Design
Is Modern Kitchen Design Making Us Fat
When I was young (about 50 years ago) obesity wasn’t really an issue. In those days most houses had a small kitchen where a meal was cooked. We either ate in the kitchen or a small dining room. The rest…
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The Risk Of Too Much Security
As I visit lots of houses I often wonder if some houses have too much security. I see lots of houses with roller shutters or even steel gratings over the windows like these. Quite often when I ring the bell…
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Height Above Ground
For the typical modern house with slab on ground base there are two minimum heights above ground level that need to be considered: Next to the building. Distance of 1m away. The reason for these minimums is to keep water…
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Rainfall Intensity
When most people think about rainfall they think about the amount of rainfall . . . . . . . . . but it’s just as important to understand how hard it can rain, the ‘Rainfall Intensity’. The ‘Rainfall Intensity’…
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Kitchen Drawer Fail
Have you ever wondered why kitchens with all the unit along a wall are so popular with builders?. . . . . and island units? Why are drawers without a large handle common? Well it stops mistakes like this happening!…
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Plumbing Acronyms
There are a lot of acronyms used on plumbing drawings so here are a few definitions: AG – Agricultural (Drains) B – Basin Bth – Bath BT – Boundary Trap DP – Down Pipe FW – Floor Waste HWS –…
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Underground Garage
Basement, or underground garages are becoming more popular. Its one way of getting a bigger house on a smaller inner suburban block. Before you make a decision to go for this solution its worth thinking about the cost, and the…
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Mind Your Head
I have mentioned several times about not getting a bigger house than you need . . . . . . . . But this could be going a bit too far! And how do you reach the controls? I certainly…
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Floor Space Ratio, or Plot Ratio
When you are buying a new house block it’s important you understand how much of the block you can build on! One way in which NSW councils prevent Over development is by prescribing a ‘Floor Space Ration’ (FSR). The same…
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Overlooking – Avoiding ‘Direct Lines of Sight’
When considering Overlooking you need to avoid having a ‘Direct Line of Sight’ into: A Habitable Room window. (The following link explains what a habitable room is: Habitable Room ) A Secluded Private Space – Area primarily intended for outdoor recreation activities…
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