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Michael Como
Director
COMO BUILDING
Registered Certifier
Building Surveyor
Building Regulations Consultant
Bach. Building Surveying & Inspection CQU
Assoc. Degree Construction(Civil Major) USQ
Builder Licence 40505 since 1988-2024
"Forging construction experience since 1977-2024 in Sydney NSW Australia"
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PLEASE NOTE- The intention of this blog is to provide useful information related to building custom homes in whatever form and related skills. We review all comments & delete those we deem inappropriate or non-relevant.
Should you have any queries please feel free to get in touch...
MC 2010 -2024
Latest Blog Posts
Heritage Style Restoration 13
Woolloomooloo Restore The previous look of a 100-year-old Federation house with a veranda enclosure before 2010 is as per this photo, (as per usual toxic asbestos material was present and I cannot believe some countries are still making asbestos products)- I initially missed out on the $25,000.00 contract. However, the property owner discovered the lower tenderer…
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Water Harvesting
Our household water supply is potentially from various sources, i.e. it may be piped (reticulated) from storage dams, obtained from boreholes tapping into underground water, or collected off rooftops and held in rainwater tanks. Water quality varies. Public water supplies are treated to eliminate contaminants, whilst bore water may need filters to make it suitable…
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Household Water Use
Water use around the country varies according to climate, nature of the water catchment, infrastructure costs, and resource availability. More water is used in hot summer than in winter. Interestingly, the higher the residential density within towns and cities, the lower the water use per household. Bigger residential properties use disproportionally more water, (swimming pools…
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World’s Water Cycle
Question: Where does our water come from? Answer: Sydney Water gives it to Sydney siders through Warragamba Dam and a desalination plant and a reservoir for a fee. While we may say ‘the tap’ or name the nearest dam, the answer is really that it is all part of the world’s water cycle. The natural…
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Water-efficient Landscaping
Whilst the Sydney average for outdoor water use is 25% of the total, for suburban and some country areas the percentage can go as high as 50%. In summer, more than half of our water use goes into the garden, much of which is wasted. Green lawns in summer are often especially wasteful. Less frequent…
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Watering Your Garden
Watering systems Garden watering systems are increasingly popular and often more water efficient than hand-held hoses or poorly placed sprinklers. Ordinary sprinklers may spread 1000 litres of water per hour very inefficiently in all directions, whilst a drip watering system may deliver 100 litres per hour direct to your selected plants. Whichever system is used,…
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Australian Native Plants
Once they are established, these plants need less work and water than many of the traditional garden choices. Native plants are usually hardy and drought resistant and can give a most attractive appearance. Species can be selected to attract birds, for colour, aroma, shade, and warm or cold climates and there are lots of people…
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Consumer Building Guide NSW – Statutory Warranties
The following warranties set out what you are entitled to under the contract between you and your builder and tradesperson. Even if these warranties (promises) are not written into the contract you sign, the law says that they still apply to the work you are having done on your home. Statutory warranties are in effect…
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Energy Generation in Australia
Australia has abundant and diverse energy resources that supply energy for both domestic consumption and the world market. The main fuels produced in Australia are coal, uranium, and natural gas. Australia’s energy production has been dominated by coal. Black coal resources are located in most states, with significant quantities of high-quality black coal in New…
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Consumer Building Guide NSW – Insurance
Check that the builder or tradesperson (or the vendor, if buying a home from a ‘spec’ builder or developer) has the following types of insurance and that the certificates are current. Home warranty insurance allows consumers to make a claim for a loss (either financial or damage) caused by the contractor’s defective or incomplete work in…
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Consumer Building Guide NSW- Asbestos etc
When doing the home building, renovations, or work around the home, you may come into contact with asbestos and other hazardous products such as lead or certain solvents. Asbestos and other hazardous products can cause serious injury, harm, and even death in certain circumstances if safety precautions are not followed. For some hazardous products, such…
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Zero Energy Buildings
A net-zero-energy building (ZEB) is a building that over a year does not use more energy than it generates. The first 1979 Zero Energy Design building used passive solar heating and cooling techniques with air-tight construction and super insulation. ZEB’s all use onsite active renewable energy technologies like photovoltaic to offset the building’s primary energy…
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