Building surveyors are calling on Victoria’s state government to mandate balcony inspections. This follows the tragic balcony collapse in Doncaster East in late 2017. Sadly, two people died and many others were injured, according to The Age.
In any event, there’s every reason to call your local building inspector if you hold any concerns. Jim’s Building Inspectors is a qualified choice too.
“Most balconies built to Australian design standards could be expected to last up to 50 years, but that could decrease to 10 for a softwood structure in a coastal environment,” reads the report.
As well: “Buildings with timber balconies, such as the one at the Doncaster home, are extremely common in Melbourne’s suburbs.”
Educating yourself through ringing and meeting inspectors is the ideal, of course. Australian suburbs, after all, are geographically and structurally diverse, not to mention our variety of species and climates.
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