Month: June 2015

Remove, or Vary, a Covenant

Many properties come with covenants that restrict what you can do with the site.

Although you can try to Remove the Covenant you might have a better chance of success in getting a permit to vary it instead.

A couple of examples:

  • The covenant says ‘Only One Dwellings’.

If you want to subdivide the block you are less likely to get objections if you attempt to vary the covenant to be ‘No More Than Two Dwellings’. Neighbours will be less concerned about two properties than if the covenant was removed and they thought you may want to put 3 properties on the site or even a block of apartments.

  • The Covenant says ‘No Front Fence’.

If you are getting people walking across the garden you could look at varying the covenant to say ‘No Front Fence higher than 900mm’. Such a change would preserve  a relatively open aspect to a street while avoiding someone building a wall that makes their house look like a fortress.

Even with these changes there is no guarantee off success, but it is likely to improve your chances.

If you want to find some case law you could have a look at restrictivecovenantsonline.com which provides examples of cases which have gone to court in Victoria.

 

Under Slab Membranes

This photo shows a plastic membrane underneath a slab. . . . but what sort of membrane?

Vapour Barrier

The Building Code of Australia requires the installation of a Vapour Barrier with the following characteristics

  • Medium Impact Resistant Polyethylene Film 0.2mm thick,  under slab and up sides to ground level.
  • 200mm Overlaps at joints.
  • All penetrations should be taped or sealed with a close fitting sleeve.
  • Any damage should be repaired with an adequate sized patch and tape.

Damp-Proofing Membrane

The South Australian and New South Wales Authorities don’t think a Vapour barrier is enough; particularly if there is the potential for saline groundwater, or Acid Sulphate Soils.

They require the use of a High Impact Resistant Polyethylene Film 0.2mm thick as a damp proofing membrane.

They reason is type of membrane will be more resistant to puncture during construction.

Remember that during construction the workers will be walking on this membrane, and reinforcing steel may be dropped on it.

Some councils also further specify a layer of sand under the membrane to prevent penetration from stones under the membrane and provide a drainage layer.

Cost Difference

Two rolls of 50m x 4m Polyethylene film should be sufficient to protect the typical house slab.

Based on a quick internet search this week (June 2015) I found the following prices

  • 2 rolls of Medium Impact Polyethylene would cost around $150
  • 2 rolls of High Impact Polyethylene should cost around $220

For an extra $70 wouldn’t you prefer a better membrane?

 

Free Form Owner Building

Bored with Brick Veneer?

What if you wanted to build using natural materials in whatever shape you wanted?

Well these people are hand building with ‘Cob’  which is a mixture of; Soil, straw, water, and sometimes lime.

If you would like to find out more, this photo is from This Cob House, an American web site that provides advice and instruction in this material.

Other sources of advice are:

The Owner Builder Magazine – An Australian magazine available from your newsagent

The Tiny House Blog – An American Site which provides ideas on small house design, Useful as it might take you a long time to build a big house.

 

For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?

Air Conditioning – Ducted, or Separate Units?

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

Choosing between split systems and ducted air conditioning systems is no easy task.

We understand that nagging voice in the back of your head that keeps asking “Will we go for a split systems or go for it and purchase a ducted air con system?”

Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of both air conditioning systems is not easy and often ends up in people going for the builders standard option.

Here is some information on the pros and their cons of the alternatives.

Ducted System

Characteristics of  ducted systems are:

  • Neater with small vents, typically set in ceiling like the one on the right;
  • Centrally controllable;
  • Can have multiple zones;
  • Only one unit to maintain;
  • Air flows are less obvious in larger rooms due to several outlets;
  • You can direct the system capacity to a restricted number of zones;
  • Adjusting ceiling vents is difficult: you will need a step ladder;
  • To be effective need open doors between outlet vents, and return air inlet.
  • For larger homes you may need to Upgrade to 3 phase power;

It can be worthwhile getting a unit with variable fan speeds. . . . . . instead of ‘Low-Med-High’ other wise you may find the fan being too noisy when you are only using a a single zone.

Separate Units

System characteristics are:

  • If you only cool key rooms it can be cheaper to install and run (have units in every room running constantly and it will be more expensive);
  • Individual temperature control for each unit;
  • Ceiling space isn’t filled with ducting;
  • Individual temperature control for each unit;
  • Failure less off an issue as doors can be left open to get some cooling effect from ajacent cooled rooms;
  • Can close doors between ‘zones’ without affecting performance;
  • More intrusive appearance, and air flow is more obvious.

Combination

Can’t decide perhaps a combination system might suit you?

For instance  have ducted heating and cooling in Kitchen, Meals, Family and Theatre rooms; Split systems in the bedrooms.

Running a split system to heat or cool the bedroom is more energy efficient than running a big ducted unit.

Being able to individually control the temperatures in each bedroom is handy as children won’t want their rooms heated or cooled when you do.

Its useful you can set a split system heater in the bedroom to run for an hour or so at bedroom before shutting off.

 

Potential Acidic Sulphate Soils

Look to buy a block on a coastal plain, alongside a river, or a reclaimed wetland and you may see the area described as Potential Acidic Sulphate Soil (PASS).

Well PASS doesn’t mean OK!

Risk of PASS

Why, And Where It Occurs

These types of soil generally occur in areas which were flooded by seawater within the last 10,000 years.

During that time sediments containing iron and organic matter were deposited. Bacteria then living in the sediment was able to produce hydrogen sulfide which then reacted with the iron to form iron sulfide (pyrite).

This Australian Gov’t map shows coastal areas with a risk of PASS.

Acicidic sulphate soils have however been found in inland areas such as along the River Murray.

Problems

Draining the Soil

Pyrite is chemically stable unless it is exposed to air; such as when it is drained, or excavation takes place. (or even a prolonged drought)

Exposure to air means the pyrite oxidises and produces sulphuric acid and a range of other chemicals including the toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.

Release of the suphuric acid is likely to cause significant environmental damage over long periods as the strong acid can be released from soil for more than 50 years from the original exposure.

Because of the environmental issues all Australian States have management controls for areas of potential acidic sulphate soils

Damage to Foundations

Acid released from the soil can attack both the concrete, and the steel reinforcement within the concrete weakening the house foundation and the cement within the brick walls

Low Load Bearing Capacity

Many potential acid sulfate soils are weak clays that have not fully consolidated, and are likely to further subside or settle.

Precautions When Building

  • Deep, expensive, piles will normally be required to support your foundations.
  • Sulphate Resisting Cement should be used in all concrete.
  • Extra care will need to be taken to ensure all concrete is protected from groundwater by a heavy duty plastic layer.

 

Rebelling Against Large Windows

If you have spent time looking round this blog you will find I am not a big fan of the large windows that are standard in many new project homes.

However I think this house may be going a little bit too far in reducing window size!

The house is by Japanese architect Takeshi Hosaka and is called Room Room.

It is located in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

I found the house on the web site www.dezeen.com, where you will find lots more photographs of the interior and exterior

 

For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?

 

More Storage Space . . . . or Too Much Stuff?

Read the House Magazines or watch TV Programs and you will often notice quotes like:

“You can never have too much storage space.”

Well I think that’s BULLDUST! 

If you think you need more storage space; then think about getting rid of some STUFF.

Get too much storage space and your are just going to be storing JUNK you no longer need!

10 Decluttering Ideas

Here are some things to think about before you decide how much storage you need in your new home:

  1. Magazines – Once you have read the magazine put it in the recyling its unlikely to be read again. If you think there is an interesting article you ‘must’ keep then rip it out and put it in a folder.
  2. Fiction Paperbacks – Are you really going to read that thriller again when you know ‘Who did it’
  3. Old Computers/Tablets/Phones – These days people seem to update their technology every couple of years but why aren’t they throwing the old away? If you have got something stored on the old device either transfer it to the new device, or store it on a hard drive.
  4. Media Storage – Still got some Video Tapes, LPs in boxes?  Why? even CDs /DVDs  are gettinng to be old technology. Unless you are a serious collector or regularly play them copy to a hard and send them to the OP shop.
  5. Pictures and Ornaments – No longer like the picture or ornament?   Then why are you keeping it in a box in the garage?
  6. Clothes and Shoes – No longer fits, needs repair, or haven’t worn in a year? Then it could be time to go.
  7. Bedding – You can get by with two sets of sheets for adults, four if you prefer warmer sheets in winter. Children possibly an extra set or two in case of accidents. So get rid of the rest.
  8. Children’s Toys – We have been guilty of saving toys for future grandchildren, but unless they are classics like Lego will the future children want them?
  9. Kitchen Gadgets – Got a pineapple corer, egg slicer, potato chipper . . . . or any other of those kitchen devices that take more time to clean than doing the job with a knife? Unless you are using at least 4-5 times a year its just wasting space!
  10. Glasses and Crockery – The set may have been a wedding present. . . . but if you have dropped, and smashed 3 out of the 6 it might be time to ditch the rest.

 

What do you think you can get rid of ?

 

Low Bank Valuations

People building a new home are often shocked when their bank valuation is less than the cost of the land plus the build cost.

Problems With Low Valuation

The two issue are

  1. Unless your deposit is larger than the difference between the Final Cost and the valuation you will be unable to finance the build.
  2. Even if your deposit is enough to pay the difference you may find you have to pay  Lenders Mortgage Insurance which can add significantly to your payments.

Reasons For Low Valuation

The bank valuation is aimed at estimating how much the bank would be able to sell the  house for if you default on your mortgage payments. . . . . . They are not really interested in how much its going to cost you.

What interests the bank is how much roughly comparable houses are selling in the same area.

Here are some reasons why the Bank Valuation may be low:

  • Architect, or Custom Designed Homes – You may get the value for an individually designed home in an expensive suburb but in a typical subdivision, of mainly project homes, its less likely
  • Over Development – Putting too much house on a block can have a detrimental effect on value if you don’t have enough outdoor areas.
  • Bigger Than Other Houses – Valuers always have a difficulty in providing a valuation that is significantly higher than the median value of the suburb.
  • Too Many Upgrades – Watch the Home Shows and you can spend many extra thousands on Kitchens and Bathrooms which may add little to the value.
  • Overpriced Land – Watch out for Developers who offer cashbacks, pay your house deposit, or discounts for remaining blocks on the subdivision. What this generally means is that the original price was set above the true value.
  • Swimming Pools – As many people hate swimming pools as love them so you rarely get any additional value even if you have spent tens of thousands.
  • Market Downturn – Could be due to a local industry closing or a more general recession but its unrealistic to assume property prices will always rise.
  • Location – Recent floods or bush fires will have a negative effect on value.
  • Site Works – Sloping Blocks, Building on Fill, or Reactive Clay; all can add costs which you may not get back.

 

What You Can Do

Banks are really allergic to high levels of risk so though you can try Option 1 and Option 2 below but you may need to resign yourself to Option 3!

  1. Contact the valuers to get some background to the reasons for the valuation, or even look to get your own valuation.
  2. Try other lenders
  3. Revise your expectations by cutting down the house size, and or upgrades.

 

Ready For Rising Sea Levels?

These remarkably conventional looking houses are actually floating on Lake Union, Seattle.

Although they haven’t been specially built to deal with rising sea levels there are many places that are now starting to build floating houses in a big way!

One big advantage of building on a lake is you don’t have to bother about a storm water drainage connection.

I found this picture, and and many more, on the website www.inspirationgreen.com.

 

For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?

 

Solar Tube Options

Sometimes our homes are a little lacking in the light department.

Even if there are lots of windows, if your property is overlooked at all, or faces the ‘wrong way’, you might find yourself craving that natural light.

You may need to light

  • Bathrooms,
  • Walk in Robes
  • Corridors
  • Pantries
  • Toilets

That’s where Solar Tubes come in handy.

By allowing bright natural light to pour into your home, these economic fittings add a stylish new dimension to your space.

 

Room Sizes

Domestic units come in two sizes:

A smaller size suitable for rooms 3m x 3m

A larger unit suitable for rooms up to 5m x 5m.

For larger spaces you can use multiple fittings, or go for a commercial unit.

The units come in a wide range of prices from a simple unit with a flexible light duct, through solid duct models, to top of the range models which incorporate LED lighting.

 

Ceiling Diffusers

Because they have a range of ceiling diffusers they fit perfectly with all styles of interior – from modern contemporary to more traditional older-style properties.

 

 

 

Exit mobile version