Challenges and solutions

A recent renovation and extension to a Howrah home required the addition of an entirely new upper level.

This project had some unique complexities that presented us with several logistical challenges. Access to the suburban site was extremely limited, which posed an immediate challenge in delivering building materials to the property. We needed a time-efficient solution that would minimise disruption to the site and local neighbourhood, while also ensuring the safety of our team.

Our solution was to bring in a crane for one day, to place the large quantities of building materials required at strategic points on the site. Everything we needed was pre-ordered and delivered, and the outcome was seamless. This solution saved time and money, minimised disruption to the neighbourhood, and enabled us to complete the build in a safe and timely way.

The other significant logistical challenge in this renovation, was the requirement to remove the entire original roof to construct the new second storey. In the middle of a wet Hobart winter, this presented a very real risk of weather damage to the property. The high-level project management and co-ordination skills of our project manager, Damian, and our team enabled us to address this difficulty, by bringing in a large team of subcontractors to facilitate the roof removal during a narrow fine weather window.

Another highlight of this project was building a beautiful cedar sauna, which gave us an opportunity to contribute some stunning materials and fine craftsmanship to the property.

But the most rewarding moments were the thank you notes and gifts of biscuits we received throughout the renovation from our client’s mother, who we affectionally came to know as ‘Granny’. This was all the evidence we needed that we had met our goal of providing the best outcome for our valued client (thanks for the biscuits, Granny!).

A bathroom renovation in a Fern Tree home, on the outskirts of Hobart, required us to first remove an older, traditional Japanese bathroom. While the unique, original bathroom had once been visually impressive, we soon discovered that it was hiding extensive water damage. The original underfloor waterproofing had failed over time, completely rotting the floor. Our only option was to remodel the entire room. In consultation with our clients, we decided to strip the whole bathroom, remove the corrupted materials, and completely replace the flooring and walls.

The new bathroom was beautifully designed, and it called for a high level of craftsmanship to do it justice. We assembled our extended team of professional building sub-contractors, who we knew could deliver the high-quality craftsmanship that this project demanded. A dominant feature of the design was extensive and intricate tiling. Our skilled tiling subcontractor installed and finished the tiling and grouting for the floors and walls with absolute precision to achieve the vision of this stunning design.

Demolishing the original bathroom led to some amazing discoveries — an old umbrella, coins from all over the world, and an enigmatic little frog! These treasures had been hidden in the walls for reasons we still haven’t discovered. You can visit our Instagram account to find out more about this project and see some images of the beautiful, final outcome.