Pool Safety Regulations
Landscaping, Outdoor Living

What Pool Safety Regulations Exist In WA?

Swimming pools are dangerous. Drowning hazards pose a significant threat to pets and young children, which means that there are a range of safety regulations associated with swimming pools in Western Australia. The most notable of these surround the installation and maintenance of pool fencing which meets certain technical requirements.

Pool fence laws are very specific, and they outline what does and what doesn’t pass as an acceptable barrier. The good news is that your fence can be versatile – even things like pool fencing are acceptable under WA law.

Below is a brief outline of WA’s pool safety laws:

Pre-May 2016 & Post-May 2016 Pools:

The regulations are slightly different for pools built before and after May 2016. Before May 2016, your swimming pool barrier could include a door that was permanently fixed shut, and the rest of the barrier had to comply with the Australian Standard 1926.1-1993.

Post 2016 the laws were tightened to make swimming pool fences safer for children. Any pool built after 2016 must be enclosed by a barrier that meets the Australian Standards AS 1926.1-2007 and 1926.2-2012. One of the major changes under the new standards is that doors can no longer form part of the barrier surrounding a swimming pool.

The rest of this article will focus on the new post-May 2016 laws.

What Technical Requirements Does My New Pool Fence Have To Follow?

The technical requirements for WA pool fences are very strict, and must be followed closely. If they aren’t, you risk substantial penalties – including fines. Some of the technical requirements that you have to follow include:

Glass pool fences – All glass pool fences need to comply with the safety standards listed above. They also need to comply with the Australian Standard AS 1288-2006.

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By Lux Living
Landscape Design
Landscaping

Low Maintenance Landscape Design

The modern world is a bustling place. People have more things to do and less time to do them than ever before. This has led to a rise in the popularity of things like low-maintenance landscape design.

Sydney landscapers explain that, in simple terms, low-maintenance landscape design refers to the construction of outdoor spaces that look great, can be enjoyed in whatever ways appeal to you and don’t require much time or effort to keep them looking great. I know how hard it can be to create a low-maintenance outdoor space, so I’ve put together a list of my top tips to help you along the way:

Plant Things That Don’t Need A Lot Of Attention

One of the best ways to create a garden or outdoor space, according to Landscape Design Perth, that doesn’t need a lot of care is to plant things that look after themselves. In most cases, these will be tough, hardy plants that won’t become sick or die if they get a bit dry or if you don’t fertilise them for a while. Choose plants that don’t need pruning regularly.

In Australian conditions, one of the best ways to create a low-maintenance garden area is to plant native species. These are usually tough, drought tolerant, and need little care. Do some research, find out which species suit your climate and soil type, and plant them. Native gardens can also become a refuge for wildlife, and who wouldn’t love to have a family of possums or colourful birds move into their backyard!

Consider A Minimalistic Style

Minimalist outdoor areas generally have few elements. The things they do have are simple and require little care. For example, you might install a few concrete paths, a large lawn area (using tough grass, of course) and a few hardy trees.

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By Lux Living
Backyard Entertainment Area
Landscaping

Your Pool and your Backyard Entertainment Area

It’s taken a while but you finally have the pool in your yard that you have been dreaming about. But it’s not over. It’s time to add accessories. Some unique landscaping and decorating will enable you to personalise your backyard. There are so many ways to do it as well. A landscape design that includes outdoor pool furniture, rock gardens, water features, trees, and flowers, will look simply great. Here are a few ways you can give it that wow factor look

Plants
According to The Landscape Association, landscaping is not just about plants. Proper landscape design goes way beyond that concept. Your pool needs to be in an environment that will be appealing and comfortable and more importantly, accessible. Once you have constructed the deck and your patio, the plants you choose to dress up the area should be ones that will flourish in our Australian weather. If in doubt, check with your landscape designer. Things to look at in your plan will be coordinating your landscape design to mesh with that of your house and in a sensible proportion. You do not want plants and flowers that shed leaves all year round and causing debris to fall into your pool or onto your deck. Don’t forget that trees and plants are great for privacy, but never let them overtake your backyard as they create problems with root systems and hence the drainage.

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By Lux Living
Timber Fencing
Design

Fencing Types To Consider & Their Uses

Fencing is available in many different types, and each type has its pros and cons, and are designed to meet various standards.

Timber Fencing: The versatility of wood is unquestionable when utilised for fencing. It can be cut into different shapes and sizes to fit any project to help the look. There are many types of wood available such as pine and hardwoods if budget is not a constraint. You can improve the longevity of timber fencing by staining or painting it.

Timber Fencing

Aluminium Fencing: This metal is easy to use and can last a long time with very little maintenance required to keep it looking good. You can colour treat it as well to make it look less like aluminium and to match the building. When compared to steel it is a little cheaper.

Aluminium Fencing

Chain Link Fencing: This is one of the most common types of fencing and can be used for boundary marking, keeping kids and pets safely inside as well as for many commercial uses on securing buildings and areas. Chain link is easy to install and probably the most inexpensive to use.

Chain Link Fencing

Vinyl Fencing: It lasts forever (almost), and requires very little maintenance and cleaning. You can have it a colour that matches your house. It can be used as a decorative fence or privacy and boundary marking. Its ability to weather all conditions makes it a popular and sensible choice.

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By Lux Living
Protecting Timber Floor
Interior Design

Protecting Your Timber Floor

You have made the decision to have timber flooring installed, you love the look, but what about ongoing maintenance. That doesn’t mean a daily grind of of working on the timber flooring. It’s just a bit of advice for cleaning, looking after and protecting your new asset.

There is a combination of factors that will eventually wear down and scratch the floor coating over time. Things like dust, people coming and going, sunlight and moisture, to name a few. Timber is a natural product, not manufactured, so it has some unique properties that have to be considered. By taking a few simple steps, you can limit these factors and ensure your timber decks and its coating lasts years.

Less Dirt = Less Scratching

Timber is a pretty resilient material so the scratching we are talking about is more than likely being done to the coating rather than the floor itself. If you want to keep the floor looking brand new then you can adopt a few floor care techniques.

The floor coating can be scratched with each footstep as it brings in dust, grit and other small foreign objects. Cleaning regularly will help greatly and by not doing so, the shiny, polished floor will become dull and sustain damage.

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By Lux Living
Timber Fence
Maintenance

How to Get the Look of a Timber Fence Without the Maintenance

Timber is a beautiful and traditional fencing material that comes in many wonderful styles and can be painted in many different colours, making it a popular choice for fencing. But many fencing contractors would be able to point to other options that will give you the same look and advantages of timber without the high cost of maintenance.

For instance, there is aluminium available in wood-grained slats the colour of timber. By using such a material you can mimic a timber fence without worrying about using up the earth’s resources. Although truthfully, timber is a renewable resource with many plantations of pine and other species grown especially for the building trade.

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By Lux Living
Experienced Removalist
Renovations

When You Have To Move

Everybody has their own take and ideas on what a removalist service like Brilliance Removalists Brisbane really means. Individuals are just that – individuals, and not every customer will want the same things done as every single household removal job will be unique.

Having said that, an experienced removalist knows that customers typically want specific services that are common to all jobs. And if they are not common then the removal company should initiate them.

  • Quick turnaround on quotations. If you have to chase a service provider because they are too busy or they have neglected to get back to you, it should be a warning sign that their future performance might be lacking as well.
  • Good Advice and a bit of Direction. There are not a lot of customers who might call themselves seasoned veterans when it comes to moving their home or office. Clients will want some proactive advice and guidance rather than thinking further down the track when a problem hits: “Nobody told me that.”

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By Lux Living
Instant Lawn
Outdoor Living

Instant Lawn

There’s no doubt about it that laying down instant turf, is the best way to get that lush green front or back yard as quick as a DIY project. And there’s a lot of satisfaction in sitting back after a weekend of digging, raking, levelling and swearing with a cold beer and looking at a beautiful green lawn right in front of you. But you now know that there is a lot of careful preparation required before installing roll on lawn, and that is to be followed up with proper maintenance.

Timing

This is not a job you would have planned for autumn or winter. You need to pick the right time of year. In Spring, a young man’s fancy turns to outdoor BBQ’s and backyard entertainment. In Australia, we have four seasons – even Melbourne boasts four seasons, it’s just that they have it in one day! The best time to be planning this project is very late Winter or early Spring. But any time in Spring is okay if you want to have your lawn for most of summer. Just be aware of water restrictions.

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By Lux Living
Hire Professional Removalist
Maintenance

Why Hire Professional Removalist and Packing Services?

Hiring a team of professional removalists such as Brilliance Removalists Melbourne is the best way to avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety when moving to your new home. While borrowing a van from your friends and packing your things in boxes yourselves might seem cheaper, doing so might not only cost you more but also needlessly eat up time and effort that may be better expended elsewhere. Ultimately, professional removalists are the best people who can expertly handle different types of moving tasks from homes, apartments, to offices.

To make the best of the expert assistance from removalists such as Business Movers, the first thing you need to do is research on companies offering removal services in your area. Apart from checking out the price, it is advisable to inquire about the scope of their services. Sometimes, a lower price is given for carrying more items. At times, packages and packaging are also offered. By making thorough inquiries as to the amount of work that the removalists will actually do and extra services they offer will help you find the best deal.

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Electrical Outage
Maintenance

How to Cope with Damage Due to Storms

Our health can be damaged in many ways and one of them is through touching a live wire. With the number and ferocity of storms these days, it is well to be aware of this and just how likely it can be for external power lines to come down during a storm without being noticed. Good electricians understand the danger , but many other people may be too busy looking at a fallen tree to notice the power lines entangled in its branches or on the sodden ground nearby.

This is especially so if that fallen tree has damaged some of their property like the roof, the car or even a fence around their home. Electric wires are not very visible on a dark, rainy night unless they are sparking. However, it’s important to know just where the power lines around your home are and look up instead of down, if a tree falls on or near your home.

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By Lux Living