Plumbing Connection Summer 2016

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PLUMBING CONNECTION SUMMER 2016 79
Sizing App last year, the regularly updated Copper Plumber
Handbook, TAFE apprenticeship outreach and supply side
innovations have all boosted the range of choices open to
builders and plumbers.
COUNTING THE COSTS
The copper industry innovations are clearly having an
impact, helping to overcome the long-term hurdle of cost
that has often crimped the choice of copper in the past.
While this remains something of a bias in small renovations,
the improving fortunes of copper in the wider construction
market suggests this is no longer a foregone conclusion.
Given the attention that plastic system failures have
received, especially in the residential tower market, as well
as reports of problems with poor quality copper products
from overseas, I’d like to think that our building industry is
also voting for Australian made, premium quality copper
from MM Kembla.
There’s also room for optimism given the sheer dynamism
and activity in the renovation sector. A recent U.S.
renovation study by leading online design platform, Houzz,
found that not only is spending on bathrooms and kitchens
on the rise, but that budgets for those rooms is also up
substantially.
“The average spend on kitchen and master bath
remodelling projects in 2015 increased by 12% year over
year. Consistent with the last five years, kitchens remain the
most popular interior remodelling project (31%), followed by
master/non-master bathrooms (22 and 26%, respectively)
and living/family rooms (23%),” the company said in a media
release.
The study suggested that the new enthusiasm for
renovations is being driven by more homeowners opting to
stay in place rather than face the daunting task of buying
and moving, as well as having the time and money to do
it. New home purchases are also having an impact, with
Houzz saying they’re responsible for over a quarter of recent
renovation activity and with a tendency for bigger, higher
cost projects.
Contact:
John Fennell. CEO, International Copper Association
Australia.
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