Mandurah

Defects Liability

Under many building contracts, you have a contractual right to have defects addressed. The contractual rights can be exercised by the property owner, but not usually by a third party. There are general entitlements under the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Act 2011 that allows a person to make a complaint about defective building work. […]

Electricity Connections and Headworks Charges

WA Electrical requirements provide for a standard supply up to: 63 Amps single phase (Perth and major towns) 32 Amps single phase (rural areas and small towns) 32 Amps per phase for multiphase (all areas) Consumer mains size of 35mm² (all areas) A large house with air-conditioning, pool and many appliances is likely to require […]

Extension of Time

Most building contracts allow the builder to claim an extension of time for completion of the project where there is a delay which could not reasonably be foreseen at the time of contract signing. Such delays could include strikes, unfavourable weather and unavailability of materials or labour. However, the exact terms of the building contract […]

Building Approvals Getting the Red Light!

As was expected, the introduction of the new Building Act has caused confusion and disruption to the approvals and the completion of buildings currently under construction. With all change, there is an adjustment period. Builders, architects, designers, building surveyors, Local Government, Water Corporation, and FESA are feeling pressure to adapt to the required changes, and […]

Aged Residents and Housing

Designing and building housing for older people is becoming very important as the Australian population ages. Each year one in three every older Australians will suffer a fall, with around 5 to 10 per cent of these falls causing an injury which requires medical attention. Many of these falls around the home are preventable. Sensible […]

Alternative Solutions in Building

When the Performance-Based Building Code was introduced in 1996, WA was the first State to adopt it. The new Code provided the flexibility that was lacking in the Uniform Building By-Laws that prescribed the minimum requirements for compliance of residential and non-residential buildings. The performance-based Building Code of Australia (BCA) maintains the prescriptive requirements as […]

Appliances and Building Specifications

It is common for home buyers to do insufficient research on whether a builder’s standard specification is suited to their needs. Frustrated new home owners sometimes discover too late that their new garage is not wide enough or high enough for their 4 wheel drive (especially for multi-vehicle households), or that their fridge is too […]

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