‘It’s a completely different house’: transforming a dated family home into a modern masterpiece

After 32 years of raising kids and accommodating their lifestyle around their property’s illogical features, the owners of this beloved family home knew it was time for a renovation. 

“The state of the original home was ‘original’,” builder Matt Findlay, owner of Findlay Residential, says. “The owners had lived in the home and raised their children there, but they had never done anything to enhance the house at all. It still had brick interior walls, segregated kitchen and living areas, and dated wallpaper and carpets.”

Modernising a dated home

Findlay Residential was engaged to modernise the home, with the owners requesting indoor and outdoor flow that could accommodate their love for entertaining and outdoor living.

“We had a meeting to dive into more detail around how they saw themselves living in the finished home, focusing on what they love doing most and where they wanted to spend their time and money to maximise the end result. He loves music (and has quite a sound system) and they both love entertaining and having indoor-outdoor flow. We tweaked the original design slightly to enhance the joinery size and added an epic outdoor area,” Matt explains.

Completed, the renovation has achieved what appears to be a brand new house, with the original brick cladding — now prepped and painted — the only relic. 

“We extended the main living area, adding two new structural portals to completely open up the living and kitchen space. New sliding doors were installed that lead out onto an ‘epic’ outdoor entertainment area, covered from the elements with louvres from LouvreSpan. This has essentially doubled the size of their living space!” Matt says.

Engineered oak was selected for the floor, with new corrugated roofing and pine cladding on the exterior. To entertain family and friends, a fireplace and BBQ were installed outside.

“The full renovation took about six months to complete from start to finish, which was longer than originally planned. The initial scope was just a house renovation, however, once the clients had seen the results and quality, they decided to ask us to build their outdoor area (originally planned to be a stage 2 project) at the same time.”

Navigating challenges

“The most challenging part of the renovation wasn't really a challenge at all,” Matt explains. “The clients had struggled to visualise the plans, which meant there were a few differences in expectations around the end result.”

For some, this could be a roadblock, but with years of experience and a flexible nature, Matt and his team easily adapted.

“We did have a few layout and design changes to make the house more functional and suit how the clients wanted to live in it once the spaces were built. We spent a lot of time onsite with the owners throughout the renovation process, which reduced the stress of these ‘challenges’. They were heavily involved, and with the help of the architect, we were able to sort out these changes as they arose and design ideas so that they got the house they wanted.”

With a very practical approach to the renovation, the clients trusted Matt and his team to bring their vision to life.

“They said to us at the start, ‘If you see anything we could do better please let us know’. We ended up discussing changes to a few things, including redesigning the ensuite layout to increase space and usability, and they trusted us to make it happen. This is why I always say, ‘It's important to find a builder that you trust’. Sitting down with the owner at the start of the project and figuring out how they wanted to live in the house was essential in making this the house they wanted. With the clients, architect, and myself on the same page, and in constant communication, made for a very stress-free and enjoyable project,” Matt explains.

With the renovation complete, the clients can fully enjoy the benefits of modern living. The addition of new double-glazed windows has made the home a lot warmer, while the luxury kitchen finishes and fully tiled bathroom make the clients feel as if they have checked into a hotel — “It’s a completely different house!”.

“The clients actually told us that they’ve heard how stressful renovations can be, but this has been a stress-free and enjoyable experience for them, which is awesome,” Matt enthuses. 

If you’re looking to build or renovate in the North Shore or Rodney area, get in touch with Findlay Residential to discuss your project.

Learn more about Findlay Residential.