We get this question asked all time from people who are thinking or wanting to cement render their house, terrace or apartment.

You would think there would be a simple answer of yes or no, but there are a few steps required to ascertain if you do require council approval to cement render your home.

Speaking with a few of the local councils, all mentioned that for minor external and non structural alterations, the guidelines in the State Environment Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 or the NSW Planning & Infrastructure Exempt and Complying Development (which outlines and aims to ‘streamline approvals for low impact development, like renovating or building a home'), are the best to follow.

•   SEPP - http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/inforcepdf/2008-572.pdf?id=6041d1ad-eb39-45a7-f7a2-9e3acb4f2f73

•   NSW Planning & Infrastructure - http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/en-us/buildinginnsw/exemptandcomplyingdevelopment.aspx

However, take note you will need to meet provisions in part 1 and 2 of the SEPP document to be exempt from council approval. If you are still unsure if you are exempt, the local councils recommends to contact an independent expert that would be able to direct you further.

There are also a few things to take into consideration, and this is mainly onsite matters i.e. access, scaffolding and noise restrictions – which all may need some level of approval from council. A simple phone call to your local council will clear up any questions you may have.

Access
Depending on the location of your home, access for tradesmen in very important. Make sure that your neighbours are aware of any works being completed, so that it does not inconvenience them or hinders the progress of works through the duration of the project. The last thing you want is problems which could damper your renovation experience.

Don’t forget to also remove any obstructions around the house so that the tradesmen have a clear run and to also minimises any potential accidents or slowing the process of the job.

Scaffolding
This applies to a house, terrace, apartment which is more than one storey high or where the house is sitting on uneven land and has a split level design. Again depending where the house or apartment is situated, you may require council approval. For example, a terrace which is located on a main road, with the entrance of the house being the front footpath for passers-by will require council approval as it is impacting the general public and it is on council property i.e. the footpath.

The scaffolding application does not take long, it is very easy and will only take 1-2 weeks depending on how our quick your council can process it. We can help you with this if need be.

Noise restrictions
In regards to noise restrictions, councils are very strict. All local councils have limits on when noise can be made to reduce noise pollution. General working hours on your property are between the hours of 7am to 6pm on weekdays and up to 2pm on Saturdays/Sundays.

So, before you consider cement rendering, place a quick call to your local council and they should be able to answer any lagging questions you may have. However, make sure that you have a licensed and reliable tradesman on site – this will provide you with confidence and for a stress-free experience.

How to avoid being ripped off

SMH Small Business Trends

Author: Alexandra Cain

March, 28, 2014

http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/trends/blogs/the-big-idea/how-to-avoid-being-ripped-off-20140321-356r3.html

My brother’s about to do up the bathroom in the flat he’s just bought and has been getting quotes from various builders. I’m amazed at the variance in the prices – one guy quoted $18,000, another $12,000 and one guy came in at $8,000.

That’s a $10,000 difference between quotes for what’s ostensibly the same job. So how on earth should he know which one to pick?

Building is complex and there are many variables involved. Which means you need to get numerous quotes.

I spoke to Allen Cetinic, who runs Render My Home, about how to tell if you’re being charged a fair price. He says the process of quoting is a complex one. “The only way you can judge is by making sure you’re comparing apples with apples. Building is complex and there are many variables involved. Which means you need to get numerous quotes.”

Cetinic says there are many ways to approach a job, and many materials and finishes that can be used, which is one reason there’s such disparity in prices.

 “You might call in one electrician who’ll just quote you for a basic job and another one will give you a more comprehensive quote that might include things that need to be attended to over the next year. And that’s where people will go wrong – some will do a basic job and others will quote you on something that’s more thorough.”

He says it’s essential for consumers to do their research and interview people before agreeing to use a tradesperson for a job – it only takes five minutes to get a feel for whether you can work with someone. He also says three quotes might not be enough.

“You might have to speak to six or seven people before you find the right person for you,” Cetinic says.

So how should you compare quotes? One way, says Cetinic, is to be very clear on the scope of work. What does the quote include? Does it cover rubbish removal? How about cleaning up? What about painting? All these factors will influence the price of the job. It’s all about making sure your expectations are the same as the tradesperson’s. Don’t just assume you’ll get exactly what you want.

“Sharing quotes could be a good idea and make sure the quotes cover the same things,” he says.

Another important variable is the credibility of the service provider. Cetinic says: “Look at whether they have an online presence, think about where the referral to the tradesperson came from, how long they’ve been in business, their qualifications and their experience. It’s all about doing your research.”

Cetinic says there are no standard prices for jobs for residential building; there are some for commercial jobs because the scale of work on a square metre basis is usually so much greater than for work done on houses.
“Plus some contractors are opportunistic – when they’re busy they’ll charge a higher price and when they’re slow they’ll charge a lower amount just to get the work. Really, the only way to get the work done at the price you want to a standard that’s acceptable is to find a tradie you have a connection with,” says Cetinic.

Laorence Nohra, CEO at Tradebusters, which offers a tradesman co-ordination service, agrees prices depend on the inclusions and exclusions of a job.

“In general, rates vary from $60 to $90 an hour, which may or may not include a service fee. If someone was charging you $120 an hour that would look wrong to me.”

As to what sort of recourse consumers have if they feel they have been overcharged, Nohra says there’s very little if the home owner has accepted a written quote and that acceptance has been documented.

“Where you do have some recourse is when you’ve been charged extra for variables and what you’ve been charged is very different to what you were quoted on,” she says.

Cetinic says: “At the end of the day, consumers have to take responsibility. It’s not good enough to take a retrospective view. You need to have a paper trail that shows emails back and forth agreeing the scope of work and the price. No one wants to sit in tribunal hearings, so be clear on what you’re expecting and what you’ll pay for that.”

What's been your experience getting quotes from tradies? Share it in the comments below.

The biggest concern homeowners like you have when it comes to choosing their contractor is the risk and uncertainty of having to make a decision that will deliver a successful outcome, ie, a completely stress-free experience, value for money and a job to be proud of.

The building industry is synonymous for being full of contractors and builders who constantly fail to deliver on key areas such as customer service and quality workmanship. Even more disappointing (but true) is that many lack basic personal qualities such as courtesy, integrity and reliability.   

It is important for you to understand that the ‘true cost’ of a job is not necessarily the number that appears on the quotation or invoice for you to pay at the end of the job. There are ongoing costs associated with cheaper products and services that will increase not only the amount of money you need to continually pay for years to come, but also the amount of time, stress, inconvenience and anxiety you will need to deal with in having to restore, repair and/or replace these items.

When making a decision on which contractor to engage, your objective should be to minimise the amount of risk, you as the customer are exposed to. Have I been given the best possible advice on this product? What happens if the contractor does not do what he promises? What happens if the work is faulty and as a result has affected other areas and items? What can I do if I realise at a later date that the contractor mislead me by carrying out the work defectively?

Reputable companies that are highly regarded amongst their industry peers will initially appear more expensive in comparison to other quotes, but the closer you examine the conditions and take into consideration the whole value factor, you will realise that these companies have built their reputations through delivering consistent excellence and commitment towards achieving total customer satisfaction, and will deliver you a better service that will result in greater value for money – no doubt about it!

The ‘Render My Home’ promise to you is this…

Whilst we may not always be the cheapest quote, we will guarantee that our companies’ services will provide you greater value for money than any other competitor.
 
Call us now on 0405 278 369, to discuss with the team at Render My Home, how to best approach your next project.

The one thing you need to look for when choosing your renderer, or any contractor for that matter, is their level of professionalism. This should be the most important criteria, as everything else is dependent on this.

In a world where we often do not realise until is too late, the ‘actual cost’ of a service because we are so driven by the pursuit of the ‘cheapest quote’, we need to understand that there are often many associated hidden costs when engaging the cheapest contractor. These unexpected costs rear their ugly heads only within a few months after the work has been finished and this is simply not acceptable. You are left with the ongoing cost to repair work that should have been carried out correctly the first time.

We have all heard of horror stories, where a homeowner has simply been screwed over by the tradesman with empty promises, blatant lies and dishonest conduct. This is the risk you take if you fail to recognise the importance of the professional component of a contracting company.

The workmanship and quality of the work will take care of itself when you deal with a professional outfit. A professional contracting company will ensure that you the customer have been serviced reliably and appropriately, communicated with adequately throughout the duration of the project and that all expectations have been exceeded.  

Engaging a renderer that is unlicensed creates at least two major problems for you as the consumer.

To be entitled to a trade licence means that the contractor has had to undergo an assessment of sorts via an education or training institution and has had his or her skills competently assessed by a trainer or assessor. This is important to you as the consumer, as you need to know whether this person or company are knowledgeable and competent enough to carry out the works adequately and to a suitable standard. If they are not, you are throwing away your money.

The other problem is in relation to compliance and regulation under NSW law. If the contractor does not hold a trade licence, the likelihood that he does not hold valid Workers Compensation or Public Liability policies is also a strong possibility.

That affects you directly in that if a worker was injured or killed on your site, you could be implicated as you were the individual authorising the work to be carried out, and as a result an incident occurred that should never have been allowed to proceed.

As a consumer you must demonstrate due diligence by requesting to see the contractors licence and all relevant insurances before safely engaging them to carry out work on your premises. This protects your consumer rights and reduces any risk you may be exposed to.

Given the reputation of the building industry and tradespeople, it would be wise to request a copy of these. You are entitled to do so and it gives you peace of mind knowing that you are dealing with an individual or company that has some level of professionalism by taking out insurance.

In today’s market there are many dodgy tradesmen that operate in a black market sector of the building industry. It is the work and practices of these individuals that have seen the quality of workmanship in Sydney significantly decline over the last decade or so.

These individuals compete on price and price alone, and prey on the fact that they can entice consumers by offering the cheapest quote, and then deliver a sub-standard job before aggressively demanding their money from you.

As a consumer you should never put yourself in such a situation. Do your homework on the individuals’ business by researching what you can. If you are not satisfied that the business is legitimate, then do not make the same mistake many others have made by persevering with quotations or further discussions. Try elsewhere instead. 

Rendering your home completely changes the appearance and character of your home.

It is a great opportunity for you to consider upgrading other surrounding elements of your home to balance out the impact the rendering will make for your home. Carefully consider all of your options to do with balustrading, handrails, guttering, roof, front door and windows.

Lighting, in particular wall lights make a huge impact on accentuating the best parts of a rendered home, as does landscaping. And of course getting your colour scheme right is what brings everything together.

When considering to render your home, your objective should be to maximise its overall impact, as in its street appeal. And to do this you need to treat the exercise as you would any other project.

So as you can see, the cost of rendering is simply not just about a square metre rate. Sure, the rendering component can be quoted as such, but this is very risky to you the consumer, as the emphasis for the contractor then becomes a race to finish the job as quickly as possible to maximise his profit, and more often than not the quality of the job suffers. This sadly happens all the time.

Another important factor in relation to the cost of rendering your home is that there are many different applications of render being used everyday in Sydney. Traditional cement render, polymer modified render, acrylic render, plaster and marble wall finishes etc, as well as new products emerging onto the market all of the time. These are often use in conjunction with each other to deliver a desired finish to a home.

So depending on what system you wish to have applied to your home, the cost varies greatly. We have rendered a home for as little as $4000, that being the most basic of all render systems, and have rendered a home for $580K dollars. It really depends on the size of your home, the system and the amount of details required.

For a more specific indication of the cost to render your home, please call Render My Home on 0405 278 369 today to arrange for a free, no obligation quote for your home.
 

The short answer is yes. Rendering your home does many things to the appearance of your home apart from dramatically changing it that will result in an increased sale price, assuming you were rendering your home specifically for this purpose.

Firstly, it conceals the material that your home is built from whether that be face brick, concrete or some other type of material, i.e. sheeting or cladding. This can be helpful if the brickwork of your home is unattractive, old  or out-dated. 

By rendering your home you have now concealed the real age of your home and have made the home appear more modern. Rendered homes are always in vogue. Driving through the more established and prestigious suburbs of any capital city in Australia will support that statement.

It provides to any home an elegant look that can be presented as either a traditional or heritage style look, or as a modern masterpiece, sleek and sharp. However it is often the other elements to your home that can really accentuate these themes, especially with things such as lighting, colour schemes, external fixtures and landscaping.

By rendering your home you can improve the street appeal of your home and in turn increase the value of your home. If a home is considered attractive and appealing, it will result in greater attention and demand. And this translates into increased value. 

As with any product we wish to buy, we all want the best. Having the best doesn’t usually mean it is the cheapest, but it does mean that it is the best.

When you research the products and suppliers in the render, paints and textures field, there is clearly only one product or brand that stands head and shoulders above all of the others.

Good reputations in the building industry are difficult to come by. The Dulux Acratex range of renders, textures and paints are simply the best performing products available. And Dulux are prepared to back this by their warranty system offers. 

The reason they are better than the others is that the research and development carried out by Dulux Acratex on these products is second to none. The testing and research is more thorough and more stringent and it is for this reason they can fully back the performance of their products when applied by an accredited applicator.

Ultimately, you as the consumer benefit because if a product performs better, it also lasts longer. Getting an extra five years out of a quality system such as Dulux Acratex, gives you massive savings over your lifetime.

Render My Home use only Dulux Acratex on our projects, because they are simply the best.

Call Render My Home now on 0405 278 369.

Remedial work is a very expensive exercise. No one ever expects to have to repair the work on their home that they only just paid for not long ago. This is the reality of what is happening in Sydney at the moment because dodgy builders are building very cheap dwellings that need repairing as early as 12 months after practical completion.

The age old saying that if it is too good to be true, then it probably is. ‘Cheap’, means just that. Cheaper materials, shortcut methods and processes. Ultimately, you the consumer get ripped off!

Sure, you don’t want to go the other way either and get ripped off by engaging an over-priced contractor to render your home.

So, do your homework. Understand what you are being quoted. Compare apples with apples. Look for the most professional contractor to work with.

Your home’s exterior façade is a true representation of who you are. Whether you’re building your own dream home, bringing new life by renovating or maybe just extending the one you’re living in – creating impressive exterior façade through inspirations, ideas and designs, will give your home a unique look and feel. Give your home exterior a little extra something by combining innovative applications and popular products such as modern wall cladding systems,  renders and texture coatings, paints, landscaping, glass balustrades, awnings and shutters.

You may be pleasantly surprised, the overall benefit to you can be extremely rewarding.

Wall Cladding Systems

A great way to introduce long-lasting character, flare and personality to your home. Not only can wall cladding and panels dramatically change the exterior look of your home, but it can also keep your family cool in summer and warm in winter.

With an ever growing range of finishes and designs, one thing is for certain it provides a modern, futurist and  distinct look to your home.  Aluminium Composite, Designer Wall and Thermal Wall Panels are undeniably durable, flexible and light weight and are now being touted by architects as the look of the future. The possibilities are endless in designing your home.

Render + Paint

Cement render, acrylic coatings and paint go hand in hand and are  one of the most effective ways to transform the initial impression and appearance of a home, not to mention being one of the most popular.

The main purpose of rendering and acrylic texture coating is to give your façade an extra element to its appearance.  It also provides flexibility and strength, resulting in a long lasting finish with superior barrier properties. Also render and acrylic coatings assist in reducing  natural erosion and provide protection against weather damage, as well as contributing to your homes overall insulation.   

Acrylic texture coatings come in a range of textures and colours that will compliment your homes natural surroundings. Smooth render can simply be painted with a colour of your choice - depending how daring or adventurous you are, the opportunities are  boundless with colour schemes.

Awnings + Louvres

These fashionable items really make a statement about you and your home by adding a modern, stylish and classy flare to your façade and outdoor entertaining areas. Providing comfort and protection to your family from the outdoor elements, most come with automated features to enhance the experience. Made using extruded aluminium that is finished either anodised, or in a high UV resistant powder coat paint finish, with all fixtures and components being high-grade stainless steel. Smart use of awnings and louvres adds to the energy efficiency of a home.

Glass Balustrades + Handrails

Glass balustrades not only look impressive and fashionable, but also provide a feeling of additional space. Frameless and semi-frameless balustrades (mini-post or glass clamps) can be installed on balconies, stairs, void areas or used as a privacy screen. Stainless steel parts are  available in high polish or satin finish, giving you peace of mind against unsightly rust and corrosion that has plagued so many facades as a result of cheap and second rate products.

Landscape & Gardens

This is the icing on the cake. To ensure you have done justice to your homes new façade, you must not make the mistake of neglecting your garden. You can really make a statement by planting striking plants that accentuate architectural features and contribute to the overall impact of your home designs.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me "What is the difference between cement render and acrylic render?", I would have fair dinkum retired by now! A slight exaggeration, but I definitely wouldn't be rendering anymore, that's for sure!

The explanation is quite simple: 'cement render' contains cement, and 'acrylic render' does not.

Cement render comes dry, i.e., requires hydration to activate, acrylic render comes already wet, i.e., in a pale or a bucket.

Cement render dries solid and brittle, and is prone to cracking if ever there is movement in the walls, whereas acrylic render remains flexible and can absorb a small degree of movement, as it is essentially a sheath, or a coating.

Cement render can be applied quite thick, i.e., up to 15mm depending on the substrate, whereas acrylic render is usually used more so as a skimcoat, since it relies on evaporation to set.

The only thing these two products have in common is that they are both applied by trowel and done so by a renderer.

Both systems have their limitations and their own list of pros and cons. For best results, they can be used one after another to achieve the best of both worlds!

Call us today on 1300 441 302.