We know sleep, exercise and eating well are important, but what we often haven’t paid enough attention to is the role our environment plays in our own and our family’s health.

We cannot always control our external world, but now a growing body of research is focused on what is happening inside our homes, and a major concern is increasing radiation exposure.

Radiation is everywhere of course. Natural sources, including the sun, have been present since the earth was formed. But in the last 200 years, industrial and building technologies have increased the artificial human-produced sources of radiation.

Exposure to radiation, even at only a fraction of the ‘safe’ limits set by governments have links to cancer, fertility issues, blood pressure problems, leukaemia and lowered immunity, compromising our overall health and well being.

Patrick van der Burght – director of Geovital Academy Australia, a company that advises people on building strategies to minimise radiation in the home says, “What is becoming much clearer is the role that radiation exposure in our own living and sleeping spaces plays on our health. After all, if we think about it our home is where we spend most of our time and the bedroom is where we are supposed to rest and regenerate.”

Mr Van der Burght says. “Most people would be very surprised to know that simple electrical wiring inside the walls of their home produces off the scale electric field exposure in about 95 per cent of people when we measure their body whilst lying in bed. Power cables along the street, even if underground, can produce low level radiation which can have many negative health effects.”

Mr Van der Burght became interested in this work after a family health scare encouraged him to make lifestyle changes and learn about natural and complementary therapies. His research led him to Germany and to Geovital in Austria, a naturopathic health clinic involved in natural therapies for 30 years. Geovital is now a worldwide authority on radiation protection in the home. Its continuing research confirms co-relations between this constant exposure and ill health, and documents a significant improvement in many clients’ health after intervention.

Although Geovital can implement strategies to minimise radiation exposure in existing homes, an optimum time to consider solutions is when a house is being built.

Mr Van der Burght explains Geovital’s consultative role in the building process: “What we do is analyse the building plans and identify weaknesses in the design that may expose occupants to unnecessary levels of radiation. The changes we suggest essentially occur behind the scenes and have no visible impact in the home. As an example we may ask the electrician to run the wiring a little differently or install switches which will essentially cut power to an entire circuit when the use of electricity stops. This eliminates radiation that would normally be present in areas like bedrooms when you are sleeping. When, let’s say a bedside light, is switched on, power is instantly returned.”

In addition to modifications to the electrical wiring design, other solutions that may be recommended by Geovital if the situation calls for it include a shielding mesh which is used inside the wall cavity. The mesh minimises the exposure from transmitters such as mobile towers, smart meters, and internal wiring. Alternatively a shielding paint can be used on the wall which can be painted and wallpapered over with similar effect.

They say you can’t put a price on health, and yet surprisingly the cost to protect yourself and your family from excessive radiation exposure is relatively minimal in your overall building budget. It is in the bedroom where we all spend eight hours or more a night to rest and regenerate that protection is most important and protection of a single bedroom costs on average around $3500 – not a lot to pay for that healthy and happy balance between mind, body and the environment.

In an ideal scenario however, the consultation process should start some time prior to the commencement of building, in fact prior to choosing your building site.

“We can help people who have not bought land as yet to measure for radiation exposure on a potential site”, says Mr Van der Burght.
“Unfortunately there is a type of radiation that cannot be shielded against which affects as many as one in 25 homes. Getting us involved early in the process could prevent potential disaster by avoiding the purchase of a site with serious and unfixable problems.”

And as for how the builders an architects view Geovital strategies? “To date no one we have worked with has had a problem implementing these changes. In fact most architects and tradespeople find it fascinating and are interested in learning more on the subject”. Says Van der Burght

We all want to live a happy and healthy life filled with vitality. We also want to enjoy the benefits of modern design and technological development.

Making our homes environmentally safer and free from invisible radiation contributes to this, and lays the foundation for a happy, healthy future.

Geovital has an Australia-wide network of trained professionals who can offer home assessments to detect how much radiation is in your current living environment and if needed recommend solutions.

Geovital also runs workshops and training for builders, architects, and other professionals to educate them about radiation, and available solutions.

Mr Van der Burght is a popular speaker on the subject of radiation exposure and the effects on your health.

The increase takes effect from September 15, bringing WA into line with other states and territories introducing measures to boost the take-up of new homes as the population expands.

Master Builders Association housing director Gavan Forster said new home builders would be “sipping a glass of champagne”.

He said the changes, coupled with lower interest rates, would enable 900 more houses to be built this year, and create 5000 jobs across WA.

“At a time when other industries are suffering, the government will be looking to the housing sector to pick up the slack from the reduction in the overall economy,” he said.

At the same time, the first homeowner grant for people wanting to buy established properties has been cut from $7000 to $3000.

Despite this cut, Real Estate Institute of WA president David Airey said he expected established houses to hold their value. Seven out of 10 first homebuyers chose established homes, and he believed they would continue to do this with or without a grant.

The government also increased the land tax by 12.5 per cent. In a bid to soften the blow, Treasurer Troy Buswell said an “anticipated reduction” in property value growth meant that 57 per cent of homeowners would pay no more than an extra $40.

The tax applies to residences not used as the primary home, such as investment and business properties.

Mr Buswell said the decisions had been difficult, but the government had sought to find a balance in raising the money needed for priority areas.

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) legislation allows investment property owners to claim a deduction due to the wear and tear of a building structure and its fixtures over time. This claim is called depreciation. Depreciation is considered a non cash deduction, meaning investors do not need to spend any money to be able to claim it.
“Investors who don’t claim depreciation are missing out on thousands of dollars in their pockets,” said Bradley.
The following list of points will answer some of the most common questions asked by property investors.

1. No property is too old.
An investment property does not have to be new. Both new and old properties will attract some depreciation deductions. One common myth is that older properties will attract no claim. It is worth making an enquiry about any property.
If a property owner has not been claiming depreciation or maximising their deductions, the previous two years tax returns can generally be adjusted and amended.

2. Deductions are available for forty years.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has determined that any building eligible to claim the building write-off allowance has a maximum effective life of forty years. Therefore, investors can generally claim up to forty years depreciation on a brand new building, whereas the balance of the forty year period from the construction completion date is claimable on an older property.

3. Claim renovations completed by the previous owner.
Any renovations completed, including those completed by a previous owner, will be discovered during a site inspection on the property. A Quantity Surveyor will then estimate the deductions available from the assets or structural additions and calculate the depreciation accordingly.
Renovations can include items which are not obvious, for example brand new plumbing, water proofing, electrical wiring or a pergola. To be eligible for a capital works depreciation deduction (building write-off), the construction must have commenced within the qualifying dates.

4. There are two main areas to a property depreciation schedule –plant & equipment & capital works
Plant and equipment assets are items which can be ‘easily’ removed from the property as opposed to items that are permanently fixed to the structure of the building. Items which are mechanically or electronically operated are considered plant items, even though they can be fixed to the structure of the building. These assets depreciate based on their effective life as set by the ATO.
Some examples of plant and equipment items include hot water systems, carpets, blinds, ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, garage door motors, door closers, freestanding furniture and air-conditioning systems.
The capital works deduction is for the structural elements of the building. It is based on the historical costs of the building and includes materials such as bricks, mortar, walls, flooring and wiring. There are restrictions based on the construction date of the property for capital works claims.

5. Use a qualified professional.
Quantity Surveyors are qualified under the tax ruling 97/25 to estimate construction costs for depreciation purposes and are one of a few select professionals who specialize in providing depreciation schedules.
Every property investor should have a tax depreciation schedule compiled by a specialist Quantity Surveyor. The Quantity Surveyor will visit the property and then prepare a report which will outline all of the depreciation deductions available for the investor to include in their annual tax assessment with their accountant.

Property owners who would like a free over the phone assessment of the available deductions they can contact BMT Tax Depreciation on 1300 728 726 or visit the property investors page on our website www.bmtqs.com.au/for-property-investors.

Perth’s stunning “ultra green” Brookfield Place project has taken out the top Development of the Year Award at the Urban Taskforce Australia 2013 Development Excellence Awards.

The award recognises the eco-friendly building’s creative and visionary contribution to Australia’s urban space.

Brookfield office Properties developed the innovative 46-floor skyscraper, where BHP Billiton is anchor tenant, at 123-137 St Georges Terrace.

In Sydney, Leighton Properties with Grosvenor Australia won the Commercial Development Award for Eclipse Tower in Parramatta.

Goodman Group won the Retail Development Award for the Masters Home Improvement centre in Chullora, while Holdmark Property Group won the Industrial Development Award for the Knorr Bremse headquarters in Granville.

DEXUS Property Group won the Sustainable Development Award for its office tower at 1 Bligh Street.

Kresner Group won the Retirement Living Award for its Advantaged Care at Barden Lodge, Sutherland.

Melbourne projects won two awards. The Innovative Development Award went to Lend Lease for the world’s tallest timber apartment building, Forte, at Victoria Harbour. In suburban Highett, Fabcot Pty Ltd took out the Mixed Use Development Award for the Woolworths Retail Property Development.

In Brisbane, Meriton won the Residential Development Award for its 74-level residential tower, Soleil, in the city centre.

These developers’ are playing a crucial role in building our cities for the 21st century and beyond, and increasing Australia’s general prosperity.

The jury, which NSW Government architect Peter Poulet chaired, assessed projects from around Australia.

NSW Governor Professor Marie Bashir presented the awards at the new Hyde Park Doltone House event centre.

 In the early 1900’s records show that family sizes were larger but homes were smaller; usually 2 bedroom/1 bath. But today, the average house consists of 4 bedrooms (including a sizable master suite) at least 2 bathrooms, large, open plan living areas and large well equipped kitchens. Oh, and did we mention the size of all this luxury? According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average size of new free standing homes being build is around 245 sqm.

The average size of a house in Australia is 6% larger than that of those built in the USA and an impressive 9% larger than those being built in New Zealand. What’s the deal? It’s not as if the weakening global economy hasn’t reared its ugly head here.

So what’s the reason for all this space?

1. Even though family sizes are generally smaller, more room is ‘needed’ to accommodate the changes in what the family ‘looks like’.a) Children are living with their parents longer in order to save for their own place or out of necessity whilst pursuing further education. b) More and more adults are caring for their ageing parents-in their home. The rising number of adults living in a home merits the need for more privacy and space to maintain a sense of self-reliance.
2. People don’t like to be crowded. They’re crowded at work, on public transportation and so on. They want to be able to have space they can call their own.
3. People still think of their home as a status symbol of sorts. Bigger means more affluent. Hey, it’s a fact and it’s probably not going away any time soon.
4. Those building homes, are usually building to be an owner /occupier and squeezing some extra space out of the budget is often a priority. Especially if you’ve been renting a small apartment or living with relatives whilst saving for the building process.

So when it comes to new homes, it appears that Australian’s do in fact love extra space.

That doesn’t necessarily mean however that bigger is better, what is most important is ensuring that it  your new home is well designed and utilizes the available space in an optimal manner.

Stunning Master en-Suite – courtesy of Spaddacini Homes

Building a home today includes careful planning of the master suite. No longer just a bedroom¸ today’s master suites have become a statement of luxury.

The traditional ‘parents retreats’ popular in home designs of the 90′s are now being merged into one magnificent room, that resembles that of a luxury hotel suite.

Today’s master suites are spacious enough to include a sleeping area (of course), sitting area, media space, walk-in closet with custom shelving, bath with his/hers vanities (and sometimes toilets), spa baths, double showers and more.

Opulent furnishings complete the look with designer wallpaper,  luxurious curtains and other soft furnishings.

The popularity of a grand master suite in new home designs is a reflection on how home designs are generally changing to better adapt to how we utilise the space in our home. Considerable time is spent in the bedroom and this is perhaps one reason why other living areas are becoming smaller – i.e. formal dining and living areas are almost all but abolished in most new homes and yet the master suite is becoming larger.

 Modern master suites also often include an  exterior door leading to a private patio or deck. Used to enjoy morning coffee, bask in the afternoon sun with a good book and as a romantic backdrop to a starry night sky, the master suite patio is also a component worth considering.

Building a new home is an exciting opportunity to be able to build the master suite of your dreams for more than just dreaming in!

]]> http://www.perthbuilderdirectory.com.au/blog/building-the-ultimate-master-suite/feed/ 0 http://www.perthbuilderdirectory.com.au/blog/120/ http://www.perthbuilderdirectory.com.au/blog/120/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:35:57 +0000 admin http://www.perthbuilderdirectory.com.au/blog/?p=120 A house built with all the luxuries and amenities in the world still wouldn’t be much of a house if the setting wasn’t right. Too often the whole building budget is allocated to the internal finishes of a new home.

When it comes to the exterior, the ‘we’ll do it when we have some more money’ is an all too frequent approach. Whilst you struggle to find the money, time and momentum to finish things off, what you’re often left with is a sandy wasteland for a much greater time than expected –  one that becomes the bane of both yours and your neighbour’s existence.
It’s important when planning your new home that you put considerable thought into the exterior of your home as well as the interior and ensure that you allocate sufficient budget to cover it with the completion of the house itself.
The design and planning of the exterior of your home should be considered as important as the internal areas, in fact the front exterior of your home is more on-show than any other part of your home and thus it could be argued that it is the most important aspect of the entire build.
When considering the front exterior of your home, consider items that not only appeal to you but add street appeal:
- Plants –  what you are planting needs proper consideration not just whatever is on special at your local nursery. Rose bushes and flower beds are more suited to traditional cottage style homes than contemporary dwellings. You should also consider plants that suit the environmental conditions of where you are building and their individual need for sunlight or shade.

- Reticulation. Almost a necessity in most areas of Australia, reticulated garden beds, save you the time of watering your garden in dryer months, and the hassle of having to organize a neighbour or friend to do this for you when away.
- Garage Doors – the garage door you choose can make all the difference to the aesthetic appeal of your home, in the long term the cheap option isnt always the best. Timber options should also consider long term wear and tear based on the weather conditions in your area.

- Pathways – whether you choose paving, concrete or another finish planning your pathways is important. You should ensure that each external door of your home has a solid pathway leading to it. Consider paving finishes that are low maintenance and avoid weeds, there’s nothing worse than a paved drive way that constantly needs weeding.

- Lighting - exterior lights not only help you locate the lock in your front door, they can also be used as features to highlight special areas of the garden along with drive ways and paths.

- Fencing and retaining walls. Again a great fence can make all the difference to the re-sale value of your home, it can enhance not only the look of your home but provide security and additional living areas in the front of your home.

- Garden features – such as fountains ponds and garden sculptures can also add aesthetic appeal as an alternative to plants alone. Particularly if you’re going for a low maintenance water wise garden.

- Lawn – roll on lawn provides an instant finished look to your home and is worth the additional cost to relieve you from the ongoing sandy patches of sowing your own seeds.

- Identity – there’s nothing more frustrating than counting from half a street back to determine the number of a house you’re looking for. These days with great numbering options giving your home a clear identity can also become a feature.

Above is certainly not a comprehensive list but covers some of the major considerations in respect of the front exterior of your home. Investing in the exterior of your home might feel like you’re investing in an area that other people enjoy more than you are, afterall you’re generally on the inside looking out not on the outside looking in, but a great street frontage not only enhances the re-sale value of your home but also uplifts the entire neighbourhood and gives your neighbours something to aspire to.

With Government intervention and the sharp lowering of interest rates, combined with other Government incentives, the market recovered through late 2009 and continued through to early 2010. The share market underwent a further correction in April 2010 and as uncertainties in the market of the US economy and the Euro Zone continue, this recovery was stalled, particularly within the higher end of the Perth market.

We consider that the western suburbs are currently in the order of 10% to 15% below the peak of 2008. This is compared to the average Perth market being approximately 5% below the peak. The overall market within Perth peaked in September 2006 when successive interest rate rises stalled the market.

We believe that the market is currently recovering and overall trending in the right directions. Total listings peaked in the order of 17,000 and based on current Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) statistics sit at 10,398. This would be seen as equilibrium. During this time we have seen discounting decrease and also selling days decrease sharply over the preceding six month period.

The well publicised vacancy rate in Perth has also trended sharply down from 3.5% some two years ago and is currently at 1.8%. This decrease has put sharp upward pressure on rents throughout the Perth market.

The first home buyer market has been strong for some time and we are now also seeing good activity in the middle market up to $900,000 over the last three to six month period. Discussions with active real estate agents throughout the western suburbs have also confirmed increased activity, particularly in the market between $1 million and $2 million. The market above $2 million is still slow and while transacting, remains patchy throughout these suburbs.

The June 2012 quarter statistics showed that there were 1,025 transactions within the western suburbs, delivering a median price of $1,230,000. This showed a drop of 2.4% for the quarter and a 7.2% drop for the year. Annual growth over the last five year period was down 0.8%, however the ten year average growth for the western suburbs was still showing a strong 9.8% growth. This longer term result shows that sector the western suburbs has remained a top performer within the Perth market.

The following is a breakdown of the statistics for the western suburbs on an individual suburb basis according to the REIWA June 2012 quarter statistics.

SUBURBS Year to June 2012

% Annual Change in Last 12 Month

% Annual Change over 5 Years

% Annual Change over 10 Years 

Western Suburbs  -7.2% -0.8% 9.8%

City Beach -12.9% -1.1% 9.4%

Claremont 0.8% 0.5% 11.1%

Cottesloe  -8.7% -1.4% 9.5%

Daglish -14.8% -3.3% 7.4%

Dalkeith  -8.5% -1.1% 9.8%

Floreat  -6.1% -1.6% 10.3%

Jolimont  4.5% 2.5% 9.7%

Mosman Park  2.6% -1.2% 9.8%

Mount Claremont  6.7% 0.2% 9.3%

Nedlands  -9.4% 0.1% 10.5%

Peppermint Grove  -37.5% -5.5% 7.0%

Shenton Park  -14.8% -0.1% 8.8%

Subiaco  -7.4% -0.2% 9.4%

Swanbourne  -2.9% 1.8% 10.4%

Wembley  -3.6% 0.4% 9.1%

West Leederville  -4.5% 1.5% 9.9%

Our ‘on the ground’ analysis shows the most affected values throughout this market lies with vacant land or older homes at close to block value or in the need of renovating or demolishing in the short to medium term. There has been little appetite within the market for this style of product as the number of buyers wishing to build has declined dramatically. As there is likely to be only modest growth in the short to medium term, there has been little to no investor activity either.

On the other side of the equation, we are finding that well located modern housing with quality design and well laid out liveable floor plan, these properties are holding their value on a replacement cost basis throughout these areas and in some instances are showing slight premiums over replacement value in the order of 5% to 10%. This is due in some respect to the sharp decline in the value of land throughout the area, but is also a factor of the market willing to pay for a quality product and not having to go through the lengthy build and design process.

Modern housing with an ageless contemporary design appears to be the most sought after product. This could be a factor of a more conservative market through these areas but is also the perception that ‘fad’ style residences age quickly and become outdated. The market is paying for a quality floor plan, not necessarily a large size and a design that is of modern, timeless architecture.

We consider that this preference is now creating an opportunity as land values have mostly bottomed, builder activity is at record lows and the right product is selling at replacement and quite often with a premium. As this sector of the market improves with the flow on effect from the lower tier markets, all things being equal, we consider that there is further upside to this build scenario, as long as there are no further financial storms.

The key to success here is buying the right land in a good location, having a workable floor plan with a contemporary, ageless building style and to build to a budget that will meet the market. Cost overruns and excessive architectural detail can risk your cost to value ratio adversely.

A number of builders are coming to the forefront in meeting this market. Grandwood Homes, a part of the Zorzi Group, have released a series of homes known as the ‘Aspire Collection’. These are well laid out designs and are built to an affordable price, but with a level of quality and fit out to meet the market. Webb Brown-Neaves have also worked in this space for some time. There are also numerous other builders in this medium quality two storey product to choose from, as well as niche private builders. In the current market of declined activity, pricing is sharp and build times are shorter than normal.

In conclusion, back to the question, “Is it the right time to buy?” We believe all the factors are trending in the right direction. It appears that the market has bottomed and should improve, particularly with the lower interest rate environment and the recent improvements in the share market, which definitely create a flow-on effect to the western suburbs. There is still a reasonable level of product in the various price ranges on the market, which gives the buyer some choice and room for negotiation. This may not be the case in the next 6 to 12 months as the market recovers and tightens through these suburbs. We consider though that thorough research is required and that it is important to build a product that meets the markets requirements in order to maximise your value and return.

You can achieve increased energy efficiency by considering recessed downlights, modern dimmable oysters, pendants, and replacement lamps to retrofit existing downlights, even candle globes for Chandeliers.

LED lights are a new generation of lighting technology. The application of LED into everyday residential or commercial lighting provides many benefits over traditional lighting. Other than the obvious, that of saving money by reducing energy consumption, LED lights also radiate very little heat, have a much longer life-span of up to 30,000 hours compared to 15,000 hours for flourescent tubes and 2,000 hours for traditional bulbs. Using a light for 4 hours a day, will give a life-span of 20 years.

Manufactured free of Mercury, Lead, Cadmium and Chromium, LED lights use less power, emitting less greenhouse gasses, and reduce a household’s carbon footprint by up to 68%, simply by exchanging all incandescent bulbs for new LED lights.

Some common questions about LED lights include:

Can I use my existing halogen transformer? 

Yes, although it is not recommended. The use of purpose built LED transformers, or drivers will offer a regulated output and will ensure the maximum life span for your LED light.

Will an LED replacement light be as bright as my 50W halogen light?

Current generation LED replacement lights do not provide the same output as a 50W halogen light. A 6 watt LED replacement light offers up to around 35W of comparison light output. Only full retrofit down lights offer equal and superior performance to halogen lamps .

Can I place insulation over my LED downright?

Insulation should be no closer than 30mm surrounding the heat sink of the downlight, as the heatsink requires air circulation to work effectively. Rolled insulation should not be pressed down over the heat sink.

Does frequent switching of LED lights reduce their life span?

No

Are LED products going to get cheaper?

As with any new technology, mass production and increasingly refined lighting designs will result in price reductions over time. In the short term it is  unlikely that LED lighting will be as cheap as the incandescent lights they are replacing. However, the benefits of LED lights far outweigh the initial higher cost of ownership.

Can I compare different LED lights by their wattage alone?

No.  A 3 watt LED light can be brighter than a 5 watt LED light. What matters is the efficiency, or how each watt of power is converted into light. When shopping for LED lights, focus on how bright the lamp is compared, not the watts being used.

Can LED lights be used outdoors? 

LED lights are perfect for the garden. Being a low voltage light source LED is also perfect around pools and in the open weather. Wiring is done with 12 or 24 volt and connections are manufactured to an IP rating of IP67. Outdoor LED lighting is available in flood lighting, spot lighting, in-ground lighting and underwater lighting, with a choice of beam angles, brightness and colour.

Well yes, it certainly can be true. You don’t need any special skills or qualifications to develop a property. What you do need though is some great advice, a bit of luck, some deep pockets, and lots of patience.

You will need to understand the basic guidelines of property development, and how the process works. That means you need to know about council zonings – such as can a block be subdivided, can I build 2 or 3 units on the block, can I build a house behind an existing house. That’s the first thing to find out, what you can do with the property you own, or are intending to buy.

The great thing about property development these days, is that you don’t need to do it alone. In fact, there are many boutique property developers willing to guide you through the development process, or partner with you on the development. Professional builders such as Weststyle Design and Development, Integrity Builders, Mondo Exclusive Homes, Cicirello Homes, Sovereign Building Company and the Dale Alcock Group – all seasoned property developers, can and will assist you with all the planning, approvals, and advice on the costs and the timeline of your development. And yes, you will get great advice from these builders, so that .

Property development is really all about increasing the value of the land that you have bought, by changing the land into something new, by subdividing the block and building a new home at the back, or demolishing an existing property and building new property(s), or developing vacant land. You can create more value out of the land by adding to it. There are many options available to you, but it depends what you buy, and how much money you have to develop, and the type of area you are building in.

Once you start a property development you will always have the knowledge of how to do it, and you will start to look at property in a whole new light. It will forever be in your mind, and you will see opportunity everywhere. Where once you saw just a block of land, you will now see the potential for five villas. Where once you would have driven past an old house thinking what a dump, you now say what an opportunity to subdivide and sell off the back block, and renovate the existing house at the front.

So where to begin? If you are serious, any of the builders listed on out property developers page will happily talk with you and offer their advice. That’s the best starting point, someone that is honest, can partner you along the way, and help you achieve a good return for your risk and your efforts. Good luck!