Smithy

Australia Builders Inspections

How to make a Practical Completion Inspection in all areas of the house: Front Door Check the striker plate is correctly adjusted so the door doesn't move when it's in the closed position. Check the door is not bowed at the centre. Check the... Read >

Builders Tips: Plastering Walls

Tips for Plastering: Bagging (smudging of mortar over brickwork) isn't considered as plastering is a finish normally completed by the bricklayer. Corner beads must never be employed on external render work as these will rust with time and trigger th... Read >

Builders Info: Taking out Walls

Removing walls When you want to gain additional space, it‘s possible to remove a dividing wall and so knock two rooms into one. Remember that you should obtain local authority approval before performing this. You will need to supply structural calculatio... Read >

Renovating Patch Rendering

Rendering is the layer of plaster that covers the brickwork on your building. It is essential to have rendering to protect the brickwork from penetrating damp. Over time, cracks will appear or rendering will flake. These faults need to be repaired. This i... Read >

Builders Tips - Flat Roof Repair

Repairing flat roofs By their very nature, flat roofs tend to present more troubles than pitched ones. Although they should have been built with a slight fall to allow water to run off, pools of water tend to form on the surface. The wide variation in te... Read >

Building & Replacing Fireplaces

How to replace a fireplace Removing a fireback is a messy job, so empty the room as far as feasible and cover any remaining items with dust sheets. Wear old clothes and a dust mask and lay additional dust sheets over the hearth along with the floor aroun... Read >

Building & Repairing Fences

How to repair a fence All timber fences will need some sort of maintenance or repair during their lifetime. This may could consist of dealing with rotten timber or stabilizing the fence. Whatever the dilemma, it should be dealt with promptly. Spurring... Read >

Home Building Tips - Cool Painting Effects

Fashions in decorating are always changing. Plain walls will be popular one year, patterns the next. There are many choices to make when renovating and decorating your home. Decorative paint finishes have the advantage of camouflaging defects and adding i... Read >