What is your biggest property turn-off?
HouzzAU
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (57)
telperien
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agoRelated Discussions
What's your biggest design regret?
Comments (51)Our apartment is perfect for my partner and I as we love monochrome, soft colours and grey! The owners before us loved the red and black combo so added a HUGE red glass panel stuck onto the black caesarstone splashback as a feature. They did something similar in the bathroom over marble (gasp!) and in the study they replaced the inbuilt black wooden desk with red wood laminate. As it is super expensive to replace marble and caeserstone it is something we can't do right now and have to live with it. I tend to block it out of my mind... It's horrid....See MoreYour patio cover or deck might be in a bushfire zone….so what next?
Comments (0)You can see the bush from your back door or you’ve heard from ‘Bill’ down the road, who thinks that the street might be classed as being within a bushfire zone – so what now? The bushfire zone & processing can all be a little confusing at first, especially if you haven’t tackled it before; but relax, there IS a way through it. Building even in the highest level bushfire zone doesn’t stop you from building, it just impacts & limits what your material options are. Have a look at this outdoor living, deck & patio cover we created at West Pymble. This construction actually ticked pretty much every box. Development Application through Ku-ring gai Council There is an easement running right under the deck The property is classed as BAL FZ – to put it simply that means we couldn’t use any timber within the construction So can you tell? Does the finished result look so far different to what you had in your mind? Being classed as a BAL Flame Zone (FZ) doesn’t mean the end of your outdoor living dream. To learn more about this particular deck/patio cover outdoor living area in West Pymble, click through here to go through to the case study. Essentially there are 3 first steps that you need to take to find out IF you are in a BAL zone & if you are, what zone you actually are. Step One – Confirm if you are in bushfire prone land This can be done quickly & for free a number of ways. If you have recently bought the home, dig out all of your paperwork/contract of sale etc & look for a council document titled ‘149 (2)(5) Certificate’. This will have a section which advises if you are located in bushfire prone land. Alternatively, check online via the NSW Rural Fire Service website. Just plug in your street address & it will come up a yeah or a neah. Easy; however & remember that this is only step one. Step Two – Confirm your BAL Zone Huh?? What’s a BAL Zone I hear you ask? This is the biggest piece in the puzzle & without this we really don’t know where we are heading. For instance, it might be obvious that you are in a BAL Zone, but there might be a house between you & the bush, so the level could be either BAL 29 or BAL 40. In terms of construction this could be the difference of timber vs no timber for your deck or being able to use light panels or not within your patio cover. So this changes the aesthetics, feel, materials & cost of your project. BAL = Bushfire Attack Level & it is a calculation based upon the amount of radiant heat which may affect your property. The higher the level of radiant heat, the more protection you will need when you construct. So what are the BAL zones? Have a look at the table in thelink to get the full picture. BAL LOW is the lowest bushfire risk & BAL FZ the highest. Your BAL Zone is determined by a number of factors where you live including, the vegetation surrounding you, the distance of this vegetation from your home & the slope of the land. Whether you are planning the construct via a Development Application through your local council or via CDC (Complying Development Certificate) through a PCA you will require a written BAL report. Some Local Councils can provide this service or even local private bushfire consultants are available as well. If you are putting it into the too hard basket, we are here to obtain this report for you, so don’t stress. Step Three – Material & Design Selection You have now found out your BAL zone, so you can understand what material options are available to you & get the best design for your outdoor living area. This blog will help you understand your design options. Essentially, the higher the BAL level, the greater the risk, thus the more limitations there are on the materials you can select for your patio cover or deck outdoor living area. We’ve created the tables in the link to try & keep it simple & clear to understand – however, keep in mind that this is very generalised & you will need to seek further advice prior to proceeding with any construction....See MorePOLL: What is your biggest challenge working from home?
Comments (30)I've been working from home for many, many years, but it took me until a little over a year ago to finally refurnish my office to be efficient and comfortable, after years of putting up with major inconveniences. Then hubby decided to sell the house and move! The house we are buying had built-in's in the office that looked great but were totally unsuitable for my needs. Hubby was quite upset when I made it a condition of the purchase that the seller rip all the built-ins out and make good to create an empty space. I then set about drawing a scaled plan of the room and scaled models of all my office furniture and arranging it on the plan. Works okay. Nowhere near as great as the office I am leaving behind - primarily because it lacks the lovely sunny corner in which I placed a favourite comfortable reading chair. And one credenza has to live inside the built-in wardrobe with the bookcase that was above it fixed on the wall above my desk. But it will work reasonably well overall. I do, however, need to buy a good office chair. I dumped mine in the move after making do with a hard pillow to compensate for the broken back and seat height adjusters! My major challenge, for many years, has been a weak local internet connection. Hopefully that will not be a problem in our new home. It was a bad spot, but NBN was connected recently so fingers crossed it's all good now....See MoreTurning Attic into an extra room
Comments (0)Turning an attic into a room can add worth to your property value and additional space for the members of your household. Many old houses were built with slanting roofs and still have more space and available height that makes the attic easier to convert and not so expensive to pull off. There are many things to consider before undertaking the job. Building codes can make permits impossible to obtain if certain structural and safety requirements are not met. Roof design, structural integrity, and support, accessibility, light sources, clearance, comfort, and safety are matters of the utmost importance. All of these things need to be considered before your conversion begins. Converting your attic into an extra room needs planning. Step 1 Enter the penthouse to assess its condition and suitability for conversion. If the attic has post, but no floors, take a slab of wooden planks with you so you can roam around and take some pictures and make some measurements of the Step 2 Take a photo of the rafters you see on the sides of the roof. If your joists are heavy rafters without the addition of brackets attaching them to the floor joists, you probably have an attic that is good for conversion. The brackets indicate a truss frame which may involve raising the expensive roof to allow for the attic conversion. Step 3 Measure the free space in your attic with your tape measure. Attic space has to bet be 10.5 ft at the ridgeline, at least 50% of the completed space must be 7.5 ft in height or more. Step 4 Measure your joists. If the joists are 2x4 or 2x6, they will need to be reinforced to carry the load of floors and furniture. Photos should also be taken here for reference. Step 5 Measure the size and examine the condition of the existing windows. Windows has to be properly insulated and at least 10% of the total floor area. Your measurements need to have a skylight to meet this standard. Step 6 Measure your existing attic access area. Many building codes require a permanent and secure staircase leading to an attic living space. Stairs should be at least 3 feet wide and 13 feet high and rise at an angle of 30 to 35 degrees. Step 7 Hire a Property Service Professional or structural engineer to check your home's foundation and supporting walls to determine if they can handle the added weight of an attic conversion. Step 8 Advertisement Plan a fire exit strategy. A fire escape leading to the roof is a must, as well as safe access via the attic stairs. Step 9 Hire electricians, plumbers, and heating and air conditioning specialists to advise you on what needs to be done to update wiring, provide plumbing, and equip your space for heating and cooling, insulation, and ventilation. Step 10 Contact your local building authority to obtain a building permit and arrange for periodic inspections to make sure your work is in compliance with codes. Step 11 Draw a floor plan to show a hired contractor or to follow yourself if you decide to continue on your own....See Morehavingfun
8 years agowhynottryit
8 years agobobhenderson
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agobobhenderson
8 years agotelperien
8 years agobobhenderson
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoNaomi
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agobobhenderson
8 years agohavingfun
8 years ago7weed1
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agotelperien
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agotelperien
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agotarotlova
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agotelperien
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agoJenny
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoLinda Renzulli
8 years agoFiona
8 years agoolldroo
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoNeryl Hollingsworth
8 years agohavingfun
8 years agoFiona
8 years agobuzzart62
8 years agohow2girl
8 years agooklouise
7 years agobigreader
7 years agoChel Maloney
7 years agoHilde Gard
7 years agoGallifrey
7 years agono
7 years agohavingfun
7 years agoAnn B
7 years agoSydney Local Electricians
7 years agochubbychicky
7 years agolm_helou
7 years agoVy
7 years agohavingfun
7 years ago
jmm1837