Project Overview

The aim of this extension was to enhance both indoor and outdoor living spaces, combining style and durability. The project emphasises the use of sustainable and robust materials, ensuring the property’s long-term appeal and functionality.

Materials Used

1. Steel Beams for Main Supports:
   • Strength and Stability: Steel beams were chosen for their unparalleled strength and durability, providing a reliable framework that ensures the extension’s structural integrity.
   • Modern Aesthetics: The use of steel contributes to a modern, industrial look that complements other design elements.
2. Knotwood for Balustrade and Awnings:
   • Aesthetic and Durability: Knotwood delivers the beauty of natural wood without high maintenance. Its powder-coated aluminum construction resists weather, corrosion, and wear, making it perfect for outdoor applications.
   • Versatility: Available in various finishes, Knotwood fits seamlessly into any design scheme, offering both modern and timeless appeal.
3. James Hardie for Cladding and Ceiling Lining:
   • Superior Quality: Renowned for its durability and aesthetic appeal, James Hardie cladding provides a sleek and robust finish to building exteriors.
   • Moisture Resistance: Optimal for ceiling lining, James Hardie products offer high resistance to moisture, ensuring long-term performance with minimal maintenance.
4. Express Timber Solutions:
   • High-Quality Timber: Supplied a range of premium timber products used throughout the extension. Their timber was selected for its strength, natural beauty, and sustainability, playing a crucial role in both structural and decorative elements.
   • Customized Solutions: Express Timber Solutions provided tailored timber products to meet the project’s specific needs.
5. Beaumont Tiles:
   • Variety and Style: Belmont Tiles offered a diverse selection that added elegance and practicality to the extension.
   • Quality Assurance: Known for high-quality products, Belmont Tiles ensured the tiling looked fantastic and met the highest standards of durability and ease of maintenance.

Project Highlights

1. Main Supports:
   • The steel beams provided a solid foundation, ensuring the extension’s structural stability and modern industrial aesthetic.
2. Balustrades and Awnings:
   • Knotwood balustrades added a refined natural touch to outdoor spaces. The awnings, also made from Knotwood, offered effective shade and protection, transforming the patio into a comfortable extension of the living area.
3. Cladding and Ceiling Lining:
   • James Hardie cladding was used to create a sleek and professional exterior finish, offering exceptional durability and weather resistance.
   • The ceiling lining, made from James Hardie products, provided a clean and seamless interior finish, perfectly complementing the design.
4. Timber Integration:
   • High-quality timber from Express Timber Solutions was extensively used, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. From structural beams to decorative elements, timber played a key role in the cohesive aesthetic.
5. Tiling Excellence:
   • Beaumont Tiles’ selection ensured that tiled areas not only enhanced beauty but also offered practical benefits like ease of cleaning and durability.

Sustainability and Innovation

Alba Creations prioritises sustainability and innovation in all projects. The materials from Knotwood, James Hardie, Express Timber Solutions, and Belmont Tiles were chosen for their superior quality and environmental friendliness. This commitment to sustainability ensured the extension was both beautiful and eco-friendly.

Conclusion

This extension project exemplifies how high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship can transform a space. By using steel beams, Knotwood, James Hardie products, timber from Express Timber Solutions, and tiles from Belmont Tiles, we created a stunning and functional addition to the property.

Thank you for following along with this project update. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services, feel free to contact us!

The post Extending and Adding an Extension with Express Timber Solutions and Beaumont Tiles appeared first on Builders Central Coast.

What are your needs?

Spend some time identifying the fundamental elements of your project. Rather than rushing into the most exciting part, the actual design of your floor plan, start off with the basics. Spend some time identifying your building needs and, even more critical to your success, your limitations.

Knowing your reasons for moving forward with a new build, and anticipating your future plans, helps you develop a design brief that your designer can turn into a viable house plan. If you are unclear of your requirements or you try to accommodate conflicting needs, you may be disappointed with the outcome.

To get this stage right, consider the following:

• Your budget. You need to have a realistic idea of how much you can afford.
• What you currently want out of your home compared to what you will need in the future.
• Style. Decide whether you want a single, double or a multi-storey home, and choose an architectural style. For example, do you prefer a contemporary or a traditional style home? The type and style of home you want largely influences the house plans and budget.

Developing a design brief

Now you are ready to start thinking about the design of your new home. Taking into consideration the aspects from the first two stages, think about the following inclusions:

• Privacy
• Living spaces
• Furniture
• Home study / Office
• Chef’s / entertainer’s kitchen
• Parent’s / teenager’s retreat
• Guest accommodation
• Games / rumpus / hobby rooms
• Utility room
• Media room / Home theatre
• Storage
• Outdoor spaces
• Access

Determine your budget

Building is not a cheap exercise but with good planning and the right advice from both your designer and builder, you can minimise the chance of a large cost overrun.

A builder will price every part of the build from the drawings but during the design phase, it is impossible to estimate the cost of all works, this is where a square meter (sqm) rate is implemented.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, and whether it is a new build or a renovation, $1,800 – $2,500/sqm is a good general figure to guide you regarding construction cost.
Once a project progresses this figure can be refined.

Communicating your ideas

Now that you have developed your design briefs and have an idea of budget, you need to convey these to your designer. Here are some great ways to communicate your thoughts:

• Pen and paper. You don’t need to be an architect to draw a simple house plan. Simply put pen to paper and scribble down your ideas.
• Social media. Sites like Pinterest can be fantastic for users to ‘pin’ their favourite images to a virtual pin board and share them. This very popular site is a great resource for effectively communicating your design ideas.
• Existing houses. If you see a house that you love or a style of house you’ve always wanted to live in take a quick photo for reference.
• The more information you can give to your designer, the easier it will be to indicate the direction you would like to head in.

The Design Process

Client Brief

This is the basis for your design. This is where you communicate to your designer what you want in your home. Details like budget, styles and photos will all help the designer to understand your end goal. The client brief usually coincides with the first site visit where you designer can assess the requirements of your site.

Fee Proposal

Once the initial site visit and the client brief are completed we will produce a fee proposal. This outlines all design fees involved in the project (excluding council fees, and consultant’s fee).

Concept design

This is a set of plans created from the client brief. The purpose of these is to make sure the overall design is in line with your initial ideas. Details like window placement, materials used etc can be refined once this initial concept has been approved by the client. Any major changes to the plans after the approval of the concept design may incur an additional fee.

Plans

Architectural plans are the next stage, based on the approved concept design that has been refined to include all the information required by council to approve a Development Application (DA).
Once a Development Application (DA) has been approved, a set of Construction Certificate (CC) plans can be issued. This is a more detailed set of plans for your builder and other consultants, such as engineers, to work from.

The Approval Process

Architectural Plans are either submitted to council for the approval of a Development Application OR submitted to a private certifier for approval of a Complying Development Certificate.
Once you have either your DA or your CDC plans go to a licienced engineer to produce engineering documentation.
Once engineering is complete a private certifier will issue a Construction Certificate and your builder will be able to put forward an accurate fee proposal for you.
If you accept the fee proposal construction can commence.
To find out more about N A Hill Designs or for additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would love to hear about your dream project.

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