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| 6 Jun 2013 Lighting
Lighting can transform your new house into a home. Early planning about your lighting requirements can save a costly and inconvenient retrofit at a later stage. As part of this planning process you will need to decide about the type of lighting you require. This decision is more than thinking about whether you want downlights, […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Liquidated Damages
A liquidated damages (LD) clause is common in many building contracts for commercial or institutional buildings, but less common in residential contracts. Liquidated damages are an amount which the builder agrees to pay to the homeowner for late completion of the project. This is usually an amount per day or per week. Liquidated damages are […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Mobile Cranes
The use of mobile cranes in the residential construction industry has become commonplace. Before commencing using a crane on a construction site it is important to develop a work plan or safe work method statement for all crane operations. A work plan or safe work method statement should be developed which includes information on, but […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Notice of Completion BA7
Notice of completion – click here to read the article Form BA7 pdf Form BA7 word
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| 6 Jun 2013 Noise
Starting times must comply with local government by-laws which dictate the hours within which on-site work can take place. You should consult the building department of your local authority for the relevant requirements. Compliance with these by-laws is a condition on which the building licence is issued to the builder. Once you have discovered the […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Preventative Maintenance
The regular repainting of timber, sealing of joints, keeping vents and pipes clear, etc. can prevent damage occurring to a property. For example: Make sure that exterior underfloor vents are not covered or clogged up; Check underfloor ventilation and for pests in the underfloor spaces; Check that water drains away from the house after heavy […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Profit Margins in Building
There are many variables which need to be taken into account to comment on profit margins such as the size and type of project, the type of contract, the overheads/administrative structure of the builder, number of sales and other staff employed, the economic state of the industry, whether renovations or new housing and so on. […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Put and call options
Property transactions using “put and call options” have been common in the Eastern States and are used sparingly in WA. This arrangement can be useful to both a vendor and a purchaser in certain circumstances. Put and call options give the purchaser the right to enter a contract of sale for land within a specified […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Project Planning & Software
One of the fundamental outcomes any construction company wants to achieve is an increased ability to take on additional work. With the correct enterprise resource planning system in place (see construction software [link to Construction Software article below*]), your company will know where it has improved productivity, where it has reduced its costs and, at […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Planning Approvals & Offsets
When a proposal’s impacts on biodiversity and/or ecological function cannot be fully mitigated, an offset package could be considered to support developments to become ecologically sustainable. Environmental offsets or environmentally beneficial activites can be determined in conjuction with proactive mechanisms such as use of best practice environmental management to ensure impact avoidance is the primary […]