Is this slab normal?

Lookin good!

Are there big steel beams through the garage and out the front to support the upstairs room that is over the garage

Why are there downpipes out of the eaves?

 

In the garage and the kitchen, yes but that is to support the slab. I do like a nice beam.

It is to make a neater finish. How do you do them?

 

I would have them connected to the gutter via a spout external to the eaves - if it leaks out there it hits the ground. How is the roof plumber going to hook up the gutter to the downpipe? Take it through the back of the gutter (ie not the bottom), through the fascia & into the roofspace?

 

This also confuses me. I don't understand how the water is able to flow to the downpipes. Does the water in the gutter flow 'backwards' towards the house and then down? This is potentially disastrous. If there is ever a leak, it can potentially run down over the external wall and leak inside.

 

The gutter is already connected to the downpipe. They do that before they put the roof tiles on. We have been building houses this way in Perth for decades.

Oh, and that downpipe sticking out on the garage is just temporary until sonething else is done. It's probably already been replaced

 

At worst, the water would leak into the internal cavity between the external skin and internal skin of bricks. While not ideal, thats not exactly a disaster.

 

Ref: Stramit Rainwater Products

I can't say that I have seen this type of installation in the eastern states - even the manufacturer doesn't recommend it as it doesn't meet the AS.

 

No idea. I can tell you this is a very standard installation for Perth. I just walked outside and took a photo of the downpipe of the house I am living in (shared house) built in 1999. Same deal. I don't know about Australian Standards.

 

Very interesting. On the dark side the down pipes come down from the gutter so it's all external

How is this supported under the bricks? Your western ways are intriguing

 

The skyhooks are in the cavity.

 

Need an injection of the Eastern Enlightenment...For starters...Say no to bricks!

 

Are those downpipes over the garage finished like that or will they get extended and have spreaders added?

Tools

 

They were done before the tiles went on, so temporary. They are probably already finished off. I will have to post some up to date pics.

 

There's no eve there to conceal the downpipe, so it has to be external.

Imagine a giant lintel, except it's square. It was installed and tied into the floortech floor but I forget how. The bricks are built in the giant "lintel" like structure. It's not very technical because this is a low end build. For high tech, check out cantilevered...

 

NEVER!!! *

* source: Perth home buyer.

 

@bob shovel @Scott No Mates The down-pipes have been finished off.

 

Engineering details for @bob shovel. This is the part you were wondering how it is supported.

 

Kitchen! (excuse the dodgy through the windows shots). Tagging @Leo2413 and @Westminster for these. I was nervous about that colour but I love it. It is Laminex
Charcoal

 

@Perthguy - a very neat solution but the issue arises If there's ever a leak behind the spigot inside the roof.

 

This style of installation was pretty standard in Melbourne for decades, Should it leak it's into the eaves, then seeps out around the edge of the eaves.