Whether you are looking to design a completely new home from the ground up or make improvements to an existing structure, the expertise of a skilled drafts person can provide much-needed advice on all related aspects of home renovation and building construction. When it comes to building construction projects, no matter the size or scope,…
The suburb of Brighton is located in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne just 11 kilometres from the city. It is a grand bayside suburb comprising of some impressive homes both contemporary and old in architectural style. Brighton is home to some of Melbourne’s most enviable homes – large Victorian, Edwardian and other period houses,…
It won’t be too long now before our Mont Albert clients can start enjoying their new upper storey as the whole project is really starting to come together. The first few pictures were captured when the timber frame and new tiled roof had just been completed. In the most recent shots you can see the windows have…
At Duncan Thompson Extensions we take insurance and responsibility of contracts seriously when working with our clients on their home extensions. Many builders operate their own independent businesses and, as such, take out their own insurance. On any building site, there can be a multitude of subcontractors in operation at any given time. Each subcontractor…
If you are planning a home renovation or home extension one of the many things to consider before starting your building is whether your job requires a building permit or a planning permit (or both). The Building Act 1993 (the Act) and Building Regulations 2006 (the Regulations) legislate that all building work is subject to…
It is the Victorian Building Authority’s (VBA)view that rainwater storage tanks, where they are self-supporting and stand-alone, are not classifiable structures under the Building Code of Australia, Volumes 1 or 2 of the National Construction Code. The Building Regulations 2006 provide an exemption from the requirement to obtain a building permit for a building or…
It is common knowledge that the bathrooms and kitchens of a home tend to need renovations more often than other rooms. This is because these are high traffic areas and also have many more fixtures in them (such as sinks and taps) that date more quickly. At Duncan Thompson Extensions, we renovate and update bathrooms…
For the first time in history, families in Australia are finding themselves living in multi-generational homes, with a combination of factors to blame. With the average home in Sydney having increased four times in price since 2000, home ownership is an out of reach option for many young Australians. Now it seems that less than…
Is your kitchen a status symbol, or is it a workshop? According to Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Phyllis McGinley, “the kitchen will not come into its own again until it ceases to be a status symbol and becomes again a workshop…when you enter it, you will feel the pulse of life throbbing from every corner. The…
When you think about the dangers of asbestos, the image of old, decrepit buildings from a bygone era or of illegal mines pops into your head. The danger is a little closer to home for some Australians. Like most countries in the world, the use of asbestos in home construction has long been banned, but…
Need more space, or maybe a better use of the space you currently have? If you have a home, there is no good reason to settle for space that doesn’t meet your family’s needs perfectly. Australians aren’t ones to put up with a less than perfect living space. Research shows that most of us would…
We’ve all flirted with the idea of a small home renovation in casual conversation with friends. Some of us would want to expand a small bedroom while others would want to make an outdated kitchen more airy and modern. Mention adding another story to your home, though, and most people will try talk you out…
