When you are deciding about building dimensions its better to take into account the size of building materials. With brick veneer being so popular that means the dimensions of the bricks. Make sure that all lengths, are based on either all complete bricks, or complete bricks with one half brick. Similarly all heights should be … Continue reading Wall Dimensions Standard Bricks
One of the small things that can really make a difference to your house is how doors open……..but its one thing that is frequently forgotten. This sketch shows a typical bedroom and ensuite layout. (I know it doesn’t show the wardrobe but I’m trying to keep it simple) A couple of things you need to … Continue reading Door Opening
Lots of people want water views ………….but if the water view is a River, or even a Small Creek, there can be a flooding risk. The quiet creek in this photo is about 300mm deep and 3m wide. After a couple of days of rain it can be 3m deep and 30m wide. The 2022 … Continue reading Water Views? or Flood Risk?
It’s possible to save a fair bit of money by moving yourself but should you do it? Well I’ve moved myself, and helped my children move many times. I have also used removalists several times as well so here are my thoughts: Volume of Stuff I reckon my limit on volume for DIY movung is … Continue reading Moving In – Removalist or DIY
A spade is probably the most important tool in gardening so its worth getting a good one. Few tools are more crucial to gardening than a durable, sturdy garden spade. You don’t want to get something that looks OK but breaks in half or bends the first time it is used, or is uncomfortable to … Continue reading Choosing a Spade
If you haven’t heard of the expression ‘Guerrilla Gardening’ is gardening on land you don’t own. So why would you spend your time on this when you have got lots of other jobs in your new house? Well in my case I lived on a corner block and had over 20m of colorbond fence at … Continue reading Guerrilla Gardening
When you are thinking about installing insulation you also need to think about Vapour Barriers. Although I frequently saw mention of vapor barriers in books and articles it was a long time before I understood why there were needed……………. Here is my explanation: Warm air, inside the house, contains a lot of moisture (water vapor) … Continue reading Insulation Basics – Vapor Barriers
The most common frame for the standard brick veneer house uses timber. Steel frames however are becoming much more common. . . . So why should you choose one or the other? Advantages of Timber Well understood by builders; Cheaper; Easy to adapt or modify during construction or later; Is a sustainable resource; Better sound … Continue reading Timber or Steel Frame
Purpose of Steel Mesh Reinforcement A lot of people believe that the steel mesh adds substantially to the strength of concrete paving. This is a myth! The truth is large areas of concrete paving will crack. What well thought out reinforcement steel does is: Limits cracking where you don’t want it (in the middle of … Continue reading Concrete – Reinforcement Mesh
If you are getting a house built you can feel lost with not much to do between the contracts being signed and being ready to move. Here are some suggestions for you to be doing during the wait. Inspect Progress I have always made at least weekly visits to inspect progress during construction. It’s surprising … Continue reading While The House Is Built
