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We need a simple and agreed way of self-assessing and quality assuring building work against the regulations. Jerry Tyrrell pleads for clarity. Journalists are taught to write a ‘hook’ at the beginning of an article to grab the reader’s attention. Gun violence in the United States kills or injures more than 100,000 people a year … Continued
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Jerry Tyrrell explains what ‘we’ need to do… because no else will. I’ve been watching our industry for nearly 50 years. Mistakes cost us a fortune every year. I reckon we waste over $5b on rectification or maintenance work we don’t like doing. This money could be spent on schools and hospitals. Most … Continued
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The Australian Building Codes Board has made the NCC available for free online, so what about standards? Jerry Tyrell believes it could be a winning formula. The Australian Building Codes Board provided the NCC (the BCA) for free earlier this year (Yay! Yippee! Woohoo!) and after speaking at September’s Building Australia’s Future Conference the last question from … Continued
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Jerry Tyrell continues his RULES project by focussing on windows and doors. Windows and doors The National Construction Code (NCC) tells us we must construct a building ‘to provide resistance to moisture from the outside that could cause unhealthy or dangerous conditions, loss of amenity for occupants or undue dampness or deterioration of building elements.’ … Continued
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I realised this year that everything we need to know to build properly is even simpler than what I’ve been saying. All the Australian Building Codes Board, who administers the NCC, needs to do is deliver easy to find code compliance and promote industry best practice. They will do this when they: 1. Publish one … Continued
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The man on a mission, Jerry Tyrrell, emphasis the fact that builders need easily accessible and understandable regulatory information, and they need it now. Builders are ‘terrorised’ daily by excess information. They are too busy, confused or intimidated to fight back against the incessant ‘barrel bombs’ of unnecessary words from government, association and industry bureaucrats. … Continued
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Reasons for using NSW’s only ISO accredited Building Consultancy Comparison of Property and Timber Pest Inspections Comparison of Property and Timber Pest Inspections tyrrells.com Others Full crawl of roof interior and subfloor* Yes Sometimes Expert, trained building consultants (not part-time builders) Yes Sometimes Professional Indemnity Insurance Yes Sometimes Full inspection of safely accessible roof exterior* … Continued
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When you live in Australia, termites are a fact of life. However, there are only three species which do real damage to timbers in your home and in all cases, the damage will only occur if you neglect basic maintenance or do not carry out regular timber pest inspections. Undetected termite activity is scary and … Continued
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Builders are working hard to build well but there are so many groups gouging and obstructing what they do. The main problems are confusing and inaccessible rules and standards; conflict based processes to solve disputes; and fragmented associations who look after their own interests. In this article published in Building Connection Magazine, Jerry Tyrrell proposes a … Continued
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Are you considering building your new dream home? If so, I’m sure you have done the rounds looking at display homes, checking out magazine and internet articles, talking to friends and neighbours and have found ‘the look’ you want your house to have. A lot of current home designs tend to incorporate a decorative parapet … Continued
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Asbestos Compliance Owners Corporations face on the spot fines of up to $33,000 per breach in relation to asbestos in buildings constructed prior to 1 January 2004.* The Work Health Safety legislation says the person responsible is the owner who must select a competent inspector to identify risk, eg asbestos. For Strata Schemes to comply the … Continued
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Fire isolated stairs are constructed mainly for use in emergencies. The Building Code of Australia (BCA) Performance Requirement DP2 requires all stairways be constructed to provide safe passage in relation to the nature, volume and frequency of likely usage. BCA DP2 also requires suitable balustrades but allows concessions where use is for emergency purposes or … Continued
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Building in Bushfire Areas Are you considering developing your land or buying a property close to bushland, open fields or even wet lands? If so, do you know what level of bushfire protection your development will need so it will comply with Council and Rural Fire Service (RFS) requirements? Councils and the Rural Fire Service … Continued
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Some building work is more complex than others, and the more complex it is the more costly the mistakes. Building below ground level throws up more technical problems than you may think. In this article published in Building Connection Magazine, Jerry Tyrrell suggests that builders should look to become experts on basement construction. Click here … Continued
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Every year thousands of home owners take on the task of renovating their homes. Sometimes they do it as owner-builders/home renovators and sometimes they engage a licensed builder. If you decide to go the home renovator route, before you start you need to have a firm grip on the basics of building. You also need … Continued
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Incorporating fire safety measures into a renovation or new build is essential in order to safeguard against the potential threat of a house fire or bushfire. Every building site needs their safety systems to be fully operational from the start of the job. And, more particularly, every fire safety product needs to be identified and … Continued
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Although fire safety is a fundamental component in constructing a safe building, very few people understand the reasoning behind it. Jerry Tyrrell explains the finer details. In my three articles on the Building Code of Australia (winter, spring, and summer 2006) I mentioned how it handles fire safety. Besides explaining jargon and definitions in these … Continued
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Builders can add value to their work Building contractors have a very special place in most clients’ hearts. Builders can be the ‘keepers’ of so many good things. If you do the right thing by your clients, they will always look to you for wise advice about their future building problems. In this article published … Continued