There’s something so special about a terrace house. When renovating a property like this, it’s important to achieve a fine balance between modern functionality and paying homage to the charm of the original structure. That’s exactly what we did on this heritage renovation project in Cremorne.
The Brief
Our team were enlisted to renovate this heritage-listed terrace house to bring it into the modern day. As an investment property, our clients also wanted to improve their rental return with the renovation. This also meant we had to work quickly to ensure the house wasn’t off the rental market for long.
XL Built oversaw all aspects of this project – from engineering, to planning approvals and construction – in just 10.5 months. On top of liaising with all third-party consultants, we obtained the planning permits, building permits and completed all construction works.
With many roof leaks, an abundance of mould and rotting to the subfloor frame, we were required to fully gut and rebuild the house, installing a new roof and new subfloors. We also updated the existing pokey floorplan, creating an open-plan design with a rear living area that opened onto the indoor-outdoor entertaining area.
There were many original elements of this home that were worth restoring, including the original façade of the Victorian-era home. Our team also restored existing ceiling roses on the striking 3.4m ceilings, panel doors, mantlepieces and fireplaces, while custom building new skirting, architraves, cornices and archways to match the original design.
Challenges
Once construction had commenced, we discovered the sewer was broken due to a rogue tree in the rear laneway. Our team were required to repair this damage quickly, despite limited access via the narrow inner-city laneway.
The Results
Our team were proud to completely transform this 100-year-old terrace house into a modern home, perfect for entertaining. In a renovation that our clients said “exceeded our expectations”, we crafted a semi-modern living space at the rear of the home that seamlessly ties into the original front section. We also built a new roller door leading into the laneway to create off-street parking options for our clients or their tenants.
We’re very pleased to say that after the completion of this renovation, the new valuation price increase covered the cost of the build, and the rent was able to be increased to cover repayments. This was an exciting outcome for both us and our clients, who had the below to say about their building experience:
“Luke and his team at XL Built completed a full renovation on our single fronted terrace house in Cremorne. The job was completed within the predicted timeframe and allowing for a few unexpected hiccups with a 100-year-old property, also came in close to the budgeted figure. If we are ever looking for a builder again in the future, XL Built will be our first preference.”
We would like to extend a big thank you to all the consultants, suppliers and contractors who played a role in bringing this heritage-listed home into the modern day.
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If you’re looking for an experienced builder to complete a renovation of your terrace home in inner-city Melbourne, get in touch with the team at XL Built today.
