Author Archive: Brian
Location – Fail
One of the things I like about Australia is that once you get Development Approval on a new subdivision you can pretty much put up any type of house you like. You can walk around an area and see a…
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Building On Rock
Based on the Soil Classification rock is considered one of the best surfaces to build a house foundation. It comes under the Classification Class A. That doesn’t mean its going to be cheap especially for a conventional raft or waffle…
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Rainwater – Pressure Tank
A pressure tank, which I think is the most important upgrade to a standard rainwater supply system, looks like the photo on the right. Small tanks are mounted on the pump, larger tanks like this one are on the ground….
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Fake Shutters
Here is something I just can’t understand, Fake Shutters……They are hugely popular in the USA, and I do see quite a few examples over here. I don’t understand them because: As they don’t come anywhere near being wide enough to…
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Rainwater – Pump Issues
This photo shows a fairly typical pump installation. An electric pump with pressure sensor control. It’s even got a fairly large diameter flexible suction hose between the tank and the pump. So…..What are the issues? Well water is an…
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Sound Insulation Batts
Imagine the standard internal stud wall in your new house. A sheet of fairly thin material (plasterboard). An air space retained by timber walls. Another thin sheet of material. Sounds a bit like a Drum doesn’t it?……………It’s no wonder sound…
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Facade Fail 2
Think some of the builders facades are a bit plain?…..How about this? This is another of those crazy Japanese houses. For more photos of this and to find out more visit Blank White Box on the dornob.com web site. For more…
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Lighting
Post inspired by comments from ‘Johnson’ on the Homeone forum website. Light is one of the most important thing in a house. During the day its nice to get as much natural light into the house as possible while avoiding glare. When…
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Gates for Sloping Driveways
If you have a sloping drive it can be difficult to install a gate. One option is to install a sliding gate which rolls to one side. These although expensive can work quite well if the whole of the front…
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Garden Statue – Win
I have occasionally put a statue in the garden, Normally one of those slightly abstract figures, or a Budda, from Bunnings……..but nothing like this: Life sized statues of; an Aboriginal man , a Kangaroo, and an Emu together with a…
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