Hot tips for a beautiful home restoration

Careful renovation has transformed the post-war house of Stacey and Dom Chicoteau into a home renovated for modern living, without sacrificing the character that makes it special.

The couple loved the 1950s three-bedroom house they purchased seven years ago, but decided the time was right to embark on a major renovation that included widening and lengthening the structure, and adding a deck.

The result is amazing, and follows detailed planning and good communication with the Daydream Building Innovations from Brendale.

“It has brought the outside in and made it more of an entertaining house,” Stacey says.

“I think that’s what we missed in this house, having a deck and what it brings to a house. The house was perfectly liveable, however we wanted a more open floor plan than you normally get in a post-war home.”

They now have a new, larger kitchen with two-fold doors and a timber bar, a larger master bedroom with ensuite, and a new main bathroom that opens onto the deck.

“We are totally in love with the ‘new’ house. The open plan and much bigger kitchen suits our lifestyle to a tee and having an ensuite is amazing,” Stacey says.

The work in total only taking approximately three months.

Dave Pyke from Daydream Building Innovations says he felt a sense of accomplishment when the project was finished.

While the work was being done the couple moved out but kept in close contact with their builder.

Stacey even created mood boards for each room so there was no confusion as to how each of them wanted to look.

They also wanted to preserve the stone work of the home, created by its original owner, who had just happened to be a stonemason.

“The stonework was one of our favourite things about the house, so the first thing we told Dave was that no stone was to be removed and the new had to blend in with the existing parts that were not changed,” Stacey recalls. Which the team achieved perfectly.

Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve from a renovation is key to achieve the result that everybody loves according to Stacey.

“The homeowner is equally responsible for the outcome. There needs to be good communication with the builder and vice versa,” she says.

Dave agrees, adding that experienced constructors may also give suggestions that you may not have expected, so it also helps to be open to new ideas.

Dave’s top 5 tips

1. Have a good idea of what you’re after before engaging a builder, this helps the process evolve as you go along

2. Be open to ideas from your builder. A good builder can help with cost saving and ideas when you get stuck

3. Allow up to five per cent on top of your budget for unforeseen extras

4. Before engaging a builder, check they have correct insurance and are qualified

5. Have fun with it, this should be an exciting time in your life. Trust your builder to deliver a great result