Brian's House Building Blog

  • The best climbing plants for pergolas

    24 February 2015

    Installing a patio with a pergola in your garden can be a great idea for many reasons. It can act as a social space where you can host cocktail evenings with friends or summer barbecues with extended family. It can be a comfortable area for you to sit and enjoy the surroundings of your peaceful garden. And it can even add considerable valueto your property. But once the construction team has left your garden, this is not the time to ignore your patio.

  • From Raised Garden Beds To Swings: Four Backyard Building Ideas For Environmentalists

    19 February 2015

    If you are an environmentalist looking for a sustainable, durable wood to use in your next backyard building project, it's time to consider the benefits of treated pine. One of several native softwood species, pine grows abundantly in Australia and nearly 70 percent of the pine used in Australia is grown locally. Using locally grown wood puts less strain on the environment than transporting wood from other parts of the world, and as pine grows very quickly, it is a sustainable and renewable source.

  • Selling a house that has asbestos

    19 January 2015

    So you have decided to sell your house, and you want to get the best possible price. This process involves a degree of upselling. You will want to make sure that any prospective buyers are very clear about all the wonderful features that your house has – perhaps close proximity to good schools, or extensive outdoor areas. At the same time, you probably won't want to draw any major attention to issues that your house has.

  • 6 Steps to Take if You Want to Add a Living Area Under Your Raised Queenslander

    2 January 2015

    If you live in a Queenslander, you likely have stumps under your home. Similarly, if you have bought an old Queenslander to move to a new lot, you are probably thinking about adding new stumps, how you should raise your home and what to do with the space beneath your home. A raised home offers protection from flooding, but if you don't live in an area susceptible to flooding, you can take advantage of the area beneath your raised home to build extra bedrooms, lounges or other living spaces.

  • An Easy Guide To Planning The Perfect Rainwater Harvesting System

    15 December 2014

    People are facing growing concern about finite water resources and how they can conserve and use water more responsibly. Capturing rainwater is one simple method that has been used over the centuries. It is well within every householder's capability today. Perhaps you are keen to harvest one of nature's finest resources to help reduce your escalating water bills. After all it's free! This advice will provide you with the necessary background information and know-how you need to go about harvesting rainwater.