tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/home-renovation-102883/articlesHome renovation – The Conversation2023-09-20T04:12:14Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2054712023-09-20T04:12:14Z2023-09-20T04:12:14ZGovernments are pouring money into housing but materials, land and labour are still in short supply<p>As Australia’s housing affordability crisis worsens, governments are spending more on housing.</p>
<p>Victoria’s Andrews government has <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/housing-statement">announced</a> a suite of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/kingswood-golf-course-rezoning-among-five-projects-suddenly-approved-by-government-20230920-p5e64c.html">reforms</a> (such as boosting social housing and making planning processes faster) in an effort to get 800,000 extra homes in Victoria over the next decade.</p>
<p>Federally, the Albanese government’s A$10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, or HAFF, has <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-greens-were-right-to-pass-australias-housing-future-fund-bill-the-case-for-further-delay-was-weak-213255">passed the Senate</a> with the help of the Greens, who supported the bill in exchange for another A$1 billion for social housing.</p>
<p>And this year’s federal budget has expanded eligibility for the <a href="https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/11161#:%7E:text=Helping%20Australians%20with%20the%20cost,%242.7%20billion%20over%20five%20years">Home Guarantee Scheme</a> so more people can buy a home with a smaller deposit. </p>
<p>But is Australia ready for a house construction boom? </p>
<p>Supply chain constraints say no. Ballooning construction costs and labour shortages have already claimed well-known building firms across the country. Delivering thousands of extra new homes in the coming years will not be easy.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Houses like half-constructed in the lanscape." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=557&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=557&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549027/original/file-20230919-25-o18tcl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=557&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Is Australia ready for a house construction boom?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-greens-were-right-to-pass-australias-housing-future-fund-bill-the-case-for-further-delay-was-weak-213255">The Greens were right to pass Australia's Housing Future Fund bill – the case for further delay was weak</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Materials are hard to get</h2>
<p>Building a home requires the right materials at the right time. But many building materials are in short supply.</p>
<p>Timber is a good example. The Master Builders Association <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/timber-shortages-ease-but-reliance-on-overseas-suppliers-leaves-industry-exposed/news-story/50f6012ebbd48d2749a9309b7f9c6f1b">highlights</a> there are still pressures on timber and wood supplies.</p>
<p>This imbalance between supply and demand for construction materials can be traced back to the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-homebuilder-package-aims-to-safeguard-jobs-of-a-million-tradies-20200603-p54z7w.html">HomeBuilder</a> program, which saw over 138,000 Australians applying for a <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/homebuilder">grant</a> to build or renovate. </p>
<p>The number of new dwellings commenced went from 41,855 in September 2020 to a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/building-and-construction/building-activity-australia/mar-2023">peak</a> of 67,306 in July 2021 – an increase of 60% in less than a year. </p>
<p>Typically, a spike in demand is met by imports. But soaring <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/03/28/how-soaring-shipping-costs-raise-prices-around-the-world">shipping costs</a> during the pandemic conspired with <a href="https://www.timberbiz.com.au/conflict-timber-comes-into-australia-with-false-origin-labels/#:%7E:text=Australia%20has%20not%20banned%20timber,conflict%20timber%20and%20its%20sustainability">restrictions</a> to timber imports from Russia to send global markets into disarray. </p>
<p>Tim Reardon, Chief Economist for the Housing Industry Association <a href="https://hia.com.au/our-industry/newsroom/economic-research-and-forecasting/2023/04/housing-supply-worsens-as-demand-increases">reckons</a> housing supply issues will not get any better soon. The federal government’s National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation <a href="https://www.nhfic.gov.au/research/state-nations-housing-report-2022-23">expects</a> housing supply will only recover by 2025-26.</p>
<p>Demand pressures will continue. As it is, there are lots of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/building-and-construction/building-activity-australia/mar-2023">unfinished homes</a> around the country.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Building frames of houses are seen against an urban background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549029/original/file-20230919-17-d1u576.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You need materials and energy to build a house.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Labour and land are also in short supply</h2>
<p>Building a home is labour intensive. Finding roofers, bricklayers, carpenters, tilers, landscapers and other construction workers has <a href="https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/download/2289/skills-shortage-quarterly-march-2023/1448/skills-shortage-quarterly-report-march-2023/docx">not been easy</a>. </p>
<p>Australia’s record low unemployment <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/unemployment-rate-falls-34">rates</a> and a global rise in <a href="https://www.oecd.org/publications/the-post-covid-19-rise-in-labour-shortages-e60c2d1c-en.htm">labour shortages</a> have made it hard for builders to find the workers they need to finish jobs. <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/construction-delays-perth-customers-waiting-up-to-four-years-for-new-homes-to-be-built-by-states-largest-builder/fa6334f3-64f9-47c1-9d5a-e0898e9a4a4e">Delays</a> are common.</p>
<p>Some skill sets are in even higher demand, as workers flock to oil and gas, mining, and infrastructure projects. In Western Australia, for example, <a href="https://bcec.edu.au/publications/housing-affordability-in-western-australia-2023-building-for-the-future/">research</a> has shown a shortage of construction managers, handy persons, and civil engineering professionals.</p>
<p>Then, there is the question of land. Greenfield projects (new developments on the city fringes) typically see fast approvals, fast sales, and good profit.</p>
<p>But suburbs alone cannot deliver the demand that is coming, thanks to the Housing Australia Future Fund and the other government initiatives.</p>
<p>There is a growing consensus more has to be done to increase <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-01/four-unique-ways-tokyo-approaches-housing/102784020">urban density</a> (in other words, apartments) next to <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-make-housing-more-affordable-this-is-what-state-governments-need-to-do-105050">mass transit hubs</a>.</p>
<p>But this isn’t easy either. Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) critics abound and demand for standalone houses remains strong as people pursue the “great Australian dream” of a <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/amep-subsite/Files/intermediate-housing-housing-worksheet-1-the-great-australian-dream.pdf">large house</a> on a large block of land.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Construction workers look on as a crane moves a heavy object for a building project." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549030/original/file-20230919-20-iklfa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Labour is in short supply.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So how can we strengthen supply?</h2>
<p>These issues in materials, labour, and land will not solve themselves. Pouring more money into the housing market without addressing supply shortages will only increase prices. </p>
<p>So, what initiatives can really address the housing supply crisis? Options include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>reducing import taxes on materials like construction timber and steel frames to boost short-term supply (while adhering to long-term strategies to address future demand) </p></li>
<li><p>supporting new technologies in the construction industry (the federal government’s <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/grants-open-for-wood-processing-facilities">Accelerate Adoption of Wood Processing Innovation</a> program, which enables the use of innovative technology for timber production, is one example)</p></li>
<li><p>increasing skilled migration to boost labour supply (Western Australia’s <a href="https://migration.wa.gov.au/news/boosting-was-building-construction-industry-through-skilled-migration">Construction Visa Subsidy Program</a>, which targets skilled migrants to the construction sector, shows what’s possible)</p></li>
<li><p>embracing manufactured homes (<a href="https://www.sbt-durabi.org/articles/article/M9R2/#Information">modular construction</a>, for example, can increase labour productivity, reduce costs and mitigate the effects of weather delays)</p></li>
<li><p>making it easier to release land for development, especially in urban areas (for example, the Victoria government is investing <a href="https://www.budget.vic.gov.au/homes-for-victorians">$40 million in red-tape busting measures</a>).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The housing crisis in Australia is far from over. Without coordinated action to increase supply, government grants will have little practical effect on house affordability anytime soon.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205471/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Is Australia ready for a house construction boom? Supply chain constraints say no.Flavio Macau, Associate Dean - School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan UniversityDeepa Bannigidadmath, Lecturer, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1979082023-01-29T19:09:20Z2023-01-29T19:09:20ZToxic pollutants can build up inside our homes. Here are 8 ways to reduce the risks<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506044/original/file-20230124-15-cgwl3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6000%2C3988&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We know everything in our homes gathers dust. What you probably don’t know is whether there are toxic contaminants in your house dust, and where these might come from. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115173">newly published research</a> found most of the dust inside homes came from outside and contains potentially toxic trace metals such as lead, arsenic and chromium. </p>
<p>Worryingly, we found some contaminants can accumulate at higher concentrations inside homes than outside. This happened in homes with certain characteristics: older properties, metal construction materials enriched in zinc, recent renovations and deteriorating paint. </p>
<p>Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to reduce your exposure, which we explain later.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-dust-and-where-does-it-all-come-from-168265">What is dust? And where does it all come from?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What’s in house dust?</h2>
<p>Our study explored the connected sources, pathways and potentially harmful exposures to trace metals at homes across Sydney. We collected and analysed 383 samples from nearby road dust (51 samples) and garden soil (166), as well as indoor dust (166).</p>
<p>We found the dust in homes comes from a range of sources including outdoor environments and soil, skin, cleaning products, pet hair and cooking particles.<br>
Nearly 60% of dust particles inside the homes originated from their immediate outdoor environment – it was <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-shoes-in-the-house-is-just-plain-gross-the-verdict-from-scientists-who-study-indoor-contaminants-177542">dirt from outside</a>! Wind, your shoes or your pets can carry in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021002075?via%3Dihub">soil</a> and <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c04494">dust</a>-related contaminants. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-shoes-in-the-house-is-just-plain-gross-the-verdict-from-scientists-who-study-indoor-contaminants-177542">Wearing shoes in the house is just plain gross. The verdict from scientists who study indoor contaminants</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Dog looks back after leaving muddy paw prints on carpet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506038/original/file-20230124-13-dx8set.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Wind, your shoes or your pets can all carry contaminants into your home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The remaining 40% of home dust came from indoor sources. These included <a href="https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-common-in-homes-across-29-countries-new-research-shows-whos-most-at-risk-189051">fibres from clothes, carpets and furnishings</a>, cleaning products, skin and hair.</p>
<p>Some dust sources can carry a cocktail of potentially harmful contaminants including:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117064">microplastics</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.009">persistent organic pollutants</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.463">perfluorinated chemicals</a> (PFAS)</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117593">trace metals</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.754657">bacterial communities</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106501">antimicrobial resistance genes</a>. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>The nature of the risk is related to how much of the contaminant you’re exposed to and for how long. The risks are greatest in children under the age of five. This is because they are small, closer to the floor and have frequent hand-mouth contact, which increases ingestion of contaminants. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506043/original/file-20230124-19-v1sh36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Young children’s size and behaviour leave them more at risk of exposure to indoor contaminants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-common-in-homes-across-29-countries-new-research-shows-whos-most-at-risk-189051">Microplastics are common in homes across 29 countries. New research shows who's most at risk</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How do contaminants build up in homes?</h2>
<p>Industrial activity has left a marked legacy of contaminants in many city neighbourhoods. We analysed road dust, garden soil and vacuum dust samples from 166 homes in Sydney to see how this risk translated to inside homes. We used high-magnification microscopy and <a href="https://www.climate-policy-watcher.org/earth-sciences/lead-isotopes-as-tools-for-source-identification.html">lead isotopic ratios</a> to understand trace metal composition in the samples. </p>
<p>On average, concentrations of trace metals arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, lead and zinc were all higher inside homes than outside. This means homes are not only “accumulators” of trace metal contaminants but also important sources of a significant proportion of harmful contaminants that we can be exposed to. </p>
<p>The lead isotopic ratios, or the lead “fingerprints”, of each home and its garden soil matched. This confirms the soil is the main source of lead inside homes. </p>
<p>Most of this lead is the result of the pre-1970s use of high concentrations of lead in <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/chemicals-management/lead/lead-in-house-paint">paints</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.02.007">petrol</a>, which contaminated many garden soils. Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-lead-is-dangerous-and-the-damage-it-does-116506">low levels of lead exposure</a> can be harmful. Lead levels in some <a href="https://theconversation.com/elevated-lead-levels-in-sydney-back-yards-heres-what-you-can-do-68499">Sydney backyards</a> pose a risk for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107151">urban veggie growers</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/backyard-hens-eggs-contain-40-times-more-lead-on-averagethan-shop-eggs-research-finds-187442">backyard chickens and their eggs</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/backyard-hens-eggs-contain-40-times-more-lead-on-average-than-shop-eggs-research-finds-187442">Backyard hens' eggs contain 40 times more lead on average than shop eggs, research finds</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>High-magnification images of house dust showed mineral particles that have been blown in or tracked in on shoes. The rest of the dust was elongated fibres and hair from indoor sources.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505802/original/file-20230123-23-4i7gf6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In this high-magnification image of indoor dust, the long particles are fibres and the angular particles are of mineralogical origin from outdoors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Which homes are most at risk?</h2>
<p>We also collected information about each house, relevant activities and renovations at the property. We found house age, proximity to the city centre and renovations had the greatest influence on levels of lead and other trace metals in the home. </p>
<p>All homes more than 50 years old had higher concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead and zinc in their garden soil and house dust. They are typically <a href="https://iupui-earth-science.shinyapps.io/MME_Sydney/">located closer to city centres</a>, where early industrial activity has contaminated soils. </p>
<p>As older homes in former industrial areas are renovated, trace metal loads in these homes and gardens can increase. Walls and ceilings contain decades of dust. Old paint buried under more recent layers can also be released, causing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/3983094">lead exposure risks</a>. </p>
<p>It is critical that home renovators take appropriate remediation steps or <a href="https://painters.edu.au/Training-Courses/CPCCPD3031-Work-safely-with-lead-painted-surfaces-in-the-painting-industry.htm">employ a qualified paint professional</a> so lead dust isn’t spread across the area. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Old red paint peeling of weatherboards and a windowframe" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=454&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=571&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=571&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506041/original/file-20230124-11-mrdiel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=571&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Old lead-based paint is a major source of contamination, especially if it’s deteriorating or proper precautions aren’t taken when removing it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>8 ways to reduce your risk</h2>
<p>We spend about <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1zg3q68x#main">70% of our time at home</a>, which the pandemic has increased. Understanding the environmental <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/exposome/default.html">conditions and contaminants we encounter</a> and their effects on our health is more important than ever. </p>
<p>Armed with this knowledge, though, you can take some simple steps to reduce your exposure to contaminants in your home and garden:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>regularly vacuum carpeted areas with a good vacuum cleaner fitted with a <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/ventilation-air-purification/print-all">HEPA filter</a></p></li>
<li><p>wet mop and wet dust hard surfaces</p></li>
<li><p>mulch areas of exposed soil in your garden</p></li>
<li><p>use a quality doormat and wash it regularly, which can roughly <a href="https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/51148/1/Manuscript_File_Global_Pb_Modeling_Final_clean_1%20%281%29.pdf">halve the amount of lead</a> in your home within three months</p></li>
<li><p>leave your shoes at the door as they can <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-shoes-in-the-house-is-just-plain-gross-the-verdict-from-scientists-who-study-indoor-contaminants-177542">bring all sorts of nasties into the home</a></p></li>
<li><p>wash your hands and your veggies thoroughly </p></li>
<li><p>close windows on windy days</p></li>
<li><p>when renovating, use dust-mitigation strategies and personal protective equipment (PPE).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You can dig a little deeper into what’s in your own home environment by sending your soil to <a href="https://www.360dustanalysis.com">VegeSafe Australia</a> or <a href="https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/get-involved/citizen-science-program/gardensafe">EPA Victoria’s GardenSafe</a> for analysis. If you live in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom or Australia you can also send your vacuum dust to <a href="https://www.360dustanalysis.com">DustSafe</a> for testing. You will receive a report outlining what was in your sample, with links and advice on what to do next where necessary.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/house-dust-from-35-countries-reveals-our-global-toxic-contaminant-exposure-and-health-risk-172499">House dust from 35 countries reveals our global toxic contaminant exposure and health risk</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197908/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Patrick Taylor received funding via an Australian Government Citizen Science Grant (2017-2020), CSG55984 ‘Citizen insights to the composition and risks of household dust’ (the DustSafe project). The VegeSafe and DustSafe programs are supported by publication donations to Macquarie University. He is a full-time employee of EPA Victoria, appointed to the statutory role of Chief Environmental Scientist.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carlos Ibañez del Rivero receives funding from Macquarie University and National Council on Science and Technology, Mexico (CONACYT) support number 739570 in the form of graduate stipends for his PhD program and partial funding for his tuition costs.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kara Fry is a Senior Research and Development Officer at EPA Victoria. Previously, Kara was a research assistant for VegeSafe and DustSafe, supported by public donations to Macquarie University and an Australian Government Citizen Science Grant (2017-2020), CSG55984 ‘Citizen insights to the composition and risks of household dust’.</span></em></p>Levels of trace metals inside can be higher than the sources of contamination outside. It underscores the need for households to take care to prevent those contaminants being brought indoors.Mark Patrick Taylor, Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie UniversityCarlos Ibañez del Rivero, PhD candidate, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie UniversityKara Fry, Adjunct Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1872122022-08-02T15:19:47Z2022-08-02T15:19:47ZHeatwave-proofing homes could save lives – and cut carbon<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478131/original/file-20220808-16-fke5qm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3600%2C2398&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Insulating walls and windows can keep hot air outside during future heatwaves.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/spray-polyurethane-foam-roof-technician-spraying-1087263845">C12/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Buildings are designed to keep people safe and comfortable according to the local climate: warm when it’s cold outside, dry when it’s wet and sheltered when it’s stormy. If the climate changes, buildings may struggle to serve our needs in the new conditions. The UK’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/heatwave-britain-hits-40-3-c-heres-how-scientists-know-when-a-temperature-record-has-been-broken-187235">recent 40°C heatwave</a> showed that many existing structures – especially the homes where we <a href="https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/how-much-of-your-life-do-you-spend-in-buildings">spend two-thirds</a> of our lives – <a href="https://theconversation.com/britain-isnt-built-to-withstand-40-c-here-is-where-infrastructure-is-most-likely-to-fail-187229">aren’t up to the task</a>.</p>
<p>Older people with existing health problems are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969717302292">among the most vulnerable</a> during hot weather, as the heat can exacerbate <a href="https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/six-groups-most-risk-heatwave-24501068">potentially fatal conditions</a> such as respiratory and heart diseases and even Alzheimer’s. An early estimate suggests as many as <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2331349-40c-heatwave-may-have-killed-1000-people-in-england-and-wales/#:%7E:text=Antonio%20Gasparrini%20at%20the%20London,between%2017%20and%2019%20July.">1,000 excess deaths</a> may have occurred in England and Wales as a result of the three-day heatwave in mid-July 2022.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heatwaves-can-kill-research-uncovers-the-homes-most-vulnerable-to-overheating-138665">Heatwaves can kill – research uncovers the homes most vulnerable to overheating</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Each country must upgrade its buildings to keep people safe as the world warms. This is part of what climate change experts call <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/climate-adaptation?gclid=Cj0KCQjw852XBhC6ARIsAJsFPN0yqO4DmQBnfU1tHBvo2JU52I_XLd8a1ZHOUbZUf1xouHusWeQ0_dAaAtIWEALw_wcB">adaptation</a>. The other half of that obligation is mitigation: cutting emissions as fast possible to minimise the temperature increase. By adapting homes to withstand stronger heatwaves, countries have an opportunity to meet both needs at the same time.</p>
<p>You will have heard some of the solutions for decarbonising buildings: increased roof and wall insulation and double-glazed windows for energy efficiency, and replacing gas boilers with alternatives such as heat pumps which can run on renewable electricity. These same measures will also help people stay safe during future heatwaves. </p>
<p>Just as better insulation keeps warm air inside during winter, it keeps it outside during summer. Shutters or blinds that block sunlight are a simple option for lowering indoor temperatures by keeping out even more heat. It even helps to paint roofs a light colour to better reflects the sun’s rays. In the Australian state of New South Wales, a policy to completely <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/09/plan-to-ban-dark-roofs-abandoned-as-nsw-government-walks-back-sustainability-measures#:%7E:text=The%20New%20South%20Wales%20government,measures%20announced%20by%20his%20predecessor.">ban dark-coloured roofs</a> was recently considered.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Black shutters adorn windows on a brick house." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477156/original/file-20220802-17-wlgzm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Shutters have been used for centuries in hot countries to banish the midday sun.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/0705-riga-latvia-brick-building-rectangular-1974071459">Nadia_if/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most homes in the UK are <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Annex-2-Heat-in-UK-Buildings-Today-Committee-on-Climate-Change-October-2016.pdf">heated with gas boilers</a> but have no equivalent system for cooling. Heat pumps can help. These machines are essentially <a href="https://greenbusinesswatch.co.uk/guides/air-source-heat-pumps#:%7E:text=An%20air%20source%20heat%20pump%20works%20very%20much%20like%20a,compressor%20to%20increase%20the%20temperature.">refrigerators working backwards</a>. Where a fridge sucks heat from its interior and disperses it through the coils on its back, a heat pump sucks the heat from the air (or ground) outside and transfers it to the inside of your house to keep you warm in winter. The process runs on electricity, so it does this without needing to burn gas. </p>
<p>Heat pumps can be programmed to work a reverse cycle, allowing them to pump cold water rather than hot water through the radiators to cool your house in summer. But this cooling cycle has to be built into the heat pump system when it’s installed – it’s not as simple as flicking a switch. Unfortunately, the UK government offers little guidance. The Energy Saving Trust, a government body tasked with making homes more energy efficient, neglects even to mention in its guide to heat pumps that they are <a href="https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/in-depth-guide-to-heat-pumps/">capable of cooling</a>. </p>
<p>The rate at which heat pumps are installed <a href="https://medium.com/all-you-can-heat/the-climate-change-committee-report-are-we-on-track-to-decarbonise-buildings-69ba73c2e873">almost doubled</a> during 2021 in the UK. As a result, there will be many homes with new heat pumps, funded with public subsidies, that can only provide heating.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A large grey air conditioner unit attached to the brick exterior of a house." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477159/original/file-20220802-20-9t90ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Installed properly, a heat pump can cool as well as heat a home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/air-conditioner-airair-heat-pump-heating-2066407610">Klikkipetra/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Better homes overall</h2>
<p>This lack of foresight in national responses to climate change is frustrating. Insulating buildings would help permanently lower energy bills for millions, but the UK government has starved energy efficiency measures of <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-cutting-the-green-crap-has-added-2-5bn-to-uk-energy-bills/">resources over the past decade</a>. Recently, plans were abandoned that would have <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-29/uk-scales-back-1-billion-funding-to-help-homes-cut-energy-use">doubled funding</a> for low-income housesholds to become more energy efficient. Meanwhile, the UK’s newly built homes suffer from much of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/30/total-climate-meltdown-inevitable-heatwaves-global-catastrophe?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other">the same poor insulation</a> as older ones.</p>
<p>Some countries are being more proactive. Italian homeowners can claim 110% of the cost of energy efficiency improvements <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2021-10-21/italy-offering-to-pay-full-cost-of-upgrading-to-green-homes-plus-a-bonus">against their taxes</a>, up to €100,000 (£84,000) over five years. That is more than enough to upgrade a house to net-zero standard, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/23/buyers-of-brand-new-homes-face-20000-bill-to-make-them-greener">estimated at £26,000</a> in the UK.</p>
<p>If homes need less energy to heat or cool because they have been made more energy efficient, it would help reduce (and perhaps even eradicate) fuel poverty. If they are able to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and air quality through better ventilation, they can better accommodate people working or learning from home should there be another pandemic. </p>
<p>And, if the technology is powered by a dispersed renewable energy network, comprised of rooftop solar panels feeding excess energy to the grid, society will be more resilient to future spikes in the price of energy. Beyond any benefits these actions might have for tackling climate change, they simply reflect the reality of modern life.</p>
<p>The solutions are simple, but implementing them will be complex – all countries must coordinate their responses more effectively. A lot of money, both public and private, will be spent on cutting emissions to net zero. Unless countries plan for adapting to rising temperatures at the same time, the opportunity for more comfortable, resilient and liveable homes will be lost.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
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</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ran Boydell has received commissions and grant funding from the Scottish government.</span></em></p>Adapt to climate change with insulated walls, window shutters and reverse-cycle heat pumps.Ran Boydell, Associate Professor in Sustainable Development, Heriot-Watt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1851972022-06-20T19:57:46Z2022-06-20T19:57:46ZTimber shortages look set to delay home building into 2023. These 4 graphs show why<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469115/original/file-20220616-15-8vynqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5615%2C2833&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’re building or renovating a home, and frustrated with huge delays, you’re not alone. </p>
<p>Australia’s builders are struggling to find timber. For items such as laminated veneer lumber – used for frames and beams – they’ve <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-05/why-are-houses-taking-so-long-to-build/100881290">reported waiting</a> up to four months. For trusses – used to build walls and roofs – up to nine months.</p>
<p>Fears these shortages could send builders bust have been exaggerated, but the pain of delays and escalating price is real enough for tradies and clients.</p>
<p>There’s no easy fix to this crisis. It has been caused by the confluence of four factors: government stimulus for the building industry; increasing reliance on imported lumber; the pressure placed on global shipping by the pandemic; and the effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the world market.</p>
<h2>Government (over)stimulus</h2>
<p>If one had to choose a specific date for when the crisis began, it would be June 3 2020 – the day the Morrison government announced its A$688 million Homebuilder scheme. </p>
<p>This scheme provided <a href="https://theconversation.com/government-to-give-25-000-grants-to-people-building-or-renovating-homes-139999">up to $25,000</a> towards building a new home or renovating an existing one. State governments also subsequently offered building grants.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/government-to-give-25-000-grants-to-people-building-or-renovating-homes-139999">Government to give $25,000 grants to people building or renovating homes</a>
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<p>There were reasons to fear the pandemic would devastate home construction. The Master Builders Association in 2019 had <a href="https://www.masterbuilders.com.au/MediaLibraries/MB/Forecasts/Australia-Forecast_August-2019.pdf">forecast</a> new-dwelling starts would decline 3.5% in 2020/21. In April 2020, during the initial phase of the COVID panic spiral, it tipped the decline <a href="https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/master-builders-australia-survey-shows-orders-have--fallen-off-a-cliff-.html">would be 40%</a>.</p>
<p>The following graph shows what actually happened. Approvals for all new dwellings increased more than 25% in 2020-21. Approvals for new houses rose more than 40%.</p>
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<p>Obviously there were multiple factors driving these increases. The Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates from <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/cash-rate/">0.75% to 0.25%</a> in March, and again in November to 0.1%. Billions of dollars were being pumped into the economy in other ways. </p>
<h2>Higher demand, lower supply</h2>
<p>Higher housing starts means higher demand for lumber. </p>
<p>Freestanding houses in particular use larges quantities of lumber – softwoods for roof and lightweight framing, hardwoods for joinery and flooring. Carpentry typically represents about <a href="https://propertyupdate.com.au/how-much-on-average-does-it-cost-to-build-a-house/">20% of the cost</a> of the average new home. </p>
<p>However, domestic lumber supply in Australia is going the other way. Logging of native forests is in decline while domestic plantation production has plateaued. </p>
<p>The following graphs shows trends in the volume of wood logged from Australia’s native forests or harvested from plantations. </p>
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<p>You can see hardwoods (shown in dark green and dark blue) overwhelmingly come from native forests. These volumes have been falling in line with action to conserve what’s left of native forests. Supply will fall further when Queensland and Western Australia end native logging in 2024, and Victoria <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/timber-harvesting">in 2030</a>. </p>
<p>Softwoods mostly come from commercial plantations. The volume of softwood harvested has increased by about 40% over the past 20 years, but the amount of land plantations has been stable <a href="https://www.awe.gov.au/abares/research-topics/forests/forest-economics/forest-wood-products-statistics">for about a decade</a>. </p>
<p>Minimal new plantations have been established in recent years. Eastern Australia’s 2019-20 bushfires also affected about <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Standing_Committee_on_Agriculture_and_Water_Resources/Timbersupply/Report/section?id=committees%2Freportrep%2F024630%2F76029">130,000 hectares</a> of commercial plantations.</p>
<h2>Waiting for costlier imports</h2>
<p>This means Australian builders are more reliant on imported timber – at a time most global supply chains are strained and energy prices are driving up transportation costs.</p>
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<p>Wood products are typically shipped in containers, which have been in short supply during the pandemic (due to extra demand). If you can actually find a container, the transport cost may still be more than double than before COVID-19.</p>
<p>Another issue is that Russia is a major wood exporter – second to Canada in all sawn-wood exports, but the top exporter of <a href="https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/almanac-market-data/russia-passes-canada-become-worlds-leading-softwood-lumber-exporter">softwood lumber</a>. While a relatively unimportant source for Australia overall, it dominates in specific products <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/we-re-stuck-timber-tariffs-to-add-to-building-industry-chaos-delays-20220524-p5ao0t.html">such as laminated veneer lumber</a>.</p>
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<p>Australia will impose a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/we-re-stuck-timber-tariffs-to-add-to-building-industry-chaos-delays-20220524-p5ao0t.html">35% tariff</a> on “conflict timber” from Russia (and Belarus) in October.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/weakening-australias-illegal-logging-laws-would-undermine-the-global-push-to-halt-forest-loss-172770">Weakening Australia's illegal logging laws would undermine the global push to halt forest loss</a>
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<h2>What next?</h2>
<p>Should Australia do more to become self-sufficient? This is a hard question to answer.</p>
<p>Even if you think yes, bear in mind even the fastest-growing softwood tree takes <a href="https://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/238473/pine-plantation-rotation.pdf">at least 20 years to grow</a>.</p>
<p>Bringing forward production is complicated. Forestry businesses must forecast demand and lock in production for decades to come. They cannot be expected to respond to short-term crises in the same way as an oil producer or toilet paper manufacturer can. </p>
<p>The hard truth is that the construction industry will have to weather the storm the best it can – likely until at least 2023. By then the home-building boom should be at an end, with higher interest rates likely to slow the pace of housing construction.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185197/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Flavio Macau is affiliated with the Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI)</span></em></p>Building or renovating your home? For some types of timber you may be waiting into 2023. So what’s behind the hold-up? And when might it get better?Flavio Macau, Associate Dean - School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1606962021-05-12T01:20:01Z2021-05-12T01:20:01ZHow much can I spend on my home renovation? A personal finance expert explains<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399918/original/file-20210511-19-j5b7cj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C15%2C3543%2C2339&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Home renovation has long been something of a national sport for many Australians, but community demand for home fix-ups has reached fever pitch since the pandemic.</p>
<p>If you’re lucky enough to own a house — and able to afford a renovation — chances are you’ve found yourself wishing for a better work-from-home area. Or perhaps you’ve thought, “If I can’t travel and am to spend all this time at home, I may as well make it more pleasant around here.”</p>
<p>Add to that the HomeBuilder grant and you get a market where builders are in <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-25/building-delays-homebuilder-supply-shortage/100026876">high demand</a>, <a href="https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/$52b-cash-inflow-expected-in-home-renovation-2021">architects</a> are run off their feet and the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-25/building-delays-homebuilder-supply-shortage/100026876">cost</a> of renovating is going up.</p>
<p>How, then, to decide how much you can afford to spend?</p>
<p>There are no easy answers, and a lot depends on property market conditions where you live, how much financial risk you’re willing to tolerate and how much you’re prepared to forgo luxuries in other parts of life.</p>
<p>But as an ex-financial counsellor and former consumer credit educator for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), here are the questions I’d encourage you to ask yourself to help you decide how much to spend.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-adds-value-to-your-house-how-to-decide-between-renovating-and-selling-140627">What adds value to your house? How to decide between renovating and selling</a>
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<h2>How much extra would it cost me each month, even if interest rates went up?</h2>
<p>Start with thinking what you want to do and getting a good idea of how much it’s going to cost. Then, factor in <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/living/costly-mistakes-will-blow-renovation-budget/">extra</a> for unexpected surprises along the way.</p>
<p>Once you have a rough idea of how much you want to borrow to fund your renovation, plug it into a loan calculator with your current lender or on the <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/mortgage-calculator">MoneySmart website</a>. Add on a couple of percentage points to account for the assumption interest rates might not stay at current historic lows. </p>
<p>It’s a good idea to see if you could afford the monthly repayments even if mortgage interest rates increase quite a bit in years to come.</p>
<h2>Can I drive down other household costs?</h2>
<p>At this point — although this is a good thing to do at any time — look for ways to reduce household costs. </p>
<p>Are you getting the best possible interest rate from your lender? If you are on a variable rate, you can tell them, “I am thinking of borrowing more but I notice the rate you have on my loan on is higher than others are offering.” Often they will knock something off your interest rate straight away. If you are on a fixed rate, you could change to another lender but remember to account for break fees.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399919/original/file-20210511-16-6clnn1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Ask yourself: what expenses are coming up in the next few years?</span>
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<p>Can you reduce other costs by getting a better deal on car insurance, health insurance, phone and electricity bills? Often you can get better prices just by calling your providers and pointing out their competitors have a better deal.</p>
<h2>Think about your upcoming spending and income</h2>
<p>What expenses are coming up in the next few years? Will you likely need a replacement car soon? Are schooling costs or childcare fees on the horizon? If you went all in on a renovation and could no longer afford holidays, nights out, entertainment spending — would you be comfortable with that?</p>
<p>Think also about income. If someone in the household couldn’t work due to illness, or wanted to or had to work part-time, how would that affect monthly payments?</p>
<p>If something goes wrong or you have an unexpected medical cost, could you afford it even with the extra debt that comes with the renovation?</p>
<p>As yourself: if there was a drop in my income or a wage freeze, could I sustain payments to the mortgage?</p>
<h2>What’s the return on investment?</h2>
<p>This is where the sheer craziness of the Australian real estate market comes into play. Even very conservative financial commentators like me are forced to admit that the property market shows no sign of slowing or stalling. It’s quite likely a renovation would drive up the resale value of your house but unfortunately there’s no easy way to find out by how much.</p>
<p>Much depends on where you live. If you are in a regional area where prices have not grown as stratospherically, you might need to plan for a more moderate growth in the value of your house. </p>
<p>If you are fortunate enough to have property in a major capital city, your house value is likely to appreciate even if you don’t renovate. So if your only concern is increasing the resale value, the market may take care of that anyway without the stress of renovation.</p>
<p>There is still a shortage of property in Australia and demand wasn’t even particularly dented by the pandemic. </p>
<p>But past performance isn’t always a reliable predictor of future outcomes. So you need to think about how you’d manage if there was a big shock to the economy or to your household.</p>
<h2>Plan for shocks</h2>
<p>Ask yourself: how likely is it that I lose my job? If I did, could I reliably get another? How long could I maintain payments if I was unemployed? </p>
<p>Think carefully about job trends in your industry and what you’d do if, years from now, you were made redundant.</p>
<p>There are no easy answers on this one. Each person has to make a judgement call about how well they can tolerate risk.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399920/original/file-20210511-22-1yo8uou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Are you getting the best possible interest rate from your lender? Phone them and ask for a lower rate.</span>
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<h2>Decide what matters to you</h2>
<p>Ultimately, it’s up to each person to decide what life you want to have over the next decade or more. </p>
<p>It’s all well and good having an improved home but if you can’t afford to travel anywhere or ever have a night out again, you need to factor that in.</p>
<p>If you can afford to see an independent financial adviser, it is not a bad idea before you launch into a big financial decision. You could also consider seeing a free financial counsellor who is independent of any lenders. They can be contacted on 1800 007 007 or through the <a href="https://ndh.org.au/">National Debt Helpline</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mortgage-deferral-rent-relief-and-bankruptcy-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-have-coronavirus-money-problems-141274">Mortgage deferral, rent relief and bankruptcy: what you need to know if you have coronavirus money problems</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160696/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gregory Mowle is a former financial counsellor and former consumer credit educator for ASIC.</span></em></p>As an ex-financial counsellor and former consumer credit educator for ASIC, here are the questions I’d encourage you to ask yourself to help you decide how much to spend on a home renovation.Gregory Mowle, Lecturer in Finance, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1579422021-04-14T14:20:21Z2021-04-14T14:20:21ZRenovating your home could ruin your relationship … but it doesn’t have to<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394576/original/file-20210412-15-2jwabb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4918%2C3038&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">As we head into spring and summer, the most popular seasons for home improvement, it's important for couples to set ground rules before breaking ground.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-home-renovations-1.5856136">Canadians have turned to home renovations</a> to find space — both literally and metaphorically — after a year of working, learning, exercising and doing just about everything else from home. As we head into spring and summer, the most popular seasons for home improvement, it’s important for couples to set ground rules before breaking ground.</p>
<p>While more living space, a dedicated home office or upgraded kitchen might ease the strain the pandemic has put on homes and families, the renovation process, which <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/life-after-50/201811/renovation-and-couples-conflict">tests relationships at the best of times</a>, could put more stress on partnerships already cracking under the weight of the past year.</p>
<p>Contractors and architects say the recent surge in renovation work has them fielding up to five times as many calls per day than they were pre-pandemic. And according to a recent <a href="https://abacusdata.ca/home-renovations-covid-19/">Abacus Data survey</a>, 44 per cent of Canadian households have done or are planning to do renovations this year. Most say they are doing the work so they can feel more relaxed in their homes.</p>
<p>At the same time, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/couples-counselling-covid19-1.5557110">phones are also ringing at couples counselling and family law offices</a> as more seek professional help to either preserve or dissolve their relationships.</p>
<p>“Couples are experiencing a whole variety of stresses — childcare, household management, personal challenges, strains in the relationship — and the temperature has gone up during the pandemic,” says <a href="https://tribecatherapy.com">New York City therapist Matt Lundquist</a>. He believes that while the stresses of the pandemic may not be the cause of marriage problems, they are revealing cracks that were already there. </p>
<h2>Relationship cracks on full display</h2>
<p>Renovations can widen relationship cracks as couples find themselves navigating financial stresses, extended disruptions and making thousands of decisions — from how much they can afford to spend to lower a basement to selecting drawer pulls for new kitchen cabinets. </p>
<p>The process can amplify conflicting approaches to <a href="https://doi.org/10.9790/1684-1305064448">decision-making, unhealthy communication habits and latent tensions in relationships</a>.</p>
<p>These strains are on display on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/relationship_advice/">Reddit’s r/relationship_advice</a> where desperate users seek advice for resolving renovation conflicts with their partners.</p>
<p>From “I’m an <a href="https://www.16personalities.com/intp-personality">INTP</a>, he’s an <a href="https://www.16personalities.com/entj-personality">ENTJ</a>, we’re renovating and fighting so badly I fear our relationship will never recover” to “renovation taking way longer than expected, BF taking it personally when I try to speed the process along. We’re at a breaking point” and “renovation frustration with me (29f) and him (31m) — is this understandable or abuse?”</p>
<p>Gloria Apostolu, principal architect at <a href="https://www.postarchitecture.com/">Post Architecture</a> in Toronto, pauses for a moment when asked how couples handle the demands of making so many decisions during a renovation. “Every client has their Achilles heel,” she says. “And it’s never where or what I expected.” </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Before and after of a home renovation." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=446&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394578/original/file-20210412-15-e54mhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=560&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Home renovations are on the rise during the pandemic, but so are their repercussions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Different breaking points</h2>
<p>Some of Apostolu’s clients can’t make sense of tiles. Others balk at the price of a front door or are overwhelmed by having to settle on a faucet type for the main-floor powder room all before the contractor even arrives to tear the place apart. </p>
<p>Making high-stakes decisions as a couple, Lundquist explains, requires advanced skills, such as weighing pros and cons, gauging the level of acceptable risk and being decisive under pressure, or “pulling the trigger” in contractor parlance. It also requires what he calls relationality — listening and curiosity, taking turns, empathy and working to understand your partner’s point of view, even if you don’t see its logic or agree with it.</p>
<p>“It tremendously taxes our skills not to react when our partner says something we disagree with, or isn’t what we expected,” says Lundquist. What really feeds a relationship, he adds, is trying to be curious about where your partner is coming from and resisting the temptation to shut them down or make a counter-argument before fully understanding their point of view.</p>
<p>On the other hand, he often encounters partners who, in trying to keep the peace, are <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/mental-health/let-go-resentment">not assertive enough about what they want, which can lead to lingering dissatisfaction and resentment</a>. </p>
<p>The last thing a relationship needs, Lundquist jokes, is a big, expensive, fixed piece of resentment that a couple is forced to stare at as they sit next to each other on the couch every evening. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Family of three doing a renovation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394579/original/file-20210412-19-1wijd6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Devising a system for resolving conflicts before you even start is the best approach to a conflict-free renovation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Honesty and a smooth renovation</h2>
<p>Apostolou echoes the need for openness as a foundation for a smooth renovation. </p>
<p>She suggests devising a system at the start for resolving the inevitable conflicts that will arise. This could mean taking turns, or giving veto rights to the person who is most dedicated to that part of the home. For example, the person who does most of the cooking gets the final say on kitchen details. </p>
<p>She advises it is most important to work it all out in drawings before you get started. “Don’t rush the design process. You don’t want to be making decisions that are more costly than they would have been if they were planned out in advance.” </p>
<p>Apostolu’s no-surprises approach has garnered <a href="https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/post-architecture-inc-pfvwus-pf%7E847407266">effusive five-star reviews</a> from clients on home design and improvement website Houzz.</p>
<p>One is from Stephanie Nickson, a financial services consultant, and her partner David Raniga, who now runs his massage therapy practice in the light-filled basement of their recently renovated home in Toronto’s Wychwood neighbourhood. </p>
<p>Raniga jokes that the hardest part of the process was dealing with his wife’s inability to make decisions. But because they remained open to each other’s needs throughout the process and stuck with the vision and budget they set at the beginning, they say they actually miss the process now that it is over. And they are almost giddy with the result. </p>
<p>“I literally say I love this house every day. We were so lucky,” Nickson says.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157942/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emily Waugh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>An architect and a therapist share tips for improving your home without sacrificing your relationship.Emily Waugh, Dalla Lana Fellow, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.