Termites and Lean tos
 

I am paranoid about termites.

I really need a garden shed and although our flat block is 880m2 and our house is tiny apparently there is no where suitable according to 2 shed men.

So up the side of my house I have a gap 1550 wide and I thought - ahha - lets put a lean to there as it is on the unused, away from the main entrance side. I am worried though about termites and the potential to create a path from the perimeter fence to the house.

I have read heaps of guidelines but cannot find anything that guides on gap needed between house and fence - or rather lean to to house. Anyone know where I can find out building code guidelines?

thanks!

Vivienne

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

You can get half-width sheds.

http://www.buyashed.com.au/garden-sh...s-c-11_44.html

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

Hi

Yes I saw those - its weird though. My husband works away most of the time so I thought stuff it I will just get everything I want done to the house done while he is away and I dont have to ask him any favours. So I called two firms out and they muttered lots about clearance to the fence, not being able to get anything in there, clearance to existing slab etc and then said - your shed would have to be 1200 - gap is 1600

Of course 1200 wont fit anything like the amount I want to put in there as I am converting the garage into an office and the other large shed has been converted into a granny flat.

So that leaves me with a building worth of tools that need to be stored.

One said, you could build a lean to on the side but you should get council approval. So I am currently looking into lean tos - I have a british carpenter working at the house for a month just getting most things done but I ahve also frightened him now with the termite rules issue :)

Vivienne

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

I have termites at the moment. Found them when the telstra man came to look at what was wrong with our phone. He took the point off the wall and found loads of termites.
Cost $500 dollars to get rid of them and another $2100 to install an up to date termite barrier, little bastards:curse:

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

Just stick a couple of those slim ones hard up against the fence.

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

but then when I put down the slab - don't I then create a bridge from the fence to the house?

Viv

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

Not if the slab for the shed finishes no where near the house. They only require a slab 8-900mm wide and you've got 1600 ish.

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

You don't need the barrier. Annual inspections work just as well. If you have two inspections in a year and they are both clear you can get annual insurance against damage (rentokil)
$500 seems cheap to get rid of them...what are they doing? We have had them, but the floor came up and was destroyed and replaced. Clear for four years now:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

I have been looking at it - and $500 does seem cheap. we dont have them I dont think but I am about to book a new inspection - last one a year ago was clear. I can see some activity on the bottom fence that is 800m from the house though so I am guessing they can be right around the perimeter.

We have a studio being converted and I dont think the supports for the plasterboard were treated adequately so I am going to put a barrier around that part.

Thank you for that shed link - the sheds there look cheaper than the ones I was looking at and the same makes. I have a slab that protrudes around the house and so I guess pushing up against the fence would make sense. Will just have to see if I can get one with doors on each end instead of down the middle

thanks!
Vivienne

Re: Termites and Lean tos
 

In most areas you have to have 1.2 metres between any building, including sheds, and the boundary of the block, things like eaves can be much closer to the boundary. In most states the building regulations are available on the net.

There are termites in our area so we had the garden shed built of brick on a slab, we've also got re-enforced steel security bars in the roof.