Long term costs that can affect your project

When choosing materials for your building project, it can be easy to opt for low-cost items that will save you on initial material and installation expenses. While it may seem easier on your budget to choose materials that are cheaper in the short-term, this may not be the most cost-effective path to take. It is important to consider what costs you will face in teh long-term, and over the whole lifetime of your building. You also need to consider factors which may not cost you financially, but in other ways, such as the impact of a product on the environment. While higher quality products may cost more during the build, the peace of mind from knowing they will not cost you a fortune in the future is invaluable. Below are some of the most important long-term costs to consider for your project.

Maintenance

Choosing your product does not end with installation – often, building products will require regular maintenance to keep them in good condition. Timber in particular fades and cracks over time, losing its original colour and becoming a greyish hue unless it is regularly stained, painted or oiled. Wood composite products may also require regular painting to maintain their colour. The cost of regularly procuring new paint or oils to maintain these products can significantly increase your overall expenditure on your building project over time. Low-maintenance products such as solid, powder-coated aluminium may be slightly more costly at the time of purchase and installation, but they will cut a large chunk out of your maintenance bill.

Replacement

Products that deteriorate quickly over time will not only need maintenance, but you will inevitably end up replacing sections of your project as they start become irreparably worn. Timber decking, for example, will end up rotting, twisting and cracking, while composites will also twist and warp, and you may find yourself frequently ripping out individual boards and replacing them with new ones to keep your deck or other project looking its best. Products that scratch, dent or break easily under pressure or impact will also need frequent replacement. Choosing a durable product that is designed to last may lighten your wallet on initial purchase, but you will be able to enjoy it for longer without having to shell out more to replace sections at a time.

Impact on the Environment

Although it may not affect your bank balance, the cost some buildings have on the environment is huge – and this may not only affect your life but the lives of future generations and the planet in general. Products which need staining or oiling can release harmful VOCs into the atmosphere, which can negatively impact your health, while some wood composite products can contain formaldehyde, another harmful chemical. Using (and frequently replacing) timber products results in more logging –even ‘sustainable’ products from renewable forests are created from logged forests, increasing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increasing the risk of forest fires or bushfires. Aluminium, on the other hand, is a highly recyclable material, reducing the need to mine the raw material and cause damage to the environment.

Safety

Neglecting to be safety-conscious when choosing building materials always risks high costs to you – both financially and in other ways. Using flammable products such as ACPs can result in devastating damage to buildings and even loss of life – and even if no incident occurs, using noncompliant building products can later cost you or future building owners a fortune to replace, and put builders and fire engineers at risk of losing their professional indemnity insurance policies if they work on your building. Fire safety should also be considered when building in a bush fire zone –using non-combustible products increases your ability to protect your home from ember attacks, saving you from losing or damaging your property and having to pay to repair it later. Other safety factors also need to be considered – decking with a slip-resistant rating may cost more initially, but is more likely to prevent injury and medical costs that may arise as a result of slipping and injuring yourself on your deck.

Changing Trends

Don’t forget that certain styles drift in and out of fashion. If you like to regularly refurbish your property to keep up with new design trends, it is important to choose timeless, classic products that will age well as new aesthetic eras come and go. Classic timbergrain looks are nearly always in style, and the urban concrete look is becoming a more permanent fixture in design these days – while some other styles might make your property appear dated in the future. 

DecoWood: A Product for the Long Term

Made from solid, powder coated aluminium, DecoWood products such as DecoClad and DecoDeck are designed to last, even in the harshest of Australian conditions. The timbergrain image found on most DECO products is achieved through sublimation technology, penetrating the depth of the powder coating and preventing it from wearing off, while the Super Durable ™ powder coatings used are resistant to sunlight, moisture and salt spray, and will never require staining, painting or oiling. DecoWood products are dimensionally stable, eliminating the need for replacing twisted or warped boards, and are non-combustible and compliant with AS 1530.1 and AS 1530.3. DecoDeck, our solid aluminium decking board, also comes with a special slip-resistant finish, to prevent injuries. All DECO building products are made from recyclable aluminium, and are VOC-free.