UM, A QUITE LARGE FIREPLACE ` OR, ACTUALLY, TWO. TWO? CHUCKLING TWO, IS IT? TWO FIREPLACES. WHAT? YEAH. SO THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT IS THAT YOU'RE GENERATING HEAT WITHIN THE HOME THAT IS ABOVE THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT THE HOME MAY NEED. SO` SO YOU JUST` SO WE'RE HAVING TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE A PARTICULAR ROOM HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO OVERHEAT. MAYBE ANDY'S NOT CONVINCED ABOUT THIS TECHNOLOGY. IT APPEARS HE'S HEDGING HIS BETS. THIS HOUSE IS TOASTY WARM IN AN ALPINE WINTER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO HEATING. I'M WONDERING IF HIS PLANS TO SPEND $1.5 MILLION ON A FORTIFIED HOME MIGHT BE A LITTLE OVERCOOKED. WELL, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT ONE PANS OUT, CHRIS. WE'LL KNOW WHEN HE LIGHTS THE FIRST FIRE. LAUGHTER WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC WHEN ANDY AND JO BOUGHT THEIR SITE OPPOSITE CORONET PEAK SKI FIELD, IT CAME WITH THE IMPOSING ROCKWORK THEY'VE DUBBED 'STONEHENGE'. TO VISUALLY BALANCE THE EFFECT OF STONEHENGE, THEY'RE BUILDING A TOWER WHICH CANTILEVERS OVER THE SITE. QUITE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND PROPPING GOING ON HERE TO HOLD UP WHAT IS EFFECTIVELY A TWO-STOREY CANTILEVER COMING OUT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE GARAGE AREA AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE. IT'S ENORMOUSLY HEAVY. IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 70 TONS OF CONCRETE AND A 300MM SLAB WITH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STEEL REINFORCING. A TWO-STOREY CANTILEVER IS UNUSUAL FOR A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN NZ. IN TERMS FO THE CANTILEVER STRUCTURE, IS THAT THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERY DAY? NO, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I'VE DONE. UM, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD CHALLENGE. SO ARE YOU CURSING THE ARCHITECT? (LAUGHS) NOT QUITE. NOT QUITE. NOT YET. THE WHOLE GARAGING AREA ACTUALLY, UM, HOLDS UP THIS WHAT I CALL AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-TYPE DESIGN THAT FLOATS OUT OVER THE TOP. SO FOR THE LAST, SORT OF, 10 WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THE GARAGE STRONG ENOUGH TO THEN LAY UP THE SLAB. SO FAR SO GOOD. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE FILLED IT ALL, AND IT'S NOT` NOT DOING ANYTHING RADICAL, SO THAT ENCOURAGING. THIS DENSE CONCRETE FLOOR WILL ALSO PROVIDE THERMAL MASS FOR ANDY AND JO'S ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME, ABSORBING AND STORING THE SUN'S HEAT. WALL PANELS, FRESH OFF THE BOAT FROM AMERICA, WILL HELP RETAIN IT. THESE IMPORTED PREFABRICATED SIPS, OR STRUCTURALLY INSULATED PANELS, COST MORE THAN $1000,000, AND I'M WONDERING WHY THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE TO SAVE CARBON MILES AND MONEY AND BUY LOCAL. OH, LOOK AT THIS. HERE ARE YOUR SIPS PANELS, GUYS. WOW. (CHUCKLES) AT LAST. ALL THE WAY FROM THE USA. (CHUCKLES) I THINK THERE'LL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 10 MORE LOADS LIKE THIS. ISN'T THIS JUST A BUNCH OF PLYWOOD AND SOME TIMBER AND A BIT OF FOAM IN BETWEEN? THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, DOESN'T IT? IT DOES. WHY WOULD YOU BRING A BUNDLE OF PANELS LIKE THIS ALL THE WAY FROM THE STATES? MIKE SLY FROM THE CLIMATE HOUSE TEAM HAS STUDIED THE WORLD IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE, AND HE REALLY LATCHED ON TO THIS BRAND OF ECO-PANEL BEING WHAT HE BELIEVED WERE THE MOST SUPERIOR PANEL IN THE WORLD TO USE. RIGHT. ANDY AND JO WANT A HOME THAT CAN WITHSTAND THE FORCES OF NATURE, FROM EARTHQUAKES TO EXTREMES OF HOT AND COLD, WHICH MAKES SENSE, GIVEN THE TRAUMA THAT THE FAMILY WENT THROUGH DURING THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES IN 2011. WELL, THIS USED TO BE OUR HOME, AND, UH, WE BOUGHT THE APARTMENT PRIOR TO ANY EARTHQUAKES. AND, UH, IN FEBRUARY I WAS IN THE BUILDING THREE STOREYS UP IN THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENT WE HAD WITH MY DAUGHTER BRYDIE, AND, UH, IT WAS QUITE A CONCERN TO GET OUT OF THE BUILDING SAFELY AND THEN ACTUALLY SEARCHING THE BUILDING AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE ELSE WAS SAFE, SO IT'S ALWAYS A BIT EMOTIONAL TO COME BACK HERE AND SEE IT IN ITS STATE. EVERYONE IN THIS HISTORIC APARTMENT BUILDING ESCAPED UNHARMED, BUT 185 PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING CITY LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE 6.3-MAGNITUDE QUAKE. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I WAS 4, AND JO WAS BORN HERE AS WELL, SO IT'S OUR HOME TOWN. THERE'S A LOT OF FOND MEMORIES OF THE CITY. WE'RE VERY PROUD CANTABRIANS. SO WE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE UPHEAVAL FOR THE KIDS IN LEAVING FRIENDS AND FAMILY BEHIND. BUT THEN ALSO THE EXCITEMENT OF A NEW BEGINNING ` BIT OF AN ADVENTURE IN TERMS OF A` WHICH WE'VE REALLY EMBRACED. IT'S BEEN, ACTUALLY, A HEALTHY THING TO, UM, GO BEYOND THE CHRISTCHURCH HISTORY AND ACTUALLY START OUR NEW LIFE IN QUEENSTOWN. ANDY'S KEEN TO SUPPORT HIS HOME TOWN AND FELLOW CANTABRIANS. NEIL, HOW ARE YOU? HEY. SO HE'S ASKED AN OLD FRIEND, NEIL, TO BUILD SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HIS NEW HOME. WOW. IT'S A BEAST, ISN'T IT? LOOKS FANTASTIC. IT DOES SWAY A LITTLE BIT, BUT... (LAUGHS) ...IT'S NOT GONNA FALL OVER. IS IT GONNA DO THAT IN THE HOUSE, OR IS IT...? I HOPE NOT. NEIL USUALLY PRODUCES STEEL FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT ANDY'S CHALLENGED HIM TO CREATE A STAIRCASE HE AND HIS ARCHITECTS HAVE DESIGNED. NEIL'S ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS FROM, UM` WE DO A LOT OF MULTISPORT TOGETHER ` BIKING AND KAYAKING AND ADVENTURES. IT'S BEEN ALWAYS QUITE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS JOURNEY FOR US. FOR JO AND I, THIS WAS A LOT DEEPER THAN JUST BUILDING A HOME. WE WANTED TO INVOLVE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT AN EMPOWER THEM TO REALLY FEEL THEY CAN WORK THEIR MAGIC ON SOMETHING AND BE QUITE PROUD OF THAT AND INVOLVED. BUT GETTING THESE STAIRS MADE 500KM AWAY FROM ANDY AND JO'S SITE IS PRESENTING SOME HURDLES. THE DANGER IS THE EIGHT- OR NINE-HOUR TRUCK DRIVE THAT HE'S PERSONALLY GONNA DO BRINGING THIS 2-TON BEAST, AS I CALL IT, TO QUEENSTOWN. WE'RE LEAVING A PORTION OF THE BUILDING OPEN TO DROP THE STAIRCASE IN, AND THEN WE'RE BUILDING THE REST OF THE HOUSE TO THE STAIRCASE AS OPPOSED TO FINISHING THE HOUSE AND PLACING THE STAIRCASE IN. THAT SOUNDS ILLOGICAL, BECAUSE IT IS. IDEALLY THE STAIRCASE WOULD BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE WALLS WENT UP, BUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DESIGN HAS LED TO DELAYS, AND NOW THE SCHEDULE IS OUT OF WHACK. IN DECEMBER, THE BUILDERS ARE SECURING THE SIPS WALLS AND ARE ABOUT TO LIFT THREE CONCRETE TILT SLABS INTO POSITION. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WE POURED THE BIG CONCRETE PANELS IN SITU, UM, BUT FLAT. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS THEY'RE TOO BIG TO FREIGHT ON ROADS WITHOUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF SAFETY, WITH THE SIZE OF THE PANELS. SO THE CALL WAS MADE ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO ACTUALLY POUR THEM ON THE SLAB AND THEN CRANE THEM IN PLACE. THE BIGGEST ONE'S 9.5 TONS. WE'LL BE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR LIFT, YEAH. I THINK THE ONLY THING WE'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT IS TO MAKE SURE THE CONCRETE'S SECURED AND, UH, WE DON'T GET ANY PANELS CRACKING, BREAKING IN HALF OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TOO DRAMATIC LIKE THAT. THE BIG REVEAL. LOOKS GOOD. THESE PANELS FORM THE WALLS OF AN INTERNAL ROOM WHICH WILL CONTAIN ONE OF TWO LOG BURNERS. WHILE THEY APPEAR TO BE REGULAR SLABS, BUILT WITHIN THEM ARE PIPES TO DISTRIBUTE HEAT FROM A FIRE, TURNING THE WALLS INTO GIANT RADIATORS. THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE A WOOD BURNER IN THIS DEN, SO WE'VE COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A EUROPEAN WOOD BURNER THAT TRANSFERS 80% OF THE HEAT INTO WATER, LIKE A WETBACK SYSTEM, AND THEN WE'RE TRAVELLING THAT WATER THROUGH TO LOCATED CONCRETE WALLS IN THE HOUSE. SO THE CONCRETE WALLS HAVE ACTUALLY GOT PLUMBING PUT INTO THEM. I'M WORRIED THAT THIS IS OVERKILL IN A HOUSE THAT WILL BE THERMALLY SEALED. THE IDEA OF PASSIVE HOUSE TECHNOLOGY IS THAT YOU DON'T NEED ANY HEATING. AND THEN EVEN THE CONCRETE BENCH FOR THE KITCHEN, WHICH FEELS COLD, WE'VE GOT THAT PLUMBED SO THAT IN WINTER, IF YOU'RE DINING, YOU HAVEN'T GOT COLD ELBOWS. IT'S ACTUALLY BECOME A BIT OF A RADIATOR AS WELL. ANDY AND JO'S HOME IS AMBITIOUS IN ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND SCALE ` 420M2 OF HIGH-TECH, HIGH-SPEC HOUSE ON A HUGE SITE. AND ANDY'S PLAN KEEPS GETTING GRANDER. HIS LATEST IS TO BUILD A CANTILEVERED SWIMMING POOL UH, THE SWIMMING POOL IS MY SUMMER PROJECT. SO, UM, CONCEPTUALLY WE'VE DESIGNED IT. IT'S GONNA MIRROR THE HOUSE IN TERMS OF BEING ON THE SAME ANGLE AS THE TRIANGULAR PART OF THE HOUSE AND THEN FLOAT OUT INTO WHAT WE CALL STONEHENGE DOWN THIS END HERE. I'M WONDERING HOW ANDY'S ARCHITECTS, PETE RITCHIE AND BRONWEN KERR, ARE COPING WITH HIS EVER-CHANGING PLANS. WHAT I'M FINDING IS THE MORE WE CAN, UM, BUILD THE FORM AND HOLD OFF ON SOME OF THOSE KEY FINISHING DECISIONS,... YEAH. ...IT'D BE THE FEEL YOU GET. MM. IS THAT OFTEN YOUR PROCESS AS ARCHITECTS? YEAH, WELL` ARE YOU QUITE HAPPY TO LET`? WE TRY NOT TO CHANGE TOO MANY THINGS IN THE PROCESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT` BUT YOU'RE OPEN` IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO LEAVE AN ELEMENT OF LOOSENESS TO THE PROCESS. YES, THAT'S WHAT I FIND AS A HIPPY ` LIKE, A SORT OF HIPPY APPROACH. THAT'S RIGHT. HE'S ALWAYS GOT LOTS OF IDEAS, AND HE'S ALWAYS GOT LOTS OF ENERGY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. AND OUR JOB IS, I GUESS, TO FILTER A LOT OF THOSE IDEAS OF WHAT HE'S GOT, AND IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T COME UP WITH IDEAS AS WELL, BUT IT'S JUST A, UM... WELL, HE WANTS TO GIVE EVERYTHING A GO, SO HE'S NOT, SORT OF` WELL, HE'S NOT LIMITING HIMSELF IN ANY WAY, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING. (CHUCKLES) YEAH. YEAH. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HE BUILDS THAT POOL. BOTH LAUGH OF COURSE, EACH CHANGE SEES ANDY AND JO'S $1.5 MILLION BUDGET COME UNDER INCREASING STRAIN. I'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT $3000 TO $4000 A METRE, SO I'D SORT OF LIKE TO BE PRAGMATIC AND REALISTIC, BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE DO THE POOL, THAT'LL PUSH THAT PER-METRE UP. IF WE DON'T DO THE POOL, IT'LL PUSH IT DOWN, SO IF WE'RE IN THAT ZONE, I'LL BE HAPPY. UM, AND I'M` I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS FOR A WHILE. I'M TRYING NOT` IT'S TOO SCARY TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET AT THE MOMENT. (CHUCKLES) SO WE'RE JUST COMMITTED AND CARRYING ON AND SEEING WHAT POPS OUT THE OTHER END. AH, JUST BORROW MORE. (CHUCKLES) THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE DOES, DON'T THEY? AFTER SURVIVING THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES, ANDY AND JO WANT THEIR HOME TO PROTECT THEM AGAINST THE FORCES OF NATURE. SO IT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO INCLUDE THE ENGINEERING FEAT OF A TWO-STOREY CANTILEVER IN THEIR HOME, WHICH TODAY THEY'RE REMOVING THE SUPPORTS FOR. THERE'S ABOUT 60 TONNES OF CONCRETE SITTING OVER THAT CANTILEVER OVER THE GARAGE. HUGE AMOUNT OF REINFORCING STEEL AND ENGINEERING TO ACTUALLY HOLD IT UP. THIS IS QUITE A KEY POINT TO ACHIEVE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT THE CANTILEVER TO FAIL. IN THEORY THE ENGINEERS ALLOWED FOR ONE MIL OF DISPLACEMENT ` OR DEFLECTION, THEY CALL IT ` WHICH ISN'T A LOT OVER THE DISTANCE, AND FINGERS CROSSED WHEN WE PULL EVERYTHING OUT, IT JUST FLOATS LIKE IT'S MEANT TO AND IT PLAYS THE GAME. NOT EVERYONE WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING UNDER A 60 TON CANTILEVER WHILE THE BRACING IS BEING REMOVED, BUT ANDY LOVES BEING IN THE THICK OF IT. I LOVE ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING, AND I LIKE TO BE QUITE HANDS-ON. SO IT'S MORE THE FACT THAT I WANNA GET QUITE IMMERSED IN THE PROJECT RATHER THAN JUST SIT BACK AND HAVE EVERYONE ELSE DO ALL THE WORK. WELL DONE, TEAM. HAS IT MOVED, THOUGH? THAT'S THE QUESTION. DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT HAS. DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT HAS, ANDY. YOU RECKON IT'S FAIRLY SECURE UNDER HERE? YEAH. IF YOU'RE UNDER HERE, I FEEL SAFE. NAH, LOOKS GOOD. YEAH, I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT. BEAUTIFUL LEVEL. YEP. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN THAT. ANDY WANTS THIS HOME TO BE GROUND-BREAKING, NOT JUST IN ITS ENGINEERING BUT IN ITS DESIGN. IT'S ONE OF THOSE FAVOURED CONCEPTS FOR ARCHITECTS BECAUSE IT CREATES IN EFFECT AN ILLUSION ` AN OPTICAL ILLUSION ` OF HOW CAN THAT MASS FLOAT IN SPACE? AND IT'S THROUGH CLEVER ENGINEERING IN THE CONCRETE THAT'S ALL HIDDEN, PARTICULARLY WITH TWO STORIES. IT'S PRETTY UNIQUE IN A RESIDENTIAL APPLICATION TO HAVE A CANTILEVER COMING OUT WITH TWO STOREYS ABOVE. NORMALLY THEY'RE JUST THE VERY MODERNIST CUBIST BOX WITH ONE STOREY IN A RECTANGLE COMING OUT. ANDY'S TOUR DE FORCE IS THE STAIRWELL, BUT ITS ARRIVAL IS LATE IN THE BUILD SCHEDULE, SO IT MUST BE CRANED IN THROUGH A HOLE IN THE ROOF. TO UP THE ANTE, IT'S BIGGER AND HEAVIER THAN ANTICIPATED. WE'VE HAD TO TAKE BITS OFF THE ROOF BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY GONNA NOT GET THROUGH THE GAP. SO NEIL ADDED A FEW LITTLE BITS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. I THINK IT'S 200 MIL WIDER THAN THE CALCULATIONS. JUST SLIGHTLY HEAVIER THAN ANTICIPATED. YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD COUPLE TON IN THERE. I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT IN, ACTUALLY. IT'S A STUNNING PIECE OF WORKMANSHIP. IT'S QUITE SOMETHING. WHAT WE'VE GOTTA DO IS` WE'RE CURRENTLY HORIZONTAL FOR CARTING. WE'VE GOTTA NOW LIFT THE STAIRCASE ` WITHOUT DAMAGING IT ` TO A VERTICAL POSITION, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE NEXT CHALLENGE. SO IS IT GONNA FIT? I HOPE SO. BOY, IT'S BEAUTIFUL THOUGH, ISN'T IT? I MEAN, WHAT A STUNNING FORM. I KNOW. THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. ANDY'S MATE NEIL HAS NEVER MANAGED THE PRODUCTION OF A STAIRWELL BEFORE. SO PRETTY EXCITING MOMENT FOR YOU, THEN. YEAH, IT'LL BE A RELIEF ONCE WE GET IT LIFTED AND WE KNOW THAT THE CRANE AND EVERYTHING IS GONNA WORK WITH THE LIFTING STUFF, AND THEN I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF, COS WE NEED IT TO HANG STRAIGHT DOWN SO WE CAN FIT IT IN THROUGH THIS HOLE IN THE ROOF. BECAUSE OF THE SHAPE OF IT, IT'S GETTING THAT BALANCE POINT. EASIER TO DO IT HERE THAN UP THERE. AT THE MOMENT, THAT THERE IS OBVIOUSLY THE COTTON WOOL SIDE ` THAT SIDE ` BUT THEN THAT SIDE THERE, WE'VE ONLY GOT 50 MILS TO GET PAST. YEAH, YEAH. YEAH. SHOULD WE JUST LAY HER DOWN AND THEN RE-DO IT? YEAH, JUST LAY IT ON THAT BASE PLATE THERE, EH. YEP. IT TAKES ALMOST TWO HOURS OF ADJUSTING BEFORE THE STAIRCASE IS BALANCED VERTICALLY, MAKING IT SAFE TO LIFT. NOW THEY'VE JUST GOTTA GET IT THROUGH THE WHOLE IN THE ROOF WITH A 10MM TOLERANCE ` NO SWEAT. TENSE MUSIC IT'S ONLY JUST MANAGED TO FIT THROUGH THE ROOF, BUT THE TOLERANCE HERE IS DOWN TO LESS THAN 1MM. IN FACT, YOU CAN HEAR THEM CUTTING THINGS OFF IN ORDER TO FIT IT. IT IS EXTREMELY TIGHT. THIS IS A MAD WAY TO INSTALL A 2-TON STEEL STAIRCASE. ANDY IS SO HANDS-ON WITH THIS WHOLE THING, ISN'T HE? YEAH. THIS IS HIS BABY, THOUGH, THIS PART OF THE BUILD. HE'S BEEN SO OBSESSED WITH THIS STAIRCASE. THIS IS HIS PIECE DE RESISTANCE. OH, ANDY'S COME DOWN IT. OH, LOOK AT THIS. LAUGHTER AND CLAPPING WOOHOO! IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE STABLE. (LAUGHS) I HAD TO BE THE FIRST TO USE IT. GETTING THE STAIRCASE IN WITH NO DAMAGE IS TESTAMENT TO EVERYONE'S SKILLS. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS IT DR SEUSS-Y ENOUGH FOR YOU? (CHUCKLES) WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I KIND OF THINK, 'ARE YOU MAD? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?' I MEAN, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE. IT'S BEEN EXQUISITELY CRAFTED, AND I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU GUYS FOR RISING TO THE CHALLENGE ` THE WHOLE TEAM. I THINK` IT'S BEEN MASSIVE. IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE. HUGE FOR NEIL, WHAT HE'S ACHIEVED. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC FOR ANDY, THE QUALITY OF THIS HOME IS PARAMOUNT, AND HE'S PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING TO ACHIEVE IT ` EVEN SPEND HIS FREE TIME CLEANING. YEAH, THE BUILDERS ARE STARTING TO CALL ME THE FAIRY GODMOTHER BECAUSE I POP UP HERE IN THE EVENINGS AND TIDY UP ALL THE MESS THEY MAKE, AND THEY ARRIVE TO A BEAUTIFUL CLEAN BUILDING SITE IN THE MORNING, AND THEY THINK, 'WOW, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, A CLIENT DOING ALL THAT FOR US.' BUT IT SEEMS TO GIVE THEM A BIT OF MOTIVATION TO KEEP A TIDY SITE. BUT WITH WINTER APPROACHING, HE'S UNDER PRESSURE FROM HIS FAMILY. WE'VE GOTTA GET THAT ROOF ON, DAD. YEAH, I'M SICK OF THE RAIN. HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE TEMPERATURE'S DROPPED. WE'VE GOT A SOUTHERLY THROUGH TODAY AND QUITE A BIT OF RAIN. I'M DESPERATE TO GET THE ROOF ON IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. WATER'S STILL ENTERING THE BUILDING MORE THAN I'D LIKE, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE ANOTHER MONTH GO BY AND NOT BE CLOSED IN. I MEAN, THE KIDS ARE GROWING UP PRETTY QUICKLY, WHICH IS A SCARY THING ` YOU SORT OF FEEL YOU'VE LOST SOME OF THOSE GOLDEN YEARS WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE QUAKE. WE'VE HAD SEVEN OR EIGHT SHIFTS SINCE THE QUAKES, AND THAT'S BEEN PRETTY HARD IN TERMS OF STABILITY FOR THE FAMILY. YOUNGEST DAUGHTER BRIDIE WAS JUST 9 WHEN THE EARTHQUAKES DESTROYED THEIR HOME IN CHRISTCHURCH. THAT WAS PROBABLY THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I WAS THREE STOREYS DOWN FROM DAD, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND YOU'RE MEANT TO DROP, COVER, HOLD, BUT I JUST STARTED RUNNING COS I WAS SO SCARED. I FELT LIKE EVERYTHING HAD KIND OF STOPPED. IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE MOVING DOWN HERE, AND I FEEL SAFE FROM THE EARTHQUAKES BECAUSE NO AFTERSHOCKS OR ANYTHING CAN AFFECT US. I WANT TO MOVE IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DON'T EVEN CARE IF IT'S FINISHED OR NOT. I JUST WANT TO GET IN AND LIVE HERE. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC IN QUEENSTOWN, ANDY'S PREPARING FOR WINTER. SO WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS AN OREGON OR DOUGLAS FIR FOREST THAT CAME WITH THE PROPERTY, AND THIS HAS TO BE REMOVED IN TIME AS PART OF THE SUBDIVISION CONSENT. WHAT WE END UP DOING IS PLANTING A LOT OF BEECH AND NATURAL FOREST. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DOUGLAS FIR WERE PLANTED AS A PLANTATION TREE YEARS AGO AND THERE WERE TAX INCENTIVES, BUT THEY'VE CREATED THE WILDING PINE PROBLEM, WHICH IS BECOMING A REAL MENACE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY. SO FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WE FEEL IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO BE REMOVING THEM, AND I'M TURNING IT INTO FIREWOOD AT THE MOMENT. I THINK I'VE GOT A FEW LIFETIME SUPPLIES. THAT'S WHY I'VE PUT TWO WOOD BURNERS IN THE HOUSE. BUT ANDY AND JO ARE BUILDING A LARGELY PASSIVE HOUSE, WHICH MEANS IT SHOULDN'T NEED ANY HEATING, LET ALONE TWO LOG FIRES. I FELT A COUPLE OF WOOD BURNERS ACTUALLY GIVES US THAT PEAK HEATING IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE COLDEST POSSIBLE DAY IN WINTER, BUT THE OTHER THING IS AMBIENCE. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET STUCK ON JUST HAVING A SUPER-EFFICIENT COMPUTER-DESIGNED HOUSE AND THEN NOT HAVE THE AMBIENCE OF WOOD LOGS ON THE FIRE. I CAN'T HELP WONDERING WHY HE ISN'T USING HIS OWN PINE FOREST FOR BUILDING. INSTEAD, ANDY HAS ORDERED EXOTIC THERMALLY-TREATED TIMBER FROM ESTONIA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANET. OH, BOY. THIS IS HUGE. ESTONIANS ARE RENOWNED FOR THEIR SAUNAS, AND SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THEY'VE BECOME SPECIALISTS IN THERMALLY TREATED WOOD. IS THAT WHERE THE INSPIRATION COMES FROM? WELL, ACTUALLY THE INSPIRATION WE GOT FROM THE VIKINGS. FROM THE ANCIENT TIMES, VIKINGS USED TO FIRE-TREAT THEIR SHIPS SO THAT THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE RESISTANT TO CORROSIVE SALTY WATER. THE WOOD IS COOKED FOR TWO DAYS, MAKING IT RESISTANT TO WARPING AND ROT ` PERFECT FOR EXTREME CLIMATES. SO THIS LOOKS LIKE PINE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE USING GENERALLY, OR DO YOU HAVE OTHER TIMBERS? WE ALSO DO ASH ` ASH FROM NORTH AMERICA, FROM EUROPE. THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE. I MEAN, ANDY'S ACTUALLY CHOSEN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO ESTONIA FOR HIS TIMBER, BUT IT'S BEEN AROUND THE PLANET A COUPLE OF TIMES. AND THE ONLY REASON FOR THAT IS THE HIGHEST QUALITY THAT WE'RE REQUIRING FOR THE THERMAL TREATMENT. ONCE THE WOOD HAS BAKED, IT CHANGES COLOUR THROUGHOUT. SO THIS IS THE ASH THAT ANDY'S ORDERED, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IN A WAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WONDERFUL CHOCOLATE, DOESN'T IT? SO HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE WOULD THIS BE THAN A STANDARD PIECE OF TIMBER? THIS AROUND 10 TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE UNTREATED WOOD. SO OF ALL YOUR PRODUCTS, THIS IS THE TOP OF THE TOP? THIS IS. ANDY'S GETTING THE BEST PRODUCT IN THE WORLD, YES. WELL, I GUESS THAT'S OUR ANDY. SEVEN MONTHS INTO THE BUILD, ANDY AND JO'S HOME IS BEING WRAPPED IN THE WELL-TRAVELLED CLADDING. VISUALLY, I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CHOCOLATE LOOK, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE OF THERMO-TREATING. THIS IS THE FIRST NZ HOME TO USE THIS ASH, WHICH COMES WITH AN INVISIBLE ATTACHMENT SYSTEM. YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO PUT HOLES THROUGH ALL THE TIMBER, WHICH` I LIKE THE IDEA OF NOT DRILLING HOLES AND PUTTING NAILS THROUGH THIS BEAUTIFUL CLADDING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PREVENT WATER GETTING THROUGH. SO THE CLIP SYSTEM, I THINK, IS ANOTHER PRETTY EXCITING BLEEDING-EDGE EXPLORATION. I SUSPECT ANDY'S AMBITIONS MAY BE FRUSTRATING HIS FAMILY, WHO JUST WANT A PERMANENT HOME. I DIDN'T REALISE HOW MUCH TIME IT DOES TAKE. ONE OF US COULD BE FULL TIME ON THE SITE AT THE MOMENT, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DECISIONS TO BE MADE EVERY DAY. IT'S STRESSFUL ` I THINK ANYONE WHO'S BUILT THEIR OWN HOME WOULD SAY THAT. AND ALSO IT'S JUST THAT THE FINANCIAL OUTLAY IS HUGE. WE'RE ENJOYING IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A STRESSFUL PROCESS BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE END IS GETTING CLOSER. WOW, IT LOOKS AMAZING. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MOVE IN REALLY REALLY BAD, AND... YEAH, I JUST... YEAH. ALSO FOR ELLA, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOT ONE MORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN` EAGER TO GET IN QUICK, COS OTHERWISE I'M GONNA BE GONE TO UNI OR SOMETHING, AND I'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO VISIT, SO I SORT OF WANT TO GET IN QUICKLY. AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT. YEAH. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC THE FAMILY'S BEEN WAITING FOR FIVE YEARS FOR THEIR NEW HOME, BUT FOR ANDY, THAT'S ALL THE MORE THE REASON TO GET IT RIGHT. SO HE WANTS THE BEST INSULATION MONEY CAN BUY, INCLUDING TRIPLE-GLAZED WINDOWS FROM GERMANY. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON SITE, JUST TO MAKE SURE NOTHING GOES WRONG WITH THE LOAD ON THE WINDOWS. THE BIGGEST ONE IS 590 KILOS, WHICH IS A SERIOUS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. A COMBINATION OF ALUMINIUM ON THE OUTSIDE AND TIMBER ON THE INSIDE, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF WHAT THEY CALL 'THERMAL BREAKS' TO STOP CONDUCTION THROUGH THE FRAMES. THEY'RE PROBABLY TWICE AS GOOD AS THE BEST WINDOWS WE COULD SOURCE LOCALLY HERE IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE. IT'S SORT OF HIGH IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN WE MODELLED THE TRIPLE-GLAZING, IT WAS FOUR TIMES NZ CODE, SO WE SORT OF WORKED THROUGH THE BANG FOR BUCK IN TERMS OF SPENDING MORE ON THE GLAZING VERSUS HOW MUCH VALUE WE COULD GAIN. IT WAS A BIT OF A NO-BRAINER IN TERMS OF THE VALUE PROPOSITION. GUITAR MUSIC ANDY AND JO ARE SPENDING A FORTUNE ON A HIGHLY ENGINEERED HOME TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILY FROM THE ELEMENTS. KEY TO ITS SUCCESS IS MAKING SURE THE HOUSE IS PRETTY MUCH AN AIRLOCK. 10 MONTHS AFTER STARTING BUILDING, THE HOUSE IS CLOSED IN, SO THEY'RE TESTING TO SEE IF IT PASSES MUSTARD WITH WHAT'S CALLED A 'BLOWER DOOR TEST'. TODAY IS A KEY TEST TO SEE WHETHER WE'VE ACHIEVED OUR PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HOUSE. SO WHEN WE DESIGNED THE HOUSE, WE HAD SOME TARGETS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND ONE OF THOSE TARGETS INVOLVED THE AIR-TIGHTNESS OF THE HOUSE. IF IT'S FULL OF HOLES, IT DOESN'T WORK, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING ` WE PRESSURIZE THE HOUSE TO FIND THE HOLES. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA RUN THE TEST ITSELF NOW. IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO GET GOOD RESULTS SO THAT WE KNOW ALL THE MONEY WE'VE INVESTED IN THE ENVELOPE IS ACTUALLY WORTH THE VALUE THAT WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE. BUT THE NUMBERS ARE NOT WHAT THEY EXPECTED. THAT'S NOT GOOD, EH. I THINK WE NEED TO RUN AROUND AND JUST CHECK THAT... TRY AND LOOK FOR SOME MYSTERY AIR LEAKAGE. CAN YOU FEEL ANY AIR MOVING? NO. I CAN FEEL AIR MOVEMENT THROUGH THE HOUSE, BUT ONLY COMING UP FROM THE FANS, STRONGER THROUGH THE... SO I DUNNO. WHAT'S THAT? I'VE FOUND SOME LEAKS. JUST THROUGH HERE ` THIS JUNCTION HERE. IT SHOULD'VE BEEN SEALED. SO IT DOESN'T LOOK MUCH, BUT THAT'S ENOUGH TO LOSE A FAIR BIT OF AIR. YEAH, THAT'S LOOKING MUCH BETTER. HAD YOU WORRIED THERE. I WAS A LITTLE BIT WORRIED THERE FOR A MINUTE. DESPITE THE LEAKS THE READINGS SHOW, ONCE SEALED, ANDY AND JO'S HOME WILL BE DRAUGHT-FREE AND AIRTIGHT. THE GOAL TODAY WAS TO HIT 1.5 OR BETTER, AND IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE TRACKING AROUND THE 1 EXCHANGE AIR MOVEMENT, SO THAT'S ONE EXCHANGE OF THE HOUSE PER HOUR. AS A REFERENCE POINT, AN AVERAGE NZ HOME IS PROBABLY AROUND 20 EXCHANGES PER HOUR, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE AT 1, WE'RE 20 TIMES THE PERFORMANCE OF AN AVERAGE KIWI HOME, AND THAT SHOULD IMPROVE WITH ALL THE PROCESSES IN TERMS OF THE LEAKS WE'VE IDENTIFIED. ANDY'S DRIVEN TO BE THE BEST IN BUSINESS, SPORT AND NOW WITH HIS HOME DESIGN, BUT I'M PICKING JO JUST WANTS TO BE IN THEIR NEW HOME THIS SPRING. I'M TARGETING SEPTEMBER TO GET IN, SO... YEP, HOPEFULLY THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL BE IN BY THEN. THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING TO. (CHUCKLES) ON MATTRESSES ON THE FLOOR. (LAUGHS) NO. WE'LL BE FINE. WE'LL MOVE IN WHEN WE MOVE IN. I THINK WE'RE ON TRACK. PEACEFUL MUSIC IT'S BEEN ALMOST SIX YEARS SINCE ANDY AND JO'S HOME WAS DESTROYED BY THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES. FOR SIX YEARS THEY'VE BEEN UNABLE TO SETTLE, MOVING HOME SEVEN TIMES WHILE THEY DREAMED UP PLANS FOR A HOME ON AN AWE-INSPIRING LANDSCAPE. A HOME THAT WILL BE A REFUGE IN ITSELF, BUT ALSO DOES JUSTICE TO THE SITE, BECAUSE BUILDING HERE COMES WITH A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY. WOW. HI, CHRIS. HELLO, HELLO. HI, CHRIS. GOOD TO SEE YOU. LOVELY TO SEE YOU TOO. WOW. IT IS MAGNIFICENT. I AM JUST SO IMPRESSED. I MEAN, THIS FANTASTIC CANTILEVER ` IT'S LIKE THE PROW OF A HUGE SHIP CHARGING INTO YOUR STONEHENGE SPACE. AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL ESTONIAN TIMBER ` IT'S EXQUISITE. REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT'S ALL LOOKING. IT'S NOT FUSSY AT ALL, IS IT? THERE'S THIS LOVELY SENSE OF CALM TO THE WHOLE THING. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL COMPOSITION. BUT IT'S NOT QUITE FINISHED, IS IT, ANDY? I'M JUST LOOKING` WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT YOUR MOAT? OH, DID YOU NOTICE THAT? THAT'S` WE HAD THE IDEA OF A POOL THAT CANTILEVERS OUT OVER A PLANT ROOM, SO WE GOT A 20-TON DIGGER IN AND DUG THE POOL OUT, BUT THEN REALISED THAT WE'D BETTER CHOOSE OUR BATTLES AND FINISH THE HOUSE FIRST. THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE THEIR AMBITIOUS PLAN IS FULLY REALISED, BUT JO AND THE GIRLS WILL NO DOUBT JUST BE HAPPY TO HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME AGAIN ` AND NOT JUST ANY HOME, EITHER. OH, I LOVE THIS FLOATING SLAB. YEAH, IT'S FANTASTIC. I GUESS IT'S A BIT LIKE YOUR OWN DRAWBRIDGE INTO THE CASTLE. OOH, VERY DRAMATIC. COME ON IN. WOW. THIS IS MAGNIFICENT. PETE RITCHIE ` THE ARCHITECT ` CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A MAP OF SKIPPERS SADDLE, WHICH IS UP ON THE RIDGE LINE BY CORONET PEAK, AND THE SUN COMES FROM THERE THROUGH THIS MAP OF THAT REGION, AND THEN SHINES THROUGH ON TO THIS CONCRETE WALL. LOVELY. MAJESTIC MUSIC GOSH, WHAT A DRAMATIC SPACE. BIG SCALE, ISN'T IT? IT IS A BIG SCALE. SUDDENLY YOU JUST GO, 'BOOM!' I LOVE THE WAY THIS WALL JUST CONTINUES AND CHARGES RIGHT DOWN INTO THE SPACE. YOU'RE BIG ON TEXTURES, AREN'T YOU? YEAH. THE MAIN INGREDIENTS WE'VE GOT ARE THE CONCRETE, THE LOVELY TIMBERS AND THE BIRCH PLY AND THE STEEL, SO WE'VE JUST GOT THAT CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE HOUSE. LOVELY BIG BOARDS. YEAH, IT'S GORGEOUS. I LOVE THE WAY THE SHAPE COMES DOWN ALMOST TO A FORCED PERSPECTIVE. YEAH. YEAH, THE ROOF IS DROPPING AND THE HOUSE IS NARROWING AS WE GO ALONG. BUT WHAT YOU CAN ALSO SEE IS JUST THE WAY THAT IT CONNECTS YOU INTO THE LAND. I LOVE THE WAY THAT YOU CAN LOOK UP THROUGH THIS LOVELY BIG WINDOW HERE TO THE PEAK IN THE DISTANCE. IT WAS SOMETHING WE REALLY WANTED TO ACHIEVE WITH HOW WE BUILT ON THIS LAND ` THAT THE LAND AND THE HOUSE ALMOST BECAME ONE WITH EACH OTHER. BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF CONCRETE. YEAH. FEELS A BIT COLD AT THE MOMENT. (LAUGHS) IT'S BEEN PIPED WITH A WETBACK, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A RADIATOR. ANOTHER HEATER. FOR ME, THE OTHER THING THAT IS REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ` PARTICULARLY FOR YOU, JO ` IS THE PERSONAL TOUCHES IN THE LIGHTING, IN PARTICULAR. MM. AND THEN THESE BEAUTIFUL TILES ON THE WALL. I JUST LIKE THE 3D ELEMENT. IT'S LOVELY. THE HOUSE NARROWS FURTHER TO ANDY AND JO'S BEDROOM AND EN SUITE ` THE THIN EDGE OF THE WEDGE. THIS IS THE NARROWEST PART OF THE HOUSE, RIGHT AT THE VERY END WITH THE SHOWER. A HUGE CONTRAST TO WHERE YOU STARTED AT THE ENTRY. I LOVE THE WAY THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH MATERIALS AND SO ON, AND THEN I SAW THIS WACKY` ANDY'S CREATION. IT MIMICS, IN EFFECT, THE SHAPE OF THE HOUSE. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, A LOT OF GOOD DESIGN IS ABOUT` SHOULD PROVOKE THOUGHT, AND IT'S ABOUT CONTEXT AND OFTEN CONTRADICTION, AND SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THIS DESIGN IS TRYING TO CHALLENGE THE MIND IN TERMS OF HOW YOU THINK ABOUT A VISUAL SPATIAL SITUATION. FROM A 1.8M REAR WALL AND A SINGLE STOREY, THE HOUSE RISES TO THE BROAD DIMENSIONS OF THE TRIPLE-STOREYED FRONT. PERISCOPE UP. MORE STEEL IN THE STAIRWELL LEADS TO THE TOWER,... SAXOPHONE PLAYS WHERE, IN THE MACBETH MANSION, THE DAUGHTERS ARE KEPT. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPACE. THANK YOU. HEY, DON'T MIND ME. HEY, BRIDIE. HELLO. NICE TO SEE YOU'VE FINALLY GOT YOUR ROOM. YES. I'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS. WHAT AN EXCITING MOMENT. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU'VE DONE JUSTICE TO BOTH YOUR DREAMS AND ALSO FINALLY HAVING A HOME BASE? MM-HM. YEAH, I FEEL LIKE WE TOOK THE TIME AT THE START. WE DIDN'T RUSH IT ` EVEN THOUGH WE WANTED TO, BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY KEEN AFTER ALL THAT TIME TO GET INTO OUR OWN PLACE. THAT HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT ANDY'S NEED TO DO THE BEST HE CAN. AND WE LOVE THAT OUTCOME TOO ` ME AND THE GIRLS ` SO IT'S BEEN WORTH IT. WE FELT THERE WAS A REAL RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT WE COULD. FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, THE FORM AND THE BEAUTY OF THE BUILDING WAS NUMBER ONE, AND THE PERFORMANCE WAS SECONDARY. ANDY AND JO STILL HAVEN'T YET GOT THE HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEM OR THE FIREPLACES CONNECTED, SO THEY STILL DON'T KNOW JUST HOW WARM THIS HOUSE WILL BE. NEXT WINTER WILL BE THE TELLING TIME. FINGERS CROSSED. YEAH. YOU HAD THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM AROUND YOU, WHICH IN A WAY I SUPPOSE MADE IT MORE COMPLEX. HOW DID YOU COPE WITH ALL OF THAT? INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL PROCESS. WE'RE DELIGHTED WITH THE OUTCOME, BUT THE JOURNEY IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE, AND PART OF THAT IS JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TOTALLY IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. IT'S LIKE A TREADMILL YOU CAN'T GET OFF. YOU HAVE TO GRIT YOUR TEETH AND CARRY ON. THE CLASSIC THING FOR YOU, ANDY, IS ALWAYS THE NEXT CHALLENGE. YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING. I FEEL THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF YEARS OF HARD GRAFT ON THE LANDSCAPING, BECAUSE TO CRAFT THE LAND IS ACTUALLY ` TO ME ` THE TIPPING POINT FOR THE ARCHITECTURE. THERE IS A SWING BRIDGE THAT WE'D INTENDED TO BUILD, AND THAT'S PHASE TWO. THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A PHASE THREE, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A CANTILEVERED SWIMMING POOL, AND WE THOUGHT ABOUT A FLYING FOX, DIDN'T WE? DOWN TO THE BARN? YES, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE TOO CRAZY. I SUPPOSE THE THING THAT'S GONNA LIMIT THAT IS THE BUDGET. DID IT HIT YOUR ORIGINAL TARGET? NO. IT GOT STRETCHED SIGNIFICANTLY. SIGNIFICANTLY? PROBABLY FINISHING UP AT ABOUT 2.2 OR 2.3. OK. AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE POOL OR DOING THE LANDSCAPING. HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT? ESSENTIALLY WE'LL BORROW MORE MONEY. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) THAT ADDS A BIT OF STRESS, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MORE STRESSFUL FOR ME TO COMPROMISE THE QUALITY. THAT WOULD DRIVE ME INSANE. HEY, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON A BUILD THAT IS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY. THANKS, CHRIS. ANDY AND JO HAVE CREATED A HOME WORTHY OF ITS MAGNIFICENT SITE ` A HOME THAT'S GRAND IN ITS DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, YET SITS HARMONIOUSLY IN THE LAND. A FAMILY SANCTUARY THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT WELL WORTH THE WAIT. CAPTIONS BY IMOGEN STAINES AND CATHERINE DE CHALAIN. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016