Getting Ahead of the Curve in 2020 with Non-Combustible Cladding
With most businesses around the world in complete shutdown and entire communities adhering to sweeping stay at home orders in response to the global COVID-19 crisis, cladding installers in Melbourne and around Australia are urging real estate professionals to consider the unique opportunity this presents for their clients to get ahead of the curve with the installation of non-combustible cladding.
Following the statewide audit conducted by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) in 2017, over 1000 of the 2200+ buildings inspected and assessed were found to be using potentially combustible cladding. For many of the affected property owners, this boils down to a choice between committing to the installation of non-combustible cladding or being left with unsaleable non-compliant properties.
As we find ourselves in the distressing situation where the full impact of the coronavirus is yet to be seen, one of the few comforting realities experts are able to predict with certainty is that there will come a point where the health dangers are significantly reduced and life can once again begin to return to normal. Property owners who seize the opportunity now to rectify non-compliant buildings by installing non-combustible cladding will have a distinct advantage over those who have not when the market does recover and buyers are looking to invest.
As part of the rectification process, property owners are required to undertake a risk assessment of their building to determine the level of rectification or precautionary steps required to discharge their duty of care for tenants who are deemed to be living in dangerous conditions. This is where we at Fire Cladding Solutions can be brought into the frame to begin the 6 stage process towards total rectification of a building’s non-compliant status through the installation of non-combustible cladding.
Below is a breakdown of the 6 stage process we provide whenever we work with building owners, body corporates and construction companies in the installation of non-combustible cladding:
- Identify – check if a building is non-compliant by working with a qualified building inspector or fire Engineer
- Quantify – determine the type of cladding that’s in place and its combustibility rating (ie, risk status)
- Recommend – create a project ‘scope of works’ with recommendations on costs, timeframe, materials used and expected outcomes
- Demolish – remove all flammable cladding and destroy
- Replace – an alternate non-combustible cladding will be used to integrate into the building’s façade or wherever the cladding is being replaced
- Comply – provide a Certificate of Compliance for Legislative bodies and the Insurance Companies
One of the key takeaways when considering the 6 stage process we provide is that you don’t need to navigate this process on your own, there are compliant solutions available. We can guide you every step of the way through the journey towards achieving complete compliance while also preventing potential further costs down the track and liability for non-compliant cladding.
Our role is to help you find where it is in your building, whether it’s non-compliant and what it will take to replace. We have access to a large range of compliant, non-combustible, aluminium cladding and external wall cladding systems for the Australian building industry. Our extensive range ensures that whatever the new or existing facade requires, we can source the correct compliant product to satisfy aesthetically while also meeting any other acoustic/thermal requirements.
The involvement of qualified construction professionals at all levels is key for all industry players and consumers. Having a fully managed process in place provides all stakeholders with welcome peace of mind by ensuring that everyone is aware of exactly what is happening at all stages of the project. For many who have been putting off the process for one reason or another, now is the absolute prime time to be revisiting with fresh eyes the essential task of installing non-combustible cladding in your non-compliant property.
Enlisting the services of the go-to cladding installers in Melbourne is the best possible way to ensure that the job is done quickly and with minimum disruption to inhabitants. We urge all property managers to act now in the interests of your clients and contact us today to discuss how we can help property owners get ahead of the curve in 2020. Achieving total compliance now through your partnership with us will make all the difference when the recovery we all desperately want and need does become a reality.