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A recent survey indicates that 1 in 3 houses in Australia are dealing with subterranean termite infestation which can cause major structural damage to building timbers. The severe termite damage to the Australian buildings has been caused by several factors: • Historic use of softwood and untreated timber for the structure and non-structural areas of … Continued
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Most lending authorities and wise consumers require a timber pest report of the structural soundness of the intended new home. This report, with the exception of mortar damage to structural brickwork (mortar bee attack), should be solely concerned with investigation within the property of critical joinery and all structural timbers. The timber pest inspection Report … 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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Jerry Tyrrell explains how the fundamentals of science can be applied to the building industry when it comes to conflict prevention and solution. Next year my colleagues and I will inspect our 100,000th building. We have seen millions of surprisingly stupid mistakes and defects. And, in so many cases, the cost of doing the work … 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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Timber Pest Advice – A technical guide Here is all you need to know to perform a reasonably detailed inspection of your property. 1. General recommendations 1.1 Regular inspection of all structural timbers The Forestry Commission advises inspections at no more than 12 monthly intervals unless the type of construction is timber pest resistant. … 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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Buying Off the Plan A popular way to buy a new unit, townhouse or strata commercial property is to purchase it before building work is even started. This is called buying ”off the plan” and means you have to: make a judgement on the location of the unit and it’s parking within the complex read … Continued
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DYI Inspections It’s tempting to think that with some sort of checklist you can do a pre-purchase inspection on a property yourself. STOP and reconsider! Yes, in the short-term you might save a few dollars but it is likely that you will miss some issues that in the long-term could be costly to fix. Any … Continued
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Termites (or white ants) usually operate as a colony. Termites live in nests made by worker termites who seek food away from the nest and destroy timber by chewing and hollowing it out into little tunnel-like galleries. Nests need a constant source of moisture and take many years to develop. The most susceptible buildings are … Continued
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Termites are a concern in the Australian building industry, but separating popular beliefs from hard facts can sometimes be diffi cult. Jerry Tyrrell offers his thoughts on the best ways to reduce risk. Some fears help us avoid injury or death. For instance, we know to take cover in lightning storms. We shouldn’t touch spiders … 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