The Politics Of Smoke Alarms
From 1993 to 2015, CSIRO conducted tests on smoke alarms but the public is yet to read the findings. This comes at a time when activists want ionised smoke alarms banned due to alleged issues with response times to common fires. In America, the alarm...
Read moreMeth testing - the new norm for prudent home buyers
The New Norm? Including Meth checks in Pre-Purchase Building Inspections
For home buyers there is nothing unusual about organising a Pre-Purchase Building Inspection on a potential property purchase. For smart buyers, a Pre-Purchase Building Inspe...
Read moreWhat Victoria’s New Tenancy Laws Mean For Landlords
Victoria’s new tenancy laws mean that landlords need to pay extra attention to basic standards, especially relating to health and safety. These include (but are not limited to) providing functioning heaters, stoves and even deadlocks. 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 moreProperty Depreciation - Some Questions
Q: What’s property depreciation all about?
A: In a nutshell, depreciation is a tax deduction when your property’s value declines. The result: Less tax, more money in your pocket.
Q: Where can I find professional help?
A: Jim’s Buildi...
Read moreYour Health Health Before Mould
Imagine if you were battling the following: Nose bleeds, chest infections, sinus troubles, asthma, hair loss, breathing issues, chronic fatigue, rashes and headaches.
Sad to say, but these are just some of the potential consequences of living with...
Read moreThe Pitfalls Of Property Investment
The pitfalls of property investment are many.
Andrew Heaton from Sourceable advances the argument that it’s important to get a quality survey. While a retail store is often happy to return a $10 item of clothing, it’s far more complex with rea...
Read moreAsbestos Concerns? Call The Experts
Here’s an all too familiar story from the Newcastle Herald: A Glendale property is demolished after its owners found deadly loose-fill asbestos insulation.
This type of asbestos was relatively popular in the1960s and 1970s.
Science now tells ...
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 moreDo you think that property you are looking to buy has asbestos?
If the house you are looking to buy was built or renovated before 1990, it is likely that it will contain some form of asbestos-containing materials.
Did you know that approximately one-third of homes built in Australia contain asbestos products?
...
Read more