Townhouses, flats, and units have grown in popularity in recent years - up to 40% according to Stats NZ. With this growth in demand for infill housing, space is a premium: you want to be making the most of every square inch you have. The product that can help maximize your land is Stonebloc.
The Stats/ Trends
The upwards trend of new townhouses
With New Zealand’s current property boom, more houses are in demand. Traditionally, the classic Kiwi home has been a standalone house on a relatively large plot of land. This has changed over the years, however. To get more houses into various cities, there has been a sharp increase in high-density housing.
According to Stats NZ, in the year ended September 2021, 46% of all new homes consented nationally were multi-unit homes (townhouses, apartments, and flats}. Adding to this, in Auckland alone two-thirds of the builds consented in the last year were for multi-unit homes.
(StatsNZ, 2021)
To give you an idea of the growth going with high-density housing, here is a comparison of new homes consented between 2011 and 2021.
The future of homes in New Zealand
Auckland is likely to continue in an upwards momentum, building new multi-unit dwellings, according to Kainga Ora. As part of a solution to the housing crisis, high-density houses are made by redeveloping underutilised land. This creates homes for multiple families, alleviating some of the stress made by the crisis. With the city often seen as a trendsetter to other New Zealand locations, this impact could spread across the country.
The shift to smaller houses means as an industry we need to adapt the way we work to new environments. Methods and products that traditionally worked for a standalone house won’t necessarily work with high density housing. Luckily, there is a solution to help with this increase in demand - Stonebloc.
How Stonebloc is Made for Infill Housing
Stonebloc is a modular retaining wall system specifically designed to fit a variety of building designs. Ranging from large greenfield developments to high-density housing, the modularity of Stonebloc gives you options. With the flexibility that Stonebloc’s solution offers, retaining walls can be adapted to all types of high-density housing.
The system is made up of a series of concrete blocks. When you see them, you may reminisce as they’re similar to the beloved childhood toy LEGO. These blocks stack together in a running bond to form countless numerations of retaining wall designs. The full range has a selection of standard, flat top, capper, base, and double-ended blocks. By having these variations, your wall(s) can be made to suit your project no matter the size.
Building on the Boundary
The modularity of the Stonebloc system makes building throughout easy. Stonebloc is a gravity wall, meaning the combined mass of the blocks resist any overturning forces. Because of this, the walls can sit parallel to the boundary line. Better yet, this will not impede when you’re meeting council requirements.
Made for Disassembly/ Modular Build
To help dampen the negative effects of the housing crisis, housing needs to be built fast. Stonebloc is a modular retaining wall system, making installation quick and easy. It also means that disassembly is simpler than traditional retaining walls. Modularity comes with a long list of benefits. Some of these include:
- Made for disassembly. So if you need to access utilities or replace a single block you can. By going modular, you don’t need to replace the whole wall.
- Faster installation.
- Better quality assurance
- Environmentally Friendly
- Cost-effective
- Fully customizable
Stonebloc is the retaining wall solution for high-density housing. If you’re wanting to solve your retaining wall woes for your project, click the link below to get in touch with us.