Basements are uncommon in New Zealand because we have high water tables. As for the switches, its more to do with higher voltage used here. Its supposed to prevent accidental electrocutions when plugging in an appliance. You plug it in and then turn on the switch.
@phillipridgway8317
3 жыл бұрын
Also, when you've finished using an appliance, like a heater for instance, you can just switch it off at the socket without having to change the appliance's settings or unplug it, so it's ready to go at your preferred settings with the flick of the socket switch. And as you said, 240 volts is a lot more dangerous to play with than 110 volts! The UK and Australia also use switched outlets...
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Yes that is true.. should have mentioned the voltage difference
@NZHazard
3 жыл бұрын
As a consultant with an engineering company, the real reason why we don't have basements isn't due to high groundwater, but generally it was down to our climate being less harsh than America or Britain during the winter months and huge cost to install the basement for no real purpose. Initially our houses were quite small (around 100m2 in area) which the wood fireplace could comfortably heat well, and as most of the houses were constructed post war were made with timber flooring due to availability of wood, however, since the 90's concrete slab foundations have taken over as the preferred method of foundation and the houses have grown in size, now typically 260m2 in area in the suburbs, and i've seen larger houses on lifestyle blocks.
@garthrogers2269
3 жыл бұрын
@@tonymorgan9240 dude. Stop shouting.
@kylehill3643
2 жыл бұрын
@@Kiwiamericans Do you have electric baseboards.
@mallowpuff5
3 жыл бұрын
We can’t afford to leave power switches on at the wall, every $1 has a job, and being useless isn’t one of them. I think being an island country has made people more frugal and economical. Things aren’t easy to get so all of it has to be valued more
@chiefsgirl1307
3 жыл бұрын
Christi would be more than welcome to bring her cowbell to a Waikato Chiefs game because most people in the crowd have them anyway so she will fit right in lol
@alunamiss6492
2 жыл бұрын
You are so right I'm from the waikato too 😂😂😂
@hamidmirzaee6713
3 жыл бұрын
Yay I requested this a while back finally its happening can't wait so curious the difference between nz and us housing since I live in nz
@ExcretumTaurum
3 жыл бұрын
Heating your home used to be a far less costly exercise than it is today
@michaelcoorssen3338
2 жыл бұрын
$700k for a house (NZ dollars) is about $480k U.S. For a lot of areas in the U.S. $480k is a lot for a house, but I live in the San Francisco area, where - SERIOUSLY - a 3-bed, 2-bath house is often $750k to $1.5 million (depending on the county). It sounds like NZ housing is comparable to the less expensive counties in the S.F. area. Rents here for a house of the same size is anywhere between $2400 and $4000 per month (or $800 to $1500 NZ dollars per week). In California, we have year-round gardens too (because the climate is conducive to that), and we have community gardens. Also, lots of citrus trees. NZ is very similar to the SF Bay Area (Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Alameda, counties).
@NZKiwi87
3 жыл бұрын
This was hilarious! We call the hot water bottles ‘hotties’, and they have a very cozy association. I had no idea you didn’t use them overseas!
@ambatrondavis9488
3 жыл бұрын
They do in Britain. The queen is never far from her hottie in winter.
@iallso1
3 жыл бұрын
The house I rented in Christchurch when I first arrived in NZ had 2 heat pumps but the windows were warped and didn't seal, and one gap around the window you could literally put your finger through. I would go out in the morning in shorts and tee-shirt and be warm, arrive home at lunchtime and be cold in the house. My current property was built in 1986 and does have insulation in the ceiling and external walls, but not particularly thick insulation. I upgraded the insulation in the roof when I first moved in, and I'm gradually replacing the rest as I continue the renovations. From my experience you can make rental and mortgage payments weekly, fortnightly, or monthly depending on your needs, but many businesses pay their employees fortnightly, so that works in well.
@roannajellyman1809
3 жыл бұрын
I've used electric blankets and will take a hot water bottle over that any day. Hot water bottles are awesome!
@karenjenkins201
3 жыл бұрын
Yep I can never sleep properly on an electric blanket. I have lived in the UK though, and central heating is awesome
@craigauckram1087
3 жыл бұрын
Housing standards have changed, houses built before 1980, did not have to be insulated, basic wall insulation was then mandated, gradually we (us Kiwi's ) are adding insulation, this year the older rental houses have to be insulated by government regulation before you can let the house be rented. My house has no fireplace,( I would love a fireplace,) but has a heat pump, HRV system ( Heat recirculation and ventilation ) and I also use a small gas heater, I would love double glazing, but will just have to stick to insulated drapes for the windows, until I can afford them. The growth of the Green movement has seen a more ecological sensitive styles of building and town planning. Much of the cost in New Zealand is also related to Earthquakes, some types of construction cannot withstand the rock and roll that we get quiet regularly, and this needs to be factored into their construction.
@judis6224
3 жыл бұрын
In the UK they pay for alot of things,so you save a bit of money.
@CapitalVideo
3 жыл бұрын
I am amused by the comments regarding power outlets and the switches attached. It is all about safety, specially considering that the voltage in New Zealand is twice that of the US, 230 Volts AC versus 110 Volts AC. I think you will find countries that have 230 volts all have switches, and you can leave them on all the time if you like. There is no benefit from turning them off if the device plugged in has its own off/on switch, as the switch physically breaks the phase side of the AC current. We also have a separate earth connection for safety reasons as well, as we use the MEN (Multiple Earth Neutral) system of power reticulation where the actual physical earth provides a return path between the power station and the consumer.
@andytaus1939
3 жыл бұрын
It's obvious the ladies don't have a clue as to how the electrical switches actually work/function. No power is used until a "switch" is "switched ON" and the connected device is "switched ON" as well.
@anneofgreengables1619
3 жыл бұрын
In the UK we have an on & off switch on all outlets. It’s not unusual, same thing Australia
@hoodedtoe2280
3 жыл бұрын
Oh my....being a kiwi dude of 50 yrs of joy and craziness, all I can say it's been a true joy to discover this "sweet as"" channel...lol. Ahhh you groovy Americans crack me up with your perspective on us Kiwis...awesome....simply Awesome, I love it! Keep the vlogs going as I'm sure you will. Groovy : )
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for watching!
@zeviono4562
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah NZ was crazy for years putting up with freezing housing and so many other things. Think it was a hangover from the Great Depression really. Double glazing - how long did it take us to work out we need that, let alone insulation. Even our taps - seperate hot and cold ones instead of a mixer - saving us freezing or burned hands. Looking at american designed houses with things like walk in pantries, mud rooms, etc we kiwis are ripped off terribly - pay through the nose for crap!
@Viscous_Dampers_For_Houses
3 жыл бұрын
.
@blinkybill2198
3 жыл бұрын
Yep we are getting close to 1 million average house cost soon.
@carolynrose753
3 жыл бұрын
Pretty healthy population back then
@rwags6848
3 жыл бұрын
NZ$ or US$? Best to be clear 😬 But agreed... NZ houses are expensive, especially in the main cities. And insulation became law in 1977... 44 years ago. But agreed... old houses are poorly insulated. Healthy Homes regulations are addressing this now, for rental properties.
@davidcurle7381
3 жыл бұрын
You live in the windiest and coldest place in NZ apart from Invercargille. You can't generalise when you live in Wellington! Much warmer and more sun as you go north.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Yes true.. in comparison though NZ homes are colder.
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
The houses are just as bad in Auckland. And yes, it gets cold in winter in Auckland.
@davidcurle7381
3 жыл бұрын
@@shaungordon9737 houses in Wellington a generally older than most Auckland houses. Insulation has been a requirement now for around thirty years, but there has not been a lot of new housing in Wellington by comparison with Auckland. North of Auckland in Kerikerie, temps are on average about 4 degrees warmer than Auckland. The killer with wellington is the bitting wind which makes the temp feel colder also. I remember on and Auckland radio station a competition where first prize was a weeks stay in Wellington. Second prize was two weeks.
@trevorparlane
3 жыл бұрын
I grew up in Lower Hutt, and every house had a quarter acre section then, and my dad planted a vege garden in our quarter acre section. About a year ago, I went back to look at our old house but it was gone. Instead there were two modern houses on the section, both back to back. amazing!
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Not every property in the Hutt was a quarter acre. There been social housing on smaller blocks and boarding housing right back to 1900 or earlier. Large sections of Petone and other parts of the lower valley were built as Railways settlement and Seddon govt social housing.
@trevorparlane
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q Yes, you are correct. Not every property was quarter acre, not even in the suburb of Waterloo, where we lived. I remember seeing two storey brick apartments down the far end of Knights Road, near Waterloo Station. I also remember seeing the invoice for the purchase of our house back in 1955. It was for 1250 pounds ( or 2500 dollars). How times have changed!
@user-oz7gc9bi7w
3 жыл бұрын
Great video, very entertaining 😂 Just going to weigh in here - I’ve lived in houses with central heating more often than not, but there are a lot of houses pre 70’s that didn’t have much more than a log burner. Not bothered about using a hottie, I was always taught to conserve power, not just because of cost, but to not take more than you need and do you bit for the environment. Hot water bottles warm the bed quickly, last till morning and use little power. Definitely a fan of the switches on the plugs, they make a lot of sense safety wise without writing too much 😂 Also, I remember hearing it can save about $20 on your weekly power bill, but more importantly it’s just wasted electricity. Not all NZ electricity is ‘clean electricity’ and especially wasn’t in the past!
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Great points - thanks for taking the time to share
@tati-marienightingale-skel6561
3 жыл бұрын
Very informative. Love that about saving our environment.... I switch everything off. Carbon footprint!
@love_love_me_do
3 жыл бұрын
Just to tip the scales in the other direction, I've been living in a 1920s villa for over 2 years now, when we moved in there was a COAL RANGE OVEN that had a fireplace on the opposite side of the wall (kitchen backs onto lounge) we have a really really hard time heating our house even with a new fireplace, removing the old oven and having a more modern one (still old but not that old). We also live in a valley with heaps of morning sun on one side, lots of evening sun on the other and NO sun all day at the front of the house so that doesnt help. But hot water bottles, definitely been a life saver living here!
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Tara, gardening's popularity in NZ reflects the previous strong middle class english influence on pakeha culture. Having lived in coastal northern california, even US places with similar climates, don't have this same obsession. Most nice 'gardens' in Bay area I found involved someone with a spanish accent doing most of the work.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Ha ha true - the work is outsourced. Maybe that is why I outsource mine :)
@anneofgreengables1619
3 жыл бұрын
Yes agreed. English people (I am one) love gardening
@erinwilliams4911
3 жыл бұрын
No basements because of the earthquakes... We use fires to heat our houses (not so much in Wellington though) my fire heats my whole home. We have always insulated our ceilings and floors pretty much but it has only become compulsory (including walls) in the last 15 years
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Electricity used to be much much cheaper as it was a Government owned monopoly till the late 1980s. NZ used to have some of the cheapest retail electricity in the world. So heating a home with electric heaters in each room rather than insulation over winter made more sense economically when building a new home. I grew up in several homes where there was electric wall heater in practically every room. I might add though lots of homes round wellington still have fires as the primary form of heat, particularly in the hill suburbs The neoliberal reforms introduced from the late 80s brought in a profit margin and mentality into energy pricing which has resulted in power companies emptying full hydro dams so they can create an artificial surge in power prices.
@tati-marienightingale-skel6561
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q wow! Always about the money!
@lisasstitchingandsuch
3 жыл бұрын
I've just been chatting about needing hot water bottles. It's something we had when I was a kid and there's something nostalgic about going to bed at night to read with a hot water bottle and a cup of TEA or or chocolate :P. And yes living in the same room I remember when I was a little kid getting dressed for school in front of the heater in the living room because my room was too cold lol.
@ambatrondavis9488
3 жыл бұрын
Cuppa Milo.
@nevillenepia574
3 жыл бұрын
Tara I like watching your channel because you’re topics of discussion are cool to listen too especially when doing comparisons with the States. Christi is a crack up and obviously a really dear friend. Stay forever young ladies, and power to the positive vibes.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Oh thank you! Appreciate the encouragement.
@johnforde7735
3 жыл бұрын
The switches are insulated. There is no danger. It's not dangerous to touch any part of the power outlet. Just don't poke it with a knife. (But if it is switched off, that is technically OK.) Also, many things have an earth and there is an earth pin on the plug, so that is safer. Finally, the voltage is a lot higher, which by itself is more dangerous (to touch). But because it is higher (by about double) the current is half, which lowers the risk of overheating wires causing fires. Also, there absolutely no point in turning off appliances that have a switch in them. However, chargers etc. will consume a little power if the switch is left on. But the power savings aren't why there are switches. When you plug an appliance that doesn't have a switch in, it will arc if the mains is on. So you turn of the switch before you plug something in to avoid that. It also gives you another level of control.
@kukiskuxdeluxe1
3 жыл бұрын
just on the house price comparisons. $2000 a month NZD is $1428 in USD so very similar to what Christy said ..up to $1500 a month. Also..$700,000 NZD is $500,000 USD as a comparison. 👍
@kukiskuxdeluxe1
3 жыл бұрын
280,000 USD is 392,000 NZD
@andytaus1939
3 жыл бұрын
The conversation seems to be mistaking USD with NZD. Comparison of pricing should be like with like (ie in same dollar terms) as well as taking in to account the cost of living & all other elements of the economy (health care costs, level of salary/income, education costs, etc). Just because NZD cost is high for a house, doesn't make the cost-of-living high.
@jeringatai3156
3 жыл бұрын
@@andytaus1939 except NZ cost of living us high also. Everything is expensive
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, but I bet that house in the US that costs the same is MUCH bigger, nicer and better insulated.
@andytaus1939
3 жыл бұрын
@@jeringatai3156 And the accompanying salary & wages are ?
@pepta
3 жыл бұрын
Also every house we've been in had ceiling and floor insulation, which I believe is where most of the heat is lost. In our current house we have some walls insulated too.
@ErinBudgetsAimlessly
3 жыл бұрын
Cow bells were so common for varsity games way back when I was in high school. Always makes me think of the phrase "MORE COWBELL!!!"
@OryanMcLean
3 жыл бұрын
Electrical point switches are more for safety reasons. So it cuts power to certain areas if there is electrical fires etc.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Oh that is interesting - have not thought about electrical fires ...
@greggiles7309
3 жыл бұрын
Electric prices have skyrocketed since privatization, my utilities are included in my rent by bodycorp.
@ZagnutBar
2 жыл бұрын
Actually you really should multiply the weekly rent by 52 (weeks) and then divide by 12 (months). Multiplying the weekly by 4 is going to give you a low number.
@ivyprentis8309
Жыл бұрын
Cold houses, I agree. I remember living in an old non-insulated house with no carpet or flooring but the original floorboards. Boy that was such a cold house. These days, I like to use my heat pump and leave all the inside doors open so the heat can go into those areas and rooms instead of just keeping the heat in one room and the rest of the house is freezing. I don't go around and turn off all the switches, I think that's a bit old school. When my mum is over, she'll switch off my oven at the wall, then when I go to cook, after half an hour I notice the oven hasn't even heated up, so annoying, lol.
@harrycurrie9664
3 жыл бұрын
It is quite common in NZ that if you have excess items like vegetables to share them around the neighbourhood, as a teen I used to like fishing and if I had a successful day I would drop a fish or two off to friends, acquaintances, and particularly people who had great vegie gardens, you could almost guarantee a return favour, a box of various home grown on your back doorstep, when they had a bumper crop.
@almostyummymummy
2 жыл бұрын
It's become one of those things that go a long way to defining who we are as a people/nation. It has been really 'cool' (well, more like great) to see the concept become such a part of who we are.
@NZFarmboy80
3 жыл бұрын
We had insulation in our house when I was a kid 30+ years ago, and fire places as well
@rawiniah
3 жыл бұрын
way back in the 40s and 50s when the majority of houses were being built, insulation came from overseas and took weeks/months to arrive. so it wasn't that we weren't aware of insulation - we were - we just didn't have the timeframe to wait for it :)
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Ok - that explains alot!!! Thanks for sharing.
@Shronar
3 жыл бұрын
A lot of devices have a ‘stand by’ mode that runs even when the device is turned off. Turning off at the wall prevents this and saves electricity. I’m pretty sure the switches are there to prevent a power surge. eg. when the power comes back on after a cut. Not as important now as when they were first introduced. We do also have those plastic outlet covers in NZ, can buy from hardware stores and some supermarkets.
@Satya2btrue
3 жыл бұрын
So when it comes to heating we don’t like hot bedrooms. We want them cool so you,have a good nights sleep. And fresh air keeps you much healthier! I remember being in the USA and there was this,plastic skin over the windows. It was so suffocating.
@WinterWind
3 жыл бұрын
Bedrooms are supposed to be around 18C according to WHO but NZ can get colder which isn't actually that healthy. We have kids with rheumatic fever because of the temperatures we live in unfortunately
@Satya2btrue
3 жыл бұрын
@@WinterWind i believe rheumatic fever is caused by a bacteria. 18c is way to hot for sleeping. 8-15c is far more comfortable and sleeping with fresh air. When I was in the USA most constantly came down with colds from airless hot rooms.
@WinterWind
3 жыл бұрын
@@Satya2btrue yeah it is something about strep throat. I just know that it's a bigger issue in cold, damp homes like we have here and one of the health recommendations is to keep rooms warmer and drier. The WHO also recommends a not hot but not cold temperature of 18C for sleeping. I'm a fan of airing out rooms, nothing worse than stuffy, stale air but preference and recommendations can differ.
@chere6577
3 жыл бұрын
@@WinterWind I have a woodburn it heats the whole house in about an hour, even with the fire going I still leave my windows slightly open so the fresh air still comes in the house. Even when we were kids my mum used to leave the windows open slightly so the air could still circulate.
@sofiahunter4842
3 жыл бұрын
Yay Christi is back
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
yeah!
@winimott4462
3 жыл бұрын
Weekly rental calculations are more transparent. The number of weeks per month can vary depending on the month, so we just calculate rent per week. In regards to heating, alot of NZ housing stock is OLD before insulation was a thing. Insulation started being a thing since the late 80's early 90's, but it wasn't mandatory and poorly made meaning it disintergrated within 20 years. In the last 10 years, the government subsidized the cost of insulating housing built pre-2000, but just their ceiling and underfloor cavity. Most of the old housing stock had wood fireplaces (NZ was a huge timber country) but as attitudes toward clean energy have changed, more houses are having aircon/heatpumps installed or flued gas heaters/fires. Central heating is not really a thing in NZ because it costs a fortune to install and to maintain because NZ energy costs are quite high for the cost of living.
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
I don't think central heating would make sense in NZ (large building excepted). We don't get the temperature extremes that they do in the US, so it's a bit over kill for a modern fully insulated house.
@timtowers7997
3 жыл бұрын
It's NOT Fall, it's autumn!!!! Not all of the U.S. is cheap. Median house price in San Francisco is currently $US 1,151,500, or $NZ 1,599,306. The power saving with having a switch on the power outlet comes from switching off the appliance which may have things like LED lights on it, e.g. your modem.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Yes Autumn...we did say midwest houses and that NZ prices were like California...
@jdbar420
3 жыл бұрын
San Fran is literally one of the most expensive cities in the entire USA... hardly a good comparison. The average US home price over the entire country is $U280,500USD, which is more like $391,411NZD... nowhere in NZ can you get a 3bdrm 2bath house for that, that is not falling down.
@7centauri
3 жыл бұрын
There is a major misunderstanding that Americans make about our electric plug outlet sockets in New Zealand and it goes right back to the electrifying of nations electricity supply over 100 years ago. America decided to limit its delivery of home supply to just 110volts. The main reason was safety concerns at the time. Many countries followed Americas lead. However England and most of the British Commonwealth, including Australia and New Zealand went to 240volts, more than twice the delivery of the USA. There are many pluses for this but the power has the potential to be more deadly to unskilled workers, so the power outlets have the additional safety feature of a switch. THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE we have over America is that with the advent of electric vehicles we are able to charge our cars on a home system at more than twice the speed that Americans are able to do. (My car charges fully 5 to 6 hours overnight - Americans 13 -14 hours. Also now you know why your electric goods from home don't work in British nations.
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
The other advantage is that electric jugs in the US take twice as long to boil, which is why many Americans don't have one.
@cavemankiwi
2 жыл бұрын
Most modern American houses can provide 240v from the panel. It costs 700-2500 depending on complexity to wire and put a 240v 50amp outlet In a garage.
@davidprosser7278
2 жыл бұрын
@@cavemankiwi Oh I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip.
@margaretp1465
3 жыл бұрын
US $900 per month to US $1500 per month equates to NZ$1260 to NZ$2100 per month so maybe not so very different. It would depend where you're renting and what you're renting. You would be hard pushed to get a really nice 3 bedroom in Dunedin under NZ$500 per week these days, but there are still long-standing tenants in basic (Meet Healthy Homes standard, but no frills, older homes) 3 bedroom houses paying less than $300 pw. In cities like Auckland and Wellington the rents are higher. In smaller towns the rents can be a lot less. The Residential Tenancy Act doesn't allow for renting monthly. I think it is because most people here get paid weekly or fortnightly. That said, just because you pay rent weekly or fortnightly doesn't mean a tenant has no security of tenure. It is at the moment almost impossible for a landlord to evict a tenant in NZ.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Oh really.. no eviction? Thanks for sharing
@margaretp1465
3 жыл бұрын
@@Kiwiamericans Not no eviction, but the changes to the RTA last year make it extremely difficult for a landlord to evict unless they are selling the property.
@burt101welly6
3 жыл бұрын
We don’t have any heating in our house at all At the moment , sweatshirts , blankets And beanies are the order for this winter
@burt101welly6
3 жыл бұрын
@Tesla na doing renovations , and the wife made me take the heat pump out, bugger We’re never allowed to use it anyway to costly Blankets and sleeping bags , beanies and gloves for the family this winter lol
@GingerKiwiDev
3 жыл бұрын
I remember one winter in primary/grade school in Whitby NZ it rained for 42 days straight and my family moved all our mattresses into the living room in front of the gas fire. I still need my bedroom really cold but with lots of blankets to fall asleep well. Which means I have my windows open in winter here in my 1930s steam radiator heated apartment in Toronto ... but then again Toronto doesn’t get a real Canadian ... (or Wisconsin). Thanks for the fun videos. My mom (in her 80s) still talks about “that video with the two funny women talking “ she watched on her iPhone. I’m sending her the link for this one tomorrow.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
That is so sweet that your mom likes are videos :). Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to share your thoughts..
@Gemini_1970
3 жыл бұрын
Enjoying the banter, so great to hear you both trading banter and different perspectives lol
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching
@trudimclaren2609
Жыл бұрын
A properly installed heat pump should heat your whole house (otherwise it's the wrong size or position). Also, hot water bottles or wheatbags are still a comfort thing - even though I'm warm, I still like to have one. And if you have a good woodburner, it should warm the whole house (if you have insulation of course!)
@jeffersonspackbuss5818
3 жыл бұрын
The cold houses in NZ would have probably seemed quite comfortable to the Returned Servicemen of the mid 20th Century. “What? This house is warmer than an army barracks! - what are you complaining about”??
@flossyangel1
3 жыл бұрын
Lol I had just filled my hot water bottles before watching your video, and I turn all my switches off when I'm not using them except for my freezer and fridge and my Scentsy warmers they are on 24/7
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Haha nice!
@KiwiCatherineJemma
3 жыл бұрын
Basements... Generally a building's foundation needs to go down "below the frost-line" (ground level that freezes). So throughout much of the North America which has sustained below freezing weather, this means you'd be needing to dig out for foundations one or 2 metres (3 to 6 feet) deep anyway. So if you have to dig that deep for a house's foundation, you might as well go down 8 or 9 feet (2.5metres) and make the space into a functional basement. (Excluding high altitude mountain areas and Winter snow skifields...) Throughout almost all of NZ, any below freezing point morning frosts or occasional snowfalls, melt quickly usually the same day, so building foundations for single and two-storey houses don't need to be deep. Because of Earthquake risk, large multistorey buildings need to have VERY deep foundations and they often incorporate basements whether as carparks or other uses. Regarding heating, until recent decades, hydro generated electricity and coal were cheap. So folks could just heat their homes more cheaply and it didn't matter that much of it leaked out. Government rules have effectively outlawed coal heating in most places and even wood burning fires need to meet VERY strict new chimney emission standards, and electricity which was 4.5c kw/hr unit for normal domestic customers has gone up to 30 cents kw/hr unit. "Heat pumps" as in refrigerant air conditioners designed to run backwards or forwards are now used for most new home heating as one kw/hr unit of electricity gives about 2.5 to 3kw/hr units of heat (the outside unit taking the heat from the cool outside air). All heat Pump heating systems can also function as an air conditioner on those comparitively few hot or humid days in Summer you may want. Remember the climate of NZ varies widely especially in Winter with the Northern areas being far warmer and the Southern areas much colder. Western regions tend to have high rainfall whereas many Eastern districts are quite dry most Summers.
@jaysdood
3 жыл бұрын
We are lucky enough to be able to afford a half acre section at city end of karori, but it ain't cheap. Mate of mine sadly moved back to the US because he and his wife concluded that they could never afford a house in NZ. Meanwhile he has a massive, beautiful house in Kansas city for about US $420K.
@daycare5881
3 жыл бұрын
New builds have to have double glazed windows and insulation. Before that came we were having single glazed windows, freezing cold, substandard. Our state homes are a great example. Mostly built facing the wrong way, living areas facing South or West. Miserable living. Now we have overcrowding, shortage, motels or cars. Average house is pricing the average daily out if the market
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching
@zeviono4562
3 жыл бұрын
I watched that show on HgTV last night called My Lottery Dream Home and could not believe the prices of the houses on offer. Palm Beach Florida 3bdrm gorgeous house with huge enclosed pool with spa. Lovely large section with palm trees. Two bathrooms, open kitchen and lounge. Garage was part of the house. $279000 US$. Allowing for the exchange difference that would be NZ$380000 around about? That house would be a million and a half here. So what the hell is going on? Are we are being ripped off? You bloody bet!
@trevor9934
2 жыл бұрын
NZ has a fairly massive climate range. From the area north of Auckland, which is relatively warm to Southland that gets well below freezing in winter, and then very hot in summer. Insulation has been progressively required in houses from the early 90's but requirements for insulation and double-glazing have now dramatically improved since 2000. Heat pumps are much more efficient than traditional radiators and can cool in summer. Fireplaces are no longer allowed as they are inefficient and polluting. Gas is also being phased out because it is a fossil-fuel. More places are moving to solar powered heating. NZ HAS A WINTER in many places - we have alps in the South Island where teams from North America (US and Canada) come to train in the winter. It is not accurate to make blanket statements on NZ geography. If you put NZ on a map of Europe, it would stretch from Hamburg, in N Germany, to the bottom of Spain, for example. Power outlets have switches so that a circuit can be isolated for safety reasons (there is no way you can get a shock from a power outlet unless you stick something metal in it (just like in N America), the actual plug is built just like the American ones, the switch is an extra safety feature that the US doen't have! Remember NZ is on a 230v systems and that is lethal. This is based on the British system that actually has the extra feature of fuses built into every plug. NZ shares the same system with Australia. There is NO energy going through an outlet unless something is plugged in, however the switch adds another layer of safety and lots of devices consume energy in standby mode - TV screens, for example, so people turn them off when not being used for long periods. Unlike American houses, power outlet in NZ are not connected to light switches - they are on different circuits. So, when one comes into a room the light switch goes to a dedicated ceiling light (no socket, it's hard wired), NOT a wall power outlet. Of course, one can plug in standard or desk lights, and they work fine for that, but again, most of those also have their own switches.
@margaretp1465
3 жыл бұрын
Switches on power outlets are for safety.
@mykolazlygostiev4520
2 жыл бұрын
Common mistake count month as 4 weeks, in fact $550 per week makes $2390 per month (not $2200).
@Mannequeer
3 жыл бұрын
Basements are not a big thing in New Zealand due to the fact that earthquakes are very common and a basement would have a higher chance of caving in from liquefaction. When it comes to power outlets having switches that's so you can leave electronics plugged in without having to unplug to stop the power supply. Speaking of switches have you realised that our light switches turn on and off the opposite way to America? In New Zealand down is on, up is off.
@pepta
3 жыл бұрын
Most homes in NZ have woodburners. They can get so hot they'll heat the whole house - if you leave the doors open that is! and they can give you hot water too.
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
Wood burners aren't super common in NZ from my experience
@pepta
3 жыл бұрын
@@shaungordon9737 maybe not so much in the North Island, but they are in the south island. We've had logburners in every house we've lived in
@erinwilliams4911
3 жыл бұрын
@@shaungordon9737 every house I’ve lived in had a woodburner, except in Wellington
@jeringatai3156
3 жыл бұрын
@@shaungordon9737 ahhhh yes they are. Maybe the newer houses dont have them but most houses had woodburners
@ritzmayj2672
3 жыл бұрын
WOOD BURNER AND WOOD STOVE IS BLOODY AWESOME FOR OUR HOUSE WARMER IN WINTER .
@Amber-bo5so
3 жыл бұрын
When talking about heating etc you have to keep in mind that New Zealand is an island country and is not as developed into the future as per say than the US hence why we are only figuring out the ‘heating’ aspect.
@galoreofbooks6216
3 жыл бұрын
So true about the heating lots of kids get sick because of cold damp housing.
@Dino-pq3eu
3 жыл бұрын
I have no experience of these things you talk of and I've lived in NZ all my life.
@blinkybill2198
3 жыл бұрын
Don't forget all our outlets are grounded that's why there are 3 prongs on most power cords. The outlets are very safe to touch.
@amyturner6275
3 жыл бұрын
uk have radiators and that would have been nice to have them in New Zealand ,
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
I had radiators in my last house in NZ
@schmeggynz
3 жыл бұрын
Ps the Chiefs which are a rugby team from Waikato also use the cowbell and lots of people have them to
@Kiwi_Conor
Жыл бұрын
Just so people know. If there is nothing plugged in to the socket, then turning off the switch doesn't save power. I'm an electrician and I can only assume the one you spoke to assumed there was something plugged in. Even then though only some appliances use power. A TV for example, sitting in standby, will use some power, but a toaster or a kettle will not. You're welcome.
@suekennedy1595
2 жыл бұрын
I think the on off switch on the power points is because we have 220 volts power going though the wires and the USA has 110 volts .
@OryanMcLean
3 жыл бұрын
Quarter acre dream is what we use to call it. Properties usually have a quarter acre section or backyard.
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Not if you're living in a popular city. Sure if you in secondary town or outlying older suburb the 'Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise' is still just hanging on but in order to cope with 5 million plus growing and housing crisis it will pass shortly.
@OryanMcLean
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q nope that's nonsense. Most properties have quarter acres, unless you are in a greedy subdivision made by developers. Auckland and half of Wellington is a subdivision created by developers. Even with 6mil we are only about 18 people per square kilometer.
@bhanani5480
3 жыл бұрын
Our houses don't have basements or attics, even new houses being built, its not factored into the blue prints. We just have the basic and that's all we need.
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
Due to the geology, it wouldn't be practical to have them in NZ. They're not universal in the US either, only in some states.
@indridcold1206
3 жыл бұрын
Housing prices in NZ are out of control now. I bought my 1st house in August 2018. 3 a standard 3 bedroom house and I paid just over 300k and now being May 2021 so not even 3 years later its valued at 460k and imo if I sold tomorrow I'd get very close to 500k so in that short time in my city at least prices have increased 30%-40%. Crazy
@allanconnor1013
3 жыл бұрын
Paying by the week is not x 4. It's times 52 or 13 months and usually in cash. I investigated buying a new house in NZ for $1,000,000+. Beautiful house but plastic baths, sinks and fake wood floors and a paucity of electrical outlets and heat. The sales person warned me about the dangers of over insulation!!! I found insulation in my son's house of R2. Toilet paper is better than R2. A friend of mine bought a new house for $900,000 - it has no heat of any kind except the electric bar heater he screwed to the wall. He does have air conditioning which he runs with all the windows open so he can let the flies in - no screens. Another friend proudly boasts that according to an international study NZ has the coldest houses in the civilized world. I love NZ and considered moving there but the exorbitant cost of housing and substandard construction put me off.
@anneofgreengables1619
3 жыл бұрын
Plus high utilities
@judis6224
3 жыл бұрын
There are enough forigners in NZ now,that's why there is hardly any jobs or housing,they would sooner have forigners, then people who were born here,but some will insist on leaving.
@Restrictedeightteen
3 жыл бұрын
If you are paid biweekly or monthly, they can change rent to those. But yes, it is usually weekly.
@WinterWind
3 жыл бұрын
It's truly a sad experience to browse US real estate websites from NZ lol. Might not be up to European standards when US criticism is at work but we'd gladly take central heating and cooling or family homes for a quarter of a million dollars
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Having lived in the US the real estate websites aren't representative of average US housing. There lots of housing which is of very low quality in even places which have harsh winters. The recent events in Texas with the sub zero storm creating huge problems being case in point. I lived in northern California across the bay from San Francisco, so has similar temp range to NZ, and most older houses there weren't built with insulation, central heating or air con. Remember the bungalows in NZ were originally called 'Californian bungalows and there are hundreds of thousands of them built on US west coast that are identical to NZ ones. Also remember such a large number of people live in "trailer parks" that you have to work quite hard to find a 'nice' one where you can take a caravan to for a holiday (or a camper for a vacation as they say there).
@WinterWind
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q I believe that. I think there are probably more "good" houses that I've seen for "cheap" though online. I have a friend in Nashville, TN who just sold her townhome for $200k ish and it was just as nice with amenities and such as places you'd find in NZ for much more than that.
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
@@WinterWind Nashville has a huge homelessness problem www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21000955/nashvilles-homelessness-crisis-in-the-national-spotlight - Tennessee is one of the states where the US minimum wage of US$7.25 applies. That NZ$10.15 p/hr.
@WinterWind
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q Yeah so I guess it's all relative. I'd just like to have the option to buy a half decent place and not spend 10x my income
@julianskinner3697
3 жыл бұрын
Just don't get sick.
@johnwallace6429
3 жыл бұрын
Sooo our little castle is a semi detached 2 bedroom built in the 80s... Built on the cheap and we have just replaced all the water pipes after the cheap stuff kept leaking.. The cost of bringing it up to being a healthy warm home is huge.. It is only recently that NZ new homes are being built to standards that were common 30 years ago in the US and Europe..
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
Having lived in the US that impression you have of its standards is a bit of a misnomer. As building codes and just as importantly - enforcement, is a function of local govt. The two higher forms of their govt - Federal and even State don't have really much to do with formulating building codes other than in very broad facilitating way, it means the lower two form of govt - local cities and counties (sort of the equivalent to NZs regional councils) differ wildly over the country's roughly 90000 local jurisdictions. The recent disaster in Texas where millions of people froze in their homes is partly due to Texas's culture of low regulation and nonenforcement of building codes and infrastructure. Even in States which have political cultures now more friendly towards govt oversight and regulation, like where I lived in the bay area of San Francisco, Northern California, were generally below what standards upto the 80s in NZ. When I was there, in the east bay city I lived of 400 thousand people, a report came out that a 2011 christchurch style quake would pancake 2 thousand multi story buildings, many being residencial. When I did some home renovations on my early 90s house there I thought it was built to a lower standard than the one my folks built in early 70s. Poor housing standard stories would appear in the press all the time. There was a tragic death of Irish guy when the 3rd story balcony he was on collapsed on 10 yr old building. This happened in long time progressive stronghold of Berkeley. Turned out there was no metal support for the structure as there should have been by plan and code and even the wooden supports used were incorrect and had rotted away. Local govt in the US, like the higher forms, money talks and developers often have free reign including in the construction industries employment of untrained, illegal labour, so much so that to work in the construction game you have to speak spanish. Remember a lot of building standards, new materials and techniques the so called NZ 'leaky buildings' disaster were caused by were brought in by the deregulated NZ construction industry from the west coast of the US.
@schmeggynz
3 жыл бұрын
Come to Auckland in autumn and go to Victoria Park. Most of the trees loose their leaves and the leaves are everywhere
@kimwilliams3026
3 жыл бұрын
The power switches are because it’s totally different setup here
@PikachooUpYou
2 жыл бұрын
Leaves fall in New Zealand, you just have to locate those regions. Try the South Island, places like Cromwell, Wanaka, Queenstown etc. More exotic deciduous trees down there.
@reneejones5675
3 жыл бұрын
we do get quite cold.. we do go minus temps.. not as much in the north island but down here in south island we do
@taikareroa4866
3 жыл бұрын
It’s always Green in NZ because it rains so much, mould and moss forms....
@ambatrondavis9488
3 жыл бұрын
Depends on where you are at... In Napier, we are dry...
@kukiskuxdeluxe1
3 жыл бұрын
I also think just like the US...There are certain places cheaper in NZ to buy houses. Whangarei has 3 bedroom houses for $269,000 NZD
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
The problem with the smaller NZ provincial cities is they have much less employment opportunities going than the bigger cities and even the ones they do have, the rates of pay are much less and less career paths. There are quite a few people in Whangarei who aren't exactly living high on hog.
@kukiskuxdeluxe1
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q yip just for house price comparison only lol
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
@@kukiskuxdeluxe1 the places they are comparing with in wisconsin is a smaller city or rural location. .
@kukiskuxdeluxe1
3 жыл бұрын
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q and i went with the cheapest place in NZ to buy a house. That was my point.
@bendover1525
3 жыл бұрын
Australia is pretty similar to New Zealand with no insulation in older houses.
@harrycurrie9664
3 жыл бұрын
The old Queenslander single weatherboard ( no lining) house can be very cold in winter.
@brontewcat
2 жыл бұрын
I know. There is such a misconception about Australia not getting cold. I come from the Northern Tablelands in NSW, which has a very similar climate to southern England, with very cold and reasonably long winters. Our wealth board house had no insulation. We got an oil heater in the 1970s, and then replaced that with a firebox in the open fire place and gas heaters. That kept the living areas much warmer.
@DanielRobinsonDanielSun
3 жыл бұрын
I'm just now getting your videos in my KZitem feed. I'm enjoying them very much. I originally found you on TikTok and u made a Duet of one of mine. Nobody was going out dispute the lifting of the lockdowns. See so many videos of people going mad stuck in their homes prompted me to make some videos out of the house around Auckland. Thanks to you it helped my TikTok account greatly.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Ah yes Danny I remember you! Glad I could help :)
@rogerb4436
3 жыл бұрын
We DON'T have Nuclear Power plants here, it's all Hydro Electric or Thermal or used to have coal power stations but I think they gone but not sure. Over here ppl that grow fruit and veggies, if they have to much they put it out in little wooden cabinets for ppl to come take for free.
@eileenhildreth8355
3 жыл бұрын
Waikato rugby game supporters have cow bells...so relate Christi 🥳
@YuanJane
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing. Hard to imagine living in an expensive house without insulation and heating. Would love NZ gardens.
@davidcurle7381
3 жыл бұрын
I dont know anyone who turns off there outlet switches. The only thing it turns of is is the LED power lights which maybe on an appliance which uses almost no power! It is an old habit from times past.
@graemejury2672
3 жыл бұрын
One thing that you might have discovered, if someone has a lemon tree or fruit tree at the home in an office scenario, they bring the fruit into the office for anyone to take home
@iallso1
3 жыл бұрын
Watching TV and movies from the US the housing seems to vary by region and be appropriate for the weather conditions. Some of the housing from poorer neighbourhoods in the US south seems to be of a similar style to much of the housing stock in NZ. The perception in NZ is that people are happy to only heat part of their home, compared to my previous experience from the UK where the entire home is warmed by central heating. I am in the process of renovating my home and have added under tile heating to 90% of the property so far, this has been supplemented by increasing the insulation, fitting double-glazing and off setting the cost of running the heating by adding solar power. The heat-pump that was already installed in the lounge and that is hugely popular in NZ, we found had 2 disadvantages. Firstly the warm air disappears as soon as the door or windows are opened, and secondly the constant background noise. It could be replaced with a newer quieter model, but with the heating in the floor it is not used except for the A/C during the summer.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ford sharing your experiences Ian!
@glennbeauchamp9939
3 жыл бұрын
NZ minimum wage is $20 an hour and we don’t need medical insurance to get hospital care if we have an accident etc. The government pays for it and also pays us 80 percent of our wages until we can go back to work getting better from the injury. Medical and hospital care to have a baby is also free, Having to go to hospital and surgery is also free.
@rogerb4436
3 жыл бұрын
Hi, sorry but might be interested that Nuclear Powered warships aren't allowed in New Zealand ports
@brontewcat
2 жыл бұрын
Rent per week (or fortnight) I think is based on the frequency of pay. I think most people are paid on a weekly or fortnightly basis, and makes sense to pay rent on the same basis.
@Kiwiamericans
2 жыл бұрын
Ok but in the states rent is monthly and you get paid fortnightly
@brontewcat
2 жыл бұрын
@@Kiwiamericans Why is rent paid monthly then? I’m Australian and I think that would make it difficult. My mortgage is paid monthly (despite me requesting fortnightly repayments) and I find it awkward. I keep meaning to change it.
@Kiwiamericans
2 жыл бұрын
@@brontewcat there is not a lot of logic in the way Americans do things
@The762nato
3 жыл бұрын
Pay per week is because some months are more than 28 days and to gert the most rent you do it by the week not the month . Its like gas is $2.229 .. its the .9 that gets rounded up to make it $2.23 .
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Interesting - makes sense!
@falxanania6162
3 жыл бұрын
$900 - $1500 a month $USD, converted to $NZD is more or less the same even on a average....
@thomasreiser
3 жыл бұрын
Europe also has switches on the outlets and you have to put your room key in a control box just inside the door
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Oh yes I have seen those! Thanks for watching.
@TattooedAussieChick
3 жыл бұрын
I couldn’t believe the weird reaction to the switches on the powerpoints. It’s so much safer to pull the plug out if the power is switched off. It does save lots of electricity to turn everything off. Switches for powerpoints don’t control the lights lol what a strange imagination that woman has. I can’t believe you’ve never heard of a hot water bottle!! It’s nothing like a water bed though. Hot water bottles are awesome. If it was a cold night and my son was playing football, I’d fill a hot water bottle to have on my lap while watching the game lol I often fill one for my dog or cat on a cold winters night too.
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
They are awesome - I have learned to love the hot water bottles!
@karltainui5962
3 жыл бұрын
Awesome video.....you were talking about football should talk about the difference u.s and new Zealand sports..😁
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Good idea
@iallso1
3 жыл бұрын
Security is different in NZ, the rental property I was in had double doors to the second bedroom that if you pulled both handles the locked doors would open. My neighbours ranch slider had a length of wood in the track to act as the lock.
@TianaMay2001
3 жыл бұрын
Wellington and Auckland are so expensive but Kapiti is a bit cheaper. Our house was 400K with 3 bed 1 bath 1 toilet, kitchen and garage but we built a laundry and put up new fencing and moved the hallway door a bit so we could probably sell it for maybe 600K
@Kiwiamericans
3 жыл бұрын
Nice... good to Know
@RedDeadPandaGaming
3 жыл бұрын
Depends on when the house was built and by who built it as to where or not houses have insulation, the house I grew up in was built in the 1960s and had had insulation in the roof walls and the floor and then had gas heating central through the whole house
@user-uy6uc5ey5q
3 жыл бұрын
What region? Natural gas wasn't a thing till about 1970 onwards when the Kapuni and Maui fields were in production and the pipe network wasn't very extensive till the 80s. There were various older town gas works in a few places which were coal conversion plants, but they were very outdated by the 60s and not many allowed heating as the gas was quite 'dirty' and had to be flued. It wasn't an oil or coal fired boiler central heating you're remembering?
@peer.
2 жыл бұрын
Jokes aside love your channel. My Grandmother was born in New York. So have a close connection with America. Love the Us NZ connection.
@Kiwiamericans
2 жыл бұрын
Awe - thanks! Happy Holidays
@annaleekale2957
3 жыл бұрын
Kiwis share their harvest around. 1 garden can feed multiple families. My kids,were allowed to raid neighbors fruit trees and berry vines in the street. Grow to feed.
@k9nick
3 жыл бұрын
You need to think in terms of percentage of income. Rent etc
@JohnJames-kw5de
3 жыл бұрын
Electric switches are the norm in UK. It’s far safer than the US system
@shaungordon9737
3 жыл бұрын
They have a lower voltage there though
@Restrictedeightteen
3 жыл бұрын
To be fair, its gotten colder (and hotter) over the last few years. Also, it was only legally inforced in the last 5 years
@ginamartin-baker9833
3 жыл бұрын
Kristi/Christy (sp?) is hilarious! Very animated! I'm in Central IL and rent here is about $1000-1500 for a 3 or 4 bedroom, 2 bath house. I live on 2.5 semi-private acres with a 4 bedroom, 1 bath house, front porch, attached garage through a 'breezeway' - I own my home - bought it in 2001 for $72,000 and house payment is/was $450 per month. (( Seriously )) Oh, yeah I have a basement, too. I have a friend in central North Island in Hamilton, New Zealand.
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