Case study: a traditional-style new-build on a grand scale

This 450sqm Prebbleton home has an insulated slab foundation, with a timber structure, cedar weatherboard cladding and a steel roof in a tray profile.

The vision

In the established satellite suburb of Prebbleton, Christchurch, Radius Building took on the construction of a spacious 450sqm home with a 90sqm matching outbuilding and additional pool house for a couple with two teenage boys.

The clients’ brief was for a traditional or classic aesthetic, and a two-storey home with plenty of space to move around in. This meant separate living spaces for adults and children, as well as a separate guest suite and a pool in front of the north-facing elevation of the house. Like many families, indoor-outdoor flow was imperative.

The scope of Radius Building’s involvement spanned the entirety of the build process, and required problem-solving structural design issues, as well as requiring high attention to detail to realise the clients' dream of a traditional-style home.

In this image you can see the interaction of all of the different building elements, from the foyer's double-height glazing, to the louvred outdoor courtyard and the gabled roofs with corbel details under the soffits.

Timeline & materials

Completed in 2021, there was potential for supply-chain disruption caused by Covid-19. However, Radius Building is in the unique position of having a secure lock-up off site where building materials are stored ahead of the build.

Radius Building director Richard Fantham says this ensures their projects aren’t delayed by unforeseen supply-chain breakdowns.

“Typically, we build only four to five homes each year, and I use a comprehensive scheduling programme so we know well in advance what we need and when we'll need it. For the Prebbleton build, even though the supply chain had issues we didn't really have any problems thanks to our scheduling and storage capacity.”

The impact of this planning meant the timeline stayed on track and the client didn’t experience any price increases for materials due to supply-chain issues.

Internal joinery separates the snug adult's whiskey lounge lounge from the hallway.

House & layout

The ground floor is accessed by a grand entry, with a double height void, punctured by an oak staircase that leads up to a bridge over the entry space, which divides the upstairs master suite and office from the boys' bedrooms.

The entry space contains an impressive double-height glazed wall, which brings light into the space. The guest suite is to the left, while the living spaces are to the right.

The single section of 5m high glazing in the entry foyer was carefully lifted into place by the team, and had to slot in neatly between the scaffolding and the building.

The master bedroom is spacious and opens out onto a private balcony that sits above the downstairs living space.

Skylights let light into the master en suite. The character detailing is also extended into the bathroom spaces.

The ground floor has extensive character detailing, which required significant forethought and accuracy to bring all of the elements together, particularly when it came to the mezzanine bridge above the entry.

“Within the bridge there was a lot of structural complexity, and many detailed components coming together at single points. The timber panelling, balustrade nosing, faux concrete (built on battens over the framing), Gibbed walls and ceilings would meet at a single juncture requiring the structural work to be well thought out and millimetre perfect to ensure the detailed finishes landed correctly and interacted perfectly with each other.”

The bridge above the entry required complex structural elements, as well as high consideration for how all of the materials and details would interact on the finished structure.

The stunning staircase with traditional newell post detail and oak treads is a beauty to behold, and fits in seamlessly with the engineered timber floors and character detailing.

The exterior of the home is clad in dark, stained cedar, with a dark Hiland tray roof, which gives the home a traditional yet contemporary look. The structure of the balcony on the upstairs floor outside of the master bedroom required additional liaison with the design team, as the structural interaction between the roof structure, balcony columns and tanked balcony had to be finalised on site during the build.

“Making sure that all the end detail was in the right place while we were doing the structure – that was the main challenge.”

The panelling on the ceiling was achieved simply through timber mouldings and pre-formed plaster products.

A gas fireplace warms the living space. and backs against an outdoor courtyard with louvred roof.

The open-plan kitchen/dining/living features engineered oak floorboards and ceiling details throughout.

Conclusion

Richard says the house was a pleasure to build, and working closely with the designers and engineers to resolve structural and detailing issues is a key skill within his building team.

“I just love the design of it. I personally enjoy the more traditional design because I think it never dates. The balcony, the varied gable height, the flat roof with corbels underneath, the way it interacts with the louvred courtyard – there's one particular spot on the section where I used to just stand and look at it and just think 'wow'.”

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