Changing old house eaves/gutters to parapet wall

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Count, 21st Apr, 2019.

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  1. Count

    Count Member

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    Hi there

    Looking at an investment property on a big block. The current 1960's house has the standard approx. 400mm eaves, with about 150mm of guttering, however as we'd like to subdivide the block at the back, we need 3.5m from the eaves/gutters to the boundary fence. With the current eaves/gutters it's 2.95m, well short of what's required.

    If we can remove the eaves and have a gutter in-line with the wall of the house then we will JUST get 3.5m.

    Has anyone else done this sort of thing before, and if so, what tips/suggestions do you have?

    Appreciate any assistance.

    Thanks.
     
  2. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Are you sure? Gutters definitely can’t sit over a boundary.

    However, I thought that distances from property to boundary were usually taken from the wall, not the edge of the gutter.
     
  3. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    I would check with Council if the measurement is from the house wall or the eaves. Most measurements in my state (WA) are from the wall not eaves.
     
  4. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Is the fence on the boundary? Has it been surveyed?
     
  5. Count

    Count Member

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    Thanks all for the responses.

    Here (Tasmania) it's unfortunately 3.5m from the eaves (or gutters in this case) not the house wall, which would make things easy.

    I have not had the property surveyed to ensure the fence is exactly on the boundary, but I'm working on the assumption it is.

    I've yet to purchase the property, but am putting an offer in tomorrow and hoping that this will work out.
     
  6. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    According to my builder friend, it’s definitely doable. It’s done quite regularly in Vic.

    What you can do will depend on your local council. Talk to them first.

    If it’s brick veneer you just add a few more brick courses and put the guttering on top of the brick work and flash to suit.

    Weather board might be more difficult.
     
  7. Count

    Count Member

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    Thanks for the response :)

    Of course it's weatherboard. I wanted to be somewhat informed prior to submitting a contract offer on the property, but due to the Easter break and sickness at the applicable council, there's no one to help me until after contracts are excepted! Such luck!
     
  8. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Are they closing off contracts on Easter Monday?
     
  9. Count

    Count Member

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    Yeah, and hoping the vendor makes a decision by the Wednesday.
     
  10. Count

    Count Member

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    I finally found the council's guidelines and it stipulates 3.6m...well that adds another spanner to the works. The boundary to wall is 3.5m, so even changing the guttering won't work.
     
  11. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    Is it for an IP?
    The deal of a lifetime comes along once a month. Maybe wait for the next deal?

    Generally you shouldn't need to raise walls as the roof generally sits on the walls and then goes down further to make the eaves.

    This is a cross section of how a box gutter and roof work when you want to have no eaves. Note in this instance it's a boundary wall so has fireproofing requirements, you would not need this

    The only way you're going to get that 1cm is by having it properly surveyed and hoping your hand measure was out.

    upload_2019-4-21_21-15-37.png
     
  12. Count

    Count Member

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    Hi there

    Thank you so much for your response. We put an offer in today at a price that if we get it, great, if we don't, no stress; so we'll see how that goes. I think the property is a good buy whether we can subdivide it or not (obviously our preference is to subdivide).
     
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