Forum Replies Created
The way your post was written made it sound like you were considering this course of action for funding your own subdivision…it's not what you said..just the way you wrote it.
If the responses misunderstood your question it was only because of the way it sounded, and you should have clarified your question; people cannot see your face or read your body language, they only take your post for what it says…literally. The fact you didn't mention that you feared for your own contents in the house you rented but did mention that it seemed like a great way to make a huge saving from subdividing and building and then asked if anyone else had tried it???? All PM's should ask if tenants have contents insurance to ensure that they know where their responsiblities begin and where the landlords end, in case of any damage. There are probably quite a few who don't bother with it. I would doubt that a PM would have any reason to expect that the landlord would burn down the house you rent and then warn you about contents insurance…what about your life? You got to admit it (the post) looked sus. Could have been worse though, you could have posted it in Finance or Creative Investing (lol) buy maybe the mod's would have deleted it then.Mortgage Hunter wrote:Cracking is indeed the main drawback – but some very nice effects can be achieved. Especially by adding glass, timber borders, aggregate, metals etc etc.I do disagree with the thermal qualiteis of tiles. Tiles are required under the BASIX now because of their heat bank qualities. tiles in a north facing room will heat during the day and release heat at night. We are certainly going to choose them.
Didn't dispute the thermal properties of tiles Simon, I am a accredited HER for FirstRate so I am well aware on that. The comment was just stipulating that in 'very cold winters' tiles are cold. Not even a north facing aspect could make my tiles comfortable before 10 am in the winter! And by then most of us are already up, at work or at school. And then it is even colder in my non-north facing bathroom which doesn't have a window big enough to allow the tiles to heat up is cold every morning, every winter. I was being general not making a blanket statement as I am trying to spare everyone from my usual long posts.
If I was setting up from scratch with polished concrete or tiles on slab I would install in-slab heating element for just the bathroom areas; I am sure you can buy the kits now and an electrician can install. If you live up north then cold tiles/polished concrete isn't a big deal…it's probably a relief some days.
Good luck.
Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher Homes.
Thanks Amanda, I might hunt her book out, it seems like it would be worth a read. Have you read her story?
Julie
Mark
We used to do alot of insurance assessing for IAG over a couple of states. I can tell you from experience that any total loss claim (or substantial claim due to fire) will be closely scrutinized by a loss adjustor who will investigate relevant reports from the attending fire authority into the cause of the fire. If they look suspicious, or have been listed as arson/malicious damage, the first person they look into is the owner and usually will engage professionals to determine if the owner was responsible. They will look into previous claims history, personal finance and criminal history etc etc so very few get away with it. I wouldn't be suprised if posts like this one, which are put out for all the world to see, would also be accessed and used to determine criminal intent.If you are testing the water on this forum for hints, under the guise of general interest, then I suggest you look elsewhere. People funding anything from this type of activity are only ensuring that all of our insurance premiums rise; the money they get is the money the rest of us pay for our own premiums. Work your way to financial freedom, don't cheat or fraud your way there! Illegal definately, and also a slap in the face for everyone who pays insurance premiums.
Don't know if you already have a concrete slab that you would like to polish or are looking to retrofit?
The polished concrete that you see in the magazines isn't the normal concrete that is poured in a slab. Concrete that is intended to be polished has a higher mpa and can have different preparation and pouring/installation techniques. Some polished concrete I saw in a magazine last year was pre-poured in large tiles and polished prior to laying on a concrete base to prevent cracking from movement.
There are plenty of concrete polishers in the metro areas so a price would be a phone call away. I would imagine they vary considerably.
One reason why some people are put off with polishing concrete is cracking (from movement) even the best engineered slab can suffer from stress or settlement cracking. Concrete with an aggregate added can help camoflague the cracking and can even be patched up without too much being visible. If you don't add an aggregate the cracks would be very visible.
Think of the comfort factor as well. If you are in a place with cold winters then exposed concrete will be like tiles, very cold underfoot and takes a long time to heat up.Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesHi John,
Tony Roccisano – 0418 502101.
In Sunraysia it used to be a toss up between George Collie and Tony Roccisano on who was the commercial property king. I found out today that George isn't working anymore so Tony has been getting much of the business that Collie & Tierney used to get. Tony is the principle at Roccisano Real Estate (The Professionals) but ring him direct otherwise the staff will handball you to another salesman. Tell him Daryl Fisher Homes referred you if he asks how you come across his mobile number.Hope that helps…PM me with the name of the comm agent you aren't happy and why; I am interested as my friends of mine are advertising a commercial property at the moment also (Collie & Tierney I think).
Cheers Julie
Daryl Fisher HomesLady24 wrote:We have an acreage block with barbed wire fencing – the whole area is post and barbed wire as it is rural residental and most horse country. The neighbours have a dog that keeps escaping and they ahve decided they wnat to replace the fences with cliplock fencing and want us to pay half the costDoes anyone know what our position is on this – do we have to do as they ask just because they want a new fence to keep thier dog in?
Linda
I wouldn't think so either. As far as the Fence Act 1968 is concerned I interpret the act as follows –
..you are only obliged to pay half if there wasn't a fence previously or the existing fence has been damaged (or is dangerous). If the current fence suits your requirements and is in good condition then they could look at other options such as lining their side with chicken wire or putting their dog on a wire run.Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesWhile you are talking to the building inspector ask him what the council requires when illegal building works are found. In our council you can buy the property with unapproved work without having to repair or remove it (unless it is deemed hazardous). But as it is noted on the contract it can have an impact on insurance claims (if a claim is lodged from damaged caused by, or to, illegal work). For this reason I would want to be absolutely sure that the inspector has given you accurate info. If the fittings look old then the work may not be recent and could have been done during a time when council laws weren't as strict. If the fittings look fairly modern then you could ask the local council if there has been a building permit issued for the property within the last 7-10 years (your solicitor would find this info out for you anyway). Check the work on the shower in particular as you wont want any water issues if a home handyman did the work. The quality of workmanship may have been the indicator to the building inspector.
Handspray chemical barriers are usually the cheapest and last for between 7-10 years depending on how much water you get around your house. If you home is on stumps it is easy to respray when it is deemed necessary by your pest inspection. If you have a slab then you can still have a chemical spray done and provided the soil is not disturbed or watered (gardens) this would also last for some years and be the cheapest option. I won't give you the prices we pay as we are in Vic and they may not be comparable. Good luck.
Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesSent you a PM. I will get the info tomorrow.
Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesYour success may also depend on how small the lots are that you would like to subdivide. From the sounds of it you would be similar to us. I know that we were allowed to go no smaller than the 1 acre because there was no sewerage infrastructure; the lots had to be big enough to sustain septic/reln systems. Some councils allow smaller lots than others for this depending on the soil types etc.
We were also within a irrigation network, in which the council were trying to discourage lots of land being sold off as large residential blocks etc. The change in the use of the land would have pushed the existing horticulture outside the irrigation network which would then require new infrastructure to be supplied for their water needs.
If the surrounding lots are 1 -2 acres you could be in luck.Each State is different on how many years of warranty would be afforded. If the renovator was an owner occupier or a landlord, and the repairs didn't involve structrual work I would doubt you have anything to work with. If there was structural work but it was done without a permit then there will be no warranty unless it was done for an owner occupier; in this case the owner occupier has to take out a pro-rata warranty insurance policy for the remainder of the waranty period. If a landlord has done the work by themselves then you also may not have any recourse as many of them would not know (and probably would not want to know) the requirements for contracts, warranty insurance etc. You should also know that the duration of the warranty does not apply to every facet of the works; there are limited warranties for certain things. Many flooring are only covered for a couple of years, paintwork is only covered for a short amount of time etc – not everything has a blanket 7 year coverage. The standards and tolerances also change to reflect building practices, so work that was done 5 years ago that may have been covered for a full 7 years, may have been altered since then and may only be covered now for a couple of years.
As there are so many variables you would need to know – What was the exact nature of the work done? When was it done? Who done it? What State? I may be able to help you out if you let me know soon? Otherwise I'm off to Darwin for the school Hols.
Julie Fisher
daryl fisher homesI agree with Sanjiv. Why spend 8k that you may not get back when you sell. Truth be known, any property over 20 years old would have asbestos in it in some form; unless it has been renovated. It is perfectly safe if it is in good condition. See ya millions.
We wanted to subidivide our PPOR when we first bought it nearly 13 years ago and approached our local council, we couldn't as we already had the smallest area they would allow in the Rural Zone (now Farm Zone) of 1 acre. I'm not sure which state you're in, but in Vic all zoning is the State Government's responsibility and unless it is earmarked for rezoning anyway, I wouldn't hold your breath.
Being able to subdivide may be different however, in our area at the moment, anything under 20 acres cannot be subdivided, but this may depend on local council laws so I would speak to the planning department of your local council about what you would like to do and they will point you in the right direction.
We rented a villa in Williamstown last year and upon payment of the fee we were given a 4 pin code to enter into a keybox at the front door of the property. It only opened the small box itself and inside was the key to the villa. Upon leaving we were asked to put the key back into the box and close the lid. I would presume that they would change the PIN after each guest has left. I should say that they went to clean their property but in your case you would still need someone to go and change the code after each visitor has left.
Maybe not quite what you're looking for, but I thought it was a nifty idea at the time; especially for holiday homes.
Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesOriginally posted by foundation:Originally posted by L.A Aussie:Hey Julie;
I think you’ll find that if you purchase at auction it is unconditional (may differe in some states) with no cooling off period. Another reason why agents like them.Not in Victoria! Nothing is binding until the contract is signed! Just the other day a story made the headlines of an auction ‘winner’ refusing to play-ball afterwards!
Going back a few years, a friend of my brother found this rule. He was annoyed at constantly attending auctions after being assured they were in his price range, only to have the property sell for $100k or more over the advertised price. Those were the glory-days of dummy bidding, and participants didn’t have to sign up prior… So he spent a couple of weekends attending auctions, winning, then doing a runner as soon as the crowd dispersed. Mean, but funny.
Yeh, sorry Marc, I didn’t bother to look where the post originated. I have only attended auctions in Vic. I actually got the advice about adding a clause from Neil Jenmans book where he suggested, at an auction, to insist on an escape clause being put in the contract before signing as protection. He said worst case scenario you can walk away (but not be too popular). I must say it is more aimed at people who have concerns about the house that need further investigation; not as an easy out for people who got caught up in the ‘moment’ while bidding.
I would get an independant valuation done on one (if they’re both the same) or both of the properties. This will give you a good idea of what they are worth at this point in time and will also be supported by recent sales in the area.
This should give you an idea what a reasonable price would be if you go to auction. Auctions can usually result in a bidder bidding more for a house than what they may have in a normal sale, but if they have a ‘subject to finance’ clause then they can still pull out of the deal and you are back where you started minus the auction fees. I would also think that at a poorly attended auction the agent would be able to suggest that it is because the price is too high and he may try to encourage you to lower your reserve; under pressure of not selling you may give in!Ask the agent what he feels the house may go for at auction and if you think he is under/overpricing ask him what information he used to support his price. Do your own research in the meantime; you should know within a few grand, what new homes are selling for in your area and you can use this as a guide.
IMHO Julie Fisher
Daryl Fisher HomesI will presume your IP is in Vic as you are.
I cannot see anything in the Fence Act 1968 regarding the replacement of an acceptable existing fence or a section that was demolished without the permission or consent of both parties.
So with that in mind
As far as the Fence Act 1968 is concerned you are only obliged to pay half the entire fence IF there was NO fence previously.
BUT you are can be obliged to pay half the costs to repair a damaged fence (tree fell or is falling down and dangerous) that doesn’t suit both your requirements also.
You should be able to negotiate that …
…..as the previous fence was adequate you had no intention of replacing it and therefore feel you shouldn’t be expected to pay half the costs of replacing it.
…you could also negotiate that you feel that the 20mt section that they removed (without your approval) should be paid for in total by them anyhow.
…You could also suggest to them that the remaining fence is suitable for your requirements for the time being.
…Of course if the fence does need replacing you could also obtain 2 other quotes of your own to ensure that they are ‘healthy’ quotes and take the opportunity to fix it up a bit.
…you should also reply in writing within as short a time frame as possible of your intentions as a non-reply can allow them the right to proceed. You should take photo’s of the fence in the meantime to support your argument if the matter goes further.
…you can suggest to the developer that you do not feel that this situation is one where the Fence Act 1968 applies. If they disagree they are then able to take the matter up with the Magistrates court which will decide what type of fence and in what proportions the relevant parties are responsible for paying. You may pay nothing or you may pay half depending on the court. Of course if you do this I would suggest that you DO seek advice from a professional in the area you are from (solicitor) and read the Fences Act 1968 as I don’t intend for you to lie.
Get some legal advice if you intend to try to avoid payment.
To read the Act http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/fa196867/s7.html
hope that link works.Julie Fisher
daryl fisher homesOriginally posted by thek:thanks for the info Julie.
My house is insured for 375, 000 (although it would sell for 310 max) and my contents insurance is 30K.
For this I am paying $815 annually. Does that sound about right?
thanks,
Mike
Sorry thek, we just fixed the claims. We didn’t sell the policies, so I cannot answer that question! You will have to do your own homework on that one. A good insurance broker will be able to provide you with a few options and you can compare the premiums and policy details amongst them.
Originally posted by Cherry Pro:Excuse my ignorance but who is
“the Donald” ?Thanks.
Donald Trump.
Any fences that existed on the property when you bought it were included in your purchase price, as they could have been paid for by the previous owner. If the previous owner was the original developer then your neighbour lucked out, as a developer usually has a clause to state that they are not liable for half shares in fences for unsold neighbouring blocks. If your neighbour chose to erect a fence before the land around him was sold then he assumed total costs.
Any fence constructed after purchase should have been done so with your approval in writing after quotes were agreed upon as mentioned above.
