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| 6 Jun 2013 Pool Maintenance
Pools will require circulation, filtering and measures to control algae and fungal growths. As a pool owner, you will need to find out how this all works to make sure you don’t end up with an infected green pond in your backyard! There are a number of different systems available for pools now including […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Paving
Below is a Simple Six Step Process on Paving. Step One – Planning The durability and longevity of your paved surface is dependant on proper ground preparation. The first step is to carefully plan your paving area and then stake it out. If you want to avoid lots of cutting, consider allowing the pavers to […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Buying a Display Home
Investment in a builder’s display home may be a sound decision depending on your circumstances. Many builders sell and rent back their display homes to recover some of the capital construction costs. Usually a display home will have a limited life until a new development area is built out, so the lease back option can […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Children and Safety at Home
The family home is the place where young children are most likely to be injured. However there are a number of things that you can do around the home to reduce the risk of injury to small children. Some of these things can be included in the original design, while others can be retrofitted […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Choosing a Builder
The choice of a builder will be influenced by the size and type of project. If it is a new house, do you choose a project home or a custom builder? A remodelling project (ie. renovations, alterations and additions) for instance, usually requires a different level of experience and expertise to blend the old with […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Dividing Fences and Disputes
Dividing fences are the source of a great deal of angst between new (and not so new) neighbours. Rights and obligations of neighbours are covered by the Dividing Fences Act 1961. It is a good idea to discuss any fencing matter with your local authority before proceeding unilaterally without consulting your neighbour. In relation to […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Dividing Fences and Retaining Walls
Dividing fences are the source of a great deal of angst between new (and not so new) neighbours. Dividing fences are covered by the Dividing Fences Act. In relation to dividing fences, the Department of Housing and Works has produced an excellent booklet – “Dividing Fences”, which can be freely downloaded at www.dhw.wa.gov.au. Retaining walls […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Materials & Environmental Footprint
While a builders’ warranty period may be for 6 years from the date of practical completion, the life of your house will be significantly longer. Guarantees only relate to minimum performance and you can expect far longer. Outlined below are typical working lives for various building components. Note that many of the structural items such […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Efflorescence on Bricks
The growth of white crystals on the surfaces of brickwork and blockwork is called efflorescence and is a common problem particularly in high rainfall areas. Efflorescence is caused by the presence of water-soluble salts which occur naturally in cement-water mixtures. The salts are brought to the surface of bricks or blocks as hydroxides when the […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Electricity Planning
Good electrical design and fitout is often underrated in its importance to the ”liveability” of your new home. Like most things planning is important. An omission during the construction stage can be much more expensive to rectify after your house is completed particularly if you have restricted roof cavity space. Some questions to consider include: […]