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| 6 Jun 2013 Floating Floorboards
Floating floors can be installed onto a concrete pad or any other flat, firm or level surface without using nails, battens or glue. They are called “floating” because they are not attached to the sub-floor in any way. They can be fitted over most flat surfaces – tiles, concrete, cork or timber. As a result […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home Indemnity Insurance
Home indemnity insurance covers the homeowner (and subsequent owners) for faulty, unsatisfactory or incomplete building work and loss of deposit should the builder die, disappear or become insolvent within 6 years from the date of practical completion. Currently all residential building work valued over $20,000 must be covered by a policy of home indemnity insurance […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home-based Businesses
About 1 in every 4 home businesses employs at least 1 person. Most new homes are not designed for the home business, although increasingly provision is being made for a home – office in many new home designs. Your new house design will be an important part of keeping your sanity and a smoothly running […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Construction Software
In the construction industry, being a cutting edge company that embraces innovation and new technology can be the difference between being a true industry-leader and struggling to remain profitable. Different businesses require different systems. If your company reaches a point where you find your software systems and processes are holding you back from reaching your […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Corrosion Protection Requirements
Our love of the ocean and urban creep along the coast means we are exposing ourselves to more than just proximity to the beach. The National Construction Code (NCC) requires corrosion protection is required for buildings constructed within 1km of breaking surf, and other exposure environments. Breaking surf means any area of salt water in […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Contracts for Home Building Work
The Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (the HBC Act) provides protection for home owners and persons undertaking home building work. Part 2 of the HBC Act applies to fixed price contracts for ‘home building work’ valued between $7,500 and $500,000. Home building work includes: constructing a new dwelling; carrying out additions to an existing […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Dispute Resolution
Building and renovation work can be an involved process and a dispute may arise about the quality of work or materials or about the contract itself. To avoid later disputes, there are some things to bear in mind from the outset of the building process. Initially, all promises, undertakings and concessions made in pre-contract […]
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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 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: […]