Who Needs a Break?

Hello

Who needs a break?

As we look to close out the year with a positive look to the future, we can all but hope the new year brings us some respite from the challenges of the last 2 years.
Like most of you, we are all starting to look toward the Xmas break with envy. It is going to give us all a chance to relax, refresh up, catch up with friends and family and most of all share some well deserved laughter and Christmas cheer.
From a business point of view this year has also presented challenges on many fronts, we have had the lockdowns, Covid infection scares, working remotely, not being able to cross into adjoining LGA’s for our builders, concreters and even office staff not being able to get to their showrooms.
The other issue we have been dealing with is price increases. In the 15+ years we have been in operation we have never experienced this volume of price increases in a calendar year. It has placed enormous pressure on all involved, from those having to administer the increases, to those having to deliver the news to our clients and finally, our clients who have had to deal with those increases.
Whilst we have tried our best to keep everyone informed of any impending price increases and be as fair and transparent as possible, there is always going to be people who inevitably going to get upset. We understand people’s frustration and can empathise with their situation, however, we have no control on the market and the pricing of steel. The best we can do is keep our clients informed of any impending price increases and let them know what is happening with their project.
As far as any foreseeable price increases are concerned, we have been given a timeframe of Early February 2022 for a Colorbond increase. The precise amount is yet to be determined. So, if you are considering ordering a shed, our advice would be to get in prior to Xmas to give us the best chance of beating the next price increase.
In the meantime, we have December to get out of the way. Which brings me to our closing dates; December 23rd will be our last day of work and we will be returning on the 10th January 2022.
Bring on the HOLIDAY’S.

Reviewing Your Quote

You’ve decided on a size and style for your shed and sent your specifications out to your Ranbuild dealer for a quote. Your quote will come back quickly – now’s the time to go through it in detail to see what you’re really getting before you make a decision.
Your quote will come with a description of the main materials, shed size, any accessories, wind and terrain code rating and colour selection. All pricing and terms of payment are included. If there’s not enough detail on your quote, feel free to request more. Attached to the quote will be the elevation drawings. Any discrepancies should be discussed directly with the dealer to make sure all details are clear.

Fine Details

The steel may be measured as BMT (Base Metal Thickness), which is entirely structural material. Some suppliers give measurements as TCT (Total Coated Thickness), which includes coatings, about 0.05mm of extra thickness. This means that a BMT of 0.42 and a TCT of 0.47 are describing the same thickness of base steel. Make sure you know the difference as different suppliers describe materials using different terms.
Check that all parts and fixings are included in your quote. Ranbuild dealers offer an all-inclusive cost, but some other suppliers omit common fixings for a cheaper price. All fixings in Ranbuild quotes are specified as high-grade, hi tensile options, this is one area where it is a false economy to opt for cheaper versions.
Check the warranties. BlueScope Steel offer warranties on products such as COLORBOND® steel and ZINCALUME® steel. Check if the shed is made by an Australian manufacturer and if they carry a local warranty.
For a supply and install service through our dealers, check that the company is capable of managing all aspects of the installation. Not only can you end up footing unexpected bills, but if you start managing subcontractors, you may be defined as an owner-builder and require costly licensing.
If your supply and install quote covers gaining all relevant approvals, check what documentation costs are covered under the quote. Talk with your Ranbuild dealer about what they will require from you.
If you will be installing your shed, check that all of the construction can be done using tools you have available. While you may need to hit the hire shops for some parts of the job – especially concreting – being able to use your own tools to erect your shed will save you money and stress.
For DIY quotes, Ranbuild supply the most comprehensive and detailed assembly guides going around complete with itemized parts list (BOM), engineering, construction and slab plans and detailed process and procedures to reference.

At Outdoor Steel Solutions we are both registered commercial and domestic builders.

Building Licence No: Domestic - CDB-L 48721 Commercial - CCB-L 56406

Do My Neighbours Get a Say in my New Building Works?

Your new build may require additional council approvals, including a Planning Permit from Council Planning Department and/or a Report & Consent from Council Building Department.
These are separate from the Building Permit, which is required for all new works over 10m2, and can be issued by a private Building Surveyor instead of Council.
Outdoor Steel Solutions can apply for these additional approvals and permits on your behalf if they are required.

As part of the process to get these approvals your adjoining neighbours may be required to view and acknowledge your proposed development plans, if your proposed structure is considered to be affecting the adjoining property. This is called Advertising of the Application and we may be requested by Council to advertise to the neighbours directly, or the Council may decide to request this themselves and charge extra for the advertising fees.
If advertising is requires, your neighbours will receive a letter, a copy of the site plan and elevations for your proposed works and have the option to agree or object to the proposed build. They must have a valid reason for their objection for Council to then consider it. A 14-day period to respond is allowed under the regulations and if no response is received within this time, they are considered to have no objection to the project.

Council still have the final say! However, for Report & Consents, which are applied for if the proposed is not complying with the Building Regulations, if a valid objection is received, Council will not support the application. If the advertising is for a planning application, Council can still approve if an objection has been received and determined not to be valid or enough of an adverse impact on the objector.

If supportive responses are received, Council will still assess the potential impact of the proposed structure to the adjoining properties and/or infrastructure. Only the parts of your neighbours response that are relevant to the Council decision will be taken into consideration when the application is reviewed and if the decision is made to issue an approval, any affected adjoining owners who responded to the negative will receive notification from council of their final decision.
Our Project Sales Consultants will discuss your proposal on site with you to assess potential impacts and compliance with the Building Regulations and provide this information to our Project Administrators who will conduct a full assessment of your proposed works to determine if any of these additional approvals and permits are required and if possible, can small adjustments in the location or design of your structure avoid the need for these extra requirements.

Bendigo

Ballarat

Shepparton

Kilmore

Sunbury