New Neighbour is a modular building company that constructs sustainable, energy-efficient homes. Designed without structural timber, New Neighbour’s innovative design uses modular plywood panels which click together to form the walls, floors and roof of the building. For their first home in the Bay of Plenty, the StopDigging Groundscrew Foundation System was specified, with installation taking place in just one day.

“The home in Pahoia has been designed to be a minor dwelling at 50m²,” explains Lachlan Priest, Director of New Neighbour. “Our house panels are designed to click together like lego — the floor, walls and roof are the same block system. The system is from overseas so this was a prototype build to make sure everything works as expected.” 

Lachlan knew he wanted a pile system for the project to raise the main structure above the ground. He was considering different pile options, including StopDigging, when by chance he spotted a building site while on holiday in Raglan where he could see first-hand just how quickly the StopDigging groundscrews could be installed. After speaking with the StopDigging team to learn more about the system, he specified it for the build. 

“Using the StopDigging system meant we could set our blocks on the piles quite easily as they have bearers,” says Lachlan. “The system could also deal with slightly more slope on site, and required less landscaping work than other options. With other products you need to be flat, but the StopDigging system can accommodate a variety of sloping ground and elevations.” 

The StopDigging system is also a more eco-friendly foundation — which fits well with New Neighbour’s ethos. The groundscrews produce significantly less emissions than timber piles, rib raft and concrete pads, minimise ground disturbance on site, and can even be reused at end of life. “We wanted to potentially move the house later, so that was another benefit — being able to screw and unscrew the groundscrews to shift the house if needed,” explains Lachlan. 

StopDigging’s CodeMark certification was another benefit, ensuring a smooth consenting process. “Being CodeMark certified meant Council didn’t have to think too much about it,” says Lachlan. “It was interesting how much easier that made paperwork.”

The StopDigging team worked with the engineers and undertook testing on site to determine the right size and number of groundscrews for the project which was on a site with soft ground. Installation was quick and easy, taking just one day for the StopDigging team to install the groundscrews for the house. 

“They laid all the screws really quickly,” says Lachlan. “It was really quiet, and a lot more accurate than I've seen with a wooden pile. The StopDigging team also returned later in the project to install deckpiles for the home’s deck.

The smooth process, from specification and consenting through to installation helped keep New Neighbour’s first project on track, with prefabricated floor panels ready to be laid directly on top of the bearers right after StopDigging installation. And with this first prototype house complete, New Neighbour has already got StopDigging lined up for their next homes, including a larger two-storey home. 

“The end result was amazing. StopDigging can take something so variable like the shape of ground and make it laser level perfect,” says Lachlan. “We have them involved in a second cabin on the same property and there are three other houses we’re working with them on in the next six months.”