By using Carter Holt Harvey's Ecoply Barrier, the additional bracing has given the homeowner added peace of mind and provided the builders with an earlier than anticipated close in.

Challenge

Situated on the western side of the North Island, the Taranaki region is surrounded by ocean and is exposed to all weather systems moving from the west, including strong damaging winds.

Building Company

G.J. Gardner has built over 170 homes in Taranaki since 2006.  For them, quality and safety comes first.  To gain additional bracing and support for a new-build cliff-top property at South Road, Opunake, G.J. Gardner used an Ecoply Barrier rigid air barrier system.

Construction

Construction for the 391m² family home began in February 2013 and had a scheduled completion date of December 2013.

The house has been tailored to the family’s style of living, with spectacular panoramic views of the ocean.  Rod Roebuck, Construction Manager for G.J. Gardner Taranaki says:  “We haven’t used Ecoply Barrier before, but given the location of this build and the high winds in this area, our engineer opted for the increased protection against leaks into the building envelope and the additional bracing Ecoply Barrier offers.”

Rod Roebuck and his building team have been delighted by the added benefits of using Ecoply Barrier, with Roebuck commenting: "Early close in is a huge plus for us, the faster we can get closed in the better. It means things like GIB plasterboard can get fixed earlier as you don’t have to wait for the building to be clad before carrying on.  On a 200m² brick home for example, I estimate that we could potentially start gibbing about 8 to 10 days earlier using this rigid air barrier system.

“G.J. Gardner Taranaki will definitely be using Ecoply Barrier for future projects. It is quick to install, it’s easy to handle and offers additional bracing.”