“We now have a period home with a modern addition at the back that has all the functionality that we wanted… We have an ensuite off the main bedroom and an open plan kitchen, family room and dining room that flows out onto an al fresco eating area… I ended up with good access to my cellar through a very large butler’s pantry and Heather has her dream kitchen… Heather and I certainly have no hesitation in recommending ZJ Building. The three separate projects that we’ve had done by them, we’ve been more than happy with the end result. We would, without hesitation, recommend them to other people.”
Home Addition, Prospect
Project Brief
Doug and Heather bought a 1920s Bungalow in Prospect a few years ago. It is a period home with a lot of character on a big block. They both had a lot of experience in renovating homes in their previous years and have a real eye for detail and knew exactly what they wanted. Doug is recently retired and Heather is only a few years away. They were looking to update the home to maintain the front character but enjoy the benefits of modern open plan living at the back. They have many grandkids and the original house did not accommodate well for family living. They needed extra living space, a second bathroom and an updated kitchen.
Having already engaged with a designer to complete their building plans, They came to us with full development approval ready to go. The plans they had drawn up showed a good functional floor plan and a great proposed layout. The new design meant that they no longer had to walk out the back of the house and use the toilet under the old lean to verandah roof and cold concrete floor. They would also have enough room to have their family and grandkids over for dinner in their brand new kitchen. It was perfect for what they wanted and needed.
The new design did solve all their problems however the logistics of the project as a whole were a major concern for the client. If the entire project was started from day 1, they were going to lose their only bathroom and kitchen making the house unliveable. This was not an option, Doug and Heather had to remain in the house so we had to stage the project. This meant the ensuite addition to the side of the master bedroom first, then the rear addition and extension of living.
By this stage, we had already completed the ensuite addition so Doug and Heather were repeat clients of ours and were keen to get started on costing the project. Knowing the value of getting the price right, they were more than happy with the fee we charged for this service and so we went through our process of costing the project to get to a fixed price contract. Through this process we were able to find some really simple and innovative changes that would cut construction costs but not compromise the layout or function of the design. One of the things we did was reduce the opening size of a large rear door and change the cladding above to lightweight cladding. This along with a simplified truss roof design eliminated the need for any structural steel. This was a big saving for Doug and Heather. We also noted some omissions in the footing plan as they hadn’t accounted for the existing cellar. We had this all redesigned and put through council as a minor amendment.
Doug and Heather were thrilled with the outcome of a reduced price for construction and a guarantee of no builders variations as all the hard work was done before signing the fixed price building contract.
Now that their home is complete, they can finally enjoy the benefits of living in a heritage home with modern living. The additional space will allow them to enjoy their retirement fully and never have to worry about not having enough room for family.
This is what Doug had to say about his new extension:
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