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| 6 Jun 2013 Site Works and Contracts
Site costs can be a difficult element of a building contract. In most situations, builders will not specify an exact amount for site works, but will nominate a “provisional sum” or best estimate which may be adjusted up or down depending on work actually required. Under the Home Building Contracts Act a builder cannot just […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Steel – Corrosion Protection
Hot dip galvanizing is a coating for steel made from an alloy of zinc and iron. Galvanizing is a once-only process – no substrate preparation and multiple coating is required. It offers total coverage – all exposed steelwork is coated both internally and externally. Galvanized coatings protect steel even at its most vulnerable areas. It […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Swimming Pool Construction
Swimming pools are extremely popular and come within the definition of “home building work” in the Home Building Contracts Act (1991). This legislation covers issues such as maximum deposit payable (6½ per cent of contract value), progress claim payments and so on. There are several construction issues to consider. When a swimming pool is constructed […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Stamp Duty
Stamp duty generally applies to the purchase of existing homes and land in WA. First home owner exemptions are available. For more information visit the Department of Treasury and Finance.
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home Maintenance
When we purchase a new car, we know we can save money and reduce its depreciation by keeping up with servicing and maintenance. As part of vehicle servicing, the mechanic checks things like fuses and seatbelts to ensure they are safe. But what about our homes – our biggest investment? What sort of maintenance and […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Preliminary Agreements
A Preliminary Agreement (PA), or Preparation of Plans Agreement, is a common document used by builders dealing with clients in the early stages of building a new home. These agreements do not involve building work and are preparatory to entering a building contract. Some common features are: the consumer is committed to paying a “deposit”, […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home Finishes
Home finishes When you build or renovate, the finishing touches are the ones that make the house into a home, the personal choices made of the furniture, decorative pieces, the wall colours and floor finishes can make a stark space into a welcoming cosy room or a modern energising area. The dilemma is that there […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Put and call options
Property transactions using “put and call options” have been common in the Eastern States and are used sparingly in WA. This arrangement can be useful to both a vendor and a purchaser in certain circumstances. Put and call options give the purchaser the right to enter a contract of sale for land within a specified […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Home-based Businesses
About 1 in every 4 home businesses employs at least 1 person. Most new homes are not designed for the home business, although increasingly provision is being made for a home – office in many new home designs. Your new house design will be an important part of keeping your sanity and a smoothly running […]
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| 6 Jun 2013 Pool Construction
Property owners have a lot of choices when locating and running a pool. And lots of home owners are still installing pools to cool off in during our hot WA summers, even while block sizes are falling. Pools can be set above or below the ground. Above ground pools can be cheaper […]