Hi Dave,
It certainly looks great but it came at a premium. It worked out at $100 per square metre, and that was just supply cost. I used the 80mm insulation…

Hi,
I've specified concrete floors in the bathroom/laundry. The builder protested using a admix in the slab, so he poured most of the slab, laid a waterproofing membrane, then poured the…

Hi,
Has anyone ever heard of cutting out the thin inner panels in most heritage entrance doors and installing glazing instead? Would it be hard to do?
A few years ago, handymen…

Bonus picture: it's time to choose colours! I will go for Smartstone Vanilla. The kitchen design has waterfall edges so I think a lighter quartzstone mix will clash less with…

Hi Jazzy_, yes I'm living in Annandale at the moment, it's a lovely area but I miss my old stomping ground in south Newtown. I sympathise with your asbestos story.…

I also will have raked ceilings and I've gone for iron -glareshield - battens - foilboard - rafters - foilboard - gyprock. I'm hoping the double air gap will make…

Yes, the builder took it on the chin but I think his willingness to take these things on is swiftly running out. There's a possibility that he's built the parapet…

Thanks; the frame for the suspended ceiling has since been installed and no matter how I look, lighting on three sides of the surround would be clearly visible from the…

Hi,
Firstly, about floor coverings on concrete, yes, timber flooring because they lay battens down to put the flooring on, acts as a barrier for transmission of heat.
Carpet to a lesser…

A homeowner nearby who is doing a renovation was strongly considering SIPs but in NSW at least, he said it didn't yet have engineering approval. The builder who was pushing…

FYI for any interested people, according to this:
viewtopic.php?p=706885
200mm suggested clearance from non-fire-retardant surface. My current kitchen plans have 170mm clearance, with 30mm edge to PVC, I…

I saw that, and I don't think it's good enough that a major manufacturer isn't making available their MSDS on their website to the public. It's not a good look…

Hi & welcome, Yourhome.gov.au has a great explanation on directional aspect and is the best place to start on practical modern home design:
http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs43.html
Essentially, south of Brisbane, the living areas should…

That is indeed very interesting that there doesn't appear to be a MSDS for SmartStone because I have been seriously considering this product. I called them and was told to…

Building standards are done through SAI Global, they sure are expensive. Free copies of the standards are not available.
A good introduction to Adaptable Housing is set out at http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs32.html.…

Have you considered getting a second-hand door? I am looking at affordable alternatives for front doors, and Heritage Building Centre has a decent range. I am also thinking of doing…

I'd considered ICF for quite a long time for my house, but given how sensitive my location is to wall thickness, I've instead gone for lightweight timber framing with Kingspan…

I'm installing a new sewer connection because the old one ran across two other properties in some old earthenware pipes. I don't want to have to deal with that forever,…

Goodness, it sounds like you need a structural engineer to have a look at that.

All the designs are done in Archicad, including plans, 3D projections, and flythroughs. I did a TAFE PLUS course which gave me the basics, and students can get an educational…

I was really liking the look of the Polytec Createc melamine product, but the kitchen builders have suggested that it costs as much as polyurethane.
Are there any more affordable products…

Step lights would be pretty nice. Wall lights on both sides of the front door, high up, would look good too.

Yep, the manufacturer ($up3rIight) puts an acrylic lens over the high-power LED strip. They also said:
LED Turbostrip/Pelmet Lighting - yes the LED Turbostrip is dimmable and I have included a…

It's not as useful to put two layers of bulk insulation next to each other. If you're installing batts and foilboard, make sure to leave 100mm between them if possible,…

It is difficult to retrofit insulation into near-flat roofs. You'll either have to take down the ceiling plasterboard or lift off the roof - the former probably easier and cheaper.
You…

Time for some real photos!

The framing is going up at a furious pace and the cladding will be ready shortly. The builder was very impressed with the Kingspan panels product.…

Hi,
I'm considering a Sydney-based lighting company to supply LED fittings and they have suggested that pelmet LED lighting in the large skylight surround will be enough to light up the…

The framing's going up. I've been conservative with the plans and the builder's been finding extra centimetres here and there. Hopefully I can put some into the upstairs bathroom, anything…

I put my own renovation out to tender and it took about 4 weeks to get all the responses back. I think the speed of tender responses depend on how…

That's 325 pavers, with a few for breakages, then ~335.
(13 x 4) / (0.4 x 0.4)