Archicentre 2009 News Release Archive

2009 Archicentre Newsbreak Archive

Archicentre State Managers

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1 July 2009
$50,000 Superannuation Cap to Boost Property Investment
A change in Australia's superannuation regulations which becomes law today limiting superannuation contributions to $50,000 could be a further catalyst for a return to property investment and renovation.

30 June 2009
Archicentre Push on Environment and Safety
Archicentre has launched a campaign to promote safety and energy efficiency around the home to their customers.

27 June 2009
Managing Director of Archicentre in New Role
Archicentre has announced its Managing Director Robert Caulfield after thirty one years will assume a new role within the company.

24 June 2009
Winter Warning on Deadly Fires
Archicentre today warned that most fatal fires occur in the home and winter is a high fire risk time. A faulty electrical appliance or washing left too close to a heater could have disastrous consequences by exposing family members to death or injuries and causing major structural damage to a property.

17 June 2009
Greenhouse Gas Reduction - It is all in the Design
Greenhouse gas reduction is in the hands of the community especially for those people building new homes or renovating according to Archicentre.

11 June 2009
Red Alert on Deadly Water Tanks
Poorly installed or unstable water tanks being filled with the recent rains could become a death trap for home owners or visitors, Archicentre warned today.

5 June 2009
Borers may leave $2.4 Billion Dinner Bill to Western Australia Home Owners
Borers may leave Western Australian Home Owners an estimated $2.4 billion dinner bill if a government strategy to contain European House Borers fails according to Archicentre

5 June 2009
1.9% Drop in Construction Costs
Construction costs have dropped 1.9% in the first quarter of 2009.

2 June 2009
Renovators Warned On Cash Economy
Renovators who fall for the discount for cash line, which can be used by handymen and tradespeople to obtain a job, could find they have not only encouraged the law to be broken by not paying taxes, but more importantly have lost any legal right to consumer protection.

25 May 2009
Higher Floor Levels For Homes In Flood Prone Areas
Housing being built in flood prone areas in the future will be designed with floor levels above the one hundred year flood level to cope with the increasing intensity of floods and storms attributed to climate change.

21 May 2009
Safety First A Key To Floods And Leaky Roofs
Home owners have been urged to put safety first when dealing with flooded homes or leaky roofs and to prepare for floods or storms in advance by Archicentre.

20 May 2009
Federal Budget Cuts to Superannuation Contributions Cuts Open
Renovation for Retirement Door
One million baby boomers set to retire in the next ten years who have had their potential superannuation contributions slashed by 50% from $100,000 to $50,000 in the Federal Budget could turn to renovation to try and boost the value of their main asset - the family home.

13 May 2009
Federal Budget Reaction - Archicentre
The Great Australian Dream will Survive
Archicentre today urged Australians to maintain their faith in the Great Australian Dream of home ownership.

12 May 2009
Renovate Out of Recession
Archicentre's Free Online Trade Dating Service
Renovators or home owners throughout Australia can now take advantage of a FREE online service which provides home owners with a time saving way of engaging licensed, qualified tradespersons.

8 May 2009
Green Home Loans to Create Green Jobs
Archicentre will expand its training role to focus on creating 150 new Green Jobs by training household Sustainability Assessors.

6 May 2009
Give Mum the Gift of Safety on Sunday
Australian sons and daughters have been urged to use Mother's Day to do a safety audit of the home for elderly parents, especially those living alone.

1 May 2009
Government Six Star Renovation Design the New Gold in Housing
New housing and renovations designed to comply with the national six star design sustainability codes to be compulsory by 2011 will provide their owners with a long term re-sale value as costs of energy and water are expected to rise.

29 April 2009
Boundary Disputes, Excavation, Cracking and Lawyers
Government planning policies to increase housing densities combined with the trend to maximise land space during renovations and new building has the potential to increase boundary disputes with Australian home owners, renovators and neighbours,

26 April 2009
Archicentre Warns on Storm Damage and Leaky Roofs
Archicentre has warned home owners to be alert for roof damage caused by high winds expected in Victoria today, which could lead to leaky roofs.

23 April 2009
Designing for the future
Inspection data from Archicentre shows one in four Victorian homes contain trip or slip hazards, a figure highlighting the need for more accessible housing stock.

21 April 2009
First Home Buyers Warned on Bitter Twist of Lemon
First home buyers extending themselves to the limit to get into a home could be could be severely financially stung if they bought a LEMON, Archicentre said today.

7 April 2009
Home Buyers Return with Caution as Inspection Services Jump
Archicentre, the largest supplier of pre-purchase home inspections and renovation design concepts in Australia has reported a major jump for the use of its inspection services for prospective home buyers when compared with March 2008.

7 April 2009
Queensland Floods
With some areas in Queensland being reported as having up to 200mm of rain in two-and-a-half hours, home owners have been warned to look for leaks in their roofs and involve professional tradespersons to undertake repairs because of the danger of people being on roofs.

1 April 2009
Flooded New South Wales Homes to take Months to Dry Out
... quick fixes can be costly
Flooded homes in New South Wales will take months to recover and home owners have been advised to allow their homes to completely dry out and delay renovation and redecoration until the building is substantially dry before replacing carpets and fittings to avoid future problems.

30 March 2009
Women Top in Home Buying Influence By A Mile
Archicentre said its poll in determining which sex has more influence over home buying has revealed women win hands down.

25 March 2009
5% to 15% Drop in Renovation Costs
Renovation costs in Australia are expected to drop between 5% and 15% in the next six months, according to Archicentre.

20 March 2009
Rats and Mice in 46% of Homes
A survey of 500 homes in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, covering a range of pests including borers, termites, rats, mice, cockroaches, ants, spiders and silverfish and wood rot has revealed many people are living with health hazards.

13 March 2009
First Home Buyers Lemon Alert
First home buyers rushing to sign up to gain the Federal and State Government Grants could face a triple financial whammy if they buy a 'lemon'. These are over priced homes, expensive repairs and rising interest rates in the longer term.

3 March 2009
New Planning Regulations in New South Wales Boost Jobs
.... People want to spend money and create urgently needed jobs.
The NSW Housing Code, which came into force last week, will provide a major boost to jobs in the building and construction industry according to Archicentre.

2 March 2009
Consumers Should Request Testing and Compliance Standards for Fire Bunkers
Archicentre said that Australia will need to have an urgent review of the design and building regulations of products being sold as fire bunkers.

27 February 2009
Climate Change Design and Behaviour the New Gold in Housing
New housing and renovations designed to take into account the impact of climate change will provide their owners with a long term re-sale value as costs of energy and water are expected to rise.

19 February 2009
Bushfires Spark Interest In Home Safety Design
The tragic bushfires in Victoria have dramatically increased the number of people seeking information about bushfire design for homes, Archicentre said today.

16 February 2009
Archicentre Launches J For Jobs Tradesmen's Service
Taking the pain out of finding good tradespeople with the click of a mouse
Archicentre has launched a new web based service for Australian homes owners to find quality tradespeople as part of its national J For Jobs program to encourage employment in the building industry.

12 February 2009
Termite Attacks Hot Up In Drought
High temperatures and the continuing drought is increasing the intensity of termite attacks on Australian homes which is estimated to cost Australian home owners $910 million annually.

5 February 2009
Archicentre Backs Victorian Government on Fast Track Planning Reforms
Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects today backed the Victorian Government's plan to fast track planning of major projects to create jobs and stimulate economic development and urged the government to go further and for other States to follow.

4 February 2009
Cracking Becomes a Hot Topic for Home Owners, Buyers and Investors
Climate change and the drought has made cracking, which can cost tens of thousands dollars to manage, one of the hottest housing topics for home owners, home buyers and investors in 2009.


3 February 2009
J FOR JOBS - Insulation Compulsory For House Sale
The Federal and State Governments should consider a national program of insulation by making it compulsory for every home being sold to be insulated, Archicentre said today.

29 January 2009
Archicentre Launches West Australian Consumer Awareness Program on Building and Sustainability,
Home Buying and Renovation
Consumer awareness is the focus of a series of Free Seminars in Perth on Building and Sustainability, Home Buying and Renovation being run by Archicentre beginning in February.

28 January 2009
Heat on Cracking Houses
34% of properties across Australia have been damaged by drought
The forecast heat wave in Victoria will place extreme pressure on many homes that are already suffering cracking due to the extended drought and water restrictions, Archicentre said today.

28 January 2009
Archicentre Launches South Australian Sustainability Seminar Series
Consumer awareness is the focus of a series of seminars on Sustainability being run by Archicentre in South Australia beginning in February.

28 January 2009
Archicentre Launches Victorian Consumer Awareness Program on Building and Sustainability,
Renovation and Home Buying
Consumer awareness is the focus of a series of Free Seminars on Building and Sustainability, Renovation and Home Buying being run by Archicentre beginning in February.

28 January 2009
Archicentre Launches New South Wales Consumer Awareness Program on Building and Sustainability,
Home Buying and Renovation
Consumer awareness is the focus of a series of Free Seminars on Building and Sustainability, Home Buying and Renovation being run in Sydney by Archicentre beginning in February.

28 January 2009
Archicentre Launches Queensland Consumer Awareness Program on Building and Sustainability,
Home Buying and Renovation
Consumer awareness is the focus of a series of Free Seminars in Brisbane on Building and Sustainability, Home Buying and Renovation being run by Archicentre beginning in February.

25 January 2009
Build Fire Resistant Homes on Suburban Fringes
Current bushfires occurring in fringe suburbs in Australia reinforces the importance of building  fire resistant homes on the urban fringes of Australian capital cities, Archicentre said today.

24 January 2009
Archicentre Launches Poll on Home Buying Influence of Women and Men
Archicentre has launched a poll in its latest Consumer Bulletin aimed at determining which sex has more influence over home buying.

19 January 2009
Beach Shack Asbestos Warning
Owners of tens of thousands of traditional beach shacks built of fibro cement have been urged to take appropriate health and safety precautions during any renovation, maintenance or clearing up after storm damage by Archicentre.

17 January 2009
Hot Weather Stress on Faulty Wiring
Top 5 Suburbs named
Electrical faults in homes can result in fires when home owners flick the switch to cope with soaring temperatures, overloading the electrical system with the heavy demand of air conditioners, Archicentre warned today.

12 January 2009
ZONE HOMES: Housing the Big Issue for 2009
ZONE HOMES with two independent living areas are set to become a major trend as Australia faces major housing challenges in the next decade.

9 January 2009
New Housing Down - Renovation Up in 2009 - ABS Reaction
With new home building approvals dropping 35% from a year ago the $20 billion a year renovation industry in Australia will become vital cog in maintaining employment in the building industry, Archicentre said today.

7 January 2009
Renovators Risk Resale Value with Poor Design
Archicentre today warned people renovating properties for resale and investment purposes that they could devalue their properties with poorly planned and constructed renovations.