As we start to move away from that nice, warm summer weather and into the cooler, wetter climates of autumn, we begin to notice an increase in clients with a waterproofing issue in their buildings. So the question is, how do you spot a waterproofing issue? 

According to Tourism Australia, the months of April, May and June are some of the wettest times the city of Sydney will experience. Therefore, it is imperative that building owners rake appropriate measures to ensure that their buildings' waterproofing system is effective to prevent any damage to the buildings structural integrity. 

Signs to help you spot an issue: 
The following signs will help you to determine whether your waterproofing system is in working order or not:

• Water stains and seepage. 
• Cracks in floors and tiles. 
• Dry rot. 
• Mould or Mildew. 
• Corrosion staining. 
• Distorted Panelling. 
• Stained Cracking on walls, ceilings and floors. 

If you notice one or more of these defects in your building you may require one of our experienced consultants to inspect the condition of your building. You can get in contact with us by simply emailing info@bellmont.net, we'd be more than happy to help you prepare your building for the wet season! 

In our line of work, we tend to deal with a lot of strata, building and property managers. While it may seem that these roles are quite similar and sometimes even overlap, our many years in the industry have helped us to identify the distinct differences between these roles, an insight we would love to share!
 
Strata Manager:
 
A strata manager is a licensed professional who manages and maintains a strata building on behalf of the Owners Corporation. The strata manager handles the business side of things to ensure all tenants are happy and taken care of, this includes the arranging of meetings, repairs and maintenance, as well as the management of the financial affairs. In addition to this, the strata manager will have a direct relationship with their tenants, responding to any issues or complaints they may have and strives to have them resolved in a timely and effective manner.
 
 
Building Manager:
 
A building manager is someone who either lives on site or is there most of the time. When it comes to strata, the building manager is in charge of taking care of and maintaining the building. If a defect is identified in the building, the building manager will report it to the strata manager for repair. Once this repair is scheduled, the contractors will contact the building manager for any permissions they may require.
 
Property Manager:
 
Unlike the previous two roles, a property manager is appointed to a strata building by a real estate agency to represent the owner, landlord, property and its tenants. A property manager can be thought of as a mediator as they handle dealings between the parties within a strata, this may involve managing tenants, collecting rent and organising repair and maintenance where necessary.
 
One thing all these roles have in common is that they work to maintain a high standard for tenants in the joint housing community, a standard BellMont works to uphold through our many services.

​If you are within the strata sector and think you may require our services for the repair or maintenance of one of your buildings, remember, our help is only a click away…

 ​​At BellMont we embody this ideal by applying our knowledge and expertise to heritage buildings to ensure that they are structurally and physically equip to meet the heritage listing they have been awarded. Take a moment and let us introduce you to our (Town) Hall of Fame with projects at Sydney Town Hall and Erskineville Town Hall.

​In 2006, BellMont were approached by the City of Sydney to inspect the iconic and heritage listed, Sydney Town Hall Clock Tower, in particular the flag pole atop the establishment.
 
BellMonts initial inspection of the flagpole support structure uncovered signs of corrosion on the parallel flag channels (PFC) point of loading which was due to accumulated water in the base of the pole. BellMont advised the client to have the PFC repaired and restrengthened immediately.
 
In April, 2011, BellMont attended again to identify any structural concerns with the flagpoles support system. A simple push force revealed unwanted movement and misalignment that was due to inadequate tensioning of the bolt connection and wind loadings over time.  To resolve these issues and prevent any future unwanted movement and loose fixings, BellMont recommended that the client retighten the bolts and apply Loctite structural adhesive.
 
With these recommendations applied the flag is now flying high atop the Sydney Town Hall Clock Tower with a stable structure to support it.

​From 2005-2012, BellMont Façade provided expert consulting services to the Inner West Council for Glebe Town Hall. The building was constructed in 1938 and has served as a community centre for the past eighty years. Over time, this building experienced significant deterioration and cracking that required our assistance.
 
Assessment of the site uncovered a number of severe issues on both the northern and eastern elevation brick walls of the establishment.  Evidence of erosion and deterioration was evident throughout the building, compromising the structural integrity and interface of the walls and other elements of the structure. These defects, if left would pose threats to the safety of pedestrians and therefore required immediate attention.
 
To resolve these issues, our engineers recommended lintel replacements, removal and reinstatement of the toothed brickwork of the northern elevation and repointing of the northern wall. Along with these recommendations for the northern elevation, our engineers advised that the existing eastern brick wall be demolished and reconstructed with the installation of new brick ties.
 
The application of these expert solutions proved successful for our team and advantageous to the buildings health, bringing new life and stability to the site and safety assurance for visitors.

It seems timber may become the go to material for builders of multi storey structures, with the number of modern buildings constructed with engineered timber begins to rise. Although the use of this material for multi storey buildings has been documented as early as the thirteenth century, builders and architects alike are looking to the past for inspiration on how to build these towering structures,  with a modern twist.

​In short this material is economical and effective. Unlike its concrete competitors, engineered timber is lightweight and easier to work with. Opting for engineered timber also allows contractors to save money, time and offers a safer work environment for their team, as the material requires less labour requirements which means smaller teams of tradesmen and less high risk tasks such as welding and cutting.
 
However, there is a downside. Builders who wish to use to cross laminated timber on buildings have to outsource overseas, as the material is not readily available in bulk locally, this will unfortunately add time and cost to the project.