Blackburn Double-Storey Extension and Renovation: Staying Put and Building Up (Shafer Rd)
Christa and Alex's house was a small orange-brick home with three bedrooms, one bathroom and almost no storage. They loved where they lived. They'd simply outgrown the house.
They looked at everything. They thought about moving, and they considered a knockdown rebuild. Each time they came back to the same answer.
"We looked at moving. We love where we are."
So they chose to stay and build the home they needed on the street they didn't want to leave.
Finding a builder they could trust
The design wasn't their biggest worry. Choosing the right builder was.
"You hear so many horror stories about building companies... especially in this environment, where you're hearing on the news that builders have gone under. That was probably the biggest concern, finding someone that we could trust."
That trust started at the very first meeting.
"After you left here the first day, Alex goes, 'I think this is the right choice.' And I went, 'Yeah, I feel the same way.'"
Honest about the budget
At that stage of life, Christa and Alex needed to know the project would work within their budget. We were upfront about the numbers from day one. When something they wanted was out of reach, we found another way to get there.
"If we found something was a little bit out of our budget, you were able to find... there was always a compromise."
We guided them through the architectural design, the contract and the permits, a process that was all new to them. They said it was straightforward the whole way through.
Engineering the second storey
Adding a full level to an existing home takes careful planning, thinking and design. To carry the new upper storey, we installed structural steel into the first-floor beam structure. That gave us a solid platform to frame the new level on and tie it back into the original house.
For Christa and Alex, the moment it all came together was when the plaster went up and the staircase went in.
"We could finally get a picture of what we were actually looking at."
A whole-home renovation
This wasn't just an extension. The entire home was renovated. We rebuilt the kitchen and laundry from scratch and renovated the existing bathroom. We also rethought the master bedroom and added a new walk-in robe. New linen cabinetry in the hallway finally fixed the storage problem. A custom staircase ties it all together, connecting the original footprint to everything above it.
Some things were worth keeping. The original Tasmanian oak floors were resanded and brought back to life, carrying the character of the old house through the new one.
Replacing their 20-year-old kitchen was a late decision. We recommended doing it while the family was already out of the house rather than coming back to it later.
"Looking back now, it was the best decision we ever made."
A new face for the street
Outside, the transformation is just as dramatic. The new upper level is clad in James Hardie Axon cladding, and we finished the existing brickwork in a textured render. The old orange brick is gone, and the home now reads as one cohesive, modern house rather than old and new side by side.
Living through the build
The family lived in the house through the early demolition stage, with parts of the house opened up and a tarp on the roof, before moving out for the main build. The job moved quickly, and our crew made sure the house was left clean and tidy every night.
"Your boys were respectful. They looked after the place. They were on time. They were always here... Everything got cleaned at night."
The result
Their daughter now has her own space, and room to bring friends over. The home has more space and more storage, and every room works for the family.
"You drive down the street, you don't know what it was."
Friends and family have said the same thing:
"People that know the budget we had were blown away. What you can do on a certain budget."
"We've got what we wanted. We've achieved what we set out to do, in the area we wanted to stay in, with a house that we're proud of."
Don't just take our word for it, watch the full testimonial from our lovely clients.
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