New Home Kit is key to planning a new house

Many thousands of new homes have been built on the foundations of the GIB Living Solutions New Home kit which has been widely publicised on television over the past eight years.

Since GIB Living Solutions first introduced the kits in 1997, more than a quarter of a million have been distributed and research has shown that people find them a key source of information for planning a new home. "Feedback from consumers certainly reflects this," says Troy Smith, residential market manager at GIB Living Solutions. "We regularly develop, improve and update the kit to keep it relevant and build on its value. They've become something of a `must have' and people really do value the knowledge they get from the them."

The GIB Living Solutions new home kit contains three separate publications:
`Your New Home' is a 40-page information guide that sets out the fundamentals of achieving a warmer, drier, quieter, more comfortable environment, and provides tips on enhancing a home's interior style and finish.

There's a Specification Workbook that assists people in planning their home and specifying their requirements on a room-by-room basis. As the name suggests, the workbook is a working document with detailed checklists that the homeowner completes. "It helps the whole process and facilitates a better working relationship among all the parties - designer, builder and homeowner," says Troy Smith.

"Under the new Building Act, building authorities require a much greater level of detail with new home plans before a building consent will be issued. The workbook is a really valuable tool in this context".