Getting it Right

The pipes that penetrate exterior walls bring the power, water, gas, telecommunications into a house and take away the waste. If not properly sealed, but they can also bring in drafts, insects, mould and wood rot. Make sure all penetrations…
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When you sign your building contract you are told the Builder will appoint an ‘Independant’ Inspector. So how does pathetic brickwork like this get past this Inspector? Well you may be surprised to find out the Inspectors just check on…
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Why it’s Worth Your Time A new house is probably going to be your biggest ever purchase, Most new houses cost upwards of two hundred thousand dollars and I always want to make sure I’m getting my moneys worth. That…
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For anyone who thinks they can just leave everything to the builder this recent report in the Melbourne Age makes depressing reading:Faulty Building Crisis. A lot of the issues relate to damp, particularly: Leaks through the ceiling. Leaks through rendered foam…
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Well PCI stands for Practical Completion Inspection. . . . but what does that mean? Practical completion is when the building work is all but completed, and the house meets the requirements for an Occupation Certificate. There may be minor works required…
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I have previously talked about Regulation Failing the Public . . . but how bad is it? Some Statistics on Plumbing Failures Well I have just been reading last years report from the Victorian Building Authority. In that year they completed…
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How it used to be I am showing my age now but I remember when  there used to be a reasonable level of supervision. . . . this was how things were when I built my first house 25 years ago. There…
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‘Rough In’ is the installation of the electrical cables, and conduits before the insulation and plasterboard are fixed. It includes installing the mounting plates and boxes which will be used to fix the power outlets and light switches. This is also a good…
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