We have all seen the images or heard of the devastation and property damage caused by cyclones in North Queensland. Many people live in fear of what could happen to their home should a cyclone arrive. To a large extent the ‘fear’ is unwarranted, but it does pay to know about the structural integrity of your home and to properly prepare in the event of a cyclone.
When Cyclone Althea buffeted Townsville and the North Queensland coast in 1971 it resulted in a lot of changes to the local building industry. New building codes were developed to improve the structural integrity of new homes.
Cyclone region codes (i.e. C1 and C2) were developed using local experience and the cyclone testing station at James Cook University to ensure that new homes in North Queensland offer the best resistance to destructive cyclonic winds.
If your home was built before these new codes were implemented, your cyclone preparation list should include an evacuation plan to a community safe house or a nearby relative in a new home.
Many people who move to Townsville from southern states aren’t aware of the different construction methods in this region. They are often surprised by the common use of masonry block used in the construction of new homes in the area. They also see the amount of steel and concrete that goes into the masonry blocks. Concrete and steel-reinforced masonry block walls are one of the most economical ways to help reinforce a home against cyclonic winds.
At Grady Homes, we ensure each and every one of our homes is built to the highest standards and with careful consideration of factors that may influence clients’ satisfaction of their new home – including the impact of a cyclone.
For example, we choose to use Colorbond steel roof sheeting which stretch from the top of the roof to the gutters in long individual sheets – minimising any damage from airborne debris and restricting the damage to that one sheet.
Grady Homes are one of the few Townsville builders who have the overall structure of every home design certified by an engineer – from the footings, to the way the slab is tied to the frame with interconnecting steel reinforcement that gets stronger as the code demands, to the metal plates that tie the roof down.
With the reinforced block walls, and built by tradesmen who take pride in their work and pay attention to detail, our clients can enjoy peace of mind knowing their home meets or exceeds every part of the building code’s special conditions for cyclonic winds.
The high quality of our homes stem from our team – from the supervision of experienced Site Managers, to the care and attention from our tradesmen and suppliers.
We’re a local family who have been building new houses in the Townsville region for more than 50 years. The long term safety and security of our clients in their brand new homes is important to us. After all, some of our clients include our family and friends, neighbours, staff, tradesmen and suppliers. The pledge of a Lifetime Structural Guarantee further supports the company’s confidence in the quality of their homes, and workmanship of their staff.
Our clients know that at Grady Homes, they are getting a very high quality home – a strong home that’s built to last.
