Our Builders Blog is a great place to stay up to date with our recent projects or find tips and tricks for your home maintenance or renovation projects.https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/before-after-decking/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/before-after-decking/Who doesn’t love a good before and after decking? We get so much satisfaction from all our jobs, however we love sharing”before” and “after” photos with you. We recently completed a decking in Berwick, Victoria. This job required us to pull up an existing decking which was out-dated and had also been installed incorrectly.Mon, 06 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/why-choose-top-shelf-building-carpentry-what-makes-us-different/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/why-choose-top-shelf-building-carpentry-what-makes-us-different/Over the years, we have found there are some common complaints regarding tradies (of any kind). These are; “they never turned up” “they came out to quote and I never heard from them again” “they never returned my call” or recently we’ve even seen an increase in “they took my deposit and never came back”. Whilst, thisMon, 18 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-4/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-4/Stage 4: Internal Fit Out We’re excited to share the last part of our blog post series for the home extension in Clematis, Victoria. Parts 1, 2 & 3, can be found on our Builders Blog. The “internal fit out” is the time when the new internal spaces start to take form and the structures startSat, 09 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-3/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-3/Stage 3: Lock Up (External Cladding) Welcome back to our blog series on the home extension we completed in Clematis, Victoria. Today we’re focusing on the “lock up” stage. This is an exciting stage of any renovation or extension for both the home owner and the builder! What is cladding? Cladding is “the application of one matieral over anotherWed, 16 May 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-2/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/clematis-home-extension-part-2/We’re excited to share Stage 2 of the extension with you in Clematis, Victoria. Stage 1 of the renovation can be seen in our earlier blog post.  Stage 2: Extension Framework The extension comes to life during the framework stage! The framework provides you with a visual of the space being built allowing  you toWed, 09 May 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/home_extension_clematis/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/home_extension_clematis/We had a busy end to 2017, finishing off a 42sqm home extension in the gorgeous hills of Mount Dandenong in Clematis. 2018 started just as busy so didn’t have a chance to be blogging but we’re back online now! We’ve got loads of ideas to share with you this year, and today we’re going to blogSun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/meet-the-team-who-are-we/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/meet-the-team-who-are-we/When choosing a builder, you want to know the person or people who are going to be in and around your home. You want to be able to trust them and you want to know they have the experience and knowledge to complete the works. So today, we’re giving you a little insight in to whoThu, 23 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/featurescreens/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/featurescreens/Adding a “feature screen” to your outdoor area is not only innovative and decorative, but it provides you with a very functional purpose. Having a screen built in your outdoor area can provide you with many benefits. Benefits of a feature privacy screen include: “hiding” a garden shed; “concealing pool equipment & pipes; providing privacyFri, 13 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/protecting-your-pergola-verandah/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/protecting-your-pergola-verandah/Once you’ve decided to build a new pergola or verandah, you want it to look amazing and be painted, sealed and protected from the weather elements. Here are our top tips for making sure your pergola or verandah is protected as best it can be. Style you need to decide on the “style” of pergola you areThu, 31 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/tipsfordesigningoutdoorspaces/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/tipsfordesigningoutdoorspaces/Adding an outdoor space to your home is one of the most popular renovations people in Australia do, as it allows you to enjoy the great outdoors all-year round. However, there are a few things to take into consideration when designing your new space to ensure it is not only functional but complimentary to your existing home.Wed, 02 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/timbertypes/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/timbertypes/You may have heard the terms “hardwood” and “softwood” when speaking of timber, however the difference is not as straightforward as it may sound. The terms “hardwood” and “softwood” do not indicate the softness or hardness of particular timbers. There are hardwoods that are softer and lighter than softwoods. The differences between the timbers relatesWed, 03 May 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-composite-decking/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-composite-decking/Composite Decking is decking boards made out of recycled products including: recycled timber fibres recycled plastics natural minerals; and polymer resins. There are various brands of composite decking available for you to use in your new decking. These include: Modwood EKO Decking Tech Wood Plastic Timber Future Wood; and Next Gen Decking Advantages of Composite Decking the deckingWed, 15 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/balrating/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/balrating/If you’ve live in the suburbs surrounded by open landscapes and are interested in building a new outdoor structure or extend or renovating your home… your builder may ask “do you have a BAL rating”? For most people, they’ve never heard of this before. What is a BAL rating? A “BAL” rating stands for Bushfire AttackWed, 01 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/pergola-vs-verandah-difference/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/pergola-vs-verandah-difference/What is the difference between a pergola and a verandah? A pergola is: A flat or pitched roofed structure (is open-aired, shade cloth roofing or shade batons) Can be attached to your home or built as a free-standing structure Can be built with treated pine or merbau timber A verandah is: A flat, pitched, double pitched or gable roof structureSun, 05 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/how-do-we-build/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/how-do-we-build/Happy New Year! Today on the Builders Blog, we have a different type of post for you. We’re sharing with you, one of our time lapse videos that we record on the job site to show you how we build! This video shows us building a deck, verandah, seating and plantar boxes in the Berwick WatersTue, 17 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-a-registered-building-practitioner/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-a-registered-building-practitioner/A Registered Building Practitioner is an individual who is registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) to carry out building works, both residentially and commercially. There are 9 categories of building practitioner registered through the VBA including: Residential Builders Commercial Builders Building Inspectors Building Surveyors Draftspersons Engineers Demolishers Quantity Surveyors Erectors or Supervisors of temporary structures AllMon, 14 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/building-contracts-what-are-they/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/building-contracts-what-are-they/A building contract is a written legal document to be completed should you: be building a new home plan to repair or renovate your existing home plan to extend your existing home or plan to add outdoor areas such as decking, verandahs, pergolas  to your property From 1st September 2016, your builder must provide youMon, 17 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-an-owner-builder-and-can-you-be-one/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/what-is-an-owner-builder-and-can-you-be-one/An owner builder is someone who is capable of supervising and taking on building works on their own property and land. An owner builder could: intend to use their own skills or expertise to build, renovate or extend a house intend to supervise and manage sub-contractors to complete building works be a registered builder whoMon, 03 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/pergolaroofing/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/pergolaroofing/Adding a pergola, carport or verandah to your home, can add additional space and increase the overall value of your property. To ensure you create a space that meets the needs of your lifestyle, there are some common questions for you to consider: What materials and colours will compliment my existing home How much sun/Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/timberdecking/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/timberdecking/There are many types of timber available to use to build your decking. It can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing about which one to choose. The following are some factors to consider when deciding on a timber type for your decking: What colour do I want my decking to be? Will it match my existingTue, 06 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/buildingpermit/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/buildingpermit/A common question we are asked is if a building permit is required for the structure to be built. The key factors in determining if a building permit is legally required before building commences are: the size of works to be completed the value of works to be completed whether the new structure I attachedWed, 24 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/selectingtherightbuilder/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/selectingtherightbuilder/Choosing a builder to complete works at your home is an important decision. You need to choose a builder with whom you feel comfortable and confident with. To assist you in this process, here are some ideas to keep in mind to help you make an informed decision. Is the builder a Registered Building Practitioner? EnsuringSun, 07 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/deck-cleaning/https://www.topshelfcarpentry.com.au/deck-cleaning/Your decking is a great investment and addition to your home. By ensuring you keep on top of your deck care maintenance throughout the year, means your decking will be in tip top condition, ready for you to enjoy all year round. 10 tips to clean your decking include: 1. Sweep your decking on a weeklyMon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT