What does Domestic Building Insurance means to Builder or an Owner Builder in Victoria.
Whether you are a homeowner who is using a Builder or an Owner Builder, it is mandatory to get a domestic building insurance.
If you undertake domestic building work worth more than $16,000, then you need domestic building insurance.
Furthermore,...
Read moreAm I An Owner Builder?
Whether you are or aren’t an owner builder can sometimes be a tricky concept to get your head around.
Even if you didn’t personally lift a hammer, but rather project managed different trades to do the work, – you are still, legally, the owne...
Read moreInadequate Site and subfloor drainage
A sub-floor is the structure and crawl space between the lowest floor and the ground. High moisture levels in these areas promote fungal decay and other timber pests such as termites.
All sub-floors and crawl spaces should be considered as having ...
Read moreProperty Management and Smoke Alarms are Good Friends
Property management and smoke alarms are good friends. Or at least they should be. Worst possible scenario: Inaction can lead to deaths and a stint in prison.
It’s a familiar story, even in developed countries, however. From one BBC report: “A...
Read moreGo With Licensed Pre-Property Inspectors
What makes a good pre-property inspector? Sourceable’s Howard Ryan writes: ‘To do the job properly, a qualified building inspector will have extensive knowledge of the Building Code of Australia, the Building Act, the Building Regulations and var...
Read moreBlocked Guttering- One of the most Common Pre-Purchase Defects
Blocked gutters are one of the main defects found during a pre purchase inspection and is also one of the easiest to fix and prevent. Doing something as simple as keeping your gutters clean can save you thousands of dollars in maintenance costs in th...
Read moreAsbestos In The News
Think asbestos is old news – and not relevant in today’s society? Think again. Here’s one of many asbestos-related news stories.
From the Western Advocate:
WORK on Bathurst Tennis Centre’s new $800,000 clubhouse has come to a halt after...
Read moreWhat Does Jim Know About Building Inspections Anyway?
ACTUALLY, QUITE A BIT MORE THAN WE EVER REALISED!
We recently discovered that Jim Penman’s dad was a forensic engineer.
From an early age Jim’s father was investigating materials, structures and their components which failed o...
Read moreWhat is Caveat Emptor?
Increasingly property buyers are aware of their responsibility to discover building defects before sale – this is known as the Latin principle Caveat Emptor or ‘buyer beware’.
The full quotation is ‘caveat emptor, qui ignorare no...
Read moreAsbestos Dumpers Beware
There’s a right way and a wrong way to do a job and this is especially true for asbestos. As the APP reports:
People and businesses that illegally transport or dump asbestos in NSW will face on-the-spot fines of up to $15,000 under tough new pen...
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