Gal will go grey (mid to dark grey) over 12 - 18 months. Initially VERY bright. The energy absorbed changes accordingly, from sub 5% absorbed to ~35%. Zinc maintains brightness for longer, though still suffers some dulling. Say 5% to 15% over time. This can be avoided by coating with a product called 'Sharkhide' metal protectant, used to stop aluminium boats oxidising. For there reasons many councils will not allow zinc or gal roofing (visual amenity, reflection issues), while making the houses more prone to requiring summer aircon at the same time. Surfmist Colorbond starts around 9% absorbed. If purely for energy reasons, a light colour might be the only option. If going dark, I would suggest at least doing the 'less aesthetically important' sides and rear in a light colour. Your call. If you go all dark, ensure you have good roof space ventilation for the summer that can be closed in the winter, and lots of well installed ceiling level insulation. Spray foam is more reliable over time than batts, see Spray It Solutions or similar (they have the Formaldahyde free Canadian Icenene foam).

Read this first from Consumer Affairs Vic: Complaints about your manager Discuss any concerns with your manager in the first instance. Many complaints or disputes start as misunderstandings and your manager may not be aware of the issue. If this fails, you can: contact the committee or chairperson and clarify the manager’s duties and responsibilities in the contract of appointment. The contract may also set out a process for complaints with the manager make a written complaint to the owners corporation or committee. Your owners corporation is required to have a process for dealing with grievances make a written complaint to Consumer Affairs Victoria apply for an order at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) if your manager is a member of a professional body, make a complaint about any breach of its code of conduct. The complaint may need to be lodged by the owners corporation rather than an individual. _____________________________________ So as a first step (absolutely free) why don't you write a formal written complaint to the Chairperson outlining all the steps you have taken etc & the threats you have received etc. Make the letter logical, chronological & unemotional & include all the reports, emails etc that you have. I would copy this letter to: a) the manager you have been dealing with b) the MD/CEO of Strata Plan c) all other owners d) Consumer Affairs Victoria e) all associations that they belong to - according to their website Strata Plan is an active member of industry associations such as Owners Corporation Victoria, REIV, NCTI f) CEO of the insurance company involved By copying all these people in on the complaint you make it very clear that you are serious & you are not going away. It also applies pressure to Strata Plan to do something.They won't like it & should start talking to you in a sensible way. I would state at the end that if a satisfactory consultation and resolution was not found within 14 days you would be left with no option but to lodge an application with VCAT and engage legal advice. Good luck!

Hi All, well I've been test painting for days and still so unsure. I think the hardest part is deciding on the gutters etc. In the top photo you can see from left to right. Dune full strength, then Jasper at the other end of same gutter, below that is a white called Surfmist and then there is monument on the lower gutter. I quite liked the monument on the gutter but when tried on the wooden fence it was clearly going to be too much darkness and didn't look good. I'm currently trying Jasper on the fence and other areas but its really a brown colour and again over a large area not sure its going to look all that nice and maybe too dark. When trying lighter colours, white and off whites on the trimmings they looked far too start on the dark roof so I think white/s are out for gutters. Can you have a different coloured fence (wooden panels) to the trimmings on the house? I've been assuming they need to match. I'm fairly happy with half dune on the walls. Any other suggestions for trimmings or thoughts on the colours in this photo? Its doing my head in now!! Second photo was house with lighter colours on the gutters - surfmist and dune I think. I tried a vivid white but it was crazy wrong.

Hi Lorena, Given that your aim is to sell within a year this gives us a framework for working up a strategy to get the property to market with the greatest potential ROI. Working back from your realistic sale price expectations you can set a budget for your renovation. I would prioritise the internal upgrades ahead of the exterior. If the internals really appeal, buyers may be more willing to accept compromise on the exterior. On the other hand if it looks great from the outside, but the interior is under done, it may turn buyers off. Marketing images of a great looking interior are bound to drive solid enquiry. Once you have the interior up to speed, you will know how much is still in the kitty to spend on the outside. At the very least get all the currently painted surfaces re-painted, which may also mean some substrate repairs given the coastal location and age of the building. If there is still budget remaining after that, consider your options for the brickwork. Maybe just a professional pressure clean will be enough to freshen it up? Rendering is going to be a big ticket item, so perhaps leave that to the new owner's preference. If an investor buys the property they may even prefer low maintenance brickwork. For colour advice, check out manufacturer web sites such as Dulux and Resene. Paying for a colour consultancy is definitely worth it if you are not confident with picking colours yourself.