Quick Update

So today, my family met the architect for the second time. I was absent regrettably because I had to be at school in the morning. But my mum has filled me in one what was discussed.

Basically the architect walked through our current house and saw how we live. Together they talked about what we liked and disliked which lead to what we wanted in the new house. My mum described the style she wants as "plain". I certainly hope she means a blank canvas with traditional fit out because I am quite opposed to more modern styles. The architect also presented the current conditions of the house (a site plan) to us to give a visual depiction of how our house and surrounding neighbours are situated, and what of our extension could go where.

Next week we are all going to the architect's firm to look at the options she will have developed. This is what I'm most looking forward to at the moment. Like I mentioned in my previous post, there are certain elements and ways of doing things that I didn't fully explore. (I'm learning not to be conservative). There are also parts that I don't favour if I'm completely honest. The design is constantly evolving so I wonder how it will end up.

Things are starting to gain momentum!

Xo

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

No more walls!

Yesterday we visited Almora for the first time since the asbestos removal. As expected, there's no more walls in the first three rooms! The hallway remains intact, as does the rest of the house, but the current bedrooms stands as a skeleton.

This is the view from one bedroom into the next. Even the fireplace has been stripped.

 In this photo you can see the damage from a fire. We reckon it was a bedroom fire decades and decades ago from a candle. I really love the history that has come along with this house.

We have an old corrugated iron roof here; we hope to have it cleaned up so that it doens't need to be replaced. The quality is apparently much better than modern manufactured roofs nowadays.

While I was taking these photos we had a restumping duo check out the current status of the house's foundation. Surprise, surprise it's completely shot. (Remember the warped hallway photo?) We were given a quote for the work which should take about 7-10 days. So in the next few weeks the house will be raised and levelled.

 

The laundry had a small amount of asbestos that had to be removed. The big sink was taken out too.

The handyman that completed a few jobs the other week replaced the powder room door. Painting it, and the front fence, will be a job for next weekend.

Now finally, some long awaited garden photos:

 

This is the view from the start of the garden right down to the garage (the grey building). The length of this area is approximately 20 metres. My current designs have it shortened to 10 metres, however this is likely to change. The garden is North-facing so it is very sunny.

 

We have a massive palm tree smack bang in the middle of those 20 metres. It is huge. When the garage is demolished to make access for big tools needed in the renovation we will have this tree reomoved - subject to council approval. Perhaps it will require a crane?!

 Look at this greenery! It is a mature garden, but it needs a lot of tending to for it to look neater. It was a jungle a few weeks ago, so it's a sure work-in-progress.

Thanks for checking back here! Stay tuned for the next project: restumping!

xo

Asbestos

Over the past few days Almora has been undertaking some construction work! Nothing in the way of major alterations as our plans have yet to be finalised. However, a handyman earlier in the week has done some touch-up jobs to the fence, doors, locks, etc.

But the biggest job happening right now is asbestos removal! Some samples from the walls tested positive for asbestos. So, the main rooms of the heritage part of the house, and the bathroom in the extension are currently in the removal process.

The house has been taped with "DANGER ASBESTOS" to prevent unauthorised persons apporaching the site in its hazardous state. The professionals must suit up and execute safe practices to remove the affected plaster in a manner that doesn't threaten exposed lungs.

This process has been going on since Thursday this past week. It is supposed to be finished next week, then we are getting a quote for re-stumping the house. I've aluded to this before - most of the house is on a lean. The piles have sunk to the ground, and this is a common attribute of old houses in the area because of the earth they are built on.

Due to the asbestos being removed at this stage as opposed to when the proper renovation begins, new jobs have come forward to possibly complete now. Remember, we plan to rent the house out whilst plans are made and council permission is obtained. The restumping is one potential job becuase the walls will need to be redone (ideally in level condition) after asbestos. Others include rewiring the house so that the electricity conforms to modern standards. The walls will be lined with sound-proofing insulation. And because of the current no-walls-situation, some features like skirting, architraves and ceiling roses may need to be replicated and replaced.

We haven't been inside so we don't know the full extent of everything just yet. But I know there's lots of painting coming my way! Enjoy your week.

xo

It's my birthday!

I turned 17 today! I've received some lovely gifts and spent the day with great friends and family. I'm looking forward to my 18th year and all of the exciting prospects ahead of me!

Last weekend my family tidied up the garden at Almora - lots of weeding, pruning, trimming and some replanting. We are preparing the house for tenants, but that plan will be on hold for a bit longer than anticipated because...the house is lined with asbestos.

It's important to remove the asbestos immediately especially since the plaster is already cracked and falling off, and we want it to be safe for the people who rent it. If you don't know what asbestos is, it is basically an ingredient that was used in building materials three or four decades ago. Except now, it has been discovered that when fibres from those materials (e.g. from cracks in the wall) are inhaled, they can lead to serious illnesses decades after they are breathed in and can sadly cause death. It is imperative that the house is free from the toxic material and fitted with safe plasterboard.

I'm not too sure how the whole removal process works, but you can be sure I will document it!

I thought I'd give you an insight into my Art that I do at school. Our latest outcome had to involve a canvas, but not be a conventional painted landscape. I opted for an installation, with the canvas being the surface. And I always do something involving interior design or decoration.

 

 

As you can see in the above photo, I painted a wooden effect onto the canvas. This was achieved with a wood grainer - my new favourite tool! It's rubber and is simply a ridged version of a squeedgie. It has curves and loops that create the grain effect when used.  I painted the base coat of the canvas in a sandy acrylic paint, dried it, then did a quick coat of watered-down brown acryclic over the top. I pulled the wood grainer down the canvas, and you have to rock it to get the "holes". Go google it! It is such a neat tool.

 

So my installation is a table setting! I went to IKEA and bought everything that you see on the canvas. I didn't have a theme in mind, I just knew I wanted it to be pretty, have the pieces work together but not match, and look realistic - hence the Nespresso capsule on the coffee cup and the ready-burnt candles. I can imagine this setting being on the balcony or deck outside in the Summer. It was so fun to put together. I didn't glue anything down to the canvas becuase I want to be able to recycle it all for next year in Art.

I hope you're enjoying this blog! I am looking forward to when I can tell you all about the construction side! 

xo

A foot in the door to Architecture

Most of my readers would know that I have designed the plans for the renovation. Architecture is a passion of mine, and it complements Interior Design. I have a CAD architecture program that I use to create floor plans called EZ Architect. It is basic software that has allowed me to draw up countless versions of the extension to the house (and to many others that I have played around with). It doesn't automatically show elevations like ArchiCAD does (a very high-tec software) however, but in my mind I find it easy to picture the different angles, dimensions and basic form.

Yesterday, Thursday 12th September, 2013, we met witht he council to discuss my plans. We also talked about how to go about getting final approval. The heritage advisor and a town planner were in attendance. They asked us if we were the design team becuase I had the floor plans with me. I took it as a compliment! The whole meeting was like having a vision into the future for when I am a professional designer. The council duo looked through the house briefly before we discussed the plans. We stood around the kitchen bench - here:

I realised I hadn't included a picture of the kitchen. It looks pretty neat in the photo, but don't let the light fool you, this room is as poorly maintained as the rest of the house! You can sort of the see the garden through the French doors, which I will blog about later I'm sure.

In regards to the plans, some things we learnt about include:

• Boundary lines and how much room to leave between neighbours (one metre on the second storey). 
• A new roof guideline for between the old and the new parts of the house, i.e. there must be a one metre flat roof under the eaves between the heritage building and new extension. This simply distinguishes between old and new.
• The internal walls of the heritage building can be moved wherever.
• Existing additions from decades ago to the now heritage building can stay if they are restored, but not enlarged or altered, e.g. highlight windows.
• Potential objections from neighbours and possible processes and time frames for complaints.
• Specific site lines from the street which impact the height of the second floor.
• And, the town planner said a smooth sailing application will take about 3-6 months for final approval. I am optimistic and hope that is the time frame for our plans!!

We will take my plans to an architect soon to get the profesional drawings developed (which will include elevations, the streetscape, etc.) as they obviously need to be done correctly and properly. But in a few years, I will be capable of such technical drawings and will be creating them for my own clients.

As we were leaving the meeting it had just finished raining heavily, and we suddenly noticed a puddle of water coming from the living room ceiling. There's a big a hole from an old fitting next to the current light that has been left open, allowing water to run through. We've had to catch the drips with a bucket and newspaper. So, we'd better get a move on with the planning permits!

TGIF

xo

Take a tour

You have waited long enough to see the photos of the house! I have anticipated even longer being able to go inside and take my paparazzi shots of every detail. And now, I can share them with you.

This is the front of the house. Can you see already what I mean by dire? The rusty tin roof is the biggest giveaway. But you need to look beyond the maintenance issues and imagine this house restored to it's orginal beauty. The facade's colour palette will work in harmony, the roof will be silver, the garden will be manicured, and the chimney will probably be non-existent. I'll keep you posted on that detail. You can see the sign "ALMORA" I told you about in my previous post. As soon as I saw it I said, "Almora! I'm changing the blog name!" I want to find out more about Almora - were they first owner? Is it more than just a town in India? What does it actually mean?

 

The lace iron fretwork I really like. I think it plays a big part in identifying the house as part of the Victorian era. Can you see the subtle Givenchy style in the design? 

The hallways is about 14m long. In my plans, there are three skylights to make it brighter and give it some interest. You can see in the photos how warped the floors and walls are. The first thing we will do in construction is restump, to level out the whole house.

 

 My old Victorian house (a double fronted one) didn't have it's orginal hand-carved archway, instead a door frame. I've always wanted pretty scrolls on an archway and finally I do! 

The fireplae in the main (and very pink) living room is quite tall, and I don't like the simplicity yet obscurity of it. To me, it just doesn't scream Vicotrian (elaborate, exqusitely carved detail), so I think it will be removed. However, I would replace it with a more typical Vicotrian-like mantel in a heartbeat.

 

The plasterboard is falling off everywhere in the heritage part of the house. How does it get to such a state without repair? Then to my surprise, I discovered the skirting boards are high! I LOVE tall skirts, they match the high ceilings and enhance the grandeur. I measured them, and they are 27cm tall! They're in all of the heritage rooms and have become my favourite detail.

The doors are all stripped bare. I don't like the exposed wood here. I want to see if we can replace the interior doors with exterior-grade doors to make them soundproof. It's annoying being woken up in the night by someone's late arrival back at the house and hearing them trapse down the hallway. The doors are shorter than modern versions as people 100 years ago were in fact a lot shorter! These ones measure 1900mm, where as they're normally 2000mm. Those 10cm actually make a big difference.

Know what I mean by "plasterboard falling off everywhere"? It's even (not) on the ceiling! And there's a close-up of the scrolls on the archway.

The front door features red stainglass windows which are sweet. The hallway door is, according to previous owners, really expensive glass and smashes easily. At first I thought it wasn't that gorgeous but it's growing on me. I imagined having a single French glass door here. 

There are ceiling roses in two of the heritage rooms, and they also comprise Victorian style fireplaces! I love the sprawling ceiling rose. You'll notice the torch spotlight in the photo. We visited the house in the evening and there was no electricity so it got a bit dark - more obvious in some photos. Out of the three fireplaces in the house, the one on the right here is my favourite. I like the squareness of the mantel. And there's no offending tile in sight. Until the bathroom.
Note: when renovated, none of the original fireplaces will operate.

  More cracking plasterboard. This part of the wall will hopefully have a door into a walk-in-robe (WIR) when it is renovated.
I love the window design. I hope they can be kept or replicated to make them double-glazed for climate control and sound proofing. There are radiators in three of the rooms - probably the most modern asset of the whole house!

The transition  from pine floorbaords in the heritage part to the 80s add on. I want to continue the pine, but restain it somewhere between blonde and dark colouring.
 

 Check out the bathroom-come-laundry! This bathroom should be in Belle magazine!
Said no one, ever. There is so much mould above the shower!

 

 And we return to the front of the house. It has so much charm! But the verandah overlaps the glass above the front door. I wonder if this was how it was origianlly done? Check out that gorgeous lamp. It is so large and beefy and adds total grandeur. It will be enhanced when the front of the house is painted.

  

The front yard is grossly overgrown, but nothing a little garden tending can't help! There's a tall, skinny gum tree growing here too. We will remove it ASAP becuase it is so out of place and apparently they kill everything around it to survive,  not to mention the roots that will move the house.

  

So there you have it! Do you like it? Can you see the same potential that I can? I can tell you now that the extension will not be modern (minimal, stainless steel, hard edges, sterile) becuase no one in my family is a fan of that style. We also believe that it is becoming a cliché because there is so much sameness in the house market with that style. It goes off trend too quickly and we want our house to cater to our likes and needs. But remember, for resale, you should always keep elements that cater to the needs/wants of the greater market, i.e. extra bedroom, bathroom, study, etc. Just don't make your house completely for the next buyer becuase you are the one living in it right now!

I hope you enjoy this journey along with me, so keep checking back here!  
xo