surfdude

I've noticed a lot of threads recently about different types of housing and whether or not to build. Just a couple of points, which may be or interest or may not !

I was amazed by the building regulations over here and the way houses are constructed. I call them the house that Bruce built. There's nothing wrong with it but it is certainly different to UK construction, as we know it. I tease my husband that the big bad wolf is going to come along and 'blow the new build down' ! How they withstand cyclones, I don't know.

Basically, they are timber framed (when termites are SO prevalent !). The framed holds everything up ! The bricks surrounding the building are purely to make it look pretty and a bit of insulation.

Hubby is in construction and he was shocked with the differences in AUS build and their regulations, no conduit for the electrics (as well as sockets in bathrooms). Mains water is draped through the timber frame with rubber pipes - no protection should you wish to put up a hanging basket !

As I say, I now understand why it is cheap to build here but it is a shock when you first see one. I could post photos of the process if anyone is interested.

I'm not complaining, just trying to highlight the differences to the newbies, so they know what to expect !

jad n rich

Cyclone Rods and engineering to the wind category.

biggy

We have termimesh installed and also the whole house is tied down with huge tension rods to withstand the cyclones ....if anything the way our house here has been built is far superior to timber framed homes in the UK, the electric sockets in the bathrooms isnt an issue, as all new home have to have hard wired smoke detectors and safety switches installed as standard

surfdude

I understand the wind category system and the safety systems - hubby is an engineer !

I was trying to make the point that people looking on the net would think building a house was cheaper and yes it is - but you do not get the same for your money.

biggy

I would say that we have got more for our money than the houses in the UK.....ffs u ever seen a barret hoose gettin built....they r shockin....walls like bloody paper

the plumber

Having worked on many a building site in the UK.....they are built exactly the same way......but without the fixing rods that hold the whole construction firmly to the base ( UK....its afew 4inch nails )

Go tap on the internal walls of your local wimpy show house.....yes..! ....pasteboard and wooden studding....


all the best plum

PS must admit the plumbing not as good though.....

Ceri

termimesh is not 100% guaranteed you will not get termites, about one in three homes in SEQ will get termites at some point. It is highly recommended you have termite inspections every year here, barriers etc do not stop them in lots of cases. Termites cause millions of damage here in South east every year - it's the worst in Aus for this ( humidity etc, they love it)
Agree with you the majority of buildings are cheaply constructed, and something as simple as hanging weights on a wall ( eg shelves, Tv stands etc) need to be drilled into the wood frames - i.e. you can't just put a heavy shelf up anywhere you please on the walls. ( good hand held gadget in bunnings for this - to locate the frames - about $25)

you can get double brick here , also steel frames if you fork out a little more ( we went against the steel frame ourselves as a friend of ours has a neighbour who has one and he said you can hear it creaking in the mornings from his house - don't know how true this is for all steel homes, but his neighbours were very creeky lol - so decided against it.

One of the previous rentals I was in had a termite outbreak while we were living there ( which had termite barriers, and inspections) - they came up through the "legs" in a wooden pergola/shade which went into a concrete patio and into the wooden frames of the window surrounds - they chewed right through the window frames ( the only part that had wood in this house) and broke out one humid night ( if anyone has had this happening they'll know what I mean - when I say they are absolutely disgusting things - especially the ones without the wings - the soldiers)

Comparing Barret, Wimpy etc homes to Aus homes is not really fair account - Barret homes are not the norm for everyone in the Uk, they are cheaply constructed housing, always have been ever since I can remember - cheap and shoddy, and were designed for cheap starter homes going way back when I was a wee girl lol. I've always thought anyone who buys those homes must be mad. - most people do live in solid brick constructed houses in the UK, and not single brick with wood framed homes. Most people in Brisbane with "brick homes" live in single bricked homes with wood framed homes - it is on a far greater scale here than it is in the uk- it's the norm for here in Brisbane - bung 'em up. Anyone buying shoddy Barret homes etc, well they have always been a cheap option back there.
you get what you pay for, here in Aus and there in the UK . But Brisbane as a whole - the homes are cheaply made - all surfaces, and single frames -Britain it is not, except for those obnoxious cheap Barret/wimpy homes etc which are gaining popularity in recent years because they fit the budget of some peoples pockets. You could fork out extra for double brick if you want a solid home.

cheers

biggy

must be a scottish thing then....most of the houses that were going up before we left were all wooden frame "kit" houses with single brick on the outside..........it is very expensive to build a solid brick house.

we had a 100 year old house back in Scotland...the old Lathe and plaster walls......it was a shit to hang anything off...u had to search for the wooden studs so u could hand stuff on, mind u same goes for the gyproc walls anything heavy at all had to be hung from the studs....even the "specialised hangings" I didnt trust.

Yeah termites are buggers........we have been advised to walk round and check the house on a monthly basis, as aparently u can sometimes see the little buggers on the outside of the house.......you should also keep gardens away from the house walls. and think twice about attaching wooden pergolas etc to the actual house as this along with simply leaning stuff up against the house will breech the termi barrier........the little chewy b*stards that they r

biggy

thankfully we have a superb plumber....not as superb as u I am sure lol but I have heard a few horror stories

ABCDiamond

Same as in Kent when I was last back there Most houses that I saw being built were Wimpy ones.

biggy

aye like hen hooses built on a postage stamp and they had the cheek to call it a garden lol

the plumber

If your worried about termites .......why not build a steel framed house instead.....thats what we're doing......other benefits are stronger construction and all the window/door openings are already pre-jammed , which makes there installation a lot easier.....


all the best plum

surfdude

Too late for us, our build is at 'lock up' stage. Just out of interest, is it a lot more expensive for a steel frame ?

the plumber

With the people i'm going through .....not really , we've gone for zinc coated steel ,which comes with a 50 yr warranty.


all the best plum