Our overriding mission here ta Buildit123 is to start a renovation revolution in order to change the way renovators approach the renovation industry so they can have a better renovation experience.
If you follow us on Facebook you’ll have noticed that we are working our way through the alphabet – one letter per week – as a way to explore different aspects of the residential renovation industry. We are doing this give you a better idea of the things you might encounter during your project.
We’re giving you tips, and facts, in a sometimes serious, sometimes tongue in cheek way while looking at all things Reno. We’ve Included a few that didn’t make the Facebook cut.
Here is a summary of the A, B, C and D’s of our renovation alphabet:
‘A’ is for
ARCHITECT
Your Architect or designer will be one of the most important people on your project team. Through design, they can make your house funstion better and help you meet your future needs.
It’s really important to choose the best one for your project.
ARCHITRAVE
An architrave is a term for the plain or sometimes elaborate moulding used to frame a doorway, panel, niche or window. There are lots of different profiles so take the time to choose the one that best suits your ‘style’ .
AMBIENT LIGHT
Lighting is so important to your finished renovation. Ambient light is a soft glow that blankets your space just enough for you to function without causing a harsh glare. It is meant to get you safely from point a-to-b. You can create ambient light by making the room’s lighting as natural and flat as possible.
ACOUSTICS
Acoustics deal with how sounds travel from one room to another. Or from outside in or inside out..whatever the case may be. Can be easily overlooked but worth considering
ACCENT
Accent colours Accent materials, accent plants, accent furnishings to name a few. They bring balance and harmony to a design scheme.
This is the fun finishing off part of your reno project – the part where you make you house inot your home.
‘B’ is for
BUDGET
Your Budget is the process of creating a plan to spend your renovation money. Its the enabler of your dreams and a necessary evil but used in a positive way will allow you to stay in control of your project.
BEARER
A Bearer is a structural timber or steel that attaches directly to the stumps in the ground which supports the floor joists.
There’s nothing cool or even very exciting about this one but its critical to the structural integrity of your home. A truly hidden workhorse.
BALUSTRADE
There’s a (bad) joke that goes ‘How to fall down the stairs?’
Step1,
Step 2,
Step 3. Ha Ha.
But falling down the stairs is more difficult if you have a balustrade. A balustrade is a Railing fixed from stair treads, landing, balcony or bridge. And is legally required in most cases.
BUTLER’S PANTRY
The purpose of a butler’s pantry is to allow you to do food preparation and clean up after meals without actually dirtying your main kitchen – the kitchen that people see… The butler’s pantry is usually hidden away inside the main kitchen.
But I’ve got to ask the question – When is a butler’s pantry a pantry and when does it become a second kitchen?
B.C.A.
or now known as the NCC National Construction Code
B is for the BCA or Building Code of Australia
This is the building bible.
It’s a set of national rules that used in the design, construction, alteration or demolition of buildings, and state setting out procedures, acceptable methods, materials and minimum or maximum values.
‘C’ is for
CREATIVE
“Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” — Edward de Bono
And best of all, Creativity doesn’t need to cost a fortune,
COFFEE
AKA the elixir of life. When all else fails (and even if it doesn’t) ‘KEEP CALM AND HAVE A COFFEE’
COPING
The capping or coping on top of a wall. They are designed to provide a protective top surface for any type of wall-like structure
COLD CHISEL
Obviously the band but it is also. Some random trivia – for your information A cold chisel is a tool made of tempered steel used for cutting ‘cold’ metals, The name comes from its use by blacksmiths to cut metal while it was cold as compared to other tools they used to cut hot metal.
Who knew?
CONCRETE
We all know what concrete is but the way it can be used is almost endless. Can be used as a benchtop, polished as flooring, driveways, outside as paving, for a foundation, footings, walls, sinks, stairs, fireplaces, planters decking The possibilities are endless… you’ll only be limited by your imagination
CASEMENT WINDOW
A single window sash hinged on one side that swings open.
CAVITY WALL
I’m not referring to the one in your tooth this refers to the space between the brick skin and the timber frame in a brick veneer wall.
‘D’ is for
DESIGN
In the words of the late, great Steve Jobs, ‘Design is not just what it looks like – design is how it works.”’- Steve Jobs
Needless to say, it’s an extremely important part of your renovation
DOWNPIPE
A downpipe is a pipe that carries rainwater from your gutter to ground level. They are part of your roof drainage system.
In recent years, there is a trend to making them a feature and as a result of the materials they are made of becoming more decorative…like stainless steel
DADO RAIL
A Wooden rail or molding that’s fixed horizontally along a wall, usually about a third of the way up from the floor.
DIMENSION
A dimension is design/building speak for a measurement of the size of something in a particular direction, such as the length, width, height, or diameter.
D.A.
(Development Application or Approval). The plans submitted to be approved by the Local Council. Usually approved with a large number of conditions, all of which must be met by the builder and/or the owner and subject to the issue of a Construction Certificate (C.C) before construction can start.
DOWEL
A headless wooden pin used in furniture construction.
So there you have it, the A, B, C, and D’s of our renovation alphabet. This is only the tip of the iceberg but will start to get you thinking none the less.
Follow us on Facebook and watch the rest of the alphabet unfold.
Cover Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun on Unsplash
