24 November 2020 / Quality Alert

Cladding Submissions

All projects without exception require a well prepared cladding submission for checking by the Quality Team as previously advised.

See below email from our Managing Director, Greg Quinn.

Important Considerations

> Your cladding submission should be submitted to the Quality Team as early as possible in the design stage to ensure the design is right before works progress.

> It’s important once the submission is approved that you continue to consult with the Quality Team. There are many products that do not comply in the applications we have.

> A complete bound copy of the approved cladding submission (as a single PDF document) must be provided to the site team to ensure the works go as planned. There is considerable risk in works progressing and being incorrect and non-conforming. > Selected products, reviewed in the cladding submission, are not to be substituted at a later stage without prior resubmission for approval by the Quality Team.

Submission Template & Additional Info

The template for cladding submissions is located on the network here:

G:\projmngt\JOBS\0000000 Sample ACP submissions

There is additional information to review within the folder. Please ensure you review all information before submission. A register of all jobs and submissions is maintained and will be distributed regularly to Team Leaders for follow up.

Please Note

Clients, designers, certifiers and subbies may have different views on this subject and be happy to approve/proceed with works that are not acceptable.

There are products and suppliers that we do not use due to prior quality issues and test reports showing product performance is unproven.

We regularly engage in discussion with external parties and expose these issues to ensure the right solution is adopted. This is why it is especially critical to engage the Quality Team at the initial stages of the job, as well as throughout the job.

Submission

Please submit all cladding submissions to the Quality Team

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

Other Recent Activities

View all activities

30 October / Quality Alert

Prohibition on the Use of Engineered Stone

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned

Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage.

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

Under 1% silica content
Extremely competitive pricing
Only comes in 12mm thickness
Heat resistance is an issue
Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

Under 10% silica content
Price dependant of product and supplier
Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

0% silica content
More expensive alternative
Limited thickness availability
UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

Various silica content percentages
Variety of products at different price points available
Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.

More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

10 October / Update

Installation Details for Elephant's Foot & Wastech Bin Chutes

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.