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THE
LEMON FILES GALLERY
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The Whisky Bottle Foundation
It took a special design
conference to come up with this award winning Lemon File.
The stump, which has rotted, has been cut off two foot from
the ground, it appears a tin has been placed under the stump
swinging in the air and then filled with concrete to provide
contact with the earth. Note the inclusion of the whisky
bottle imbedded into the concrete, obviously a thirsty design
conference.
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Cracking Walls
Cracking
walls need to be carefully assessed. Some cracking may occur
because of dry conditions, more serious cracking can be
caused through structural and foundation faults, and improper
footing design and construction. If in doubt make sure you
have the cracking professionally assessed. It could cause
a crack in your bank balance.
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Tin Weatherboard Cover Up
The
quick fix tin rotting weatherboard cover up signals a need
for caution. If the weatherboards have been covered up in
this fashion what other areas of the house have been disguised?
Patches of tin will probably hide what is visible since
we have lifted this piece of tin to give you The Lemon
Files view.
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Illegal Plumbing
A common
appearance in The Lemon Files archives as a result
of illegal extensions. It is common to find the original
gully trap built over with all drainage points just fed
into the hole in the ground. This is both illegal, a health
hazard and costly to fix. Don't become a victim of The
A Files check the drainage points of extensions and
ask to see the approved plans.
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The Mystery of the Rattling Glasses
When
the glasses rattle or the flowers move on the table as you
walk around the dining room, don't worry. The ghost of a
former owner will not appear, but hang onto your wallet
if you intend to buy the property as you will probably be
restumping within twelve months. Make sure you get under
the house and have a look at what condition the sub flooring
is in before you bid for your dream home, or at least allow
in your budget for restumping.
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A brick under rotted stumps, concrete
paving slabs and temporary props are all part of the sub floor plot.
The cost of restumping a twenty square home could range between
$12,000 to $15,000.
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The Temporary Permanent Prop
Just
check out the bottom of the stump which has been put in
after the building has been completed as the main floor
bearer missed its mark a couple of bricks and a two bits
of tin are nailed on the bottom to try and keep it in place.
It is probably held up by being nailed to the outside barge
boards.
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Two Chimneys into One
If
you want a new slant on chimneys just check out this illegal
construction which is extremely dangerous as it could collapse
and fall through the roof onto people below. Concealed in
the roof space this chimney is a major contender for the
best of The Lemon Files. The roof space is an area,
which can conceal expensive and dangerous faults such as
illegal wiring. It is also an area, which requires a thorough
check before you buy.
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Propping up the Future
A
sagging roof has been propped up with three temporary and
irregular props. Check the strain on the roof with the fractured
rafters, from the outside there may be a normal appearance,
but from inside in the roof space you could be facing several
thousand dollars to rectify the problem. A sagging roof
can also lead to developing serious leaks, especially around
roof flashings and damage the interior of the home. Make
sure you inspect the roof space before you purchase.
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