Curing concrete in hot weather: what actually prevents cracking
Hot weather does not crack concrete by itself. It drives moisture out of the surface faster than the mix can replace it, and the surface shrinks against a cooler core. The decision that matters is when to start curing, and that is a measurement, not a guess.
11 min read
The PointCPD blog
Building industry news and articles
What is changing in Australian building, and what it means on site: construction technology, materials, energy, regulation, safety, contracts and the housing market.
Curing concrete in hot weather: what actually prevents cracking
Hot weather does not crack concrete by itself. It drives moisture out of the surface faster than the mix can replace it, and the surface shrinks against a cooler core. The decision that matters is when to start curing, and that is a measurement, not a guess.
11 min read
Temporary power boards and lead safety on residential sites
Temporary power boards and extension leads are where most residential electrical incidents start, because the supply is moved, patched and shared every day. This article covers what to check before the first tool is plugged in, and what to do when something fails.
11 min read
Whose CPD is it? Company licences, directors and nominated supervisors
A company licence can hold the contracting entity, but it cannot hold the CPD. The obligation attaches to the individuals named on it, and each of them has to earn their own points every year.
11 min read
Labour shortages in residential construction: what builders can actually do
The labour market is not something you can wait out. Here is how to keep a residential job moving when the trades you need are booked elsewhere.
13 min read
Site photo records that stand up in a dispute
A photo proves what it shows only if you can also prove when it was taken, where, and what it was meant to record. Frames, metadata and retention decide whether your site photos are evidence or just pictures.
11 min read
Thermal bridging in steel framing: fixes that actually work
A steel frame does not just hold the building up — it moves heat through the envelope wherever it crosses the insulation line. The remedies are detailing decisions, not product choices.
13 min read
Responding to a rectification order from NSW Fair Trading
A rectification order is a regulator’s deadline, not a negotiation. The builders who come out of one cleanly are the ones who treat the first week as an evidence-gathering exercise, not a phone call to the homeowner.
11 min read
Supplier accounts and credit terms: buying materials without funding the job yourself
A trade account is not a favour from your supplier — it is a credit facility secured against you. Read the terms like one, and time your deliveries to the claim cycle.
13 min read
Reinforcement cover and concrete durability in coastal and exposed sites
Cover is not a dimensional detail you check once at pre-pour. On coastal and exposed sites it is the single largest determinant of how long the reinforcement inside a slab, footing or column stays passive.
13 min read
Scaffold handover and inspection records on house sites
On a house site the scaffold is usually up before anyone thinks about the paperwork. This is about the handover chain between scaffolder and builder, and the records that keep the principal contractor out of trouble.
11 min read
What counts as proof of CPD for NSW builders, and what a record of attendance must show
Compliance with NSW builder CPD is self-recorded, but not all records are equal. A provider-issued record of attendance carries specific fields; a diary entry or a tax invoice does not. Here is how to tell the difference and fix a record that is missing them.
13 min read
How interest rate changes flow through to a builder’s forward work
A rate change does not move your work in a straight line. It moves it through buyers’ borrowing capacity, their confidence, and the timing of their decisions — and you feel each step at a different point in the programme.
12 min read
Running digital plans on site: revision control and markup that holds up
A tablet on site only helps if everyone is looking at the same revision. This covers the workflow that keeps markups, superseded sheets and as-built records under control.
11 min read
Free site templates for builders
SWMS, JSA, Take 5, inspection checklists, site diary, variations and payment claims. Word and PDF, free for commercial use.