New Farm has the oldest building stock we work on regularly, and the most varied. Along Brunswick Street and Merthyr Road there are brick walk ups from the 1960s and 70s, Art Deco blocks, and painted render that has been recoated several times over. Along Oxlade Drive and the river bends the buildings are newer and taller, with balconies, glass balustrades and landscaped podiums. The two need completely different pricing and often completely different access.
Very few of the older buildings have certified anchors and several have none at all, so the first decision is usually whether to install a system or work from the ground. Under about five storeys we run pure water fed poles and skip the ropes entirely, which is cheaper and avoids an anchor install the body corporate has not budgeted for. Above that we install and certify first. The trees are the other New Farm factor: poinciana and jacaranda litter, bats, and a lot of organic staining on render that needs soft wash rather than pressure.
New Farm at a glance
Building types
1960s and 70s walk ups and Art Deco blocks, plus newer riverfront towers
Typical access
Poles from the ground under five storeys, new anchors installed above that
Usual frequency
Twice a year for glass, render wash every two to three years
What we watch for
Tree litter, bats and organic staining on painted render
Local work
On the ropes around New Farm
A lot of New Farm work starts as a facade clean and turns into repairs. Older render hides drummy patches and failed sealant that nobody can see from the footpath, so we report what we find while we are on the building rather than after it has come off.
The smaller buildings here are often priced out of rope access before they even ask. If yours is under five storeys, say so, because a pole job from the ground is a fraction of the cost and gets the same result on the glass.
