Construction
Brick Fences
As I travel around the Melbourne Suburbs I see lots of brick fences……….. A problem with a large proportion is that they have obvious cracks. If you don’t believe me just walk around your neighborhood and look at a few…
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Glanced Light – Wall and Ceiling Imperfections
In certain conditions you can easily see very slight surface imperfections This is known as ‘Glanced Light’ . . . . so what does is mean? Well when light strikes a surface at a flat angle like in this first…
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Building Inspection – Compliance not Quality
Role of Building Surveyor One of the key misunderstandings by new house buyers is the role of the building surveyor with respect to building quality of their New House. Many consumers believe that inspections by building surveyors against the minimum…
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How Often Do You Visit The Site
For the first Australian house we built welived and worked close by and could visit every evening. During our last build the site was 40km away so I only visited once or twice a week. Many builders will tell you…
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Concrete – After the Concrete is Laid
Concrete Myths Some people think that concrete is strong enough the day after it is laid……..WRONG Some people think that concrete ‘dries’……..WRONG Hardening of concrete is a complex chemical reaction which requires time and moisture. Concrete takes at least a…
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Concrete – What is It?
Concrete is an artificial stone that you can make yourself. It has four ingredients that all contribute to the overall strength. Large stones (Aggregate) – The aggregate provides shear strength to the concrete. In other words the concrete has to…
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10 Things Needed For An Occupancy Permit
When Can You Get an Occupanct Permit Did you know you can get an Occupancy Permit before your house is finished?. Useful to know for all those owner builders who want to move in while they finish. The point of…
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6 Tips For Building Modular Homes
Unlike traditional built homes, modular homes are becoming popular due to quality construction, low cost, and quick turnaround. If you’re planning to build one for you and your family, it’s essential to do your homework. The reason behind it is…
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Practical Completion Inspection – 12 Hints
So your house is nearly finished, and your builder asks you to do a PCI. . . . Whats that? This is your chance to get defects fixed before handover. You will have the opportunity to walk around the house…
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Costs for Variations Compared with Retail Price
One area of annoyance for home buyers is when they want to vary something and the variation price is much more than the difference between retail prices. For Example An example is the builders standard oven may be $700 at…
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