Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue #55 i BuildHome Victoria

Choosing a block of land can be exciting, but not all building sites are created equal. There are myriad factors that will affect what kind of home you can build, how long it will take to build and how much it will cost. A sloping block or one with stormwater issues, a block with soil problems, or a site located in a bushfire- or flood-prone zone are just a few examples of “difficult” sites. We asked the experts to talk us through the most common issues and share their solutions. Everyone has heard of kit and modular homes, but the range of options on offer may surprise you. Modular homes, where factory-built modules are delivered to site to be re-joined, have come a long way. Today they can be of…

Not all building sites are created equal. Some can throw up difficulties that can be costly and timely to resolve. A site can present quite a broad array of challenges, beginning with its location — this might range from a battle-axe block to a block by the beach or a building lot in a remote bushland locale. It also extends to building in a bushfire or flood zone, which brings with it a raft of challenges and a slew of building regulations and council requirements that must be met. Size and shape can be an issue, too — mainly narrow lots (including those with a zero-boundary) and blocks that are unusually shaped (which can present issues with setbacks, among other things). Sloping sites are a commonly encountered difficulty, often requiring…

EXPERT TIP: Ensure your new home is as energy-efficient and sustainble as possible and it will look after you and your family well into the future. An energy-efficient home is a comfortable home. It’s easier to heat and cool, it saves you in energy costs, and it can be any style you like. What’s more, an energy-efficient home is a lot more affordable to build than you might think, especially when you’re guided by the experts. DPE House Design Studio specialises in designing energy-efficient houses that are individually tailored to meet each site’s specific requirements, the climatic conditions, and the style preferences of the client. Energy-efficient features can be incorporated into houses of all design styles, meaning there is no need to make aesthetic compromises. The main focus is to…

Q. WHAT DREW YOU TO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT? A. Perpetual Projects is run by myself and my wife, Amanda, and we come from different industries. My background is in mechatronic engineering (mechanical, electrical and software) project management, Amanda’s is financial planning. As many young families do, we bought into a development and, being very analytical, we bought well and achieved the right outcome. However, when we started on the design and construction side of things we started getting wildly differing quotes from builders and didn’t understand why. This was a massive learning experience for us as we navigated our way through the hidden costs, contract loopholes and overall lack of regulations and professionalism in the industry. We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a service for mum and dad investors…

Offering maximum versatility and boasting an intelligent floor plan, this home has the ideal mix of comfort and convenience. Featuring wide-open spaces and a highly functional floor plan, the Chifley 40 has been skilfully designed to maximise its footprint and meet the demands of the large modern family. A truly aspirational yet affordable home, it offers sophisticated style, is packed with intelligent features and provides families with 365sqm of versatile living space. A favourite for knockdown-rebuilds, the Chifley inspires home buyers with its clever interplay between form, function and bountiful light. While two strategically positioned central voids flood the upstairs and downstairs with natural light, the bright and airy feel of the home is enhanced by the seamless transition between the elegantly styled internal spaces and the beautifully landscaped outside…

The Nautica 36 by MOJO Homes is an absolute showstopper. The double-storey home offers space, functionality and beauty across both levels of living, while the luxurious design exudes style, elegance and charisma. The overall theme of the Nautica 36 is classiccontemporary with touches of fresh white and splashes of sophisticated gold throughout. The panelled kitchen, marble feature tiles in the bathrooms and brass detailing showcase the home’s classic side, while a contemporary feel is introduced through the furnishings and striking feature wallpapers. As for the layout, it flows effortlessly from top to bottom — and from inside to out. The design on display at HomeWorld Warnervale on NSW’s Central Coast (which is featured here) includes a fifth bedroom and ensuite at the front of the home, offering guests a place…

When you have such a picture-perfect location as this — nestled alongside the Hawkesbury River on the NSW Central Coast — you need a home that will make the most of the enviable views and relaxed waterside lifestyle. To achieve this, the dilapidated holiday home that had stood on the site simply had to go, to be replaced by a modern, upmarket abode built by Parkwood Modular Buildings. “The homeowners, a working couple who are boating enthusiasts, had noticed another Parkwood home arrive in the area so they contacted us to discuss their plans as well as site issues such as access,” says Jacky McDougall, co-owner of Parkwood Modular Buildings. “Given it was a fairly steep block with a deep water frontage, we advised them to seek the help of…

Here, expert energy assessor Ian Fry, founder of Australia’s leading new home energy rating provider, Frys Energywise, explains how, when combined with optimum orientation, the correct selection of glazing and insulation can help you to create a home that not only offers increased thermal comfort, but reduced energy costs, too — all for a reasonable additional initial outlay. THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF GLAZING “You first need to understand that glazing is a source of both heat gain and heat loss,” says Ian. “You’re comparing a 3mmthick piece of glass with a wall that is usually comprised of brick, an air gap, timber frame, insulation and plasterboard, totalling over 200mm in thickness. So, as you can see, if a wall is dominated by glass, it is limiting the insulation to that…

ULTIMATE PROFESSIONAL Porter Davis Homes recently received a major accolade when it was named winner of the Australian Professional Major Builder of the Year award at the 2019 Housing Institute Association (HIA) Awards — an award the company has won on five previous occasions. Porter Davis Homes has also won repeated awards at a state level, having been recognised for its building quality in Victoria by winning HIA Victoria’s Most Professional Major Builder award 12 times. The CEO of Porter Davis Homes, Adrian Hondros says, “We are thrilled and extremely humbled to receive this recognition, winning the Australian Professional Major Builder of the Year award for the sixth time. The entire Porter Davis Homes team truly believes in respecting our customers’ dreams and we will continue to focus on delivering…

WALK RIGHT IN Freedom Wardrobes, with showrooms in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, provides smart and stylish storage solutions for walk-in, hinged and sliding wardrobes, all aimed at the discerning homeowner. Freedom Wardrobes’ launch range comprises 12 door finishes and four interior finishes, available in hundreds of different combinations to ensure you get the precise result you want. High-end luxury storage accessories include island benches, jewellery drawers, a home safe, glass shelving with on-trend black framing, and contemporary matte black hardware. Pictured above is a walk-in style wardrobe with doors and externals in Sierra Warm Grey, an island benchtop in Caesarstone Statuario Maximus, brass gloss bar handles, black-framed glass shelving, and in-cabinet vertical ambient lighting. freedomwardrobes.com.au A TOUCH OF LUXURY Embracing the latest design trends from Italy, the new Grigio Lusso…

When it comes to flooring, the choice is diverse, from tiles and laminates that look like wood to natural hardwood or engineered timber. For those who like to keep things cool, there is polished concrete; for those who like things easy-care, there is new-generation vinyl; and if cosy is your thing, there’s carpet. Choosing the right flooring is a critical part of completing a new home, for looks, longevity and ease of maintenance, so we talk to those in the know and discover the myriad flooring solutions at your disposal. THE GOOD WOOD We never tire of timber, although today, the decision tends to be between solid natural hardwood and engineered timber, which is made from layers of real timber. “In the 10 or 15 years that engineered timber has…

THE HAROLD DESBROWE-ANNEAR AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE — HOUSES (NEW) WINNER: NORTH MELBOURNE HOUSE, NMBW ARCHITECTURE STUDIO Jury citation: In 1922, Desbrowe-Annear advocated for universal, modest Australian housing via the publication For Every Man his Home. Almost 100 years later the need for modest, sustainable, affordable housing remains. NMBW’s North Melbourne House confidently tackles real issues — an aging population, rising house prices, sustainability and urban sprawl. The urban-infill occupies the rear garden of an existing cottage, adapting its language from ‘fence’ to ‘building’ as it flows from the rear laneway to a quaint streetscape. Inside, the spaces are endlessly reconfigurable, with plumbing points and unused doors hinting to future uses. Should the client’s financial situation change, the house can become two separate dwellings, allowing one to be rented out…

The Silkwood Group of companies operates under the leadership of John Stephens, a wellestablished home builder of national standing. John is a firm believer in education and makes it a priority within his companies. By sharing with his employees the extensive industry knowledge and experience he’s gained throughout his career, John is able to expand their knowledge base and better equip them for all eventualities. This commitment to education applies equally to all departments. According to John, having management and staff who are knowledgeable, multi-skilled and can easily adapt to a wide variety of different situations is his winning formula, and it’s a methodology derived from the years of dedication he has given to the construction industry. As with any successful formula, the evidence is in the results. Many of…

The old double-fronted Victorian weatherboard home is a typical sight in Melbourne, and this little beauty in Richmond was recently given major alterations and a modern addition by DX Architects. The home’s young owners asked for a lightfilled home where they could live comfortably into the future as their needs evolved. Engineering the house of their dreams first demanded demolition at the rear of the property to allow for a doublestorey addition that includes an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area on the ground floor, as well as a master bedroom with a walk-in robe and ensuite. The new first floor consists of two additional bedrooms and a rumpus room. “The aim was to create an inner-city dwelling that maximises natural light and enhances the existing heritage features of the…

A perfect match for the relaxed, indoor-outdoor lifestyle Australians favour, the Hamptons-style home has captured the hearts of families right around the country. With its airy, generously proportioned interiors, fresh colour palette, coastal ambience and timeless classic architectural touches, it is a look that will never date. High ceilings, timber flooring, wall panelling, cornices, plantation shutters and a classic staircase all say “Hamptons” and these quintessential elements can all be found in Clarendon Homes’ stunning Sheridan 36. The soaring ceilings create a sense of space while the shutters and flooring contribute an air of coastal chic. The wall panelling, cornices and staircase all provide the sense of comfort that comes when you introduce traditional touches. Of large scale, this two-storey home is aimed at families and the way they like…

Whether you have a growing family or favour multigenerational living, you need a home that has the flexibility and space to accommodate your needs, both now and in the years to come. The Linden from Rosewood Homes fits the bill perfectly. This modern home ticks all the boxes giving you a lot of bang for your buck. With five generous bedrooms, a study, three living areas and ample entertaining space, this is a home that caters for the maturing family where children can become teens, and teens can become adults while still living at home. This is also a home where grandparents or other members of the extended family can live-in, and it makes this possible without sacrificing the spaciousness and open-plan living we all want. Rosewood Homes specifically developed…

By considering a modular solution for their new home, a young working family now has all they were looking for, and more, in a family abode — all wrapped up in a stylish, contemporary package. This was the third time the family had undergone the building process — and it was by far the least stressful for them. They’d previously renovated, then built a project home and were slugged with surprise additional costs and a lengthy, complicated build process. In choosing a modular build, they were delighted with the entire process, from the easy intial design stage right through to the quick turnaround and hassle-free construction phase, which meant they were enjoying their new residence a whole lot sooner. The homeowners wanted a coastal feel, including high ceilings, light interiors…

Prefabricated building methods are being embraced for myriad reasons: reduced build times, cost-effectiveness, quality control and environmental benefits, to name a few. And while prefabricated building is by no means new, with advances in technology and an influx of design-led, sustainably-aware modular and kit homes companies, the range of choice in terms of style and size — and the degree of customisation — has never been so broad, or exciting. In recognition of this growth in the industry, and to advance the prefabricated building sector, in June the federal government announced it will spend up to $2 million to kick-start a new collaborative lab. The goal? To foster innovation in the design of prefabricated buildings, produce more eco-friendly and affordable prefabricated buildings, and achieve even quicker turnarounds. The new lab…

Building a new home is one of the most exciting times in your life and one of the most rewarding things you can do. There are so many options for building your new dream home, which is why one of the first things to do is to narrow down your thinking about the type of home you would like to build. This will involve considering some key elements, including the style of home you prefer, your lifestyle and, importantly, the budget for your build. Here are some handy hints to get you started on your journey. VISIT A DISPLAY HOME OR VILLAGE If you’re not sure about the type of home and the style that suits you, visit a display home or a display village and have a look through…

As both client and builder, Amanda and Peter Fanous of Perpetual Projects had a crystal clear vision for this townhouse project in the Melbourne suburb of Templestowe. They wanted to provide a good home for their children, Jonah, five, and Gabriella, three, but they didn’t want to place themselves in a financial bind to achieve it. Their plan? “Build two townhouses, sell one and pay down the mortgage so we could free ourselves to live a balanced lifestyle centred on making lasting family memories,” says Amanda. “As seasoned developers and builders that specialise in equity manufacturing, we were well placed to manage the process from start to finish. Our strategy was to buy something on a 12-month settlement to ensure that we had a long lead time to design the…

Perched on a large parcel of farmland in the heart of country Victoria and surrounded by light bush and rolling fields, Bonnie Doon House is so fair dinkum it makes the Southern Cross weak at the celestial knees. After the removal of an existing portable cabin on the property 200km north-east of Melbourne, prefabrication and modular architecture and building firm Archiblox, under the direction of founder and director Bill McCorkell, came on board to fulfil the clients’ brief that called for a family home destined to stand the test of time. Intended as a place where current and future generations can gather and enjoy the countryside, the four-bedroom home is serviced by a 40,000L rainwater tank and uses passive design principles to ensure the structure is respectful of its environmental…

Q. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY? A. I started my career as an engineering draftsman but part of the requirement was that I did an architectural drafting course. I did this in my early 20s and it gave me the ability to draw house plans. As a sideline, I started to draw house plans for home builders wanting to get council approval. When I was 27, I was made redundant from the engineering firm I worked for so I started to advertise for more architectural drafting work and created a business out of that, but it was really just a subsistence business as I worked during the day as a salesman. One day I decided to take my aptitude for…

If what you seek is a timeless, architecturally designed home — a flexible forever home with ample space for every family member — the Anchorage from McDonald Jones Homes is the ideal choice. The one-storey home, which is part of the Stuart Everitt (SE) Architectural Design Portfolio, has a relaxed flow and an intelligent design that is evident from the moment you enter the home through the front door. “The layout of the Anchorage makes it a really liveable choice for families at any stage thanks to the combination of personal spaces for retreat and a choice of inviting communal spaces in which everyone can come together,” says Nathan Thurston, McDonald Jones Homes’ marketing manager. “Three bedrooms, a large bathroom and a children’s activity room with study nook form a…

Established in 1986, and with thousands of its iconic homes dotted around Australia, Harkaway Homes is an eminent family-owned business that facilitates the cost-effective construction of high quality, individualised traditional homes. Andy O’Shea, the founder of Harkaway Homes, a company named after its birthplace (the south-east Melbourne suburb of Harkaway), had a deep appreciation of fine Australiana homes and a detailed knowledge of the profiles and designs employed in their creation. He drew on this to develop a methodology for reproducing the characterfilled homes of the Victorian and early Federation eras. “It soon became very clear that our concept had struck a chord and that there were many people looking for a home with character, charm and a high level of architectural detail; people who wanted something genuinely different in…

Aprogressive Queensland-based company has taken a cost-effective and creative approach to building this townhouse development in Ocean Shores, a seaside location on the North Coast of NSW. The company was engaged to build a series of one-bedroom townhouses, which had been sold off the plan to both investors and owner-occupiers. Built over two stages, the townhouses sit high on the side of a hill and take in views of the coastline just north of the Brunswick River and south of New Brighton Beach. The Marshalls Creek Nature Reserve is on the other side of the road and just a further 200m away, as the crow flies, the Pacific Ocean laps the golden sand. It’s a prime location, but one that catches a lot of wind, salt, sun and sand. For…