There’re a number of hazardous materials that can be encountered when renovating an old house. The most common of these is asbestos. Asbestos material should be handled and disposed of by a specialist. Not only can it be hazardous to people in the area, but most countries have strict legislation governing the handling and disposal of asbestos. Failure to adhere to the rules could result in fines, as well as the costs of remedial work to correctly dispose of contaminated materials. Read More

Asbestos could be encountered in roofs, ceilings, walls, insulation, electrical equipment, water pipes and floor covering materials. If there’s any concerns about asbestos it’s recommended that experts are called in to test suspect materials. An expert from your area will be familiar with the type of materials used in buildings of the same age and can usually quickly test suspect materials and prepare a report.

Additional hazards to consider when doing renovation work include:

• Mould, which often forms in damp and enclosed conditions and can form in walls and under floorboards. Breathing in mould spores can be hazardous. When removing areas infected with mould always wear suitable breathing masks and dispose of the contaminated materials where it won’t contaminate new building materials. Call in experts to ensure that areas of mould are removed or treated. Existing mould will easily spread. Living in a house with mould is dangerous to your health and the mould can destroy furniture and clothing. Read More.
• Dry rot is a mould that rots timber. It spreads if left untreated and it weakens timber until it becomes weak and collapses. Replace all areas that have dry rot.
• Termites eat timber and they can literally eat a whole house. Get experts to exterminate termites and use timber products that have been treated to protect against termite infestations
• Lead paint. Read this article where water from house roofs was connected to water tanks so the water could be used for drinking and household purposes. The only problem is the roofs were painted with lead paint and now the water tanks are contaminated with lead. Lead is extremely dangerous to a person's health - particularly young children. Read More

It's important if you're doing home renovations that you don't harm your health or your family's health. Ask for expert opinion if you're unsure what materials you're dealing with and if they contain lead or asbestos. Ensure you don't incorporate materials into your new home which could be harmful to your family.

Do you want to learn more about renovating and building houses? I've written 2 easy to read books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'. Volume 1 deals with Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home.  and Volume 2 deals with Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home. 
​("Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com 5*****)
These books are available from Amazon and other online bookstores in paper and ebook.
The tips and advice in these books will save you money, they will minimise issues building your new home, and they will help you design and build your dream home. For as little as $20 you could save yourself thousands of dollars.
© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.
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Never underestimate the amount of rubbish generated on a building construction project. This could be:

• Packaging of equipment and materials. This includes paper, cardboard, polystyrene, timber, plastic and strapping.
• Debris from structures that had to be demolished so that the new structure could be constructed.
• Breakages from cutting and handling. Particularly of bricks, blocks and tiles.
• Off-cuts from tiles, bricks, blocks, pipes, timber and boards.
• Left over materials, which could include, timber, concrete, mortar, sand, cement, stone, bricks, blocks, tiles, reinforcing steel, pipes, paint and adhesives.
• Debris from structures which were broken because they didn’t conform to the quality requirements.
• Wash water from concrete and mortar equipment and mixers. This often contains large quantities of cement, sand and stone and often sets hard.
• Vegetation that had to be removed from the site.
• Unsuitable ground and soil.
• Excess soil.

Case study: We purchased a new house which had a garden which consisted largely of lawn. We decided to do some more landscaping and laid out gardens for trees and plants. Everywhere we dug up the lawn to form new garden beds we struck building rubble. In all we removed at least six cubic metres (six cubic yards) of broken bricks and tiles, together with bits of concrete, glass, wood and more. We never could remove all the rubble and even several years later we were still finding rubbish in the garden. Then we noticed that a large patch of lawn about nine square metres (ninety square foot) never looked as healthy as the rest of the lawn and in hot weather it started to die. I investigated and removed a patch of this lawn, only to discover that there was what appeared to be solid concrete only centimetres (inches) below the lawn. We had to hire rock breakers to remove this, which we found to be solidified mortar (probably excess material from the bricklayers). It was as hard as rock and probably at least thirty centimetres (one foot) thick, covering an area of ten square metres (one hundred square foot). Nothing was ever going to grow properly in this area until it was removed.
​
​Getting rid of building rubbish is expensive, so many contractors will try:

• Dispose of it illegally by dumping it on a vacant lot, or on state land.
• Bury rubbish on the property, which is a nuisance, causing you extra work and costs to dispose of it. It’ll also restrict the growth of trees and shrubs in your garden. Some rubbish such as glass and asbestos is hazardous.
• Throw rubbish in your rubbish bins which the city collects. Usually the local authorities object to the inclusion of building rubbish in the general waste bins and they may refuse to clear the bins.
• Throw rubble into the building foundations and under floor slabs where it means that the ground can’t be compacted properly, which could cause the ground to settle under the foundations and floor slabs.

​Construction waste can be reduced by:

• Shredding and chipping vegetation that’s been cleared, then storing it to use in the landscaping as compost and mulch.
• Planning the ground floor levels of the house and the landscaping so that excess ground isn’t created.
• Separating recyclable material.
• Ordering materials in lengths to avoid excessive off-cuts, and planning cutting to minimise waste.
• Handling material carefully to avoid breakages.
• Ordering the correct quantity of material.
• Ensuring that all work is done right first time, so there’s no demolition of faulty and poor quality work.
• Ensuring that good excavated material doesn’t become contaminated with rubbish. Frequently on construction sites building rubble gets moved around the site. It gets mixed in with the ground until eventually what was only a few cubic metres (yards) of rubbish has become a pile of several cubic metres (yards) because it’s been mixed in with usable soil, which now also has to be thrown away because it’s contaminated.
• Separating hazardous materials, such as asbestos, oils and paints, and ensuring these are disposed of correctly. Adding hazardous material to normal building rubbish contaminates all the material, resulting in the quantity of hazardous material being larger than it should be.
• Not letting concrete and cement mortar waste accumulate into large solidified lumps that are difficult to break up and dispose of. Break the concrete into smaller pieces when it’s fresh and hasn’t become too hard.
• Crushing clean building rubble to use for backfilling. Suitable material which is crushed into small particles may be suitable in some locations.

Construction waste if it isn't regularly cleared makes the project site look untidy and it can be a trip hazard causing injury. Uncontrolled dumping of waste on the site could lead to contamination of other materials, including the ground, resulting in a bigger problem to clean up. Stored waste, particularly foodstuffs, attract rodents. Neighbours will object when waste papers blow around the neighbourhood, unpleasant odours emanate from piles of rubbish, or when building rubble blocks sidewalks and roads. Rubble entering storm-water drains will cause blockages which could create localised flooding of the site, neighbours and the street.

Ensure your building contractors keep your project site clean. Limit waste, breakages and rework and recycle wherever possible. You will have happier neighbours, a safer project site, and inevitably lower costs.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' ("Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com 5*****) which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

We all hate it when we buy an item of clothing and get home all excited only to find that the item has a defect. Sometimes we might wear a new pair of shoes once or twice before they fall apart. I'm sure we've all purchased food items from the supermarket only to find when we want to eat the item it's not fit for consumption. It's really annoying. Now imagine paying a builder to renovate an existing home or build a new home, then after paying them tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of dollars for your brand new home you find it's riddled with defects! Yet this poor standard is almost the norm in some jurisdictions. Near us is an apartment building which was completed 8 months ago and the apartment owners have moved in. Yet, for the last 8 months the builder has been continuously on site repairing defects. Some apartments have had severe leaks which have required carpets to be ripped up and replaced, walls to be painted and cupboards redone.
In this article read how a mother of 2 paid 350,000 pounds for a brand new home which has 245 faults

Now of course it doesn't have to be like this. In my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Vol 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' I describe the steps you should take to ensure you have the desired quality in your new home. The book includes a detailed list of what to look for when it comes to defects.

​Your circumstances change with time. Families grow as you have children, then, they shrink as children leave to lead their own lives. But, even as your children grow-up they have different needs and interests. They’re not going to be that baby in the cot which is close at hand for long, they’ll eventually become teenagers who want their own space to enjoy with friends. As you age you have different needs, maybe now you leave home every day for an office, but at some stage you’ll retire and spend more time with your hobbies, or even work from home. You’ll eventually become infirm and steps might no longer be easy for you. Older parents could depend on you more (especially if something happens to one parent) and they might want (or have to) move in with you. When the time comes for these changes you may need to move to another house, or renovate your existing home to adapt it to these changes. But you can, with a little forethought and planning, ensure that your house is easily adaptable for many of these changes.

If you’re becoming advanced in age you should design your house with this in mind. You don’t have to include all the features now that a mobility impaired person needs, but getting the basic layout right now so that it’s easily adaptable later will save future expense and work.

Designing the house so that children can have their own space, even separate entrances, could mean that once they’ve left you can convert that space to rent out. Being able to shut this area off from the rest of the house may be beneficial. Consider how you could re-purpose bedrooms later when the children have left to become hobby rooms, home offices or work rooms when you retire.

With a multi-storey house it’s often useful to have at least one bedroom downstairs. If someone in the family has an injured leg they probably can’t easily climb steps. But, when you’re older you may find it easier to live on the ground floor. We’ve always found a spare bedroom with a bathroom on the ground floor useful for elderly visitors and relatives.

Children probably want a swimming pool and a garden to play in when they’re young, but you’ll find that they quickly grow up and you’re left maintaining the swimming pool and garden that they seldom use. Positioning your home in the right place on your property may allow you to divide the land and sell a portion of garden, or even build a flatlet or a new home for you.

But, it’s not just you and your family that’ll change. With time, the cost of utilities increase, there’ll be new technology and new appliances. The cost of labour will increase so it’ll be more expensive to hire cleaners and gardeners. Fashions change and furniture, fittings and colours which were once modern aren’t suitable anymore. Houses with a neutral decor can often be easily adapted to suit changes in fashion, tastes and furniture.

It’s also about the home being adaptable for future buyers. For instance, you might desire a home theatre room, but a future buyer might not. If you’ve designed the room with no windows it’s going to be difficult for the next person to use the room for something else. The same goes for converting studies to another bedroom, or vice versa, unless they’ve been planned to be easily adaptable.

It's important to consider the layout of the interior of the house, the location and sizes of windows, the position of cupboards (or future position), the location of electrical sockets, cable outlets, colours of tiles and bathrooms, and more. How easily can rooms be transformed to another use or to a different style? Can you see yourself being able to live in your home when you're older?

Don't only design a home that's right for now - design it for the future as well.

​For more valuable tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

When you receive prices from your contractors it's important to check their prices. A couple of weeks ago we discussed important considerations when checking your contractor's price​. 
It’s important to check what each contractor has included or excluded in their price. A contractor may be cheaper than another’s price because they haven’t priced all items included in the other price. Check whether these items are included:

• Clearing and levelling the project site and removing vegetation and excess material from the property.
• Construction of driveways.
• Landscaping.
• Property boundary fencing.
• Garden irrigation.
• Appliances in the house, such as ovens and cooking tops.
• Air-conditioning.
• Preparation of drawings.
• Obtaining permits and permissions from the local authorities.
• Connection of the utilities of the new house to the street utilities.
• Security systems.
• Cupboards and cabinetry. The extent, internal layout and their materials.

But even the type and quality of floor tiles, carpets, windows, light fixtures, tap-ware, bathroom fixtures, doors, door handles and locks, cabinetry and cupboards and counter tops can vary hugely, impacting the price.
Some contractors can include unreasonable provisional sums and prime cost items (which I'll discuss in future articles) which are far too low, meaning that their price will inevitably increase before your home is complete.
Of course, some contractors may have included for items which you don't want, or perhaps you intend to do the work your self, or employ another contractor to do the work. Don't pay for items that you don't want or need. Ask the contractor to exclude the items you don't want and adjust their price down accordingly.
​Remember your builder's price might not be the bargain you think it is. Don't be caught by surprise when you receive bills for items that you thought were included in the contractor's price - items which may have been included in other contractors' prices.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

We are all different and what suits one person may not be right for another. Often this is a reflection of where we grew up and what we liked and what we hated in these houses.
Some people hanker after a large house while others are happy in a small home. Some like open plan living while others prefer private space. Some like the country far from neighbours while others need neighbours in close proximity. Some like nature while others yearn for the hustle and bustle of a modern city.
Of course this can be complicated when our partners like something different. How can you settle on a house that you'll both enjoy.
Our homes are a reflection of who we are. Even though we think we might enjoy living it a palatial mansion, the reality is that for many of us this will turn from a dream to a nightmare.
This recent article 'For a happier home life, is bigger always better?'
explores this topic further.

​Still can’t decide on the type of wall material to use for your commercial or residential interior space? Drywall would be an excellent choice. Compared to the traditional plaster, drywall has a lot of amazing benefits to offer. It is easier and faster to install and would only require expert hands when it comes to the taping and finishing part. Another advantage of using drywall is that it is fire resistant since it is made of gypsum. When it comes to appearance and durability, drywall also never fails to impress.
 
To give your drywall a more classy and elegant look, give drywall painting a try. Here are 6 easy steps to paint drywall:

1. Dust off and clean drywall.
Before painting, cleaning the surface is a must-do. The same applies to drywall. There will be a lot of dirt particles on walls and ceilings that need to be removed. Otherwise, they would create ugly bumps when the painting is done. Even a new drywall comes with a lot of dust and needs to be cleaned.
 
Start the drywall cleaning by using a broom on walls and ceilings, then mop. For final dusting, use a sponge or microfiber cloth that is barely damp.
 
2. Clear working space and cover furniture.
In order to work with ease, clear the working space first. If you are going to paint the drywall in your living room or kitchen, make sure you move away appliances and furniture from the wall. You will also need to cover them up to keep them protected from paint debris.
 
3. Gather your tools.
Getting your painting tools ready and within reach makes the painting process easier and faster. For painting your drywall, you will need these tools:
 
Drop cloth
Drywall painting can be messy. Expect the worst and get your drop cloth ready for easy cleaning. You can use your old clothing for this which you can throw away after use. Dropcloth can protect your floor from drips of paint.
 
Paint tray
Using a paint tray saves time. It saves you the hassle of approaching your paint cans whenever you need to use more paint. Nowadays, you can find a paint tray in the market that can carry a gallon of paint for convenience.
 
Paint rollers and small brushes
Paint rollers make the painting work in large walls easy. Rollers can cover high areas and hard-to-reach spots. You will also use small brushes to do a little touch up after the drywall is completely painted.
 
Ladders
For high wall areas that your paint rollers can’t reach, using a ladder is the way to go. It is not safe to stand on chairs, so make sure to get your own ladder before starting with the painting job.
 
4. Apply primer.
To paint your drywall, you need to apply a drywall primer first. Primers help hide joints, seams and other natural blemishes in bare wood. There are also available drywall products that prevent mold stains and discolorations from showing through the final paint finish.
 
5. Paint drywall with your color.
Choose the color you want to permanently see around your building interior. You are required to apply two coats of paint for a durable and long-lasting paint finish and easy cleaning. It is ideal to wait for 2-3 hours before applying the second coat of paint.
 
6. Let paint dry.
After accomplishing a full painting coverage on your drywall, leave the paint to dry before putting back all the furniture and appliances.
 
Use access panels that you can paint over to match your drywall finish
If you are concerned with how an access door will appear around your drywall finish, make use of a paintable material for a neat wall appearance. Ready-to-paint access panels are available for both commercial and residential applications.
 
Whether you are planning to work on your own or with help from the pros, make sure to observe proper safety regulations; wear protective gear and check the conditions of your tools and equipment. Have fun with your renovation work but remember to work safely.

​For more valuable tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'