
Gap between Neighbour Wall and Retaining Wall
super advice this, I had a neighbour just pile sand up against my weatherboards in a similar situation.

building second storey on 1960s brick home
Should be fine, The tile roof is heavy and lots of load floor load can be distributed to existing internal walls or to new posts. A lightweight build top floor…

Stormwater runoff from neighbour
Hard to say from that photo, generally normal run off from natural surfaces are allowed, run off from hard surfaces should be to stormwater drain. Driveways on council land don’t…

Direct Fix Battern Ceiling - AS 1684 Racking Forces
Rondo is easier here I agree. You need an alternative for the bracing, maybe steel strapping?

Stormwater runoff from neighbour
What is a drexel? photos would help understand the situation

Moving stone waterfall island
The epoxy glue won’t dissolve. Best option would be to get a stonemason if you plan to reuse it. They will be able to diamond saw cut along the join…

Exposed Joists and Plywood Ceiling Construction methods for
3m is a long way between rafters, you could prop midspan, maybe clamping someone between rafters temporarily.

Scraping a vacant block
The vegetation is not a bad thing. If there is no rubble, consider Roundup to kill the vegetation.
We have miserable red clay and exposed dirt was a nightmare for builders…

Does laminex get coloured on site?
The carcasses are normally white inside, the doors and end panels are coloured. You can specify coloured internals if you want.

Exposed Joists and Plywood Ceiling Construction methods for
Sure this is the easiest way to build it, sandwich the ceiling between the rafter and roofing batten or counter batten if you need extra insulation space.

Beam and Post schedule - should I care about this?
Don’t care about it too much, especially if you are not knowledgeable. The engineering will be correct and if the builder can do it cheaper in timber the engineer will…

Nogging standard size
normal, allowed under framing code, good because you can feed cables easier if they are forgotten

Is my sparky trying to rip me off?
Don’t pay him, each drum is 100m, he probably used 10m tops of each cable.
Pay him $70x 2 and $100 for cable, which is generous. Consider it lucky he billed…

Running drainage under length of driveway
under the concrete unless you need to access it, A driveway can be saw cut if needed. If it was under the hedge it would need to be deeper. I’m…

Electrical question
The 1.5mm2 smaller cable can’t safely take 20A, the MCB has to protect the cable by limiting the current in this case to 16A, It needs to be done, you…

Electrical question
I’m confused, it looks like a GPO wired with 2.5mm2 cable feeding a light cable that is smaller. Technically the size of the MCB is determined by the smallest cable…

Besser block retaining garden beds
You can get dry stack core fill blocks too that interconnect, haven’t seen them for sale, need mortar for bottom layer to get a level start

Best pavers (supplies) in Sydney
Quality is hard to assess, porcelain pavers might do better on a concrete base too. Just pick what you like at a price you can afford. TFO is pretty good…

Side wall of house is 10mm too close to boundary line (nsw)
Pretty common situation, don’t stress, surveying is pretty accurate but not to the mm, and might change if different survey marks are used. Sometimes people build 20mm off in built…

Besser block retaining garden beds
second that, you need mortar. I assume it is stepped? You could also consider cast insitu, Form in up and pour all at once, footing can be included in the…

Cut and Fill
Super idea that Phil, I grew up in a house with sunken lounge slab on ground and 2 steps up to dining, kitchen and entry, which was all on bearers…

Roof insulation and Anticon blanket
Not sure, the builder preferred it, saves on using battens, I would personally prefer rafters at 900 intervals and battens at 600, easier to run wiring too if something was…

Structural design questions to raise house 3m
I think you need to start with what you want, not the price. Not many houses start with such a large suspended concrete slab. What about timber, what about ultrafloor…

Bad rot in framing post
I would just leave it or bolt a new longer gal angle bracket on the other faces. Anything that can trap water will make it rot more. Can’t see the…

Neighbours extension on our side of boundary
you really need an identification survey to locate her building with respect to the boundary. It might only be a few cm over. Small encroachments like that can be common…

Roof insulation and Anticon blanket
It sounds like blanket is not included so you probably have enough. That said we have a similar roof with R3.5 and the rain noise wakes the kids up all…

Box Gutter Undersized or Extreme Weather Event?
if you want to know for sure get is assessed according to the standard As3500, if not compliant take it further

CC Architectural Drawings
I’m no expert but did my own recently. I copied from a family member’s reno.
The CC drawings need all the details to show the build complies with the NCC
eg
window sizes…

NEW concrete pool problems - leaking shell??
as stated in the previous post the concrete chemical reactions will continue and should become more watertight

Angle Grinder Spatter/Burn in Aggregate Driveway
you could try a pressure washer first or test a small area with dilute acid, too much acid you might destabilise the aggregate