Especially Councils.
Browse Forums General Discussion Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 22Mar 29, 2016 7:51 am Even when you anticipate that a certain task should take a certain amount of time, don't bank on it being completed within that time frame. The biggest thing we've learned is not to look to far ahead of where we are right now. Trying to properly plan a building project requires so much contingency that it's impossible to anticipate a realistic completion date. Look for short term wins, and just run through the list of tasks, item by item. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 23Mar 29, 2016 1:04 pm If your build includes a box drain then change your design. Avoid box drains at all costs. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 24Mar 29, 2016 1:19 pm If by box drain u mean basically pumping water up hill, then fully agree, has no electricity means you end up flooding.we built on big slope and got a fabulous house with a very honest very knowledgeable builder in which we came up with a agreement that suited both parties, but I still learned learned learned and was involved fully in every thing, arm yourselves with knowledge. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 25Mar 29, 2016 6:24 pm I think they may be referring to box gutters perhaps? Box gutters are fine as long as they are designed properly, and installed properly, with overflow spouts. And also clean tour gutters out on a regular basis like you should anyway. Due to the nature of our house all of our gutters are concealed box gutters and because they are over sized with plenty of downpipes they cope fine with Queensland storms, even hail storms. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 26Mar 29, 2016 7:16 pm Decka building-expert Reputation can be just mist in your eyes, it could blind you just enough until it is too late. Why? I deal with disreputable things done by reputable builders every week. Doesn't make sense, I take it that when choosing a building inspector we should disregard any reputations and go with any person? Reputations are there to assist in making decisions and whilst not a guarantee of not having dramas it is used to hopefully minimise the chances. The thing about reputation is that it is a measure of past performance and is no guarantee of future performance. Whilst probability is on your side if you choose someone on reputation you have to be careful. There is no substitute for vigilance and monitoring. How many times have I heard my clients say "we trusted his reputation", to their regret? Too many times to count. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 27Mar 29, 2016 10:56 pm building-expert Decka building-expert Reputation can be just mist in your eyes, it could blind you just enough until it is too late. Why? I deal with disreputable things done by reputable builders every week. Doesn't make sense, I take it that when choosing a building inspector we should disregard any reputations and go with any person? Reputations are there to assist in making decisions and whilst not a guarantee of not having dramas it is used to hopefully minimise the chances. The thing about reputation is that it is a measure of past performance and is no guarantee of future performance. Whilst probability is on your side if you choose someone on reputation you have to be careful. There is no substitute for vigilance and monitoring. How many times have I heard my clients say "we trusted his reputation", to their regret? Too many times to count. 100 percent agree Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 28Mar 30, 2016 9:18 am Patience. You need buckets of it. Which I don't have so I am slowly going crazy haha. Basically, everything takes longer than you would think it should or will. You either need to be really laid back or just remember that long term you will be living in a beautiful house. My blog: tashandpaul.wordpress.com Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 29Mar 30, 2016 9:42 am TashPaul Patience. You need buckets of it. Which I don't have so I am slowly going crazy haha. Basically, everything takes longer than you would think it should or will. You either need to be really laid back or just remember that long term you will be living in a beautiful house. I concur on patience - plus lowering your expectations on build time. I'm so impatient myself but forumone has been a great help for me, on being realistic of what to expect (or not to) and when. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 30Mar 30, 2016 9:43 am For us, the lesson learned is, do not be complacent with everything the builder does, you need to be very vigilant because they are not sharp enough to follow or read what's on the contract and drawings especially if there are revisions or post variations done. Fortunately, me and my husband are doing our own watch list and and keen enough to point what is in the contract and what is not. We use to read a lot on stuff we are not so familiar with which turned out we know more now than the builders staff. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 31Mar 30, 2016 12:50 pm I have an update on this lovely thread. The most valuable thing i have learned is dont expect the colour you choose to come out as planned. Surfmist render something went wrong and i now have a green house Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 32Mar 30, 2016 5:34 pm teigs1 I have an update on this lovely thread. The most valuable thing i have learned is dont expect the colour you choose to come out as planned. Surfmist render something went wrong and i now have a green house I hope my surfmist painted render doesn't turn out green! Is it throwing from a colour beside it? Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 34Mar 30, 2016 5:44 pm teigs1 Nope just green even up close How green? Sorry to hear it. Did you ask the painter to come back? Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 35Mar 30, 2016 5:57 pm Its like a dull green, light olive, i havent taken a pic. But they think it is the tint that they were given. Its like super strength ! It is our friend who did it so my partner is wanting to wait to paint it in a couple of months to like a half strength surfmist Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 36Mar 31, 2016 12:16 pm Paint a spare metre of plaster board with sample colour and move it around the house, avoid having multiple color samples on wall at same time, as you will end up considering a colour in a way it wont be on your wall. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 37Mar 31, 2016 12:46 pm Joker Paint a spare metre of plaster board with sample colour and move it around the house, avoid having multiple color samples on wall at same time, as you will end up considering a colour in a way it wont be on your wall. This is a good tip. I did this when we were trying to pick the colour for our theatre room. I moved the painted piece of plaster around the room to see which colour I preferred. Works well ?? Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 39Apr 08, 2016 9:58 am 1960sModernistHome I think they may be referring to box gutters perhaps? Box gutters are fine as long as they are designed properly, and installed properly, with overflow spouts. And also clean tour gutters out on a regular basis like you should anyway. Due to the nature of our house all of our gutters are concealed box gutters and because they are over sized with plenty of downpipes they cope fine with Queensland storms, even hail storms. Sorry yes Box Gutter. I have one at the front of my house and it has been nothing but trouble. Flooded the main bedroom twice now. Re: The Most Valuable Lesson You Have Learnt? 40Apr 08, 2016 10:16 am On render colours we purchased the sample pots and painted flower pots and tiles with the render colours. We then looked at them in shade and sun light to get the combinations down. Hi Everyone I learned something this week that I thought would be worth sharing. In NSW a lot of developers of subdivisions put covenants on the land which normally… 0 6580 Thank you. That is really helpful. Once we get the place done and passed for OC we can upgrade in the future once we get back on our feet and not paying mortgage and rent. 4 5745 The worst thing you can do is sign a building contract without a pre contract review. Over the years many people have come to me with disputes where they just signed… 0 8351 |