Progress: Architect

Yesterday morning my family met the architect I did work experience with back in April. She has been designing houses in and around our suburb for years and runs an established architecture firm. Despite wanting to pursue Interior Design when I finish school, I wanted to expereince what I could from the architecture industry. After completing a week's work at her firm, I said to my mum, "If we ever have to renovate or build a house, I've found us an architect." My praise of this architect and her business ethic led us to a consultation with her, seven months on, at Almora.

This is the current condition of the house:

The reblocking guys are supposed to have finished their work yesterday. The floorboards are covered in dirt, and the walls are still yet to be plastered. Nevertheless, the house is definitely levelled out now, and stands almost as tall as the neigbours.

We met with the architect yesterday because we weren't sure whether to go ahead with fixing up the current conditions so that we can rent it out, or to take a hiatus. We would complete plans, permits and all the rest that comes along with a renovation, completely skipping the tenants idea, because what would be replastered now is likely to change when the real renovation happens.

At the minute, since meeting the architect,  it sounds like we are more likely to do the latter. We didn't intend on the asbestos removal, the reblocking, replastering, or any rewiring until another year. But becuase the walls were in such bad shape we had to redo them so it would be livable for tenants. However, that lead to the asbestos, then replastering required reblocking. The architect has said she can get plans done within the next two weeks, advertise the permit until next January and, fingers crossed, begin construction! To me it sounds slightly ambitious, but this is my first renovation experience.

At the initial consultation we discussed vaguely what we wanted, learnt about how the general process works, restrictions, neighbours, past projects, and what will be happening in the near future. I showed her my plans (above) that I've been working on since before we bought Almora. They're basically a guide for her that shows the type of extension we want to achieve. It's not extensively detailed, however, as they are just floor plans. So we have arranged for her to meet us at our current place so she can see how we live at the moment. Then we will do a full design consultation where we will decide our brief (traditional, four bedrooms, etc.), and she can show us some basic ideas. We will shortly choose one of her four concepts she develops, then refine it to exactly how we want. That's when the plans will go to council, and will hopefully be approved! She said the fastest she can do is have us move in this time next year! But I won't get my hopes up - I know time frames don't really come with guarantees when renovating.

I'm so excited to see the various designs she presents us. I hope they reflect what I designed in my own floor plans becuase I worked so hard on them, anyone can tell you that. I want to see the different ways of incorporating our wants and needs, in a style that I didn't explore. I hope that I learn new ways of designing by expereincing the process first hand.

There will be more news to come this week when we meet up with her again. 

Keep checking back!

xo