And so it begins!

It really feels like we are getting somewhere.  Final plans are in and ready to go to council, pool is in, fences are up, woohoo.  We also need to decide on our exterior finish.  Render at the bottom was always happening (to cover the nasty old brick), but the top is going to be linea weatherboards, or FC with battons.  Not sure yet, but the architect thinks the FC will look better. Opinions welcome!

I'm sure it will look inviting eventually!

This one is a winner!

Eastern elevation

 So, today we picked up concept plan number two and it's great!  And, a whole lot cheaper than concept #1.  We have had to make quite a few compromises, but that is par for the course when renovating.

 This new design will see the southern wing of the current house stay pretty much the same lay out, with our old ensuite and robe becoming the walk in robes for bedrooms two and three.  Our biggest compromise is the location of the master. Initially we wanted the master down stairs, with a kids retreat upstairs.  We have also had to give up the idea of a dedicated library .  These are the compromises you must make to stay within budget.  We have managed to keep high ceilings in the living areas, with the old part of the house keeping the lower 8 foot ceilings. Our new section upstairs will have high ceilings too.  Feast your eyes!

Upper floor - master suite

Lower floor

Let's take a step back

Well, the budget report came in and it's not good.  After moping about the place for a couple of days, grumbling and muttering about big mortgages etc, what we need to do now is come back to reality.  Clearly the way to cut the budget is to use as much of the existing building as we can, as it is.  The problem for us is that at the top of our wish list, was high ceilings and this house, being a typical project home from the eighties has flat eight foot ceilings, except in the lounge area, where there is a raked ceiling. So, it's back to the architect to regroup.  Before we meet with him though, we need to revisit our brief and see what we can and can’t do without.

Meet the architect

We met with our architect this week (at last!) to start on the plans for our renovation/extension.  The process of working with an architect is quite rewarding.  A lot of people assume it’s very expensive so they don’t even consider it.  It certainly can be, but doesn’t need to be.  In fact I believe that their understanding of buildings and spaces can actually save you money, or at the very least, give you better value for your money.  Choosing the right architect is very important.  David is happy to hand over project management to Brenton and the design finishes to me.  He also values our input – it is our house after all.  Some architects won’t do this and insist on total creative control as well as tight project management.  This is when it gets expensive, obviously, because it’s a lot of work.  We did the design for two of our previous renovations without any expert assistance and I also designed our first new build and we were very happy with the outcome.  However, this will be a lot more extensive than any reno we have done before and will involve a major extension, so it’s definitely worth paying for his expertise.  This is the third time we have worked with David and I know what we end up with will be fabulous.   

Architect's brief: create a warm, spacious, stylish family home with a coastal feel

4 bedrooms with large robes

3 bathrooms (ensuite, family & powder)

Large kitchen with walk in pantry

Large open plan living, dining, kitchen

Separate family room

Triple garage

Library/study

Passive solar design

Large outdoor living space with swimming pool

High ceilings

Lots of light

The house as it is now.