Tradies and professionals

A professional integrator can ensure your home automation system works seamlessly every time.

Most architects and building designers will do a great job of explaining and guiding you through the process - but having a clear understanding of how to engage them from the outset can make things much easier.

To choose the right architect, you will need to understand what sort of work they specialise in, how they charge, where they work, how you'll get along with them and where best to look.

Learn how to find the right builders - and how to get things right at the quotation stage so that you avoid the most common problems with building contracts.

Not many people know the difference between an architect and a building designer. They’re both employed to design buildings – and they share many common skills and offer very similar services. Find out what the difference is.

Lots of people think ‘interior designer’ and ‘interior decorator’ are exactly the same profession. This isn’t the case though. Find out what the difference is between interior designers, decorators, stylists and architects.

Hiring a properly trained bathroom designer’s the best to ensure that you’re getting a stunning, expertly finished bathroom, and that every practical issue has been completely considered and accounted for.

We'll keep saying it till we're blue in the face - hiring the right builder is easily one of the most important decisions you'll make when building your home.

While it’s most likely your windows will be installed by a professional, there are a number of precautions it’s useful to be aware of during this process.

When building or renovating a home, your windows will often need to be stored securely prior to installation. Windows can be an expensive building component, especially...

Although most consumers will never personally install a window, there are checks that can be undertaken to ensure your windows are fitted properly. Poorly installed windows...

Asbestos sheets, when broken, can cause cancer. They are often found in older houses, where they were used for insulation purposes.

It's important that you only have licensed technicians do work on your air conditioners. Find out about the different types of air conditioning licenses.

Ever wonder what it takes to make a home 'smarter' - or who to call to make that happen? Learn more about custom installers, what they do and how they do it.

If you're renovating an older home, there's a fair chance you'll come across asbestos. Because it's so dangerous, laws exist about how it should be handled, and by whom.

An overview of a typical electrical installation in a home from the local pole transformer, to the service fuse and to your switchbox.

Find out why DIY solar hot water kits are dangerous, and how they're likely to cost you much more than you bargained for.

Door installation needn't be complicated, but if you're retrofitting or moving doors, it pays to know what options are available, and what's involved with installing a door.

The Federal Government’s generous REC scheme and high feed-in tariff rates, although reduced in Victoria and abolished in New South Wales, have been responsible for the installation of numerous solar PV inverter systems. But many of them are not necessarily up to scratch, writes Phil Kreveld.

There are special laws and regulations in place in Australia that control to how gas appliances should be chosen, who can install them and who can maintain them. Here's what you need to know.

While you're not expected to know all of the regulations inside and out, understanding the basics can definitely help you ensure that your plumbing's what it's meant to be.

Everyone knows plumbers work with pipes - but most people don't realise just how many pipes there are hidden around their houses, and how important their functions are to so many things.

Plumbing is much more than just fixing leaky taps. Find out what sorts of things plumbing involves, and what aspects of your home require a plumber.

Find out what steps are required to install the plumbing in your home - from the design stage all the way through to testing and compliance certificates.

What sort of insulation can you install yourself - and when might you need to hire a professional do the job properly? Find out more about what's required to install different sorts of acoustic insulation.

Read our simple guide on what to expect if you're planning on getting solar panels installed. Find out what to look for, who to talk to and how to get a deal that suits you.

If you’re considering wind power as an option, there are a few questions you'll need to be able to answer to make sure it's right for your needs, and to ensure you know what to look for.

Find out what's involved with DIY solar systems, what kinds of regulatory issues you may face, what parts need to be done by a licensed professional and how it works out in terms of costs and savings.

In Australia, there are certain laws and regulations that exist to ensure that only accredited tradespeople do certain parts of an installation. Find out who needs to install your solar system, and why.

Depending on the work you need done, you may need to give a little thought to who's going to do plumbing or gasfitting work in your home. Read our guide on how to choose the right plumber.

There's not much electrical work you're legally allowed to do for yourself in Australia. Find out when you need to hire an electrician, and how to find the right one.

Choosing great tradies is easy if you know what you're doing. Follow these basic rules to ensure that the tradies you find are right for the job, fairly priced, skilled, reliable and professional.

If you're serious about lighting in your home, a lighting designer can work with architects or designers to create unique, captivating and functional illumination.

Once upon a time - not all that long ago - kitchens were arranged on very basic terms by people who didn’t particularly know (or care) how they’d be used.