Mt Nelson home renovation to improve the amenity of the space under the house by building it in, creating two extra bedrooms and a usable under-house storage space. The house is north facing on a bush block, with mini orb cladding and exposed aggregate concrete paths to lower the fire risk. Credit: Jordan Davis.

Mt Nelson, Hobart — home renovation

Case study

Project
Mt Nelson home renovation
Location
Mt Nelson, Hobart, Tasmania
Year completed
Project partners
Architect: Core Collective, Hobart
Starring materials
Colorbond Mini Orb

Enhanced Homes Tasmania’s willingness to work with our architect and their processes helped this project to run smoothly.

Jim Cane, Mt Nelson
Mt Nelson home renovation, showcasing the built in area under the house, creating two additional bedrooms and a usable under-house storage space, and surrounded by bushland. Credit: Jordan Davis.

Something we find that many of our clients have in common is a desire to create more liveable spaces in their home. This was certainly the case for Jim and Hilary, who had recently consolidated their lives and wanted to modify their property at Mt Nelson, near Hobart, to include comfortable shared spaces, as well as private areas where they could pursue their own interests.

Jim and Hilary had appointed Hobart architects, Core Collective, to create a design for the renovation. The architectural plans included a new bedroom and office, along with a workshop, utility room, and storage area for some belongings Jim had moved from his previous house. The property would also be ‘future proofed’ with the installation of a lift.

This was a fully administered architectural project, and we collaborated closely with Core Collective and with Jim throughout the build — working in accordance with all required building processes and supporting clear and consistent communication between all parties through regular on-site meetings.

An important part of this home renovation was sub-dividing, lining, and adding windows to an open area beneath the house to create additional living, working and storage spaces. This downstairs space was earmarked as a place where Jim could work and (importantly) listen to his favourite music — without disturbing Hilary.

When our Project Manager, Damian, learned about Jim’s passion for music, he saw an opportunity to add significant value to this build by designing a soundproofing solution for the downstairs space. This included creating a new frame within the existing structural frame and double insulating the wall voids. Additional ceiling insulation, heavier plaster sheeting and a suspended ceiling with rubber insulators were used to further prevent sound transference to the upstairs area.

This garage-style renovation of an existing space was simple and considered the fire risk. It features a plastered ceiling and a compacted floor of crushed limestone and a cute little dog. Credit: Jordan Davis.
Natural landscaping on a bush block, using existing materials. Credit: Jordan Davis.

A potential future issue for this project was managing rainwater and drainage on the property’s natural bush site. Although this fell outside the original scope of works, we assisted Jim and Hilary in finding solutions for this complex issue. We added further value to the project by installing additional spoon drains, natural edging in the gardens, and underground natural rock drains that would direct water into the garden beds. We also added extra concrete surfaces to help manage water run off on the site.

This renovation gave us another great opportunity to work collaboratively with our clients and their architect. It also demonstrated the benefit of anticipating problems before they occur, thinking outside the square to find solutions, and working with our clients so that their renovation matches the way they want to live and be in their home.

Wall cladding in custom mini orb and a concrete path with exposed aggregate. Credit: Jordan Davis.
Site foreman checking for accuracy and ensuring there is attention to detail, through careful measurement, using stringlines as part of a client’s front deck construction. Credit: Jordan Davis.

We were impressed with the team — they were consistent and reliable throughout. I liked Matt and Damian from the outset and the outcome of this project has exceeded our expectations.

Jim Cane, Mt Nelson