ana005: Joe’s House of Doom

Joe tells the harrowing tale of the house that tried to kill him. How do we know if buildings are safe? Use hashtag #ana005 to reference this episode in a tweet, shared post, or comment. View full show notes at anarchitecturepodcast.com/ana005. ----more---- Discussion “The only two worries are bush fires and snakes” Joe’s Aussie hat How Australia survived the GFC Propping up the Aussie housing bubble Decision to rent Sold! “We weren’t sure if they would let us keep the chickens” The walkthrough Moving in Housing bubbles and subdivision “And then things took a turn for the worse” “Screw it and glue it” Deterioration “That was a structural light switch cover” Retreat! Possum fight! Speculation on causes A whole new mystery A rhombus, and a rescue plan “I don’t think that’s a problem” Legalese A revelation Tenancies tribunal Aftermath Root cause analysis Black market arborists? How governments try to ensure safe buildings Building codes Licensing Inspections Lessons Learned 10 tips for renters and buyers 4 tips for landlords and sellers The anarchic approach A false sense of security Links/Resources The Money Pit Photos SPOILER ALERT! For maximum suspense and terror, we recommend listening to the podcast episode before viewing these gruesome photos. Note – these were taken in September 2012. It got worse. The House of Doom. Beware, all ye who enter here… The Backyard of Doom. They let us keep the chickens and rabbit. Even though everything in Australia is upside down, cornices (aka crown moldings) should be on the ceiling, not the floor. That cornice above the front door isn’t looking too healthy either… An hour later, just after the first cornice was all cleaned up. Well, that one is no longer a safety hazard. “I don’t think that’s a problem.” Notice the ladder in the middle of the room. Structural light switch Structural light switch, too close for comfort. Exploding bricks behind the wardrobe Lead Architect: Dr. Seuss The cornice must have been holding the wall together. Kokopelli on crack. This one was actually in the “safe” section of the house. Those curtains alone should be sufficient grounds to deem the house uninhabitable. One room for the price of four