Well I have just been reading last years report from the Victorian Building Authority.
In that year they completed 7,573 audits of which 1,813 failed.
That is 23.9% (or almost 1 in 4)
In that year 833,860 Compliance Certificates were issued . . . so if that failure is extrapolated over all the plumbing jobs that means it is probable that around 200,000 plumbing jobs during 20014-2015 in Victoria have problems.
I don’t know about you, but with those figures I’m not going to be very confident that the plumbing in a new house has been done correctly.
The 5 Most Common Plumbing Failures
If you want to know what to look for here are the most common reasons for an Audit Failure.
Hot water not arriving at the tap at the correct temperature.
Unsatisfactory drainage installation in unstable ground.
Unacceptable insulation around hot water pipes.
Appropriate backflow prevention devices not installed. (This protects you by stopping contaminated water entering the system after a pipe burst)
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 used to be a foreman based on site to keep an eye on things.
Also the inspection of various aspects of the build was subject to independent inspections by local authority inspectors, electrical inspectors, and plumbing inspectors.
That’s not to say everything was always perfect but compare with the current situation!
How things are now
A modern builder employs a Site Supervisor (SS) who may be responsible for the build of 10, or more, houses spread over several suburbs . . . . . . With travelling and office management how often does the SS visit? and how long does he spend?
The Building Inspector is engaged directly by the Builder to ensure compliance as an “Independant” Inspector . . . . . But with a builder directing ten of thousands of dollars to the “Independent” Inspector for 10’s if not 100’s of houses per year how independent are they going to be? . . . . and how thorough?
Electrical and plumbing quality is now measured by what is known as “Quality Assurance” . . . . What this means is:
The trades person is ‘responsible’ for the quality.
The trades person submits paperwork to their QA organisation.
The QA organisation checks the paperwork submitted on a small sample of the projects submitted. . . To avoid problems some trades persons use agents to submit their paperwork so what can you rely on?
The QA carries out site inspections on a very small sample of the projects submitted. . . . but what about the rest of the projects? When I worked in a rural town asked all the plumbers if they had ever had an inspection . . . not one said they had!
All the above saves money . . . . but are you getting the quality you deserve?
What can you do?
Well by reading this Blog you are becoming better informed.
By researching, and spending some time on regularly visiting the site, and asking questions, you can demonstrate that you are interested in quality.
You could also consider spending a small proportion of the total build cost in getting your own inspector to check up on the build.
‘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 time to install data cables.
Checking
Here are some things to look out for:
Cables in the ceiling should be clipped high enough so that they are above the insulation (this is to stop them overheating)
Any cable that has to pass through a timber frame member should go through a hole drilled in the centre to protect from later plasterboard fixings.
Cable runs in walls should be either vertical or horizontal (something to remember when you are drilling walls after the house is built)
Wiring grommets (see photo on right) are used to protect the cable as it passes any sharp metal edges (eg switch boxes or steel frames)
Proper wire anchoring. The wires should be attached to wall studs to secure them. The first clip no further than 100mm from a fitting and then around 300mm thereafter.
Check power outlets, lights, and switch points are in the locations that you have asked for.
Are power outlet and switch heights consistent. Typically, power outlets, are 100mm above the floor and switches are 1200mm from the floor unless otherwise specified (e,g higher power outlets if you are planning for wheelchair accessibility)
NB I am not an electrician so this may not be a complete list. . . . if you have any suggestions please leave a comment!
A beautiful outdoor space is a great addition to any home, particularly if you love lounging, entertaining or just relaxing with friends and family on a warm day.
An excellently designed outdoor space has a stunning effect on the general appearance of a home.
Here is a brief rundown of four tips that will come in handy in ensuring your outdoor space is not only breathtaking but also homely and practical.
Creatively Incorporate a Fireplace into Your Outdoor Space
Contrary to popular misconception a fireplace is not reserved for indoor décor but can be a great focal point for an outdoor space.
Based on preference you can either go for a portable or permanent fireplace.
A portable fireplace is a great option as it gives you the freedom to change location.
On the other hand, a permanent outdoor fireplace is also a viable option as it adds a touch of luxury to your outdoor space.
Let your outdoor space act as a gathering area with some furniture around it and it will act as a serene and beautiful place to converse or read a book.
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Add Colour and Drama to Your Outdoor Space by including Living Walls
Instead of boring walls make your outdoor space more lively and dramatic using plant walls.
Plants on walls not only beautify your outdoor space but also eliminate unsightly and boring blank walls.
The idea of plant walls is amazing as it equates to literally having a vertical gardening.
Based on your preference you can either go for annual plants, edibles or perennials.
For décor and style reasons it is better to choose plants that have varying textures and have different floral hues.
This will create a beautiful contrast that will make your outdoor space stand out.
Another option is to choose artificial plants.
As stated on BuildMat plant walls page, they “instantly add life and colour to any indoor or outdoor surface” and “their real power comes from their capacity to encourage healthy living”.
Enhance the Visual Appeal of Your Outdoor Space by Incorporating Artistic Accessories
Add sculptures or beautiful statues that will make your garden more stylish and artsy.i
Depending on your taste go for sculptures with sentimental value such as your favourite animal or alternatively go for statues with historical significance such as Roman and Greek sculptures.
Also include other artistic elements such as intricately shaping the plants that are on walls or even mosaic pavers.
This will add personality and pizazz to your outdoor space.
Make use of artistic ornaments made from different materials ranging from metal and plastic to stone and ceramic.
Strategically place all artistic elements at locations where they stand out such as close to flowers with contrasting colours or alternatively make these artistic pieces a centrepiece in your outdoor space.
Add a Water Feature into Your Outdoor Space
Enhance your outdoor space by adding a water feature, particularly if you want to bring your garden to life.
You can either design your own water feature as a DIY project or opt for a store bought manufactured one.
Keep in mind that you should choose an outdoor water feature that complements the décor of your outdoor garden.
These tips will help in transforming your outdoor space to an outdoor room that is an extension of your home and reflects your personal style.
I have sold almost 2,000 copies of my PCI Guide and as a result get a fair bit of feedback.
One thing that I have noticed is that a number or people only buy the Guide a day or two before their PCI. . . . some on the morning of their inspection.
Get In Early
If you notice a significant defect during the build it is far better to draw the Site Supervisors attention to your concerns, when you see it.
For many issues its far easier to get the problem dealt with before it is covered up. (and before the builder has paid the tradesman)
For Instance:
On my last built, before lock up, I noticed the gas pipework had been run to the wrong meter location. Correcting the mistake then would only have taken a couple of hours.
Doing the same job after the plasterboard had been fixed, and insulation installed, would have been a major issue!
Over the last couple of months there have been a couple of separate News Items, which are really connected.
Excavation Collapse Puts House On Edge!
The photo shows a house hanging over the edge of an excavation in a Melbourne suburb.
This in spite of the builders excavation proposals being approved by a Building Surveyor.
How Did This Happen?
Well you don’t need to do much more than read the following summary of the Auditor General’s Report on Victoria’s Consumer Protection Framework for Building Construction published in May this year.
“This audit examined the performance of the Victorian Building Authority, the Building Practitioners Board, Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) and the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority as they provide functions key to building regulation and to the consumer protection framework in domestic building.
I found that the existing framework does not adequately protect consumers and that there is a pressing need to improve consumer understanding of the system.
The registration system does not ensure that the only practitioners who are registered are qualified, competent and of good character and the disciplinary system is not protecting consumers, as current sanctions are ineffective in deterring practitioner misconduct.
CAV’s conciliation and dispute resolution functions provide only limited consumer protection because it cannot compel parties to conciliate or enforce compliance with conciliation outcomes.
Domestic building insurance is widely misunderstood, provides only limited protection for consumers and is significantly more costly than it needs to be.“
The Italics are a direct quote, although I have underlined some of the more significant parts.
Other States
Don’t think because you live in other states you are going to be safe. The customer protection isn’t too different around Australia.
One of the best protections, to quote the report is for you “to improve (your) consumer understanding of the system”.
A great way to stop the building site from becoming water logged is for the builder to install temporary down pipes as soon as the roof has been covered.
Although this is generally good practice it is really important if you are building on Reactive Clay as it will minimise the occurrence of Soil Heave damaging the slab.
Basically the temporary down pipes are a polythene tube (see photo) which is taped to the gutter outlet and the pipe that the final downspout will be connected to.
As you can see the temporary down pipes aren’t going to cost much.
If I was looking round a large development area at the houses being constructed seeing temporary downpipes in place would certainly make me think that the builder was more committed to quality
These days all the builders provide, at our cost, a 1.8m high ‘Security Fence’ around the site.
When you ask them “Why is it there? “. . . They say “Its for Occupational Health and Safety and/or to prevent theft. ”
If those are the reasons why do less than 1% have a padlock?
For most of them the highest security level is a piece of wire twisted around a couple of times!
The only positive thing I can say about all this is the lack of security makes it easier for me to access the site in the evening to check whats happened during the day!
For more posts about your new home build see Construction
