Case Study – Red Rock House

When we first met the owners of this newly purchased property, they were frustrated with the functionality of their laundry which consisted of an old tub underneath their house, a washing machine and the dryer on concrete blocks. Their garage only allowed enough space for the smaller of their two vehicles and the driveway was sloping.

 

 

A plan was devised to renovate the underside of the property in order to provide functionality to these two spaces as well as additional bedrooms and living areas for their growing family.

We decided to dig under the existing house to avoid having to disconnect and reconnect services allowing the owners the remain in the property during construction.

We provided temporary services during the renovation including a hot water heater, drainage and a camping cooktop. We also staged the build carefully to allow uninterrupted access for the owners during excavations, slab prep, concrete pouring and retaining wall construction, and kept noise and disruptions to a minimum when the clients were working night shifts.

After a mammoth 6-week excavation process we were able to clear approximately 600m3 of earth and rock and allow for a 2.7m ceiling height to the downstairs area while keeping the upstairs of the property largely undisturbed.

 

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Internally the brief was to maximise functionality, keep a minimalist look and inject personality...

 

The garage was flipped to the north-east side of the property to maximise on space and allow for a level approach from the street as well as internal access and space for a carport. Two large bedrooms were added as well as a large family sized bathroom & separate toilet, a living room and a fully functioning laundry.

It was imperative to the owners that we retained the existing connection to the backyard, so we included external stairs from the under croft to the grassed area.

 

 

The owners were keen to reinstate some of the character that had been removed in previous renovations by previous owners but still maintain a contemporary, clean feel to the home. The front of the property was designed with this in mind, increasing street appeal and matching the overall look and feel of the other homes in the street.

Internally the brief was to maximise functionality, keep a minimalist look and inject personality which was achieved using budget friendly finishes without compromising on style or quality. The home compliments the personalities of the owners and is sympathetic to the original building.

 

 

Light was a crucial design element to ensure the downstairs area didn’t have a cave-like feel and large windows and careful thought around the layout ensured a bright and breezy space with connection to the rest of the home.

We are eternally grateful for the patience and perseverance of our clients during this build and thankful to all of the subtrades and suppliers who made this build possible.

 

We are eternally grateful for the patience and perseverance of our clients during this build and thankful to all of the subtrades and suppliers who made this build possible.

 


 

Architect: Focus Architecture

Engineer: GDS Consulting Engineers

Builder: Axiom Construction Group

Interior Designer: Claire Perham – Axiom Construction Group

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