Just settled on a property. Having seen dozens of properties over the last 3 months, here’s my findings.

Construction quality of New builds is hugely variable

• Time and time again, have seen brand new builds that are so poorly constructed and finished. While many of the niggles are purely cosmetic, some things are structural like poorly finished foundations, concrete not poured correctly to the edge and resullting in visible cracks inside of the house (tiling).

• Water damage to timber framing in builds still under construction and then covered up unbeknowance to the prospective purchaster.

• I’m still surprised that despite all the hoo har about leaky buildings, council inspectors still somehow let shoddy construction through.

We could be constructing our houses to be a lot more serviceable.

• It’s not easy to spot plumbing leaks with everything covered up behind white plaster board.. It’s only once a leak has been occuring for sometime that it may show and at that point, the owner will be up for quite a hefty bill for just trying to fix it. Will likely involve damage to timber framing as these days, the treatment is only typically up to H1.2.

• Bottom plates ought to be H3.2 throughout the entire house.

• I’m surprised that Laundry in garages aren’t sealed from possible flooding events. Time and time again, have visited a house, and seen visible signs the laundry area has flooded. Why we don’t seal this up (to protect timber framing), I wouldn’t know. Even the 1 year old house I’ve just purchased had this issue. Thankfully, the vendors agreed to fix it and seal it.

• Often when people re-do their bathrooms, rip out the lining they find they have structural damage due to slow and prolonged leaks that were occuring unbeknownce to them. Showers are a particular danger point. I feel we could vastly improve on our construction methods around this and I don’t know why we haven’t.

The most recent purchase may be the last rental I purchase in New Zealand for a while (in spite of my bank emphatically reaching out urging me to borrow again for yet another rental). And while Property as an asset class has so far been one of my best performing investments over the longer term, it all feels contrived / unreal and based off shaky fundamentals.

And why are these things so blooming expensive anyway? Why have we commoditized these things to the point we have? Houses are supposed to be people to live in first and foremost, not instruments of rampant financial speculation. Given the obvious social harm this has caused. Why haven’t any politicians stepped up urging to correct this ludicrous state of affairs?

Celestrial Dragon photo at the Latern Festival in Manukau Sports Bowl.

Plug in the USB adapter with your mouse into your Android’s phone’s USB port, power it off and then on again. Hopefully mouse will now be recognised and chances are you will be able to use your mouse to recover what you need from your Android device.

Applies to (my father’s) Oppo Reno8 5G lite

Given the way things are heading, financial and economic inequality will almost certainly continue to grow relatively unchecked. To be blunt and direct, I feel in the longer term we will possibly eventually see a societal structure that is more akin to some form of neo fedualism (for the lack of a less alarmist way to put it).

The ordinary people I sense these days are increasingly occupied with just financially surviving and providing for their families first and formost. I can’t see people finding the time and energy to organize to try and mitigate against the current tradjectory. (Be it through public policy deliberations, engaging in civics, and taking the time to talk with politicians in person come election time)

The ordinary folk are often so exhausted, they end up just consuming entertainment from the higher ups along with engaging with conspicious consumption as an analgesic to the malaise. In a way, we are being fed a steady diet of bread and circuses.

In addition, the fact that Donald Trump, a convicted felon, has been voted in for a second term is pretty much a stark warning that things are not well under the hood. A warning I feel the majority of us will no doubt ignore. I understand people want change, and want to bring down the establishment, but I feel Trump is very much a part of the establishment and the US people having now voted him in, will only exascerbate the growing issues faced by ordinary people.

In fact, I would like to engage with any Trump supporter in order to better understand their reasoning (and to learn more). It’s entirely possible I’ve missed things.

Karangahake Gorge Tunnel Photo. The Rail Tunnel loopRail Tunnel loop is one I’ve done plenty of times as a wind down walk after a bigger hike.