News - Virtue Homes

Virtue Homes win People’s Choice Award 2018

Number One for Virtue Homes in Latrobe City

It may be the height of winter, but our hearts were well and truly warmed this month with the announcement of the Latrobe City Business and Tourism Association’s (LCBTA) ‘People’s Choice’ Awards. We were absolutely thrilled to hear the words: “and the winner is… Virtue Homes!”

The awards are decided by a community vote and are designed to identify and celebrate businesses who provide excellence in customer service. As a small business, we really value the community that keeps us in business. To be voted the best by the people we work for is something special.

The LCBTA Awards have long been a celebrated event on the local business calendar, but 2018 is the first year that the awards have included a Trades category. We hear that it received a huge response from the community, so we hope to see it back in 2019.

You can guarantee that Virtue Homes will be working harder than ever to go above and beyond for our customers to defend our title in the coming year.

In the meantime, we’d like to express a huge and heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful people who took the time to vote for us and take our hats off to our amazing team, who work hard every day to make our customer’s dream home a reality.

Pictured L-R are Nerida Hamilton, Mick Nicola, and Ryan Cawcutt at the awards presentation.

MBA Regional Best Custom Home 2018 Winner

Virtue Homes is Best of the Best for Custom Homes in south east region of Victoria

Master Builders are the pinnacle of industry standards. They demand the highest standards of quality, professionalism and customer satisfaction, with members who are consistently building their skills and refining their craft.

Given their status in the industry, the annual Regional Building Awards are designed to showcase the exceptional craftsmanship and standards of excellence in the residential sector of the building industry throughout Victoria.

This year, the 2018 Regional Building Awards (South East) winner for Best Custom Home $400,000 – $500,000 was… you guessed it, Virtue Homes! This is our fifth year of being awarded a title from Master Builders Victoria and we are very proud that our team has been recognised for their quality workmanship and the beautiful family home they created.

Our award-winning custom homes are the culmination of many talented people working together to deliver a seamless and satisfying result for our customers. We couldn’t succeed without the passion, professionalism and performance of our in-house design and drafting team and our team of local builders and trades who bring each vision to life under the direction of our Managing Director, Mick Nicola.

Here’s to delivering more first class projects, right here in Gippsland!

If you have a vision for your own custom home, we invite you to contact us to discuss how Virtue Homes could made your dream come to life.

Pictured above are the Virtue Homes team at the awards presentation evening. And below, the wining custom-built home in Traralgon.

West End Junior Football Club

Virtue Homes are proud to be on board in 2018 for our 3rd consecutive year of sponsoring the West End Junior Football Club. We wish them all the best for the 2018 season!

Browse our new Deluxe Inclusions e-Brochure

We are happy to announce that we now have our Deluxe Inclusions brochure online in the form of an e-brochure for your convenience!

The e-book version of our deluxe inclusions brochure lets you go through each stage of the build and view all of our quality suppliers so you can see exactly what you are paying for when you build with Virtue Homes. Plus you can also download the brochure as a pdf and easily print any pages as well.

We are proud to say that we are setting a new standard in building. Using high quality materials and products, combined with excellent craftsmanship, our homes are built to stand the test of time.

With suppliers such as Dahlsens, Colorbond, Dulux, CSR Bradford, Clipsal, Lockwood, Smeg and many more that we proudly use on all our homes, it is easy to see why a Virtue Home stands out from the crowd.

When walking through a completed home you can see all the quality finishes and fittings, but did you know there are hidden things we’ve gone above and beyond on to give you piece of mind when living in your home?

The frames and trusses are treated with a 25 year termite-free guarantee so you never have to get your home sprayed over that span. Your home is built on a waffle pod slab which is excellent for keeping your home at a comfortable temperate all year round so you can save on your heating and cooling costs. All our walls are buzzed and packed to make sure they are straight when the plaster goes on, and speaking of plaster, our ceilings are lined with plaster battens which help give a much nicer and more secure finish than sticking the plaster directly to your trusses.

We do all the 1 percenters to make sure your home is up to our highest standard. Now with our online brochure you can see exactly how good our standard is!

See the Deluxe Inclusions e-brochure now.

House and Land Packages in Warragul and Drouin

Are you looking at building in the Warragul/Drouin area? We understand that a lot of the blocks around this area can have steep fall across the land. At Virtue Homes we offer obligation free advice on purchasing blocks to help you get the best possible block for your budget and lifestyle. We will also estimate any potential site costs that you may need to allow for.

We have over 400 floor plans to choose from that we can change to fit your block. If you can’t decide or don’t see anything that appeals to you than we can create a custom home from a blank canvas. Tell us what’s important to you and our team of talented draftsmen will assist you in designing your dream home.

As seen on our facebook page, we are able to build extensive retaining walls that allow us to cut deep into the site allowing us to build on our thermally efficient 300mm waffle pods. This not only helps to significantly improve the star rating of the home, it will also save you money in the long run on heating and cooling costs.

So if you’re thinking about building in the Warragul/Drouin area come in and see the custom home specialists to discuss our House and Land Packages!

To have a look at some of our previously built homes just click this link or visit our facebook page.

Out with the Old, in with the New

Have you got the perfect block, but maybe not the most perfect existing home? Virtue Homes now offers complete demolitions on existing homes! We are a one stop shop for demolishing your old home and building your brand new one. Contact us to discuss tearing down your old home and replacing it with an updated model.

Why Your Energy Rating Is Important

Why is it important to meet the 6 star energy rating requirement?

In 2011 new regulatory requirements were introduced that increased the minimum star rating of a home from 5 to 6 stars. 6 star homes use 24 percent less energy through heating and cooling compared to 5 star homes. For home owners in Victoria this means potential saving of $100 or more on your energy bills.

The idea behind the 6 star requirement is that it keeps your home at a more comfortable temperature for longer periods of the year. A 6 star home will require less heating in winter and less cooling in summer, which will reduce your utility bills. 6 star homes are also more environmentally friendly, reducing your carbon footprint and greenhouse emissions.

At Virtue Homes we design your home around a few different factors, first and foremost are our clients’ needs and requirements. We then work with the orientation of your land to design a home that utilises the north sun, allowing plenty of natural light to enter your home. A well designed home should use the winter sun to warm your home, while being able to shade your home from the summer sun.

By choosing the right windows, you can reduce leaking air gaps in your home by 80%. Double glazed windows also greatly reduce the amount of heat transfer through the window. Not only do double glazed windows prevent heat transfer, they also reduce the amount of noise that enters your home.

Insulation is a key factor in determining how well your home will rate. As a standard we use Bradford R2.0 glasswool insulations batts in the wall, and R3.5 in the ceiling. A cost effective way to increase the energy rating is to increase the R value of the ceiling batts to give a greater resistance to heat transfer.

There are many factors than can contribute to a home’s energy rating, but our draftsmen work closely with our energy assessor to give our clients the best thermal performance at the best price.

Tips for Choosing Your Block

When selecting your block there are a few things that you should consider before you buy. We offer free consultation for choosing the right block that suits your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying.

Orientation – The orientation of your block will play the biggest role in helping design your new home. You should aim to have all open living on the north side of your home to make the most of the natural light.

Fall – The greater the fall across your block, the higher the cost will be to build on it. For concrete slabs we need to cut into the block to flatten out the site so that we can pour the slab. If there is too much fall a concrete slab may not be possible and you will need to build on stumps. High levels of fall could result in extras costs for a site cut or possible engineering if required.

Soil Test – We recommend getting a soil test completed on your block to see how strong your foundation is. A soil test will determine how much fill there is across your block. A lot of fill will require extras works to your slab to ensure that your new home doesn’t move on your block.

Easements – It is common for a block to have an easement around 2-3m wide on it. Easements are mostly located along the rear boundary or down the sides of a block along the fence line. Owners of the block are restricted from building on top of an easement.

Obstacles – At the front of your property there may be things such as light poles, stormwater pits, NBN pits, fire hydrants, etc. These can all be very costly to move and often aren’t thought of until late in the building process. When designing the front of your home (including the driveway), make sure to take these into consideration or it could potentially set you back thousands of dollars.

BAL – Victoria has mapped bushfire prone areas. Any new homes in these bushfire prone areas require certain building materials and processes to help protect the home against possible bushfires. When building in a bushfire prone area make sure to allow for extra costs associated with the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) zoning.

Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Here are some tips to help you save on your bills this winter!

1 – The 21 Degree Rule

For each degree that you go over 21 on the thermostat, you can expect to add about 10% to your energy bill. So try to keep the thermostat between 18-21 degrees in winter and your wallet will thank you!

2 – Layer Up

The more layers you have on, the less you have to mechanically heat your home. Try a more natural approach by loading up on jumpers and jackets.

3 – Zoned Heating

Close off rooms in your home that are not being used. For example, during the day you could close of the bedrooms so these aren’t unnecessarily being heated. When everyone is in bed there is no need to have the family and living areas heated as this will result in wasted energy and money.

4 – Preventing Heat Loss

To prevent drafts and heat loss make sure all windows and doors are securely closed. You should also find any gaps and seal them up with weather stripping. Here

Home Automation

Virtue Homes are proud to announce a new partnership with Lebentech to bring our clients a complete and immersive home automation experience that is exclusive to Virtue Homes in the Gippsland area!

What is Home Automation?

Home automation gives homeowners to ability to control or automate different aspects of their home including; lighting, climate, security, audio and visual, appliances, and shading. All this can be organised from your phone, your computer, or a tablet!

Home Automation for the Family

Children are inquisitive and always eager to learn and try new things. They enjoy pressing buttons and playing with anything they can get their hands on. With just a few taps of your phone you can disable any switch or buttons that they can get their hands on.
Once it’s dark and time for bed your Lebentech system can sense when you get up and enter a room. Instead of leaving a bright light on for the kids, let your home automatically turn on a gentle light whenever you or your kids get up. Need to get up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night? Instead of flicking on the switch and being blinded by the light, your home will automatically turn on a gentle light that won’t burn your retinas but will still allow you to see where you are walking.
Zoned heating can be taken to the next level with home automation. You can set your heater to warm up the ensuite for you minutes before your alarm goes off. No more cold tiles on bare feet and not wanting to get out of the shower in the mornings. During the day you can set your main living areas to be a comfortable temperature without having to artificially heat/cool your bedrooms. This is sure to save money on your bills.

There is a “goodnight” function on the app that allows you to put your house into sleep mode. It shuts down all standby electronics, turns all the lights off, and can even replace the sound of the doorbell with a flashing light so that late guests don’t wake the sleeping kids. Instead of having to go around and turn off all appliances and lights, do it with the press of a button from the comfort of your bed!

Home Automation as Security

Our home automation system can help protect you and your family in multiple ways. A panic button can be installed next to your bed which sends all the lights in the home flashing brightly, the blinds open up and a loud siren will sound as well as an automatic call being made to the local police alerting them of an intruder. Your house will light up like the 4^th of July and is sure to send any potential thieves running as fast as they can.
Your smart home is able to detect water leaks, flooding, fire, and high winds and storms. If you have roller shutters your home can automatically lower them in the event of a storm to prevent any damage occurring to your windows.
If you are away from your home, you can be immediately alerted to any windows or doors being opened by a potential burglar.
Thinking of going on holidays? Your smart home can replay the activity from your last week at home. It will turn on the same lights at the same time, open your blinds at the same time you did, and give your home the sense that someone is still living there.

Home Automation for your Lifestyle

By downloading the free app onto your phone, you can have complete control of your home without being there. Expecting a package? When the delivery man rings your doorbell your phone will be alerted, you can even use the video intercom at your door to see him and talk to him! Let him know that you’re raising the garage door a metre for him to put the package under and then after he drops it off simply lower the door back down and the house is locked up again!
Not only can you open the garage door from your phone, you can also unlock the front door too! If you have some guests come over and you’ve just quickly ducked out you can let them in while you’re on your way home.
Lighting plays a large part in setting the mood. With your smart home you are able to set up different lighting settings for different situations. Have one set for movie night, another for partying and entertaining guests, and another for a romantic dinner.
Music can also be controlled from the app, allowing for different music in every room depending the personal tastes of each occupant. For example you could wake up to the radio playing in the ensuite while you shower and start your day.

Home Automation Saving the Planet

Lebentech’s home automation system has the ability to reduce energy use throughout your home, saving not only the planet, but your wallet as well.
From your phone you have the ability to switch off all power-hungry stand by units which helps to reduce the running costs of your home.
There is a statistics feature on the app which allows you to see not only when you are using the most electricity, but what is using the most electricity. This feature can allow you to pinpoint unnecessary energy use and bring down your energy bill.

Virtue Homes win People’s Choice Award 2018

Number One for Virtue Homes in Latrobe City

MBA Regional Best Custom Home 2018 Winner

Virtue Homes is Best of the Best for Custom Homes in south east region of Victoria

West End Junior Football Club

Virtue Homes are proud to be on board in 2018 for our 3rd consecutive year of sponsoring the West End Junior Football Club. We wish them all the best for the 2018 season!

Browse our new Deluxe Inclusions e-Brochure

House and Land Packages in Warragul and Drouin

Out with the Old, in with the New

Why Your Energy Rating Is Important

Why is it important to meet the 6 star energy rating requirement?

Tips for Choosing Your Block

When selecting your block there are a few things that you should consider before you buy. We offer free consultation for choosing the right block that suits your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying.

Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Here are some tips to help you save on your bills this winter!

Home Automation

Home Automation

Virtue Homes are proud to announce a new partnership with Lebentech to bring our clients a complete and immersive home automation experience that is exclusive to Virtue Homes in the Gippsland area!

Contact Us

Quick Contact Request

Visit Our Showroom

Number One for Virtue Homes in Latrobe City

Virtue Homes is Best of the Best for Custom Homes in south east region of Victoria

Virtue Homes are proud to be on board in 2018 for our 3rd consecutive year of sponsoring the West End Junior Football Club. We wish them all the best for the 2018 season!

Out with the Old, in with the New

Why is it important to meet the 6 star energy rating requirement?

Grey Street Netball Club

When selecting your block there are a few things that you should consider before you buy. We offer free consultation for choosing the right block that suits your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying.

Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Here are some tips to help you save on your bills this winter!

Home Automation

Virtue Homes are proud to announce a new partnership with Lebentech to bring our clients a complete and immersive home automation experience that is exclusive to Virtue Homes in the Gippsland area!

Contact Us

Quick Contact Request

Visit Our Showroom