Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Obscure windows 3Feb 05, 2019 10:25 pm Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Obscure windows 5Feb 06, 2019 12:41 am Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Obscure windows 10Feb 06, 2019 8:18 am blackcat20 M had all our upstairs windows as obscured (except the front); I pulled up the legislation and got the ones overlooking our own backyard removed. The two side ones are ridiculous; one looks at the neighbours roof and the other an empty block (so technically shouldnt have been obscured). Exactly. That’s what we have here too. Unnecessary ones as well. We don’t even have windows at the back of our house. Which makes it feel even more isolated. When I went to change it. They said it’s too late. Plans have been submitted. I reckon Metricon just did what’s easier? Don’t you think? viewtopic.php?t=86597 Re: Obscure windows 11Feb 06, 2019 8:46 am Doulton777 blackcat20 M had all our upstairs windows as obscured (except the front); I pulled up the legislation and got the ones overlooking our own backyard removed. The two side ones are ridiculous; one looks at the neighbours roof and the other an empty block (so technically shouldnt have been obscured). Exactly. That’s what we have here too. Unnecessary ones as well. We don’t even have windows at the back of our house. Which makes it feel even more isolated. When I went to change it. They said it’s too late. Plans have been submitted. I reckon Metricon just did what’s easier? Don’t you think? viewtopic.php?t=86597 They seem to default to the strictest option. Our supervisor said we should have asked for film rather than obscured glass so we could remove it later Fortunately one is the room I run my business out of, and the other our study so not such a big deal. Re: Obscure windows 12Feb 06, 2019 10:54 am blackcat20 Doulton777 blackcat20 M had all our upstairs windows as obscured (except the front); I pulled up the legislation and got the ones overlooking our own backyard removed. The two side ones are ridiculous; one looks at the neighbours roof and the other an empty block (so technically shouldnt have been obscured). Exactly. That’s what we have here too. Unnecessary ones as well. We don’t even have windows at the back of our house. Which makes it feel even more isolated. When I went to change it. They said it’s too late. Plans have been submitted. I reckon Metricon just did what’s easier? Don’t you think? viewtopic.php?t=86597 They seem to default to the strictest option. Our supervisor said we should have asked for film rather than obscured glass so we could remove it later Fortunately one is the room I run my business out of, and the other our study so not such a big deal. Yep that’s what we thought too. Originally ours had the film. Then they changed it to embedded. We told them no. They said it was councils regulations. Then we went and checked with council. They said no we allow film. And it only has to be 1700mm off the floor. We told metricon this. And they said that our consultant told us the wrong info. But they are still putting the embedded in. It went back and forth with us and management. Then in the end they made 3 of them with film. And 5 embedded. They gave it a little. Why should others have the privacy for them at our expense? I mean why should it be ok for them to see out Cos they got there first? But we can’t. It’s a ridiculous screwed up rule that never should have been invented. When we built our other house with PD. We were the first ones there. Big double story. No one had to have obscure then. It’s just so unfair. If they had to go by who pays the highest rates. Then we would win by far. We got the 2nd biggest block in this estate. And the biggest house. Maybe they should look at that instead. viewtopic.php?t=86597 Re: Obscure windows 13Feb 06, 2019 10:56 am Our council says you only have to obscure if the building permit for the adjacent block is already approved. None for our neighbour as yet but I couldn't be bothered pushing it. Re: Obscure windows 14Feb 06, 2019 11:21 am blackcat20 Our council says you only have to obscure if the building permit for the adjacent block is already approved. None for our neighbour as yet but I couldn't be bothered pushing it. They may end up having film on their windows. It’s usually done at the end. That’s what they did with some of ours. viewtopic.php?t=86597 Re: Obscure windows 15Feb 06, 2019 11:22 am Oh I mean there's no permit for next door yet. Still a vacant block, so we could have had that window changed. Re: Obscure windows 16Feb 06, 2019 11:25 am blackcat20 Oh I mean there's no permit for next door yet. Still a vacant block, so we could have had that window changed. Oh ok. I thought you meant all your neighbours lol. Sorry my misunderstanding. viewtopic.php?t=86597 Re: Obscure windows 17Feb 06, 2019 8:03 pm Just to help everyone understand what the regulations are regarding overlooking. Taken from the VBA regulations 2018 A habitable room window or raised open space of a building on an allotment must not provide a direct line of sight into a habitable room window or on to a secluded private open space of an existing dwelling on an adjoining allotment. secluded private open space" means any part of private open space on an allotment— (a) which is screened for at least 90% of its perimeter by a wall, fence or other barrier that is at least 1·5 m high and that has no more than 25% of its area open; and (b) which is primarily intended for outdoor recreation activities. So a back yard is covered by the overlooking requirements. You can complain that something is unfair but the requirements are there to make sure that developments are sympathetic to all. There are plenty of design options that mean you don't have to have obscured glazing on the whole window, it's just a matter of a little bit of prior thought. Windows facing the street or your own back yard are a basic thing to do to limit the overlooking issue. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 Re: Obscure windows 18Feb 06, 2019 9:24 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We did this with a couple of our bedroom windows. They overlook the roof of the house next door but they had massive privacy concerns so this was the end result. I actually like it better than the other room that doesn’t have the obscured panel as the sky and tree tops are a much nicer view without the roof. Re: Obscure windows 19Feb 06, 2019 9:40 pm chippy Just to help everyone understand what the regulations are regarding overlooking. Taken from the VBA regulations 2018 A habitable room window or raised open space of a building on an allotment must not provide a direct line of sight into a habitable room window or on to a secluded private open space of an existing dwelling on an adjoining allotment. secluded private open space" means any part of private open space on an allotment— (a) which is screened for at least 90% of its perimeter by a wall, fence or other barrier that is at least 1·5 m high and that has no more than 25% of its area open; and (b) which is primarily intended for outdoor recreation activities. So a back yard is covered by the overlooking requirements. You can complain that something is unfair but the requirements are there to make sure that developments are sympathetic to all. There are plenty of design options that mean you don't have to have obscured glazing on the whole window, it's just a matter of a little bit of prior thought. Windows facing the street or your own back yard are a basic thing to do to limit the overlooking issue. Isn't there a rule if it's 9 meters away then it's fine? Re: Obscure windows 20Feb 06, 2019 9:45 pm Correct. That's why windows facing the street and the backyard are normally fine. It's the side windows that are often only a couple of metres from the boundary that need to comply. Accessible Carpentry & Cabinets accessiblecarpentry@gmail.com accessiblecarpentry.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pages/Accessible-Carpentry-Cabinets/583314911709039 There is evidence of water on the head reveals. That could have happened during the build, or may be happening currently. There are water stains above a couple of windows… 2 3819 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10453 Hi, I'm planning to build a new house and wanted to get some feedback on the different window designs for a master bedroom. Our bedroom is north facing and the bed will… 0 4552 |