It all depends on size. For 28m2 I think I was kidding myself with two dogs. With 300m2 there shouldn't be a problem.

Looks like the quote included a postcode premium! In Melbourne the most commonly used timber is Merbau.

To put it in perspective, I thought two small pooches (Spoodle and Moodle) would be ok on Sir Walter in the backyard of 28m2 (about 6m and a bit by 4m and a bit). After a year I had to rip the whole area up and lay synthetic. It didn't have a chance. I asked Graham Ross from Better Homes and Garden ...

Materials alone for a standard deck made from Merbau would cost $100 per m2 so $400-$600. Supply + labour is anywhere from $200 to $400 per m2 which would come out to $1000-$2000. Better get some quotes!

From experience, Sir Walter pretty much stops growing in Winter. You might mow it once or twice in 6 months. The repair-ability of the grass I found to be zero to none for high wear areas. Don't forget... for the "brand" you are paying a premium.

I know that it's not exactly slab heave, but it is slab related. Am I going crazy or do I see a steel bar sticking out of my slab? Advice would be much appreciated... http://s30.postimg.org/ufkcbdoq9/asa.png That will go you concrete cancer before you know it.... let alone the island the slab has c...

heavy duty galv brackets and bolts, so the joists sit between the bearers. I think Beetaloo's answer is the best option. That way you can use a thicker joist and bearer and have less issues. Can you even get 90x70 treated pine F7? You would be looking at a 140 wide horizontal surface prime for coll...

You should be within specs with 2 / 90x45. But that might cause some bounce. Why are you limited to 90mm bearers and 90mm joists at 1m off the ground? Maybe consider due to cost of buying hardwood to lop off a brick or two off the piers and using wider boards? By the way, treated hardwood doesn't ex...

I don't know how that would go with it being "permeable". Best to ring your local council. Either that or plead innocence when someone comes around and starts asking questions.

As long as the structure is not roofed, it does not require a permit considering it would be classified as a pergola. The BCA exempt pergolas that are 20m2 or under and do not have cladding other than sun mesh.

Picking up your yellow pages would be the most practical way to go about this. A flooring specialist would answer all of your questions. But to summarise the difference between engineered and solid timber. Engineered is much cheaper, just install and nothing else, comes in a myriad of finishes. Bigg...

I have used and recommended http://www.avicsecurity.com.au/ Fully insured and have all the security clearances to install alarms.

Surprisingly concrete is the cheapest in some suburbs because the cost to dispose is free. You would only be charged for the cartage.

Some things came to mind: 1. Any lighting other than battens. Electrician to install afterwards. Even having a GPO in the same position to the room adjacent to another room so that the sparky only has to cut a hole and tap into the other GPO. 2. Flooring other than mandatory tiling. There are a mill...

Sounds like a cope out. One of a few dictionary definitions... "waste material brought up during the course of an excavation or a dredging or mining operation." Albeit that the definition of clean fill to them would be about right, because if they need to do the opposite and add soil, they...

Most likely. Ring the council!

Not that I am querying Adam.M's authenticity, but it would seem if this is true, that one should just do a raft slab whenever on a H soil? But I am aware that plenty of waffle pods are going down on is H+ sites, even when they are on the low side of the road, and beneath the level of the road. Why ...

As far as the tip is concerned, all I am currently looking for is status quo! As a resident of Brimbank, I totally agree with your comments. I thought that hearsay and assumptions is the wrong way when going about this. BUT! when Boral decided to put up signs like Approved Quarry Future Landfill Si...

Awesome advice and very concise!