Getting it Right
Working With Your Site Supervisor
If you are building your new house with a big builder once the contract is signed the most important person in the build is going to be the Site Supervisor(SS). The site supervisor is responsible for programming the works, ordering…
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Energy and Water Ombudsman
If you have an ongoing problem with the supplier of Water or Energy utilities its worth contacting the Ombudsman in your state. Our Problem About the middle of June we got rid of our last gas appliance and asked for…
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Occupancy Permit – What Does It Mean?
Occupancy Permit (or Certificate of Final Inspection) is not the same as Completion. It doesn’t even mean the house is ready for PCI Inspection or even that you would be happy to move in. What’s typically needed for an occupancy…
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Pre-Plasterboard Inspection
Plasterboard can cover a lot of defects . . . . . . . so if worth checking on things before it goes up. Typically the timing of this inspection will be after the ‘Lock Up Stage‘ but before the…
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Asbestos or Not?
What is Asbestos The various forms of asbestos are naturally occurring silicate materials which form long fibrous crystals. Each visible fiber has of millions of microscopic fibres that can be released by cutting, drilling, breaking, or as it wears Inhaling…
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Wall Penetrations
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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Who Is Checking on the Quality?
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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Don’t Rush Your PCI
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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Drain Fail?
How about this picture of the water missing the drain? Is this a design failure? Well that’s what www.diply.com, where I found this photo, thought! Actually its a construction quality failure that is more common than it should be. Whats happened is…
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Poor Building Quality In The News
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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