The best of Innovation and Stratco Outback. Builders of Brisbane’s most innovative patios, decks and outdoor projects.

The astute buyer will compare products and builders. Knowing what to look for can be confusing and complicated, especially when every provider is selling their advantages in competition with each other.

Be assured that our name will appear on the best of outdoor lifestyle projects because best practice is our attitude to everything we promise & deliver.

We manage all approvals on your behalf right through to a successful and complete final inspection with no loose ends.

When you are told they do Council Approvals; check that this is not only Primary Building Approval. Many avoid complicated relaxation processes, submit incorrect paperwork or don’t include the actual council final inspection and fees that makes sure the work is completed correctly. When council does an audit after completion and if faults are found, it becomes your problem.

From extensive experience we find the Stratco Outback and the Stratco company an invaluable resource for its quality, design expertise, engineering support and company integrity. We are loyal and exclusive to Stratco for that reason. We do not need to ‘shop around’ to achieve a range of products. Stratco have the full range and the highest quality products. With Stratco Outback you know that what you get is designed and built to time proven standards by a nationally known and proven company.

Others have a range of products (and will list them and offer you a choice). There are many reasons for this and some are related to such things as:

1. Always thinking they have to be cheaper
2. No access to Stratco Outback. (Dealers are selected and trained to become licensed to sell and build the Outback)
3. Hybrid products are not integrally designed and that allows them to stretch good engineering practise. (eg: screwing roofing to deteriorated pergola timbers)

Beware of the sales approach that shows a list of roofing products that just happen to put Stratco at the bottom in preference. The product they put at the bottom is not the Outback but another base line product available for sheds etc. This marketing strategy is designed to disguise the main benefits of the Outback by alluding to an alternate budget range that isn’t applicable.

The finer points of patio design offer great aesthetic appeal and strength. We “finish off” by:-

1. Returning our gutters around the side/s giving a neat ‘it grew there‘ standard of finish,
2. Includes side return beams back to fascia or wall,
3. Use Stratco Outback engineered one piece beams. Stratco are pioneers in one-piece beams for higher strength and hold patents on the one-piece concept,
4. Use Stratco Outback internal bracket systems,
5. Use galvanised hi-tensile steel, COLORBOND posts secured with double bolted base plates,
6. Secure posts to beams with Stainless Steel bolts,
7. Use Colorbond steel downpipes (unless PVC requested to match existing house). Good tradespeople are trained in marking and making neat steel Colorbond downpipes and this is an art.

Note:- When steel is galvanised and Colorbond finished (as used in Stratco Outback) it has proven durability. Other companies do not have access to the technology or equipment to manufacture Colorbond posts. So they opt for cheaper substitutes.

Take most opportunities to “cut corners” in order to build cheaper at the sacrifice of quality. They may charge exorbitant prices and still cut corners in construction. Some of these points are even obvious in their advertising. Shortcuts to look out for:-

1. No return gutter at sides. C cap on the end of sheets. Looks like a “tacked on” structure.
2. No side return beams. A quick way to cut costs. Side beams are not always a structural necessity but they do add strength, aesthetic appeal, offer secure attachment point for screens and blinds, a conduit way for services and increase design options for stormwater.
3. Use hybrid two-piece steel or timber beams. Other steel beams in the marketplace are rolled in two pieces, snapped together and pop rivetted.
   - The reason for this is that Stratco retain exclusive patents for the technology and manufacture of the stronger one-piece beam. Others have no choice but to opt for two-piece.
4. Use of external bracketry that shows “on the face”. These brackets can be cheaper to manufacture and easier to use. But the sacrifice in appearance, strength, opportunity for bracket edge corrosion and spider web traps is high.
5. Use cheaper aluminium or mild steel powder coat painted posts or roofing. Aluminium doesn’t rust, sure, but it does corrode from the inside out.
   - Notes:- Powdercoating offers about 30% of the durability of Colorbond. Others secure posts with internal single bolt brackets. Aluminium posts cannot be concreted into the ground due to corrosion. Aluminium posts cannot be Colorbond due to the extremely high baking temperatures involved (it would melt the aluminium first).
6. Posts only Tek screwed to beams (not bolted).
7. PVC downpipes in all cases. They are cheap and don’t require high trade skills to fit them.
8. Gutters used as combination beam/gutter when not engineered as such.

Stratco Outback is delivered fully plastic coated and double wrapped including bubble wrap and strapped to ensure the product is delivered in premium condition. (Yes you can keep the bubble wrap if you want it). All Stratco deliveries come from their Brisbane factory. Their drivers are instructed in delivery standards and care practices to protect your purchase. Materials are placed on site wherever possible by the Stratco delivery driver. Or our trades’ assistant will attend shortly after delivery to relocate as necessary. Care in delivery gives a longer lasting finish and touch-up (if at all) is rarely necessary.

Some materials come with a single thin plastic protection coat and many with nothing at all. Many deliver on a ute or a trailer with components stacked and strapped with little or nothing between them. This results in fine scratches that become visible with time as dirt gets caught in them. This reduces your prospect of maintaining your patio.

Many hybrid brands (using several sources of supply for components) require separate deliveries at uncertain times. This causes delay to your project completion expectations.

After delivery we fully check all materials for integrity and to ensure all components are correct before we clear our builders to install. This ensures happier clients, less re-work, delay and risk of complaint. As materials are mostly pre-cut to size less on site cutting leads to faster completion and less disruption to your lifestyle.

Stratco provide a detailed construction drawing for the builder’s reference.

When the job is complete it is thoroughly checked by our registered builder and handed over to you. We check detail including:-

1. Components are secured to Stratco recommendation using smooth coloured rivets in visible attachment points (such as roofing to back channel).
2. Security of attachment to your home is paramount. Our builders will thoroughly check and install the system that ensures attachment is to Stratco engineering standards. Remember that the Stratco Outback system is a highly engineered integrated design - all components are matched for strength.
3. Downpipes are professionally made and constructed to integrate into your existing stormwater system at ground level. We do not endorse aerial or side entry into existing downpipe systems.

The fitter on site may have to locate missing or incorrect components before the job can start leading to lost time and frustration for all. The fitter then installs the product as he perceives and when he finishes he asks you for payment. You don’t usually see the registered builder for the business unless (and only maybe then) you make a complaint. Assembly shortcuts are made by fitters such as:-

1. Quick install Tek screws (unsightly solution that is often unpainted) are used to fix visible components.
2. Methods of attachment are many and varied. As hybrid brands don’t have a common standard and many use aluminium components such as back channel, the usual sales method that they use is to show you some brightly painted bracket said to strengthen your roof, when in actual fact it is a bracket used to offset a weakness in their own patio system.
3. Leave out or alter components in order to shortcut such as return gutters or correct amount of downpipes.
4. Stormwater (if they include it) shortcuts such as digging in a short section of pipe into the ground that doesn’t connect to anything.
5. Aerial or side entry downpipes into existing downpipes (unsightly and grossly inefficient).

Beware of those who claim that Stratco is just a "clip on system". This is totally untrue.

The Stratco pre-engineered products make this so easy because the materials are cut to specification at the factory and delivered directly to site. Any material that doesn’t meet the specification is replaced. The AZ-Tech fitting team are specially trained in Stratco Outback system methods.

Did you know? Stratco patios and decks are erected on site to a system using patented fittings and fixtures that achieve a faster, less disruptive project and safer site works to a more consistently high standard of finish than any other product in the market can achieve today.

We also offer the option of site preparation and development work such as excavation, drainage, concrete or paving work and retaining options.

On completion we remove and dispose of all building debris from site, excess materials and waste, scour the area for small items ie: pop rivet pins, and leave our work area tidy. If soil is removed to dig footings we leave it neatly piled for you (most clients wish to retain it). If requested, we include soil disposal in your quote.

When the project is complete our Quality Controller inspects the work at a Handover Inspection with you.

This is known as Practical Completion. At that time final payment is made by you to our Quality Controller (not to a fitter who may have limited stake in your satisfaction or flaws that may not be evident to you).

Practical Completion and the final payment may be to a contract fitter who has no personal stake in the reputation of the company or its warranties.

Some design options require special consideration to achieve your dreams. Here we offer some issues to consider when thinking of what type of patio you may like.

Insulated versus non insulated

• A past experience with poor quality patios and translucent roofing tends to set a mindset for a insulated patio. This is not necessarily the way to achieve an ideal result.
• In some cases it can be detrimental. For example:-Trapped air heats up with ambient temperatures and when trapped under an insulated roof it actually gets hotter.
• The secret to the best result is that good design takes all factors into account.
• That is what we provide for you – expertise that you can’t buy DIY.
• We take into account: height, aspect, prevailing elements, air flow, your house design, how you wish to use the space now and in the future and your budget.

• There are many low performing single skin (or one sheet) patio roofing systems on the market. Most are manufactured to a price and can be presented as being a fabulous product with absolutely amazing advantages over others with some spectacular percentage of cooler results.
• First we must be aware that any paint finish applied to steel will make it substantially cooler versus raw unpainted steel. We often chuckle at claims of special (previously unheard of) paint that contains titanium dioxide and therefore it makes it 34% cooler. They are simply stating the obvious. Because :-All light coloured paints contain titanium dioxide to give them colour and any paint applied to raw steel will automatically make it 34% cooler. And their claimed comparison is actually made against raw steel and not a paint finished product.
• We also smile at offers of a gloss finish on both sides and claims for it to be cooler because of the shiny top. The shiny top is exposed to the elements and so the client would need to wash/polish it as for a car to get some advantage. In actual fact the product is painted with a cheaper dip process that creates a like top and underside finish. The price is raised for those willing to pay for higher profits.
• Statements are made that a higher profile of roofing casts a shadow over its roof area and that makes it cooler should be treated sceptically, because doesn’t the sun doesn’t move over the sky and move or remove the shadow???
• The Stratco Outback COLORBOND finish was developed after testing revealed that a thicker layer of COLORBOND on the underside that is four times thicker than the Colorbond standard roofing finish on the top, heat is actually reflected back up and not trapped.
• The Colorbond paint process is time proven to be the most durable.
• The Advantages of the Stratco Outback single skin are:-
  - Lightweight
  - High performance
  - Can be retro insulated at any time if required
  - Less cost to reinforce roof due to lighter weight
  - Longer guarantees (up to 25 years)
  - No reliance on steel glued to Styrofoam for strength
  - Full gloss finish (easy to clean) underside
  - Good designs allow for air flow and very high performance
  - Choice of high gloss colours underside
  - Excellent value for money

Contra Indications

• Can feel warm to touch underside on very high temperature days
• Can reflect a small amount of heat down on such days
• Can attract minor condensation in cold days
• Lights cannot be fitted into roof area. Lights are best fitted to the beams and reflected off the high gloss roofing.

• Most roofing products of this style are very similar in style and performance. Subtle differences are seen between brands
• For example Stratco Cooldeck is manufactured to Stratco specification which specifies higher standards of steel thickness, glue type and application, foam thickness and density
• Most products of this style have a removable conduit tube that allows electrical cable to be run to lights. Note:- the Electrical Code in Queensland prohibits electrical cable to be within 50mm of roofing sheet
• The foam should be 100mm thick if you are choosing the product for this option.

Advantages for Stratco Cooldeck Insulated Roofing:

• Cooler underside (specific differences are not stated as this can vary in situation)
• Quieter in heavy rain
• Greater free spans up to 5.70m
• Cable conduits available
• Choice of Smooth , Ribbed or Elegance underside finish in Surfmist Colorbond
• Choice of Classic Cream, Surfmist, Pale Eucalypt, Paperbark, Headland or Dune Colorbond topside
• Can support walking access to a greater degree
• Condensation almost eliminated.

General marketplace product contra Indications

• Heavier due to double layer of steel and foam
• Requires mandatory roof strengthening to existing dwelling
• Limited choice of underside colour
• Guarantees are limited to 10 years
• Underside finish is satin (not gloss)

Some companies (NOT Stratco) offer products that suggest that they are Colorbond but have a different or similar name. The salesperson may even say it is Colorbond. If it doesn’t have the Colorbond name then it is NOT Colorbond. Sometimes standard Colorbond sheet is used and competitors may then apply their own finish to the other side. Colorbond is not manufactured with different colour finishes on each side. If it is produced with the Colorbond process it will either have the same colour on both sides, or the opposite side to the Colorbond finish may be an undercoat or wash coat similar to Armour Grey.

Some practises used by others include adding an acid based wash system and coating the reverse side with after market paint finishes or ‘special heat reflective’ coatings to the Colorbond Sheet.

As none of these meet Colorbond specifications and the product has been subject to alteration and treatment with an acid wash and added finish, the Colorbond guarantees are voided.

Offers to change the top of the roof to a select range of colours “so that they match your house” may be made as an exclusive offer. As this additional colour is added after manufacture, the finish tends to last a very short time.

Stratco do not use or endorse these products.

Remember that the darker the roof the more heat is absorbed.

There are many points to consider when looking at this option. In recent years the Fly Over patio roof has gained popularity for its jaunty design that offers architecturally and aesthetic pleasing options.

An opinion that they are cooler has developed. Experience has taught us that this is not always the case and care has to be taken in the design criteria otherwise a very disappointing result occurs.

Fly Over designs:

• Can be aesthetically pleasing
• Offer greater head clearance
• Allows air flow that may assist in cooling

Disadvantages

• If not carefully designed can be detrimental to appearance
• Are not waterproof in the area close to your house
• Can allow water overflow from house gutter to spill under patio
• Amenity of outdoor area in inclement weather is restricted as a result
• Air heated by the sun on the house roof can be felt under the patio by air flow
• As rain hits your existing house roof a splash effect occurs. This splash effect picks up oxidisation and dirt from your house roof and splashes it upwards onto the underside of the nearby Flying Roof and leaves a hard to clean dirty area at the back section of the roof. Careful design can minimise this but not eliminate it totally. We can demonstrate these finer points when we meet you to quote
• Cost cutting in design criteria usually is in detriment to the performance and appearance of the patio
• As more beams and brackets are required they are more expensive to build
• Distance from house to posts is reduced as span is measured from inner house wall not from fascia as is the case in fascia attachment.

Advantages of Attached to Fascia designs

• When professionally finished as per our policy (including side gutter and/or beams) are visually pleasing
• Are more stable due to method of attachment
• Are waterproof at attachment point so that outside access in inclement weather is not restricted
• Do not suffer from water splash or hot air flow from your house roof
• Are as cool when designed properly
• Have the option of being designed with air flow devices in place
• Are more economically viable as less beams and brackets are required
• Greater spans out to posts are achievable in design.

Disadvantages

• In some circumstances head room is limited by the existing house construction. This can give no option but to elevate the patio roof. The Stratco Outback is a slimline design that takes up minimum room and has minimum fall. In most cases it fits no lower than your existing eave and fascia. If you have ample room to your existing eave/ fascia then you will have no problem with your new Stratco Outback patio.
• When poorly designed and costs are cut, they can look “tacked on” or “lean to”
• When side gutters etc are not included, the patio can look unfinished
• If head clearance is the only reason you are considering a Flying Roof, our Gable or Curve roof designs can overcome Flying Roof design limitations.

Professional Project Management together with applied in-depth technical expertise provides the certainty that the wide-ranging possibilities offered by using the comprehensive Stratco Outback system exceed all your expectations. A Craftsman standard of workmanship and our commitment to Quality and Service ensures a smooth and reliable process as we take you through Quoting and the Design decisions, deal with Council Approvals, Site Erection to achieve high quality of Finish that is checked at the Final Builders’ Inspection (Quality Control)to ensure your absolute satisfaction.

You may be pleasantly surprised to hear that most projects are quoted on the spot and completed within weeks of council approval. Large and complex projects are a specialty.

• Be assured that a project isn’t complete until all the specifications in the contract have been met and signed off in accordance with QBSA guidelines.
• There are no fees charged for quotes except where the customer engages the company to provide comparative information for reasons other than for a purchase proposition.
• Please note that our designs are copyright protected.
• The customer will receive an AZ-Tech Lifestyle Concepts information kit at the time of order that includes full information including a copy of the contract, detailed site plan, project checklist and Stratco presentation material including Guarantee and Warranty information.

The Stratco Outback range itself is the second element of our success plan because of its reputation for excellence and the special care Stratco takes with manufacturing processes. Stratco stands behind their product Guarantees.

www.stratco.com.au

As Australia’s biggest patio and deck manufacturer using Colorbond products and Bluescope steel, the Company has led the way since 1954. Continuous improvement processes and patented designs support the Outback range to stand the test of time.

Testimonials

AZ-Tech Lifestyle Concepts has carefully sourced other special products and services to compliment the Outback Range of Patios and Decks as optional extras from trusted suppliers.

These are available for clients who wish to create a whole new look that completes the project.

Extras that can be incorporated to create complete new finished look:

• Outdoor kitchens (including Quality European appliances)
• External doors and windows
• Re-roofing with Colorbond steel & guttering
• Concreting and paving
• Electrical or plumbing services
• Air conditioning
• Water tanks
• Outdoor Spa units
• Choice of special supplied materials such as facades
• Specialised wall refinishing
• Children’s play areas

These all serve to create the customer’s own unique custom built features that compliment the surrounds and site aspect to achieve an alfresco lifestyle as a fully inclusive project solution.

 

Normally the customer sources each extra service or product separately and goes through the entire time consuming measure and quote process with each sales or tradesperson. The all inclusive AZ-Tech Lifestyle concept removes any risk of mismatched works as we co-ordinate the whole of project for a streamlined timely result.

How we do it

Our expertise in project management ensures overall project co-ordination, scheduling and consistency in design that seamlessly integrates these additional works into the overall project plan.

The end result is planned to a schedule that is supervised to check that workmanship and service meets customer expectations. Additional safeguards are built into our supplier relationships. We refer only suppliers of products and services in which we full have confidence. Those suppliers agree to conform to a stringent set of contractual controls that protect customer interests and our recommendation needs to be earned.

Outdoor makeovers can normally be achieved within weeks of council approval. Customers can plan the total works now and complete the work in stages over time according to changing priorities. This allows features to be added as family needs change and budget priorities allow. Consider that the Stratco Outback is designed as a pre-engineered system that can be extended at any time in the future.

Patio, Deck or Outdoor Project finance

As you plan to improve the amenity of your home to take best advantage of our long summers and great home entertaining opportunities; to enlarge and create the comforts and lifestyle within the useable space available on your property, you may also be considering the best means to finance your investment.

There are many finance options available. AZ-Tech Lifestyle Concepts Pty Ltd doesn’t recommend particular finance packages and we don’t sell interest free finance as may be advertised elsewhere, principally because finance is never free and only accredited financial professional can provide advice. Offers of free finance always retain a hidden means of recovering fees one way or another, whether or not the customer is fully aware of these at time of purchase.

We urge you to talk to an experienced professional to find out all you need to need to know and to get all the professional assistance you need to fund your home improvement. Click on the link to read more about the benefits of using a Mortgage Broker to find the best loan options.

Benefits of Using a Mortgage Broker to find a Lending Bank

Before approaching a finance institution, consider talking to an experienced finance broker who can source the most effective loan options, prepare a comparative justification of all the features, lay out the benefits and shortfalls offered by each, prepare your lending application to best advantage; and take the time and frustration out of dealing with finance providers.

The broker carefully explains the options in their capacity as an independent advisor.

Brokers have access to many different cash advance products. In fact, a broker can steer you to lenders that offer specialist assistance, even for those with a limited deposit or weak credit history. A broker can generally benchmark your borrowing capacity at the outset to help you determine a budget for your purchase before contracts are signed.

Turning the Tables by Taking Control

A mortgage broker generally sources several finance offers for comparison. Did you know that lending banks compete for broker sourced business and this gives the consumer added leverage to achieve a better deal.

A Mortgage Broker will explain the differences between products and what is to your best advantage.

Finding out how the loan you are thinking of securing compares with others helps you make sound decisions, as finance products, conditions and interest rates change constantly. The lender that you purchased from years ago may no longer have the best source of funding available in today’s market.

We have confidence in the service provided to us by The Mortgage Place is an independently operated service of professional brokers.Their contact details may be a useful source of services as you to investigate your options.

Disclaimer: AZ-Tech is not connected to The Mortgage Place in any way, nor receives commissions or fees from any transactions between our customers and the company. We make no claims as to the quality, outcomes or guarantees over any recommendations which the named broker may make. The contact is purely provided as a resource to independent professional finance services. Please make your own investigations to assure yourself that the advice you follow is provided by an accredited professional and that your finance solution is right for you.

Contact: Maurice Scott, Business Manager

Business: (07) 3397 5957

Fax: (07) 3397 5956

Mobile: 0412 09 30 09

Email: myworld500@optusnet.com.au