Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Jan 04, 2010 7:40 am Hi all, first time user here, so please forgive if going over old ground. I have a question about renovating an existing queenslander in Holland Park, Brisbane. - we want to make downstairs into the living area, eventually putting in a new kitchen, bathroom and loungeroom. - Half the underneath is legal height now, but not the two internal garages. - It's enclosed in besser block, we would like to change that to timber. - My question is: which is cheaper to extend onto the back half of house and leave the garages as is or to excavate and restump, making the whole downstairs area legal height. - the additions would be 20 square metres with a verandah over the top (or added later). We are trying to locate a architect and then builders, any suggestions there too. Many thanks to anyone interested in helping before my husband goes bonkers with regret of buying the house! Kitty Re: queenslander reno advise 2Jan 05, 2010 7:23 pm Welcome to the forum. Holland Park is not too far from where I live. Let me know if you need assistance with anything. kitty - we want to make downstairs into the living area, eventually putting in a new kitchen, bathroom and loungeroom. - Half the underneath is legal height now, but not the two internal garages. Technically only the "habitable" rooms need to be legal height and if you can design your layout to suit this you may be able to save considerable money. kitty t's enclosed in besser block, we would like to change that to timber. What do you mean change to timber ? are you referring to simply cladding the home ? that should not be a problem, you may be able to just batten out and clad over the existing besser blocks kitty My question is: which is cheaper to extend onto the back half of house and leave the garages as is or to excavate and restump, making the whole downstairs area legal height. This is like asking how long a piece of string is... my thoughts are though that going under would be a cheaper option...as there is not additional external walls, roofs etc..... kitty We are trying to locate a architect and then builders, any suggestions there too. Architects may not be interested in a small renovation, you can try a building designer ? or just sketch some plans yourself and have the builder draw them up, or leave the builder to design and construct. I generally do build much these days as I spend more time in Project Management, but if you get stuck I can help you out. Good luck in you project ! it sounds like it will add a lot of useable space, raising and re stumping Qld'er is quite a common occurrence up here and they results are usually pretty good. Re: queenslander reno advise 3Jan 19, 2010 6:27 pm Thanks for responding to my very disjointed questions. You said you project mangage building jobs, I didn't know there was such a thing! Does this mean I could get a house plan designed then hand it over to the builder and let you project manage? If so what does a project manager do? and what kind of costs are involved for the privilege? Don't builders manage everything from organising carpenters to plumbers? forgive the naivety!! kitty I am looking for someone who might have tackled a similar issue as me. I have a few rendered interior walls, the surface condition is hardly flat. I can see all the bumps… 0 7967 Hello It is good to have a planned bathroom reno to suit your budget and design, living for 10 years I think you need a bathtub 4 10378 Bought in Nov 21 at the height of the market (classic). Good area, atrocious floor plan. BUT has land out to the left-hand side that we can extend out on (see second… 0 8782 |