Working on the northern beaches, and in the eastern suburbs and inner west — especially Balmain and Rozelle — has given us particular expertise in making the most of difficult sites to build on.
What makes a site difficult to build on?
Sites can present issues in a number of ways:
- They might be small or difficult to access (especially in older suburbs where there might be no rear or side access)
- The council might have restrictions
- The neighbours might need careful management
Generally you’re not going to be able to change the site, so you have to be creative about finding solutions.
Small site staging
Often with a difficult site you have to work backwards. Normally, for instance, you’d put a swimming pool in last. But if there’s going to be no access to the back garden once the house is built, you need to build the pool first.
In the picture above you can see the garage at the end of the garden. The bifold doors meant we could still get large equipment and materials onto the site even after house was finished because we could bring them in through garage. It’s a great-looking garage — and one day the owners might turn it into another room — but there’s a practical reason for that aesthetic, too.
You have to know what’s what
Today’s architects and designers want to work with funky looks and materials. It’s what clients are asking for. But to make it work, you have to know exactly what goes into creating those looks and effects. And you have to understand how different materials work with each other.
Architects, designers and builders have different skills. They need to work together to get the best result.
Knowing how to put together a project plan that will work for your site and give you the finish you’re looking for, is where our expertise comes in.