The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

building

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Landcom and Mirvac Group have neared completion of OVO at Green Square, which more than 600 residents set to call the landmark building home. 
It was designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) design director, Richard Francis-Jones.
It is the second Landcom and Mirvac building to be completed at Green Square, following the completion of Ebsworth in early 2017 in the transformed former industrial area.
Designed by FJMT in partnership with Mirvac Design, OVO features a distinctive ellipsoid-shaped tower taking advantage of the prime views of the city.
The façade of the building has one of the most complex colour, detail and manufacturing systems Mirvac has delivered, including 1,800 panels in 134 different shapes and 17 different colours.
Mirvac’s CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said OVO was the gateway to the heart of the Green Square Town Centre, on the corner of Bourke Street and Ebsworth Street.
Green Square’s high street along Ebsworth Street now features a 2,000 square metre Woolworths supermarket and The Social Corner - a community space and cafe.  
Later this year, the City of Sydney will open the civic plaza and library, with more amenities, such as parks and an aquatic centre, set to open in the coming years. 
This has followed the completion of a $32 million community and cultural precinct, complete with a three-storey creative centre, which opened in May 2018.
It as in April 2015 when Mirvac sold 221 apartments on the opening weekend. 
Pricing on the apartments in the 28-storey tower was equivalent to the last two towers the developer had sold in the same burgeoning new precinct.
Rates on level 12 were around $13,000 per square metre, with lower floors cheaper and higher floors dearer. 
Studios were priced from $650,000, with first home buyers paying more than $700,000 for a one bedroom apartment without parking, and two bedroom apartments with one bathroom in the $900,000 range and going up in Ovo, which occupies a prominent gateway location at 956-960 Bourke Street.
Designed by architect Richard Francis-Jones in an elliptical shape, the curving, 28-storey tower features a larger mix of three-bedroom apartments with layouts designed to appeal to households with children.
Some apartments have a bathroom for every bedroom. 
When fully completed around 2030, Green Square’s total population could reach 53,000, according to planning estimates.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

All set for the tallest building at Green Square as OVO celebrates completion

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Guest Observer
Building an extra 50,000 homes a year for a decade could leave Australian house prices 5 to 20 per cent lower than they would be otherwise, and stem rising public anxiety about housing affordability.
Within living memory, Australia was a place where housing costs were manageable, and people of all ages and incomes had a reasonable chance to own a home with good access to jobs. But home ownership rates are falling among all Australians younger than 65, especially those with lower incomes. Owning a home increasingly depends on who your parents are, a big change from 35 years ago when home ownership rates were high for all levels of income. Those on low incomes – increasingly renters – are spending more of their income on housing.
It’s been a perfect storm of rising incomes and falling interest rates, rapid migration, tax and welfare settings feeding demand, and planning rules restricting supply. As a result, house prices have more than doubled in real terms over the past 20 years. The strains are most acute in Sydney and Melbourne. Since 2012, house prices have risen 50 per cent in Melbourne, and 70 per cent in Sydney.
Development in middle suburbs has increased in recent years, especially in Sydney. But today’s record level of housing construction is the bare minimum needed to meet record levels of population growth driven by migration. Meanwhile a decade of accumulated shortages are forcing younger people to set up their own homes later in life.
To build more homes, State governments should fix planning rules to allow more homes to be built in inner and middle-ring suburbs of our largest cities. More small-scale urban infill projects should be allowed without council planning approval.
State governments should also allow denser development ‘as of right’ along key transport corridors. They should swap stamp duties for general property taxes. And state land taxes on investment property should be flat rate with no tax-free threshold, to encourage more institutional investors likely to provide longer-term tenancies.
The Commonwealth government can improve housing affordability somewhat – and immediately – by reducing demand. It should reduce the capital gains tax discount to 25 per cent; abolish negative gearing; and include owner-occupied housing in the Age Pension assets test. And unless the states are prepared to reform their planning systems, the Commonwealth should consider tapping the brakes on Australia’s migrant intake.
It took neglectful governments two decades to create the current housing affordability mess. They preferred the easy choices that merely appear to address the problem. The politics of reform are fraught because most voters own a home or an investment property, and mistrust any change that might dent the price of their assets. But if governments keep pretending there are easy answers, housing affordability will just get worse. Older people will not be able to downsize in the suburb where they live, and our children won’t be able to buy their own home.
<a href="https://grattan.edu.au/podcast/housing-affordability-re-imagining-the-australian-dream/" target="_blank">Listen to a podcast with John Daley and Brendan Coates discussing the report</a>
John Daley has been the Chief Executive of the Grattan Institute since it was founded nine years ago.
He can be <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/people/bio/john-daley/" target="_blank">contacted here.</a>
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50,000 new homes a year for a decade could leave house prices 20 percent lower: Grattan Institute

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The property and telecommunications industries are at odds over infrastructure rules that will set the stage for the 5G wireless network.
While building owners accuse mobile carriers of paying lower rents and an “increasingly aggressive interpretation" of the laws related to the way buildings are used for telecommunications equipment, mobile carriers say the allegation of widespread problems is questionable.
The Property Council of Australia says that with the Telecommunications Act 1997 and its code of practice under reviewed by the Commonwealth government, the powers and immunities given to providers of mobile network infrastructure must also be reformed.
Building owners are complaining that they are forced to give over space at below-market rents, put up with cables inappropriately and are left to manage redundant kit at the end of a lease when a carrier walks away, reported The Australian Financial Review.
"Telecommunications carriers, with legislative protection, are too often a law unto themselves, show little regard for building owners or other tenants, and pay next to no rent," Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison was cited as saying by the AFR.
"The days of offering $1 rent to use a building must end," he said.
The council says in its submission to the review that the 20-year-old act has no provision for low-cost dispute-resolution mechanism so building owners are forced to put up with problems as the courts as the only recourse.
The 5G  mobile telecommunication network, due to be in operation by 2020, will be more complex and denser than its predecessors, meaning more mobile infrastructure in buildings. 
Mobile networks top body, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, said regulatory processes need to be simplified to roll out the network that will underpin technology such as ultra high-definition video and the machine-to-machine communication of driverless vehicles.
"One of the fundamental characteristics of the regulatory environment needed is it must keep up with technology and reflect the deployment environment that industry has to work in," said AMTA chief executive Chris Althaus.
"Part of that will be working more closely with building owners, property owners, but equally part of it must be efficient regulation."
The federal Communications Department’s review is expected to be handed over to the government by the year end.  
It has already proposed amendments that would save telcos up to $100 million a year through measures such as raising the size thresholds of equipment that needs planning approvals and making it easier to install replacement towers.
Althaus said property owners and telcos should work together, but questioned the allegation of widespread problems.
"On balance, given the high volume of deployment that has taken place in this country over the last three decades, the number of concerns, complaints and troubled circumstances is relatively low," he said.
The Communications Department said there was strong demand by consumers and businesses for better communications services and that carrier powers and immunities were designed to strike the right balance between quick and effective deployment of infrastructure and community and property safeguards.
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Building owners, telcos spar over network infrastructure rules

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GUEST OBSERVER
Asbestos is the generic term for a number of fibrous silicate minerals. Products made from asbestos cement - a bonded asbestos material - include fibro sheeting (flat and profiled) guttering and downpipes, as well as other pipes for water, drainage or flues, corrugated roofing sheets, roofing shingles and guttering.  WHY WAS ASBESTOS USED IN HOMES?
Asbestos materials were cheap and durable and after World War II until 1954 it was used extensively in the building industry. In New South Wales it's estimated 52 percent of all houses, (approx. 70,000 houses), were built using it. Up till the 1960s, 25 percent of all new housing was clad in asbestos cement in Australia and around 20 percent of all domestic roofs of that period contained asbestos. In Victoria, the percentage was higher and approx. 98 percent of homes constructed before 1976 contained asbestos products.  IS ASBESTOS STILL USED?
The good news is NO. Asbestos has not been used in domestic building materials since the 1980s, however, it was not until 31 December, 2003, that the use of asbestos and all products containing asbestos was banned throughout Australia. It is now illegal to import, store, supply, sell, install, use or re-use asbestos products. Please note: the ban does not apply to asbestos installed prior to this date and if your home contains asbestos you are not required to remove it, but if you do then you must follow safety guidelines and you cannot dump any type of asbestos material in a general waste disposal area. HEALTH RISKS
The health risks associated with working in the asbestos industry and being exposed to asbestos products through occupational, environmental and secondhand factors are now well known and documented and include Cancer; Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and other related serious conditions. It is strongly recommended before starting to undertake any type of renovation on a house built before the late 1980's that absolute caution be observed as it can potentially have asbestos containing materials like fibro, and exposure to broken asbestos by breathing in asbestos fibers which are toxic can be serious especially for anyone who smokes and young children.
RENOVATING - WHERE WOULD I FIND ASBESTOS IN A HOUSE?
It is very hard to identify asbestos products in a house just by looking at them. Below is a list of potential locations where asbestos was used in houses built or renovated before the late 1980's ... • Chimney flues • Flat, patterned or corrugated wall and roof sheeting • Lining under eaves • Lagging on hot water pipes • Vinyl floor tiles and backing to cushion tile and vinyl flooring • Internal and external walls • Imitation brick or weatherboard cladding • Insulation in wood heaters • Asbestos cement sheeting beneath heater hearths • Electrical meter boards • Garages &amp; carports • Garden sheds • Dog kennels
 If you suspect there could be asbestos materials - the only way to be certain is to have a sample of the material analysed by a laboratory - DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE IT OR BREAK IT UP call in an expert first and contact NATA – The National Association of Testing Authorities for an analytical laboratory in your area that is accredited to identify asbestos, visit NATA website: <a href="https://www.nata.asn.au/" target="_blank">www.nata.asn.au</a>
Confirmation should be carried out before any general maintenance, renovation or demolition activities proceed. Following the severe thunderstorms and tornado that lashed Kurnell, NSW last December, 2015 there was a trail of debris and fears of airborne asbestos. 
Home owners found themselves in a devastated condition with experts assessing the area to identify hazardous materials, such as asbestos products, because of the age of the houses many built before 1987. Authorities warned residents of the risks and advised them not to disturb the debris and to wear a P2 mask and protective clothing as a precaution before entering the ruins of their homes. This was very sad for the whole community and underscored the high danger of asbestos materials when they are disturbed and broken.  As a Conveyancer I always alert my client who is considering purchasing a home built prior to the late 1980's of the potential that the house may contain asbestos materials and I ensure the client understands the importance of checking for asbestos issues through a building report before going ahead.  A good suggestion I make to the client is to meet with P&amp;B Inspectors while they are conducting their inspections for questions about asbestos, extensions without Council approval or other matter of material concern before signing a contract and tendering a Deposit. 
Garth Brown is an accountant and certified conveyancer with Brown and Brown Conveyancing and can be contacted <a href="https://www.conveyancers.net.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Property 101: Asbestos and what you need to know

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News Ltd have acquired a 25% stake in hipages, Australia’s most popular website for finding and hiring tradespeople. 
<a href="https://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/" target="_blank">hipages</a> is the leading on-demand marketplace for hiring tradies in Australia, including plumbers, electricians, painters and builders.
Since its launch in 2004, the company has experienced significant growth year on year. David Vitek is co-founder and CEO of Hipages and Roby Sharon-Zipser, is the COO and co-founder of hipages.
It directly employs 200 people and helps over 65,000 verified tradespeople find work and get access to $1.35 billion worth of jobs generated annually.
"Our funding, comprising a combination of cash and advertising contra will help the business to further accelerate its growth and create greater brand awareness while providing our trades and services advertisers with a new platform with which to promote their businesses," News Corp Australia chief Peter Tonagh said in a statement on Monday. 
"For us this is an exciting investment and a key plank in our wider plan to expand and grow our property and home services business in Australia.
"More broadly, the investment follows our strategy of leveraging our large, highly engaged consumer audiences, and our deep relationships with advertisers, to expand our business into high growth."
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News Corp Australia invest in tradies home improvement website

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Daniel Wayne Auld, an unregistered builder, was fined $4,500 in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, following an action by Consumer Affairs Victoria relating to his work at a property in Spotswood.
Mr Auld, 31, of Sunshine West, trading as Timbertec Carpentry &amp; Constructions, pleaded guilty to various breaches of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, the Building Act 1993 and the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria).  
As well as not being a registered builder at any relevant time, Mr Auld also:
<ul>
<li>took an initial deposit of 40% of the contract price. By law, the maximum deposit a builder can ask for is 10% (for works of less than $20,000) or 5% (for works of $20,000 or more)</li>
<li>failed to provide his client with a contract that included all the information legally required  </li>
<li>failed to complete the work within the time period specified or a within a reasonable time</li>
<li>carried out work while unregistered.</li>
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 The work Mr Auld was hired to complete included:
<ul>
<li>demolishing existing bathrooms, plumbing, plastering, tiling and installation of bathroom cabinetry and fittings</li>
<li>installing kitchen splashbacks and stair rails</li>
<li>laying floorboards</li>
<li>painting the house’s interior.</li>
</ul>
As well as the fine, Mr Auld was also ordered to pay $250 in court costs.
All fines must be paid to the Domestic Builders Fund. 
 
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Melbourne builder caught taking 40% deposit of contract price

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Sekisui House has released a second tranche of 12 Shawood homes at The Hermitage master planned community in Gledswood Hills.
The latest properties are comprised of single and double storey homes from 421sqm to 549sqm, priced from $734,000 to $765,000.
Sekisui House chief executive officer Toru Abe said the first release of the Shawood range last year at The Hermitage sold out in one weekend.
For more information, click <a href="https://www.thehermitagesydney.com.au/home.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Second tranche of Shawood homes at The Hermitage released

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<div class="column">GUEST OBSERVER</div>
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<div class="column">Construction work done in the June quarter rose by 1.6%, driven by a 5.6% rebound in engineering work. </div>
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<div class="column">Residential work surprisingly fell by 3.0% in the June quarter with commercial building down by 1.8%.</div>
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<div class="column">Annual inflation in the building sector (residential and commercial building) eased from a 6-year high of 3.3% to 3.0%.</div>
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 The construction slump in Queensland continues. Queensland construction work has fallen 37% in almost two years.
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 The data on construction work is important for builders, building material companies and developers.
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<div class="column">What does it all mean?</div>
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 Overall it is the softest of landings in the construction sector. After soaring by 34% in a three-year period to peak levels in late 2012, construction has since eased by just 8%.
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 The ‘baton pass’ from engineering to residential building is proceeding but had a hiccup in the June quarter – engineering building actually soared, not fell, while home building eased. But the outlook is for more home building ahead and less spending on roads, bridges, railways and dams.
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 The other good news is that inflationary pressures have not worsened in the high-flying home building sector. Still, residential building costs are up 3.5 per cent on a year ago and need to be watched.
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 Trends in construction activity in Queensland remain a concern. In just under two years, construction work has slumped by 37% in Queensland – the most of any state or territory. By contrast construction work in the Northern Territory is up 84%. The lack of construction work in Queensland needs to be addressed by the State Government as it is robbing momentum from the economy. 
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What do the figures show? 
Construction Work
Construction work done rose by 1.6% in real (inflation-adjusted) terms in the June quarter after falling in the previous four quarters. Work done is down by 3.3 % on a year ago.
Public sector construction work fell by 8.4% in the quarter while private sector activity rose by 3.6%.
Construction work fell in six of the states and territories in the June quarter.
Leading the falls was ACT (down 14.6%), followed by Queensland (down 11.0%), South Australia (down 8.9%), Victoria (down 2.8%), Tasmania (down 1.4%) and NSW (down 0.1%). Construction rose in Western Australia (up 25.5%), and the Northern Territory (up 2.4 %).
Engineering work rose by 5.6% in the June quarter, after falling almost 25% in the previous six quarters. Engineering construction is down by 8.8% on a year ago.
Commercial (non-residential) building fell by 1.8% in the June quarter (private sector up 0.3%) to be down 1.8% over the year.
Residential building fell by 3.0% in the June quarter (private sector down 3.1%) but was still up by 7.4% over the year. Alterations &amp; additions rose 0.2% in the June quarter while new residential work fell by 3.5%. In trend terms, residential building rose by 2.5% – the eighth quarter of gains.
The measure of inflation in the construction sector (deflator) fell by 0.1% in the June quarter after rising by 0.3% in the September, December and March quarters. The annual rate of construction inflation fell from 1.5% to a 5-year low of 0.7%. Engineering prices fell by 0.7% in the quarter (down 1.3% over the year) while building prices rose by 0.6% in the quarter. Annual building inflation eased from a 6-year high of 3.3% to 3.0%. Annual inflation in home building remained at a 6-year high of 3.5%.
What is the importance of the economic data?
The Bureau of Statistics releases quarterly estimates of Construction work done. The estimates are based on a survey and cover around 85 per cent of the construction work done in the period. Revised estimates will be released in coming months. The data is useful largely for historical purposes but the work yet to be done estimates provide an early warning signal of future activity. The residential work figures give a good early guide to the strength of residential investment in the national accounts.
What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
There is plenty of work in the construction sector. But activity is patchy – soaring in some states and sectors and slumping in others. Builders, tradespeople and construction firms need to be mobile in the current environment.
The Reserve Bank will be pleased about current trends in construction. Overall activity has not fallen of a cliff, and while there is a sniff of inflation in home building, overall construction inflation is at 5-year lows. The RBA will continue to stay on the interest rate sidelines over coming months.
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CRAIG JAMES is the chief economist at <a href="https://www.comsec.com.au/default.aspx" target="_blank">CommSec</a>.
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Soft landing for construction work: Craig James

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Whether you are building a single house, duplex or multi unit development, there is one essential building material that we always include. This item is not mandatory or compulsory in most cases, however Property Bloom has three good reasons why we include it. 
We are talking about sarking beneath a tiled roof. Sarking is a pliable membrane that sits under roof tiles, usually silver in colour. 
I've been watching as a new house is being built in my street.  As the roof was going on, I noticed they had not used sarking. The house is being built by one of the parents at my son's school who I know. So when I saw them next, I casually mentioned to them that I'd seen the roof had now been finished but there was no sarking. They said they had ummed and ahhed about it and decided not to spend the extra money on something no one is going to see. Big mistake I thought, but I didn't say that as it was too late for them to change their mind. Their bedrooms are all upstairs and the house faces west.  I know how hot it will get up there but that's not the only reason they should have considered it. 
So here's my reasons why we include sarking on our all Property Bloom developments:
1. Waterproofing. This is my number one reason. If you get a cracked roof tile, which is easy enough to occur in a big storm particularly if there are trees close by, sarking will assist in keeping out the moisture. Leaking roofs are your worst enemy. Once water seeps through the plasterboard, it can get expensive to repair and can also cause electrical damage. 
2. Insulation. This is a pretty good reason, particularly in a long, hot summer. We are seeing our temperatures rising and if you're sleeping just a few meters from your roof void, then chances are you are going to be hot or spend a lot of money on cooling this area. Sarking improves the thermal performance by up to 97%* and helps to provide a more energy efficient and comfortable home.
*CSR Bradford
3. Dust. Sarking helps keep dust out of your roof void. If you have access into the roof void for storage or maybe thinking of creating an attic room, then minimising dust is a good thing. Also, if you have down lights or sky lights in your ceiling and no sarking, you may find dust can filter down into the living area through any tiny gaps created by ceiling fittings.  
On a typical Property Bloom duplex project, our builder charges about $1,800-$2,000 more for sarking and to me this is a small price to pay to ensure you have the highest of quality roof protection for your property. The last thing we want is for our clients to experience complaints from tenants down the track that their roof is leaking. 
Sarking is compulsory in bushfire rated areas and provides compliance to BAL bush fire ember attack requirements. 
So don't scrimp on your roof, it'll be a good investment plus provide peace of mind. 
Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.
 
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One important building material to include in your construction: Jo Chivers

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Master Builders Australia enforced the importance of affordable housing for lower income earners in its submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into Home Ownership in Australia.
"Social housing provides a roof-over-the-head for more than 397,000 – or about 4% of - Australian households. 
"National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) is a key mechanism for providing housing assistance to those in genuine housing need, and an important instrument of social policy in Australia. 
"The better approach for NAHA (and/or its successors) must be to clear the roadblocks to improved housing affordability (especially those imposed by State, Territory and Local Governments), which will help to increase the supply and reduce the cost of housing, rather than providing government subsidies and other forms of assistance to try to offset unwarranted cost pressures on the supply and the price of housing."
Master Builders Australia is pleased that the Federal Government recognizes the issue of unaffordable housing in all capital cities in Australia. According to the submission, a few points contributed to the problem.
"Shortages of available land and inefficient land release strategies; infrastructure costs being loaded onto developers and in turn passed on to home owners; excessive infrastructure specifications in subdivisions; excessive development levies, taxes and charges imposed by State and Territory governments; excessive planning and building requirements; regulatory creep pushing codes and standards higher than required; and, un-coordinated local and state government environmental regulations. 
"Master Builders estimates the national housing supply shortfall (supply falling behind demand) has risen to more than 107,000 dwellings, which in turn contributes to housing affordability pressures."
Master Builders calls on the Federal Government to commit to, and deliver upon its National Housing Affordability Agenda key elements.  
"Tangible outcomes in improving the efficiency, and the supply-side efficiency in particular, of the Australian housing market. Annual publication by the Federal Department of Industry on its website of a rigorous and transparent stocktake of approaches to developer/infrastructure charges by all local governments in Australia.
"Streamlined and simplified development approvals processes, achieved through, inter alia, greater reliance on code-based assessment, identification of best practice development approval procedures amongst State, Territory and local governments, as well as expanded use of performance monitoring and benchmarking.
"Local governments to develop and promulgate individual realisable Land Release Plans for their own jurisdictions over a ten year rolling time horizon.
"The realisation of a genuine, rigorous, enforceable and uniform building code and regulatory system to ensure the development and continuation of an efficient and competitive building industry."
Efficient Housing Market
"An efficient housing market would have a number of features, including: a supply-side which is responsive to changes in demand-side drivers; one not burdened by distortions to market prices (the principal method by which housing demand signals are transmitted to housing suppliers); regulatory, as well as subsidy and taxation interventions, which distort and reduce the efficient operation of the housing market, are minimal, transparent and based on sound economic principles. 
"Where governments and other regulators wish to achieve social and other policy objectives in the housing sector, these outcomes be pursued through directly relevant policy instruments and in a manner which has the least possible distortion impact on the housing market."
Investor-Supplied Housing 
"Investor housing plays an important role in the supply of new residential dwellings in Australia. Investor housing likely accounted for more than 30 per cent of spending on new residential construction, on average, annually between 1985 and 2012. 
"Investors in ‘negatively geared’ dwellings likely accounted for just over 1.9 million residential dwellings, accommodating some 4.8 million people. 
"Absent the housing stock provided by housing investors, it is not clear where these people would find residential dwellings to live in – public- and social- housing almost certainly could not meet such demand." 
"As can be seen in Graph 8.1, some 40%of Australian taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in the 2010/11 financial year fell into the ‘middle income’ bracket of between $37,001 and $80,000 per annum, with another 23 per cent being the lower-middle income bracket of between $6,001 to $37,000 per annum. 
"By contrast, a mere 5% of taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in that financial year fell into the ‘high income’ bracket – that is, persons earning more than $180,000 per annum. 
"As such, any ill-considered action to wind-back, let alone eliminate, ‘negative gearing’ would amount to an ‘assault on the frugal middle class Australian’, rather than the ‘rich’ as some may claim. 
Taxes
"The building and construction sector is one of the most intensely taxed in Australia, and bears a direct and indirect tax burden from all levels of government — Federal, State and Territory, and Local."
More taxation attracts less investments and employment opportunities reducing housing affordability.
"Master Builders’ high level tax reform priorities call for a comprehensive review of the narrow GST base.
"Any increase in the GST rate must not be undertaken without first effecting comprehensive tax reform; reducing the company tax rate to 25 per cent; reducing the differential between the higher marginal personal income tax rates and the company tax rate; simplifying tax compliance; retaining the tax exempt status of home ownership and negative gearing; providing incentives for the removal of inefficient state taxes including infrastructure taxes, charges and levies; and, introducing a reducing, stepped rate of capital gains tax."
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