Rotten timber repairs and replacement.
In older homes, it’s not unusual to come across some clever, if dated, drainage solutions. At one Northern Beaches home, Peter encountered a makeshift timber walkway covering a large stormwater channel that had become unstable and unsafe for the elderly homeowners.
This 1960s-era home had been built with a large, recessed stormwater channel running through the rear concrete path and patio. Water from the roof gutters travelled down the downpipe into a 600mm-wide open drain, designed to carry water to a backyard retention pit. Retention pits were a common stormwater solution before modern street stormwater systems were in place. These pits were often filled with rubble and gravel to allow water to disperse slowly into the ground.
A safer fix for a potential trip hazard.
To cross the gap safely, the original homeowner had installed timber sleepers over the drain as a makeshift bridge. Over time, the timber had rotted and become unstable, creating a serious trip hazard, especially as the timber was not longer properly secured.
Peter removed the old sleepers and replaced them with H3-treated pine decking timbers. These are designed for outdoor use and resistant to both weather and pests.
Peter then applied an undercoat and painted the “bridge” in a custom grey finish to match the client’s specifications.
This simple upgrade not only improved the look of the path but also made access safer for the elderly homeowners. The trip hazards were removed and the original stormwater design preserved.
CONTACT PETER
Whether it’s a walkway, deck, fence or garden feature, Peter can repair or replace aging structures with long-lasting, safe materials and a professional finish.
Peter is a local Northern Beaches handyman who services clients from Palm Beach to Manly, Terrey Hills to Balgowlah, and everywhere in between. No job too small.
Get all your home repair jobs fixed at once. Prepare a list of all those annoying property maintenance and home repair projects that have been bothering you and get Peter to fix them in one go.
Peter Mitchell, That Handy Guy
Handyman Northern Beaches