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| 6 Jun 2013 Home Maintenance
When we purchase a new car, we know we can save money and reduce its depreciation by keeping up with servicing and maintenance. As part of vehicle servicing, the mechanic checks things like fuses and seatbelts to ensure they are safe. But what about our homes – our biggest investment? What sort of maintenance and […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Preliminary Agreements
A Preliminary Agreement (PA), or Preparation of Plans Agreement, is a common document used by builders dealing with clients in the early stages of building a new home. These agreements do not involve building work and are preparatory to entering a building contract. Some common features are: the consumer is committed to paying a “deposit”, […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home Finishes
Home finishes When you build or renovate, the finishing touches are the ones that make the house into a home, the personal choices made of the furniture, decorative pieces, the wall colours and floor finishes can make a stark space into a welcoming cosy room or a modern energising area. The dilemma is that there […]
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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 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 Pool Construction
Property owners have a lot of choices when locating and running a pool. And lots of home owners are still installing pools to cool off in during our hot WA summers, even while block sizes are falling. Pools can be set above or below the ground. Above ground pools can be cheaper […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Concrete Slabs – Shrinkage
Curing is a process which takes place when a concrete slab is laid. As concrete is being poured, fresh concrete is converted into a solid mass when the cementeous materials hydrate. The action taken after the slab is laid to ensure hydration is called curing. Curing is the protection of fresh concrete from evaporation. When […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Employer Record Keeping
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| 6 Jun 2013 Condensation
Condensation is at its maximum in new homes. When homes are built many gallons of water go into materials such as concrete, plaster, wallpaper, tile work and even some types of paint. This water evaporates; which explains the reason for a higher moisture content than usual in new homes. To aid the drying out process […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Energy Rating
The Energy Rating Label was first introduced in 1986 in NSW and Victoria. It is now mandatory in all Australian states and territories for televisions, fridges and freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers and air-conditioners to carry the label when they are offered for sale. The Energy Rating Labeling Scheme assists consumers with assessing the energy […]