Treating, Repairing and Designing Timber Fences and DecksTreating, Repairing and Designing Timber Fences and Decks

About Me

Treating, Repairing and Designing Timber Fences and Decks

Welcome to my blog! My name is Brenda, and I love designing homes and landscaping yards. In particular, I love implementing natural wood and timber into my designs. Last year, I put on new timber decking and added a fence. to our garden Through the process of working with a contractor and doing a lot of independent research, I was able to get just the type of decking and fencing I wanted, and now, I am adamant about taking great care of it. In this blog, I am going to cover a gamut of concepts related to timber decking, and I might into delve into some other posts about construction or DIY. I hope that you like my ideas!

Are Permits Mandatory For Home Improvement Projects?

13 May 2016
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog

Modern homeowners have different lifestyles. In a large number of cases, modern homeowners will undertake home improvement projects to improve the functionality of the home and its compatibility with their kind of lifestyle.

Undertaking a home improvement project without a permit from the relevant authorities can have a number of legal consequences. This article discusses three home improvement projects for which a homeowner might need to get approval in the form of a building permit.

Excavation-Related Activities

A large number of home improvement projects involve the excavation of land within and around the residential property. Examples of the home improvement projects referred to include the construction of external storage units, renovation of residential basement areas and the construction of in-ground swimming pools.

A homeowner will need a permit for home improvement projects that involve the excavation of land in situations where excavation-related activities are undertaken with the aim of putting up a structure on the excavated portion of the land.

On the other hand, homeowners will not need to seek approval if they plan to undertake excavation-related activities not meant to facilitate the construction of any structure on the excavated land. For example, excavation-related activities aimed at improving the aesthetic value of the landscape don't need to get approval from the authorities concerned.

Verandahs And Carports

The installation of verandahs and/or custom built carports is one of the most common home improvement projects. The addition of these features is known to have a positive impact on the curb appeal and the final market value of residential property.

A homeowner who intends to install, repair or carry out maintenance-related activities on a verandah or carport will need to apply for a permit under the following circumstances:

  • The verandah or carport is (to be) constructed of masonry (concrete, bricks and stone etc.)
  • The verandah or carport is (to be) attached to an existing building and its installation or repair will affect the structural integrity of the existing building
  • The home improvement activity (installation, repair or maintenance of verandahs and carports) will affect the safety of building occupants and that of the general public
  • The verandah or carport to be installed, repaired or maintained is (to be) located over a residential easement area.

Roof Solar Panels

Permits aren't usually required for the installation of rooftop solar panels because the panels are categorized as building attachments as opposed to being categorized as part of the building.

However, if these panels are to be installed on a residential building listed in the Heritage Register, the homeowner will need to apply for a permit.