Does anyone have any experience with this flooring? I was looking at Karndean and this Kenbrock flooring looks very similar. I'm suspicious it might even be from the same factory…

Good quality bamboo (the stranded type) isn't cheap, you can get some hardwoods for a similar price. I'm still stuck on what flooring to put down myself, a guy at…

My builder redid some external window sills for me which now look much better but I also noticed a few similar gaps left in the mortar at the window frame.…

Bunnings also sell (or at least did some time ago) a limited selection of ready made wall panels.

Seriously consider getting a building inspector in. They can tell you exactly what is acceptable and what is not under any official standards. The sooner you do this the better.…

A few suggestions;
1. As mentioned above, have the system ring you.
2. Be careful about telling your insurance company you have an alarm. The discount is small and if you forget…

I'm interested in the Ventex venetians as well but have not been able to find anyone who has had any experience with them. Interestingly these venetians are made by Mardo…

I think cast iron also has a courser surface and cookware is less likely to slide around. I upgraded to the top end Westinghouse gas stove for safety reasons (it…

You might want to consider using pendant lights over the island bench, this is pretty common in display homes. There are lots of varieties and they can make a…

What is a pivot door? I don't think I've seen anything but hinged doors in WA display homes, certainly nothing that stood out at least...

Also consider security, it's much easier to pull off some tiles than remove a steel sheet. Although if you have a habit of locking yourself out tiles might be better,…

There was a show on ABC about six months ago, “Is your house killing you?” and the presenters said the same thing; Use vinegar not bleach. They claimed the vinegar…

You also need to consider your windows for noise and thermal insulation. Look into laminated and/or double glazed, neither are cheap though you can do only select windows, such as…

A good opportunity for anyone considering solar power in Perth.
http://www.renewablelogic.com.au

The builder has added some additional timber 'struts' at each end of the beam where the bricks are which I believe should prevent any lateral movement of the beam itself…

Try saying that fast
I also sent a query to Archicentre (who provide free qualified architectural advice) a few days ago about this and they have…

Good news (I hope), after appealing to my builder they've agreed to add additional support to the beam. Exactly what this means I'm not sure yet but I'll be pleased…

I'm probably try this stuff before I move in; http://www.ezicleen.com.au

Not personal experience but I asked someone who has built with them (he moved in last year) if he would do so again and he gave an emphatic no. It…

With the ground floor I would not want the toilet against the living area wall. Even with brick wall construction here in WA you would be able to hear people…

Thanks Cabinfever, no I don't mind and welcome any input. How would they use a concrete padstone for a beam sitting on top of the brick walls though? Of course,…

I'm still not happy with it but there doesn't appear to be anything I can do about it No doubt there are a lot of…

When I raised my concern on those stacked bricks and what would happen with an earthquake the guy essentially said not to worry because all of the steel beams would…

A mate bought a renovated place a while ago and the blinds that were already fitted have that gap down the sides and he's not happy with it. I guess…

Update;
I had a building inspector out today to discuss this steel beam and brick issue and also check everything over. Unfortunately, he did not consider the stack of four bricks…

The single brick to prop up the steel beams is very common and I can confirm is apparently within 'standards' since someone I know had this independently checked and passed.…

Well, as suspected, my builder has advised that this is normal practice and nothing to worry about.
I'm confused as I really have trouble believing this is acceptable yet numerous people…

Just to clarify, the photo showing a single brick is an example of how all the other steel beams are mounted (there are five beams mounted this way). The two…

Appreciate the feedback, I've emailed the builder and will see what they say, they've been pretty good so far. If they tell me this is fine then I'll probably get…

I've made two progress payments so far, in each case the builder gave me 10 working days from the date the stage was to be completed. The first invoice I…