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Front verandah wall

We have just recently done some renovations on our beach house and the verandah has a 1m high retaining wall at the front.
My query is... Does it class as a normal wall and so requires a balustrade/handrail, or is it still deemed a retaining wall and therefore doesn't come under that ruling?

Question by Dalveen Giles

Underground basement for car parking

Hi

I am going to build a new house and want to have an underground car park.

Can anyone tell me where to find companies that does it in Melbourne.

Also my budget for the underground car park is around $150K, is this a realistic amount?

Thanks

Achmore

Question by Achmore

Aluminium balustrading

Hi

I'm hoping to use aluminium pool fencing (vertical poles as sold by Bunnings) for deck railing (approx 2 metres off the ground) with a horizontal timber railing above it.

Can you please confirm this material is legal to use for this.
Thanks

Question by Chris Thamm

Electric oven clearance and heat

how much heat comes off the side of a oven, I want to know how close can I have timber to the side of the oven ,thank cheers chris

Question by chris cassar

North facing block placements of living areas

hi there,

I have a land/block that is North/Slight East facing.
Details below.
Size 839m2
Width: 26m
East Depth: 26m
West Depth: 39m

I am in process of rebuild on this block of land a double storey home.

I would like to get the orientation as best as i can to get the most of of winter sun largely as this is in canberra and we get almost 6 months of winter and only a couple of months of real hot summer.

Question by sumant gupta

Ceiling recessed cassette type AC unit

Is it possible to just replace the outdoor unit if that is the only problem and still use the existing indoor unit?

Question by Jaymes Nakahara

Restumping Process

Contractors have just begun restumping my weatherboard house (in Victoria) and requested I sign off on the level of the house. This will be after one day of installing the stumps and before the concrete footing being poured.
My question is, how am I to know weather the house is level, and shouldn't this be done by a building inspector before the concrete footing is poured? At what stage is the building inspector involved in the process?
Cheers - Matt

Question by Matt Scully

Gas meter Victoria

We are converting an old factory to be our home and the gas meter is on the inside of the building high on a wall. Not too far from where the oven will go. Do we need to move this outside or can we contain it in a cupboard?

Question by Sue Dight

window and noise insulation

In the very well-written article found at http://www.build.com.au/window-acoustics-and-noise-control and related articles, double-glazing is mentioned, offering up to 57% noise reductions using the configuration given. What configuration or process do airports use to control (and eliminate) airplane noise? What desiccant can be used for a DIY project for a gap of 100 mm)? Silica gel packs? How much per ft2? Will they need to be replaced? What type of caulk or sealant should be used? Is there a way to reduce the noise vibrations by placing the panes on some rubbery or foam-like frame?

Question by peter mare

External Tiles over verandah slab

I want to lay sandstone tiles over the existing verandah slab which surrounds my 12 year old colonial style house. There is an 80 mm step down from the inside, trimmed with brick at the thresholds and visible flashing and peepholes all around the external walls which are protected by a 2 metre wide verandah. If my new tiles come up 30mm or so against this step, do I need to leave a gap so that the flashing and bottom of the weepholes are visible for inspection for dampness and termites?

Question by Elizabeth Wheatley

How to remove sand render

Hi, we are currently renovating a 70's house in WA. In the laundry they have covered the internal brick wall with a VERY sandy render. We are wanting to remove the render and remove some of the paint on the bricks for a rustic kind of feature wall. Just wondering what the best method for removing this render is? I have started with a thin edge paint scraper but this may take forever!! I thought a sandblasted but not sure how that would go as it is inside. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks - Ashleigh

Question by Ashleigh Russell

Front patio flooring

Sometime over the history of my 60 year old house, it was built underneath with a garage directly under the patio. I don't think it should be like this but it can't be changed now.

Up until this weekend, the patio floor was covered with very old, severely deteriorated stick on vinyl tiles, which were stuck onto some kind of board, which was nailed to the original floor boards. I've pulled up the tiles and board they were stuck to and now the floor boards are exposed.

Question by CLC

Timber Doors - glazing

I'm interested to know whether AS2047, AS 1170.2 apply to glazed timber doors in designated cyclone areas? Building codes stipulate compliance is required with these standards. I understand AS1288 applies, but am uncertain about the other two.

Should AS2047 & AS1170.2 also apply to the same doors in non-cyclone designated areas?

Thank you,

Roy

Question by Langfitt Trading

Garage Doors

I am looking at getting a new garage door to replace 2 roller doors that have seen better days. I’m a big fan of the timber-look doors that are quite popular at the moment but I went to Dandenong Garage Doors (stockist of B&D garage doors) to get an idea of price and the guy there literally talked me out of getting a B&D "Timber Coat" door.

Question by Jacqui W

looking for easy/cheap ventilation ideas for a pantry door

Wanted to replace a pantry door which needs to always stand open- in the way -so heat doesn't build up in my pantry, with a louvered ventilated door but can't find any locally in nsw/aust- seems to be an american thing to do. Any suggestions/ideas which are cheap/simple? also looking for someone to install two sliding cavity doors in Penrith district (NSW)

Question by janelle michels

Red dirt under tiles

Hi, We have just had the tiles taken up in the toilet and bathroom floor in preparation for a renovation but under the toilet tiles is a thick, rather earthy smelling red dust. Is this harmful or likely to cause problems with the re-laying of the new floor? The same dust/dirt wasn't under the bathroom floor which was tiled with the same tiles and presumably at the same time (1960's)
thanks

Question by Nat A

A bigger - longer - bath tub

Hi,

I am over 6 feet (180 cm) tall and looking for a longer bath tub if possible.

My current tub is about 710-715 cm wide (or deep) at its widest/deepest and this part is OK - but at the moment i am a bit overweight and itis a BIT of a squeeze.

The tub i have is 1440 mm long/wide, at the maximum, and then there is a shelf at the end of it that is 320 mm wide/long.

Can i go to a tub that is 1700 long, and if it was a bit deeper it would be OK - the extra depth would make up for the lack of extra length.

Question by Allan Smith

Concealed cisterns

Hi,

I needed to know if I could place the Concealed Cistern for a Wall Hung Water Closet on an adjacent wall without placing it exactly behind the WC ? And what would be the repercussions, if any, when done ? I would also like to place both the Cistern and Push Plates on the same adjacent wall. I would appreciate if you could help me out with this as I am about to redesign my toilet very soon.

Thanking You,

Sincerely,

manas misra

Question by manas misra

Cracks in walls and cornices

Hi sorry to bother u but my friend who lives on her own has just had cracks between cornices and walls repaired by a professional tradie a few months ago, and he said he used good quality filler which was moveable, she asked me why the cracks have opened again so soon which is rather disappointing to her, she is 77... This work was done just at the end of winter early spring. My reply to her was there must have been some great movement in her area such as a slight earthquake. etc I was wondering if this comment was correct or what would the reason be please ...

Question by Noelene
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