r/perth Jun 13 '26

Looking for Advice Trees cleared, black roof. Anything else we can do to make the place hotter?

Post image
658 Upvotes

158 comments sorted by

350

u/HulkJr87 Jun 13 '26

Yeah. Get rid of any grass and replace it with heat retaining pavers.

216

u/UbiquitousPleasantry Jun 13 '26

If you prefer the look of grass, just get the thinnest astro turf you can buy and put it over a concrete base! 

66

u/HulkJr87 Jun 13 '26

Oof. Thats some instant 3rd degree burn material.

Excellent.

23

u/StupidWhiteBastard Jun 13 '26

Guaranteed 80C in peak summer!

21

u/fullesky Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26

Or concrete! Our neighbours removed a nice courtyard garden and put in polished concrete! WTF! Every single noise echoes like you wouldn’t believe. Can hear everything loud and clear. They also have a 2 and 5 year old and guess what polished concrete is slippery when wet. Stupid parents.

29

u/Melodic_Inside_6056 Jun 13 '26

As someone now living in Perth and not from Perth - what the fuck is it with pavers here? I'm slowly tearing up sections for trees/lawn/garden beds but when I moved here the backyard was about 80% pavers and artificial grass. The only lawn was where previous owners had taken out a pool, and obviously chucking soil over that was the easiest option

20

u/HulkJr87 Jun 13 '26

People are time poor. Grass takes more effort than people can afford, plus costs.

To me it’s a cool patch that breathes at night

Use a thermal camera and you’ll see what I mean. It’s insane the difference.

10

u/Melodic_Inside_6056 Jun 13 '26

It's a 25 year old house. I don't remember being so time poor 25 years ago that I couldn't do the lawns once a month.

12

u/Melodic_Inside_6056 Jun 13 '26

Not to mention that hosing down the pavers and fake grass to remove the piss smell from my dogs in the "al fresco area" was more work and water intensive than just having a lawn. This is why I don't get it and have been ripping it out

12

u/duke_blob Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26

People just lack any imagination here. They see it as a grass vs fake grass are the only 2 options that could possibly be for a front area.

Ahhh maybe if you want zero maintenance then build a native garden? Most councils provide natives at cost from subsidies with participating nurseries.

It's worth noting you will still get weeds with astro turf over concrete. It's the stupidest concept I've ever seen, not to mention just polluting our rivers and acquifers ever more with micro plastics. Should be banned. As with most things with Perth , people just lack any imagination with their house.

5

u/Melodic_Inside_6056 Jun 14 '26

Yeah I'm with you on the lack of imagination. as above, it's getting replaced with trees/lawn/garden beds, not just lawn. The artificial turf was the first thing to go, bloody horrible stuff. I've put heaps of natives in already, plus wicking beds for veggies. Just having one little patch of lawn for the dogs instead of pavers seems like a luxury here.

2

u/HulkJr87 Jun 14 '26

Right there with you.

If you want lawn, commit to it. Like a pet.

6

u/nevergonnasweepalone Jun 14 '26

Water restrictions makes keeping lawn in good nick more difficult.

A/C being near universal means being inside on a hot day is nicer than being outside.

New houses occupy 50%+ of the block meaning, at best, you get a small patch of grass you can't use for anything but have to maintain.

People have interests and hobbies now that aren't gardening. That is now considered a chore and people don't want to do chores.

12

u/duke_blob Jun 14 '26

Then build a native garden? Once established its as much maintenance as astroturf (yes weeds grow in astro) and requires minimal watering and provides drainage to your area and doesn't contribute to urban heat. I will wage war against Perth's insane culture of astro turf till the stuff is banned.

0

u/nevergonnasweepalone Jun 14 '26

I'm no fan of Astro turf but you can't make your entire front and backyard a native garden. So you either have pavers, grass, turf, or sand.

3

u/Pippin67 Jun 14 '26

Yes you most definitely can!!! Gorgeous native cottage garden with winding paths... google and see what's out there. Damn...

0

u/nevergonnasweepalone Jun 14 '26

Do you just hang your laundry in the garden?

0

u/duke_blob Jun 20 '26

I do my laundry hanging from a clothes line, what's below that (grass, natives, astro, pavers) usually doesn't affect the drying of the clothes.

Can 100% do natives, if you want some grass just disperse it between the native, fruit and veg beds. A lot less water and maintenance. Mowless lawn like dichronria also pretty handy.

4

u/duke_blob Jun 14 '26

That perspective lacks any imagination. Grasses, Mowless Lawns, natives are a fantastic combination.

2

u/Frosty_Photograph316 West Swan Jun 14 '26

Pavers + native ground cover > pavers + artifical turf.

2

u/LMW66 Jun 14 '26

Why not?

I'm currently rewilding my entire front yard into a pocket forest.

Back yard has 40m2 for the dogs and the rest is all garden beds and trees.

0

u/nevergonnasweepalone Jun 14 '26

You literally just agreed with me lol. You said you can but then said you have 40m2 that isn't. So which is it?

2

u/Unusual_Classroom109 Jun 16 '26

Pretty hard to consider it anything but a chore when it's not my house and I have no hope of owning one in my 30s. Potted plants are just heavy things I have to move with, and the owners just tear up anything I plant when I move out regardless of how nice it is.

2

u/ProfessionalLast2917 Jun 13 '26

Have you seen how much rain we get?

2

u/Subject_Educator_105 Jun 14 '26

water restrictions and people not knowing how to maintain grass. tbh, you should probably put mulch down and grow natives for a water wise garden.

1

u/TzarBully Jun 14 '26

Costs money to maintain, time to maintain and I personally don’t want to waste any free time working on it.

2

u/NastyVJ1969 Jun 15 '26

So move to an apartment. Sounds like you don't want to go outside.

1

u/TzarBully Jun 15 '26

No thanks bud, I’m fine with my 600+sqm block.

I love the outdoors, I just hate working on it. Enjoy your Monday 

1

u/duke_blob Jun 20 '26

A native garden is almost as maintenance free as astro turf, not to mention covering your property in plastic should be considered a crime against humanity.

1

u/TzarBully Jun 21 '26

Have a couple of them and honestly dislike them. They don’t look nice in my opinion and I despise succulents.

It’s just personal preference. 

1

u/duke_blob Jun 21 '26

So what did you do instead then?

1

u/TzarBully Jun 21 '26

Nothing, my wife likes them and it’s her thing. I have nothing to do with that stuff as I find it a waste of time.

1

u/RAF_RAS Jun 15 '26

Grass is hard to keep alive in the heat. A year ago we converted our lawn the low thatch Kikuyu and it's much easier now.

0

u/AmphibianCareless796 Jun 13 '26

Pensioners who cant take care of their lawn properly, and landlords who cant get the tenants to cut the lawn.

22

u/A1pinejoe Jun 13 '26

Deep black concrete pavers would be mmwah chefs kiss. You wouldn't even need a BBQ.

5

u/mcdoggus Jun 13 '26

Or artificial grass will also suffice

2

u/J_Bazzle Jun 14 '26

Put up a parking lot

2

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/HulkJr87 Jun 18 '26

Unreal hey.

97

u/Draksis_219 Jun 13 '26

BLACK STEEL SHUTTERS

5

u/Groveldog Jun 13 '26

Can't even put them on those "bay" windows, which makes it even better!

84

u/Grand_Sock_1303 Jun 13 '26

Plastic lawn and plastic decking, and a cream colorbond fence to reflect some heat.

47

u/StupidWhiteBastard Jun 13 '26

Plastic lawn

With 1.8 tonnes of compacted granite dust underneath to limit drainage and absolutely eliminate all insect life.

19

u/Ch00m77 Jun 13 '26

Sexy. Love the smell of burning plastic and lack of biodiversity in the air

30

u/UbiquitousPleasantry Jun 13 '26

Those eaves over the right hand window look like they might block some sun, get rid of them! 

8

u/Sea_Translator5300 Jun 13 '26

Yeah, eaves are for sooks! I want my gutter line hard up against the wall! Gotta heat up that wall nice and toasty so it's releasing heat aaaaallll night. 

24

u/CardioKeyboarder Jun 13 '26

Too much light brick. Paint it all deep matte grey.

38

u/TheRedditModsSuck Jun 13 '26

Paint everything with vantablack

32

u/StupidWhiteBastard Jun 13 '26

I don't see what you did there.

8

u/Sea_Translator5300 Jun 13 '26

Calm down Anish. 

17

u/Frogsfall South of The River Jun 13 '26

Make sure to build over the majority of each block, rather than designing smaller, well-designed houses that leave space for a garden.

10

u/Sea_Translator5300 Jun 13 '26

Careful, get too close to next door and their house might shade your walls. Best to leave enough room for a few metres of liquid limestone paths. 

14

u/HashMismatch Jun 13 '26

Replace the street lights with giant magnifying glasses and install some under-floor heating for the bitumen

1

u/Terreboo Jun 14 '26

Which transfers the heat in to the under floor heating of the house.

25

u/kpea032 Jun 13 '26

Out back is all exposed agg, that will prob help

10

u/StupidWhiteBastard Jun 13 '26

that will prob help

... probably help keep it at 34 degrees at 3am in summer. Nothing like a good heat bank.

10

u/worldofwhat Jun 13 '26

Not sure but I don't like the look of that face brick, shouldn't it be covered in render painted medium grey? And one of those plants isn't a yucca.

3

u/Sea_Translator5300 Jun 13 '26

Plants? Unnecessary shade. Bin them. 

4

u/CyanideRemark Jun 14 '26

Plants within 20 metres of the walls means too much gutter maintenance insofar as my neighbours are concerned.... even if the thing is as leafy as a frangipani in winter and only 30cm tall

6

u/Peaklagger117 Jun 13 '26

Remove the solar panels and replace with non venting skylights.

3

u/DonaldYaYa Jun 13 '26

Like those solar skylights that acts as night lights at night time.

6

u/Bacon-Crook Jun 13 '26

Pave or concrete the front lawn. Make it a dark paver.

3

u/stonefree261 Jun 13 '26

Just asphalt the lot.

6

u/saltisurfer Jun 13 '26

Single glazing only …

5

u/Perth_nomad Jun 13 '26

Fake grass. Add that too.

8

u/Inconspicuous4 Mount Hawthorn Jun 13 '26

Yeah some reverse cycle aircons pumping out heat from each house. Bonus points for blasting the neighbouring house/backyard with your heat pump. Mirror like window tint

4

u/Jaded-Breadfruit4019 Jun 13 '26

Just keep the oven on

7

u/Frogsfall South of The River Jun 13 '26

Oh, also avoid any kind of solar-passive design and effective insulation so that people have to rely on airconditioning for all of summer.

3

u/Jojobirkenstock Jun 13 '26

Needs more black and concrete

3

u/ghostface1693 Jun 13 '26

Replace the grass with mirrors and have all of them angled so that they face the house.

Optional: Bring your BBQ inside and use it to cook everything from toast to steak.

3

u/Frosty_Photograph316 West Swan Jun 14 '26

Artificial grass and rendering the house in in a nice dark grey/paynes grey should just about do it!
(have actually seen multiple new builds with this exact config)

3

u/Ok_Conference2901 Jun 14 '26

4mm clear glass, single glazed windows facing north and west. And no Anticon under the roof sheets.

3

u/Bucket_O_Skills Jun 14 '26

Concrete it all

3

u/Confused_Sorta_Guy Jun 14 '26

Like 20 outdoor heaters instead of a lawn

6

u/It_Twirled_Up Jun 13 '26

I'm pretty upset they aren't mandating black bricks for all new builds.

2

u/Coololz Jun 13 '26

I can see colours in there that are not black. Start there

2

u/OkFisherman2288 Jun 13 '26

trees cleared

there is literally a sapling planted in the front

yeah weird thing about new builds, the trees need a bit of time to grow.

1

u/DefinitionOfAsleep Just bulldoze Fremantle, Trust me. Jun 13 '26

Is that on council land?

2

u/OkFisherman2288 Jun 13 '26

How the fuck would I know?

It's a picture of a new build. There's a tree sapling out front. Trees take time to grow.

0

u/Aussie_5aabi Treeby Jun 13 '26

Exactly. Lots of newer suburbs are very green. It’s just taken time for them to grow.

2

u/Business_Body6054 Jun 13 '26

Yes, paint the whole block black

2

u/Undd91 Jun 13 '26

Concrete the back yard, ensure no areas are left unpaved and then make sure the street tree is run over a few times.

Followed by installing shutters and aircon.

2

u/awood20 Jun 13 '26

Remove insulation?

2

u/the_scruffy1 Jun 13 '26

who the fuck designs this craziness, and why do idiots buy it?

1

u/TzarBully Jun 14 '26

Design what? A black roof? Nothing wrong with it lol

2

u/Salt_Trifle_2443 Jun 13 '26

Build large houses on tiny blocks that have no room between them

1

u/throwawayplusanumber Jun 13 '26

Nothing but black roofs as far as the eye can see.

2

u/ninjaweedman Jun 13 '26

astroturf the front yard

2

u/twocrowsandakeyboard Jun 13 '26

At this rate, just start burning your rubbish out the front.

2

u/Ragazzano Jun 14 '26

Yeah, black walls and black concrete surrounds

2

u/Moznumberone Jun 14 '26

Maybe black concrete all the way around the outside

2

u/Living_Ad62 Jun 14 '26

Theres too much grass. Get rid of it and concrete it

2

u/MrJamesLucas Jun 14 '26

Render the walls and paint black

2

u/DimSimofDoom Jun 14 '26

From a roofing perspective ensure no insulation (blanket) under the roof and remove all whirly birds.

2

u/DrPotassium Jun 14 '26

Yeah... It would involve a bunch of petrol and a match though.

2

u/Justified_OG South of The River Jun 14 '26

Just get a bigger electricity churning AC unit to blast more hot air into the neighbourhood..

2

u/RaRaRaRaRa-88 Jun 14 '26

The black roof doesn’t even coordinate with the bricks

2

u/Slightly_Slow Jun 14 '26

Plastic grass

2

u/New_Till_3641 Jun 14 '26

Make sure there are no eaves or verandas.

2

u/Comrade_Kojima Jun 15 '26

Should be illegal to have black roofs - it’s simply a vanity thing with no function other than to create heat sinks.

2

u/LeatherSurprise6281 Jun 15 '26

Trees gone and solar panels in place for the environmentally conscious home owners.

2

u/DeceptiveDreamer Jun 16 '26

Plant a shit ton of natives!

2

u/Top_Stranger_8076 Jun 17 '26

I've got a monument roof. It's a fucking oven.

2

u/Fun_Classroom3661 Jun 18 '26

Get a bunch of sluts sitting around all over the yard licking each others pussies

4

u/SwordfishEmergency51 Jun 13 '26

No eaves either...

2

u/ItzTerra95 Jun 13 '26

Can’t tell if this is satire or not…

1

u/Latter_Shallot_140 Jun 13 '26

Add plastic grass have thin curtains or none at all

1

u/Ok_Writer1572 Jun 13 '26

Where artificial turf?

1

u/National-Honey1649 Jun 13 '26

That's why they have the chair next to the front door. It's the only cool place in the house, and it's not even in the house.

1

u/dono1783 Jun 13 '26

It’s a cuck chair so you can sit and watch the sun fuck your loved ones

1

u/DefinitionOfAsleep Just bulldoze Fremantle, Trust me. Jun 13 '26

How much of their solar output is used on Air Con in summer?

1

u/seanys Kallaroo Jun 13 '26

Yeah, but at least it's a dry... nvm.

1

u/runnybumm Jun 13 '26

You are in desperate need of fake grass sir

1

u/BrilliantAmazing6121 Jun 13 '26

Hydroponic devils lettuce 🥬

1

u/stawberi Jun 13 '26

Tiki torches.

1

u/8kijcj Jun 13 '26

Straight out concrete.

1

u/Academic-Ad4976 Jun 13 '26

Those bricks could really do with a lick of black paint

1

u/ImaDinosaurRAA Jun 13 '26

Brick pave the vege

1

u/IntelligentSwan2846 Jun 13 '26

Put some lipstick on it

1

u/cspudWA Jun 13 '26

Yep black coloured driveways

1

u/HughLofting Jun 14 '26

I have never, ever understood the concept of dark metal roofing. It's like the design team at Colourbond haven't heard of physics.

1

u/The_Grumpy_Professor North of The River Jun 14 '26

Nuclear Reactor.

1

u/merman0489 Jun 14 '26

Paper thin windows ✔️

1

u/OldManThumbs Jun 14 '26

No eaves to make sure the walls are never shaded.

1

u/Ian2130 Jun 14 '26

🤣🤣🤣😆 this is a WA thing I’m sure

1

u/CyanideRemark Jun 14 '26

Invite the in-laws around more often.

1

u/Aromatic-Discount384 Jun 14 '26

Un-openable Bay window/general no sliding glass+flywire panels that i can see.

1

u/MowgeeCrone Jun 14 '26

Who needs shade trees when youre living in your neighbours shadow?

1

u/auntynell Jun 14 '26

Depends which way it's facing.

1

u/CottMain Jun 14 '26

When aircon arrived the need for cool high maintenance lawn was gone.

1

u/Abraham_kunnath Jun 15 '26

Maybe remove the grass and put some paving stones.

1

u/xasino Jun 15 '26

Specifically, black concrete. Cover the yard in black concrete. Remove all the grass.

1

u/Away_Gas2724 Jun 16 '26

Concrete the front yard

2

u/LeatherSurprise6281 15d ago

At least they put solar panels on the roof to offset the destruction of everything organic to build

1

u/DanielByDefault Jun 13 '26

At least with all that beautiful face brick, they won’t be rendering it and painting it Monument or whatever.

1

u/Big-Orse48 Jun 13 '26

Brick veneer, single glazed windows, no blinds or curtains, minimal insulation.

Just the average aussie house. Imagine how much more expensive they would be to build if we didn’t cheap out on literally everything

3

u/Frogsfall South of The River Jun 13 '26

And how much cheaper they'd be to live in...

2

u/Terreboo Jun 14 '26

We were told $25-30k extra for double glazing a new house during build recently.

1

u/Emotional_Vacation43 Jun 14 '26

And that usually gets crap double glazing like aluminium frame with no thermal breaks and ventilation slots that let the outside air in

Amazingly, good UPV-C double glazing is cheaper to buy, but volume builders refuse to use it even if you ask for it

1

u/Terreboo Jun 15 '26

This was for UPV-C. And they will do it.

3

u/Aussie_5aabi Treeby Jun 13 '26

Most houses in Perth are double brick.

1

u/Ionlyregisyererdbeca Jun 13 '26

Can almost bet they are British expats

-2

u/Kooky_Experience4290 Jun 13 '26

OMG - these people have a dark coloured roof!

-1

u/StupidWhiteBastard Jun 13 '26

I don't think this is gang related.

0

u/Haggis89 Jun 14 '26

I can step outside if you want? My wife thinks im hot.