b'was scrutinised to determine where the wind and sunweather not wreaked havoc with the work schedule, says was hitting, says James. And with the house perched atJason. The original idea had been to build the new upper the end of a steep right-of-way, complex town planninglevel rstwith the kitchen and open-plan living spacesissues meant having to work within tight parameters.and move the family in there, before tackling the ground Although, this was a positive thing, in that it made usoorrenovations.However,torrentialdownpoursday have to really think through the spaces, he adds. after day threw any logical timeline out of kilter. Rather than delay a tight schedule, the family had no choice but Taking all this into account, the designers set out to transformto live in a state of chaos for two or three months. the single-storey house into a striking two-level dwelling that made the most of the sunny, sheltered site and panoramicIt was a nightmare, hideous, especially for Irene, who views of both the ocean and mountains beyond.was pregnant with Phoenix, says Jason. We did consider moving out, but by that time we had all our possessions Clad in weatherboard and featuring a corrugated iron roof,here, and with only one solid wall there was the question the original 1910 house was one level, comprising twoof security. bedrooms and an attic. Various alterations and additions had been carried out over the years, and at the onset ofWith the original house being gutted around them, living the renovation, these revealed shoddy workmanship andconditions were basic. amateur DIY gone wrong.Our kitchen bench was basically a door. We had a crock When we got into the structural work, we found itpot, toaster and electric frying pan, but with limited power, wasnt too ashthings such as cornices holding upwe could only use one appliance at a time. Everything the ceiling and posts made of just blocks nailed to eachwas demolished bar the toilet, which sat in the middle other, says James. of the room with only a wall sheet for privacy, explains Jason. One of the most annoying things was at night, Extra structural work was required, so the interior of thewhen the plastic building paper attached to the timber house was gutted, leaving only the ceiling and a wall onframes would rustle. The sound could keep you up for the seaward side. The space was recongured to includehours. I tried tightening and strengthening the paper, but four bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, a laundry, and ait would catch even the slightest breeze.new ensuite and walk-in wardrobe for the main bedroom. A new entry way was also created, which leads to a foyer,The ceiling, made from timber plywood casual lounge, and the stairway that provides access to the top oor. The original roof and attic were removedcreates a structural diaphragm to counteract to make way for a new, mostly glazed structure, whichand stabilise the use of the glass.stretches the length of the existing oor and cantilevers over the casual lounge.Getting materials onto the site was never going to be Theceiling,madefromtimberplywood,createsaeasythe house sits up a long right-of-way past three structural diaphragm to counteract and stabilise the useother houses, and is perched on a dog-leg. As the owners of the glass, explains James. Following the slope of thehave no driveway access, visitors must park on the road section, it is cranked over the double-height void in thebelow and walk up to the house. So, a helicopter was casual lounge, folding back down into a single height inused to get most of the materials in there. the new upper living area. Thatwasanexhilarating,yetabsolutelyterrifying Jason took seven months off work to step into the role ofexperience, says Jason. project manager a job that also involved being a barista.Dodgy weather again threatened to hinder progress, with My daily routine included making latts, at whites andthe helicopter pilot making a marginal call on conditions cappuccinos for all the tradesmen, he laughs, addingand the wind picking up halfway through the load lifts. that his record was getting 17 coffees out all at once inAt 7am we had ve trucks lined up, and with only two 15 minutes. However, it was well worth it, he says. minutes between each chopper lift, it was really touch The family lived in the home during the entire renovationand go. It was such a buzz, we were all still talking about process,whichwouldnthavebeensobadhadtheit for days afterwards!16 |'