Northern NSW timber pole frame builder

obi one · Sep 15, 2014 2:08 pm

Can anyone recommend a pole frame builder that specialises working with hardwood poles? We have a bush block and could source our own logs but aren't sure if it's easier to purchase from a supplier as the timber poles will need to be treated anyway. We want the "rustic" look, more timber and corrugated iron rather than the modern definition of a pole home. Has anyone built in the Lismore, Murwillumbah area?

Stewie D · Sep 15, 2014 4:16 pm

Are you in a designated bushfire zone ? If so it may negate the option of having timber poles for the main structural component of your new house.

Stewie

obi one · Sep 15, 2014 5:43 pm

yep, like anywhere with trees it's zoned bushfire zone. There will be significant areas of lawn around the proposed site to reduce the BAL. vegetation is wet sclerophyll tending rainforest to also moderate the BAL.

Stewie D · Sep 15, 2014 7:04 pm

So from that rating have you seen what they will or will not let you build with in terms of building materials on the external face of your house ?

Stewie

obi one · Sep 15, 2014 7:30 pm

not yet, but the main cladding was planned to be corrugated iron. We would also gravel mulch around the perimeter. I'm expecting verandas to have stipulated spacing between the decking boards with heat check sheeting fastened underneath. I'll also be implementing APZ burns to manage the fuel arrangement.

As I work in fire management, I won't divulge my thoughts on reactive building requirements applied in response to catastrophic wildfires.

Stewie D · Sep 15, 2014 8:47 pm

My experience of building in a bushfire prone area is only with two places that I drew plans for and before we went too far into the design we got a local RFS guy on board who told us what we could and couldn't do.
I'd suggest a similar approach although your council should have most of that info up on their website depending on how tech savvy they are too.
One house was in the blue Mountains council and the other in Warringah council.
if yours is missing a lot of this info I'd suggest looking at the Blue Mountains website as it pretty much covers most things your council and the fireys report will be looking for.
You can probably still build a pole house as long as the poles are rated hardwood and the usual restrictions are adhered to.

Stewie

obi one · Sep 16, 2014 6:29 pm

Thanks Stewie. I'll check out the Blue Mountains website but I'd expect the requirements for building down there should exceed what's required up here due to the volatile flammability of the vegetation and the topography and weather patterns. Still, governments do love one glove fitting all approaches.

Stewie D · Sep 17, 2014 11:05 am

Quote:

Still, governments do love one glove fitting all approaches.

Amen to that one !
Recently I lodged a DA on behalf of a client who had a slope on his land of 1m over the width of his block - 15m. Despite the fact that this is probably a 4 -5% slope the local council still demanded a preliminary geotech report as their property was in a designated " slip zone ". $600 later - thanks for coming.

Stewie

obi one · Sep 17, 2014 8:17 pm

Stewie, been wading through the fire planning docs, do rural developments need to be located within 200m of a public or council maintained road as stipulated in the BAL assessment tool? The block we're keen on already has power delivered to the only (as far as we are concerned) building site but's it easily 300m as the crow flies from road frontage. It's more like 400m travelling via the driveway.

Stewie D · Sep 17, 2014 8:43 pm

Not sure on that one. My experience of rural building in the last ten years is limited to about 4 DA's and they all had existing power and road access. I'd be looking to ask some of these questions at your council or in this case your local RFS dept. If you get one of the more senior local fireys on board they'd be able to answer most of the questions as they would probably be asked these on a regular basis.

Stewie