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I forget how to post pictures.Maybe later.

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This is a picture (if I can remember how)of a fireplace that I built under my pergola.The recycled bricks were free and the timber I used to make the doors…

Casa,abelflex is just a brand name for a rubber based material that is used in concreting and bricklaying.It comes in rolls and bricklayers use it in straignt joints left in…

Hello Cookiemonster and Casa.In fact it is fairly common to have a straight joint in an internal corner.We often situate movement joints at this point particulary where there is a…

Hello aaurora,Without going into a detailed technical discussion there is nothing wrong with your brickwork.In fact the job is neat and tidy.When the brickwork is cleaned (pressure washed)the joints will…

Hello aaurora , In my experience your frame will be alright.We have the same thing happening at the moment here.Before the plasterboard goes on the frame is checked for…

I agree Steve.I think open fireplaces belong in old country pubs and outside pergola areas where they provide a great focal point.We light ours when we have people here for…

What about one of these stonecutter.Just kidding really.We still do them now and then in this area (pretty cold)but people are starting to put them outside under their pergolas etc…

When you do these sort of jobs they don't care about energy efficiency etc.The house in the picture probably cost them over $1.5 million and if they need to spend…

We don't have the height requirements here in Wagga.We have done quite afew houses in the central area with ceilings up to 3.6mtrs in height.As someone mentioned this height was…

I think that is great advice commodornut and in an ideal world I'd be surprised if everyone didn't want that.But these days with narrow blocks and budget constraints project home…

You can't see it very well in the picture but the opening height to the garage is 12 block courses (2400mm)Plenty for almost any car or boat etc.We used a…

I'm not sure if you are talking about normal "standard sized"brick courses Perth_Euro as that only gives you 2142mm which is the normal lintel height of a garage on flat…

I can see what the owner is talking about but it is really hard to pick slight variations in colour when handling bricks.The makers tell you to take bricks off…

Hello,the most popular rubber based tile glue used here is called "Monoflex".It is a very good product but won't stop tiles cracking in alot of cases.Actually,at the moment with the…

Alot of people here were building houses without eves for the last few years but have now returned to having them to meet the BASIX requirements.I'm not sure about Vic…

I was in a bit of a hurry when I wrote my first post notts,We are actually looking for the same thing as yourself (timber look in the dutch gables)I…

Hello notts,There are alot of timber look doors about and most of the makers carry a range of colours.We are currently looking for the same product for my son's house…

We actually insert the "abelflex"as the bricks are layed.It comes in long rolls.Concreters use it extensively as well.Every few courses we then put a special wall tie in which…

Hello longneck,Expansion joints have to be sealed off to make them weatherproof.We always use the rubber foam type backing (Abelflex etc)and then caulk up the joints when the brickwork is…

G'day Beetle,I haven't used Hebel myself but am familiar with it as some of the builders I sub contract for use it extensively for housing.Been a bricklayer by trade I…

Opps,I didn't mean to post just yet .Here is the link to Peter's site http://www.ausdesign.com.au/ It will be interesting to see how you get on…

Hello Casa, The way we approach it is to get a floorplan "roughed"out at home.We look at alot of floorplans for ideas(including our previous houses) and to see to see…

Hello Casa,Regarding the council costs ,yes,they are in the pricing although they are saying that there are big increases coming up for developers in the next financial year which will…

It would cost you a little bit below that here in Wagga.I"ve just had a quick look at our costs and what we sold our last "spec"home for approximately …

Hello redbaron,I don't think many concreters actually come back and "cure"their concrete slabs.In my experience they leave it up to the builder or owner builder to carry this out.Some of…

Hello CJF,Regarding curing of slabs,some go to a fair bit of trouble here and some don't worry all that much.And the results seem to be the same,most have some degree…

Hello Bud,I/ve seen tiling done both ways lots of times although I prefer to lift the skirting and tile under .It has a few advantages.One is that is a neater…

Hello again faust,If you haven't already found any local information about pressed metal ceilings here is a link to one site you might interesting.
http://www.pressedmetalceilings.com.au/ ...…