Many homeowners ignore basic maintenance issues which can develop into costly problems.

With fire prevention a major issue over summer the condition of roofs and guttering, which can become a deadly fire hazard if full of dried leaves and sticks, is a top priority for attention.

In summer we usually experience a number of thunderstorms with heavy rain and high winds which could dislodge tiles, fill gutters with debris or loosen roof sheeting. Homeowners need to make sure that heavy rain can drain away as quickly as possible.

People should check their gutters and any stormwater drainage pits for blockages and the perimeter of the house for rubbish build-up that can prevent water draining away and lead to flooding. Homeowners in low-lying areas should consider excavating some trenches around potential water entry points to ensure that no water enters the house.
Water pouring down the walls or a section of plaster collapsing is often the first indication that there is a leaking roof problem. People who put off fixing leaks could be putting themselves and their families at risk, especially if the water is likely to enter the electrical system or appliances.

Following major storms leaking roof problems can lead to dangerous situations where water can penetrate walls, roof linings, and insulation leading to the growth of mould and deterioration of the home.

Apart from the exterior visual condition of the roof, it is also vital that inside the roof cavity is inspected for structural soundness.
A summertime tun
e up on the home over the Christmas holidays is a practical money saving activity which protects the value of the asset and improves the quality of life of families.

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The importance of a kitchen should never be underestimated. It is the most marketable room in the house.

If you want to increase the value of your property or boost buyer appeal in the market, this is the first stop for a renovation or revamp. More than bathrooms, a fresh and functional kitchen can make or break a sale, and according to the experts is likely to return a tidy profit from any financial investment.

If you spend $20,000 renovating the kitchen, you can hope to be looking at getting that $20,000 back, plus another $20,000 on top as an absolute starting point. That’s on a dollar value. It is hard to quantify the opportunity value, or the impact it can have in the market. These favorable returns, combined with the current trend for incorporating the kitchen into the living areas for all to see, has made refurbishing the kitchen the most popular form of home improvement today.
When it comes to the scale and cost, the job should ideally reflect the home. It makes no sense to install a family sized food hall in a one bedroom apartment or cut corners in a mansion. Working out a budget however, can be daunting and confusing. You can buy a flat-pack kitchen for a few thousand dollars but that does not include installation costs, so exactly how much can you expect to fork out for a basic fit-out?

Realistically, you should be looking at from $15,000 excluding appliances. That is the price for a good, average sized kitchen using quality fittings and laminate cupboards and bench tops. To maintain a budget but still achieve the wow, benchtops and splashbacks are the way to go. They are the first things people notice. If you want to know where to save and where to spend money, have laminate cupboards and drawers and get a beautiful stone benchtop.

With the continuing advancements in design transforming the kitchen into a high-tech zone filled with impressive tricks and gadgetry, how far should you go? The most important things don’t have to cost that much. Little extras such as a pull out oil and spices drawer next to the cooktop, a narrow drawer to vertically store all your baking trays, or an Italian waste bin system with the automatic soft-close lid. They all look terrific, are not overly expensive and will be real selling points.

Of course it’s not always necessary to rip out the kitchen and start afresh. A clever revamp can be amazingly effective for a fraction of the cost. You can paint wooden kitchens, which can make an extraordinary difference. Solid timbers are so dark, heavy and really dated but usually beautifully made. If they are not, then most cupboards have hinges so you can just take the doors off and replace them – that’s not expensive. You can also just replace the handles or knobs and that can make a big difference too. For another instant lift, get rid of the old tiles, and replace them with a new splashback.

You can also just tart up an old kitchen to make it look good again, but whatever the extent you go to, it can certainly make the house a lot more saleable and a lot more appealing.

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New home sales fell by six per cent in October, pushed lower by higher interest rates and softening first home buyer activity.

Sales activity from investors and upgrade owner occupiers has not chimed in to offset weakening first home buyer-related activity. A decent and sustainable new home building recovery needs strong momentum from private sector trade-up buyers and investors and we seem to be falling short on that score as we near the end of 2009.

In deed, given the narrowly based private sector recovery, costly delays in planning approvals, and reports of land shortages beginning to re-emerge, it is looking like 2010 will be a year where the number of new homes built will fall well short of what is required to match Australia’s rapidly growing population.

The majority of the increase in housing starts next year will be driven by the social housing program which is not pulling the private sector along with it.

The number of detached houses fell by 6.9 per cent in October following a decline of 4.3 per cent in September.

The number of apartment sales increased by 2.4 per cent in October, the fourth rise in six months, but the volume remained at a historically very low level.

Detached new home sales in October fell by 12.1 per cent in New South Wales and were down by 4.2 per cent in Victoria, 9.1 per cent in Queensland, 7.2 per cent in South Australia and 3.4 per cent in Western Australia.

The third consecutive monthly increase in the official cash rate last Tuesday would harm the chances of a strong home building recovery. A recovery is essential to moderate existing house prices and rent pressures across Australia.

While a residential construction recovery is under way, there is compelling evidence that the magnitude of the upswing will be insufficient to make a major dent on Australia’s chronic housing shortage. The home building recovery is narrowly based, driven overwhelmingly by a pull forward of first home buyer related activity and the by the Social Housing Initiative. This is the third straight month of of rate rises, at a time when general inflationary pressures are well contained.

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The typical size of a new Australian home hit 215 square metres in the past financial year, up to 10 per cent in a decade, according to the Bureau of Statistics data compiled for Commonwealth Securities.

US figures show the size of new American homes shrinking from 212 square metres before the financial crisis to 202 square metres in September.

New homes in other parts of the world are far smaller, with Denmark the biggest in Europe at 137 square metres and Britain the smallest at 78 square metres.

Almost half of the $250 billion spent on housing each year was on alterations and additions, with one in every seven new houses simply replacing existing houses that have been demolished. Australians had so many holiday houses that the latest census found eight per cent more dwellings than households.

Sydney houses are by far the nation’s biggest with new free-standing houses typically spanning 263 square metres – providing more than 100 square metres of indoor space per person. But the high proportion of townhouses and apartments in Sydney pushes the average dwelling size down to 205 square metres, just below the Australian average and about the same as in the US.

Another way of looking at it is the number of bedrooms. Around 20 years ago only one in every six homes had four or more bedrooms, and by 2006 it was one in every 3.5 homes.

While the fast pace of population growth points to the need for more and more homes, we are living in the biggest homes in the world. The simple fact is they could be better utilised.

The average household size has crept up from 2.52 to 2.56 people in 2007-08.

It may not seem remarkable but it appears to be the first increase in at least a century, and perhaps the first since European settlement.

It does make sense. Population is rising, as is the cost of housing and the cost of moving house, so we are making greater use of what we have got.

Children are staying home longer and more people are opting for shared accommodation.

The key question is whetherit is permanent or temporary. If sustained, it will save us building 166,000 homes.

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Gracious old homes steeped in history, love and laughter, with a story
behind every knot in the time-worn timber floors and eccentric nook
and cranny.

Its an age-old debate but the winner is never clear-cut: does it make
more sense to buy or build a new house or to invest your money in an
old favorite?
|
The costs of the two options can vary wildly, depending on many
factors.

An older heritage-style house might need extensive work to bring it
up to scratch and there are often hidden extras. People often don’t
understand the costs of rectification and demolition, with costs
often blowing out to 20 per cent to 25 per cent extra. Also demolition
work on parts of a house tends to be more expensive than just
demolishing a whole house to build a new one.

For new building work, both for a renovation and for a complete new
build, the price tends to range from $1100 a square metre for a project
home to $2500 to $3500 a square metre for an architect-designed
home.

Of those building costs, 40 per cent is usually the cost of materials,
40 per cent labor and 20 per cent taxes and insurances. There are
pluses and minuses for both choices.

For The Old

Inspire passion for history
Often beautiful old materials and craftsmanship
Lots of original character, with verandas
Established gardens
Eco-friendly with warmth in winter and breezes in summer
Older suburbs with real communities
Often grant funding opportunities with heritage works

For The New
Greener, cleaner and new
A blank canvas to add to your style
New communities, new facilities
No hidden maintenance disasters
Often bonuses and grants

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