NOTE:  The following detail is general advice only.  For specific advice on your property, please contact Andrew or Fiona.

 

 

Q:  Is my property listed?

A:  Look at Schedule 5 of your Council's Local Environment Plan (LEP)

      To help you on your way here are links to a number of local councils.

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Q:  My property is listed, what now?

A:  What do you want to do with your property?

      a)   repaint

      b)   alterations or additions

      c)   demolish or rebuild

Generally, the higher the significance and the greater the extent of work, the more involved the approval process becomes. 

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We can assist you with the design and prepare the required Statement of Heritage Impact for council submission.

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Q:  Anything else about listing I should know?

A:  i)  Confirm listing by obtaining a Section 149 report from Council.  This will list ALL planning factors associated with any property.  It is accurate on the day of issue only, so if you have an older copy, obtain another.

    ii)  Depending on the amount of work you wish to carry out you may still be required to prepare a Statement of Heritage Impact if your property is:

         a)  adjacent to a listed item

         b)  on a draft list

         c)  neighbours raise objections during Council assessment

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Q:  That's not really fair, is it?

A:  No sorry, its not!  Come to see us earlier, rather than later.

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Q:  What will I need for a Council Development Application, if any of the above apply?

A:  You will need a:

         a)  Statement of Heritage Impact

         b)  Possibly, a Conservation Management Plan

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Q:  Can I use a Complying Development Code (CDC) on a listed property?

A:  No, sorry.  A Development Application is required.

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Q:  Can I get funding for my project?

A:  Some Councils have a Heritage Fund which provides financial support for owners of listed properties.

         - You can apply.

         - We can apply on your behalf.

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Q:  Arrgh!  Enough already, how do I cope with all of this?

A:  i)  All is not lost!    

    ii)  Look at the rest of our website.

   iii)  

   iv)  General advice:  Free for first inquiry.

    v)  Site Visit:  From $100, refundable on commissioning us.

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Q:  My gutters and downpipes are in poor condition, what should I do?

A:  Act immediately!  Excessive amounts of storm-water falling on your home's footings and foundation material leads to structural failure of footings and associated cracking of walls internally and externally.

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Q:  With what colour scheme should I paint my house?

A:  OK, you have two choices, contemporary or traditional. The most important issue is that the external painted finishes need to be kept in good condition to protect the material underneath, also always use the best quality paint!

     a)  Contemporary colour schemes often go out of fashion quickly.

     b)  Traditional colour schemes are always in fashion for the period when your house was built.

           i)  You can carefully sand back to get the original paint (remember the undercoat is the first coat!)

               Paint manufacturers have 'heritage' colour ranges, so you can match from the sample card to your actual paint.

          ii)  Look at other similar houses nearby to see if the original paint remains.

         iii)  There are many excellent books, setting out colour schemes, but be careful with 'on-line' advice.

         iv)    

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Q:  What about health hazards with old buildings?

A:  The two most common hazards are:

     a)  Asbestos roofing. 

          This often 'powders' underneath, so if your's is covered in white powder, get professional advice/assistance to remove and replace all asbestos roofing.

        Notes:

          i)  It's a good idea to notify Council to see if their permission is required.

         ii)  Once this problem has been cleared away, look at electrical wiring and consider installing ceiling batts.

        iii)  Renovators:  DO NOT handle any asbestos products yourself!

     b)  Lead based paint.

          Fortunately, good advice is now available on-line and test kits are available at paint stores.

        Notes:

          i)  Most paints prior to 1970 contained lead products.

         ii)  Refer to on-line advice!

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Q:  What about termite treatment?

A:  Termites love timber!  Depending on the age of your house and previous maintenance, you may, or may not be termite safe.

      Termites love dark, damp, warm places where they can build their tunnels to gain access to your home.

        Notes:

          i)  Make sure the house is well ventilated underneath.

         ii)  The new pyrethrum based spray treatments are safer than older chemicals. Consider regular sprays (every ten years).