Hebel Matters

Best practice tips for building with Hebel

King Homes NSW builds around 120 homes in Sydney and surrounds each year. Every residential project is unique – ranging from compact single-storey dwellings to sprawling multi-generational homes – however most of them share one quality: they’re Hebel homes.

The company’s founder and managing director Mark King is a big fan of Hebel, specifying Hebel products for floors and walls in the majority of his residential builds.

He says that he loves the finish that he can achieve with Hebel as well as the structural integrity it offers.

“Once you understand what you can do with Hebel, and the aesthetics it gives a home, it’s a great product,” he says. “You can’t achieve the same result with brick and render.”

Mark and his wife Veronica (known as @builderswife on Instagram) even selected Hebel for their own home. They wanted a sleek and modern design, using high quality materials and finishes – and Hebel was a natural choice.

“I could have brick-and-rendered my own house, but I couldn’t achieve exactly what I wanted. I would have needed so much more structural steel and extra support,” he says.

“We wanted something to capture our attention from every angle of the home,” he added. “Our façade has different angles and heights to create something striking, which has been made easier by using Hebel as the main building material.”

The look of Hebel

One of the key advantages of Hebel is the finish it offers, Mark says, especially as a base for render.

“The finish has a great texture,” he says. “It’s not super smooth, so when you are building custom houses – even Hamptons-style designs – it looks so much nicer.”

“We’re able to design some great homes – both standard homes and even custom homes – using Hebel as a base material.”

When it comes to achieving a decorative profile on house façades, Mark favours Hebel’s Designer Range, using Hebel PowerProfile® to replicate the look of a traditional metal standing seam.

For the Spice House, a modern residential project with a dynamic mixed-material façade, he used Hebel PowerProfile® on the second story to achieve contrast and highlight the cantilevered architecture.

“Hebel PowerProfile® added striking interest to the front of the home painted in Monument which really appealed to a large group of buyers,” he says.

“As a builder, we love working with this product for its high-quality finish and straightforward installation. With Hebel, the walls go up quicker than bricklaying. “It’s a little bit less messy as well; it’s a cleaner installation process.”

Installing Hebel

When it comes to unlocking the benefits of Hebel on site, Mark says having experienced trades on board makes all the difference.

“We have a good contractor base,” he says. “We only use two companies to install our Hebel. They’re trusted and they’ve been with us for a while. We want to make sure they’re doing the right thing by our customers.”

After so many applications for residential projects, he does have a couple of tips for installing Hebel quickly and effectively.

“You definitely have to ensure you have your expansion joints where your windows are,” he says. “Make sure there is a visible gap prior to render and just make sure it’s installed correctly. If I’m talking to another builder, I also suggest they look at Hebel’s installation guide and follow it closely.”

“CSR also has representatives who can come out and look at projects and check them over. Our construction team and construction manager all looked at it together so we could understand what you need to check for.”

The versatility of Hebel

He’s found that Hebel also works well underfoot, providing soundproofing and thermal properties to keep houses quieter and more comfortable.

“Instead of having chipboard flooring, we like to upgrade to Hebel PowerFloor.”

PowerFloor provides the feel of a solid concrete floor without the price tag. It is squeak-free with acoustic and thermal insulation and provides a great base for a wide range of floor coverings.

“It’s a beautiful product,” says Mark. “I have it in my house and all our display homes. When feet are running, it doesn’t sound like drums banging, either next door or underneath. It absorbs a lot of the sound.”

Hebel’s versatility, aesthetic potential and ease of use make it a top choice for builders like Mark. Known for delivering modern, flexible homes with quality inclusions, Mark continues to specify Hebel for his projects and showcase the enduring appeal of Hebel building solutions.

 

Want to learn more about Hebel products for your residential or commercial project? View our product guide or email info@hebel.com.au today.

Image credit/photographer: The Palm Co