Editorial standards

These rules sit above any single article. If a piece falls short, write to the desk and we will correct the record.

Independence

We do not take secret payment for coverage. Product names appear when they are the thing a reader will actually buy or specify. Guest posts follow the write-for-us guidelines. Any paid or guest-post link carries rel="sponsored" in the HTML and a plain-language note on the page.

Sources

Building rules change. We cite the National Construction Code as adopted in Victoria, Australian Standards such as AS 1684 and AS 3959, and council planning schemes. A guide is not a substitute for an engineer, a building surveyor or a bushfire consultant. Where we give cost ranges they are Melbourne-typical figures in Australian dollars, not quotes.

Voice

Australian English: colour, metre, organised, neighbour. We write for homeowners and for trades who are tired of being asked the same vague question. We do not pretend a weekend video replaces a licensed builder.

Corrections

Factual errors are fixed in the article and, if the error was serious, noted at the top with a date. Updates for new council fees or NCC clauses are dated in the byline.

Images

We use Creative Commons or public-domain photographs, downloaded and hosted here, and credited on the page and on the image credits list.