FAQ's to a brickie

[celeste]

Hi all

Now as my 5yr old tells me, seriously Mum..

I have a seriuos questions.

I have just purchases a pair of duplex's, now the building inspector notes that the common wall (I guess this is classed as a fire wall between the 2 properties) does not go all the way up and that I should rectify this.

Question

1. due to the fact that the wall needs to be made taller and this is in the roof cavity, what is involved.

2. I would say the wall is approx. 9-10metres (lounge & main bed wall) how much would you think it would cost.

3. Do I contact any brickie or is there a special type of one.

Thanks

Celeste

[ozwinner]

Hi all

Now as my 5yr old tells me, seriously Mum..

I have a seriuos questions.

I have just purchases a pair of duplex's, now the building inspector notes that the common wall (I guess this is classed as a fire wall between the 2 properties) does not go all the way up and that I should rectify this.

Question

1. due to the fact that the wall needs to be made taller and this is in the roof cavity, what is involved.

2. I would say the wall is approx. 9-10metres (lounge & main bed wall) how much would you think it would cost.

3. Do I contact any brickie or is there a special type of one.

Thanks

Celeste

A couple of things.
If you have the building inspector telling you this the buildings must be new and as such wont get a certificate of occupation, and the onus must surely fall on the builder to rectify the faults, unless you of course are the builder, then its up to you.

I dont know what is involved in the WA building code, but Im pretty sure they stopped building up to the roof line in Vic ages ago as I have seen or worked on such stuff for ages.

I would contact the builder for any rectification work.

Al

[journeyman Mick]

If the building is older than the builder's statutory warranty period it may not be covered, you'll have to check with your state's licensing board. Either way you may need to take legal action to get the builder to fix it/pay for it. AFAIK in a duplex the dividing wall must be fire rated (not sure of the exact rating) and would need to run uninterrupted right to the roofing iron/tiles. The battens must finish either side of the wall. It may be possible to substitute another construction method for a fire rated wall of the same ratings but which may be cheaper/easier to build inside the roof cavity.

I'd be looking at Rondo steel stud and track with whatever the required thicknesses of firecheck gyprock on both sides. If you open up a section of roof it would be easy enough to pass the materials in and build the wall. Much easier in my opinion than trying to lay a brick wall i that space and cut the bricks to the underside of the roofing.

Mick

[celeste]

Hi all

Thanks guys.

They were built in 72 and they are my next reno & sell projects.

I have found out the fire rating is 2 hours and apparently 2 pieces of gyproc is enough.

Doing stuff in the roof cavity sounds to complicated to me, will hire someone to sort it out.

I have to have alook thru the R-Codes and ring the builder reg. board and check out if it needs to rectified at all.

Celeste