Evaporative cooling: where it suits NSW homes and where it does not
Evaporative cooling works well in dry inland air and poorly in humid weather, and the house has to be planned around the airflow it needs. Here is how to decide where it fits.
12 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.
Evaporative cooling: where it suits NSW homes and where it does not
Evaporative cooling works well in dry inland air and poorly in humid weather, and the house has to be planned around the airflow it needs. Here is how to decide where it fits.
12 min read
Fire separation between attached homes: what builders must get right
Between attached homes, the separating wall, its penetrations and its junctions decide whether a fire stays in one dwelling. These are the details most often missed on site.
12 min read
Performance reviews for site staff without the awkwardness
A review should record what you saw on the job, not how you feel about the person. This routine keeps the conversation specific, fair and free of surprises.
12 min read
Control joints in residential slabs: where to cut them and why
A slab will crack. The question is whether it cracks where you chose, in a neat line at a joint, or somewhere random across the panel. This article covers joint layout, depth and cutting timing for shrinkage control.
11 min read
Checking slings, shackles and lifting gear before use
Most rigging failures begin as a defect that someone saw and chose to ignore. This article sets out the pre-use check for slings, shackles and hooks, the defects that mean removal from service, and the register that proves the gear was checked.
11 min read
Population growth and migration: reading the demand signal for builders
A headline population figure says little about the work available in your suburb. This article shows how household formation and local demand patterns turn population data into a signal a builder can act on.
11 min read
Digital timesheets and site attendance: matching pay to who was on site
A timesheet app that does not match the site roll or the pay run creates more disputes than it solves. This article covers how to reconcile attendance with payroll and with who was actually on site.
12 min read
Designing cross-ventilation through window placement
A house can have plenty of windows and still trap warm air. This article covers the layout-level airflow paths that cross-ventilation depends on, kept separate from fans, evaporative cooling and heat recovery systems.
12 min read
Smoke alarms in renovations and alterations: what NSW builders must do
A kitchen or bathroom job can bring the smoke alarms for the whole home into scope. This article sets out which areas the upgrade reaches, how the alarms must be powered and connected, and what belongs in the handover file.
11 min read
Award classifications for carpenters and labourers, explained
Pay follows classification, and classification follows the work actually done. This guide explains how award classifications match skills and duties for carpenters and labourers, and how to check the right level.
11 min read
Ordering concrete for a slab: specifying strength, exposure and slump
The concrete order is the last point at which a builder controls the mix. This guide sets out what the order must carry, and what to check on the docket before the pour starts.
11 min read
Planning a crane lift on a residential site
A single crane pick on a house site can go wrong in seconds. This guide covers planning and supervising one lift: the lift plan, the exclusion zone, the signaller and the weather.
12 min read
Affordability ratios: what they tell you about your client base
Affordability headlines are easy to quote and easy to misread. This guide shows how to read the ratios behind them and turn them into a realistic picture of the clients you can win.
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.