The Panel’s advice
Andrew Benn
Architect and director, Benn + Penna Architecture, bennandpenna.com
Rachael and Michael want to rebuild and extend their home. They’re worried that once they take the back off the house, they’ll expose problems and the budget will be used to fix things. This is a risk with an old home, but they won’t be interfering with the old part of the house. I’d ask an engineer to look at what’s been done previously before getting any new drawings. If previous work hasn’t been done properly, an engineer will spot it right away. This is a big project and the budget is veering into new-build territory. It wouldn’t cost a lot more to demolish and rebuild and while that would be a shame, Rachael and Michael would get exactly what they want and the estimate of costs would be a lot more reliable.
Wayd Munro
Builder, Focusbuild, focusbuild.com.au If you’re building on this house, what’s the risk? You need to crawl under it and have a look at what might happen. With strong foundations, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Rachael and Michael need to spend a bit now to save a heap in the long term, reducing the risk of surprise. It’s important to make sure the old house is supported while the new part is being built. They need to know what the foundations are like and, worst-case scenario, it can be supported with steel posts to avoid relying on the original structure. A builder or a quantity surveyor will cut holes in walls and floors and what they can’t see with the naked eye, they can assess with cameras. That way, they can design the structure and allow for all the costs, so the owners will know what they’re in for. ISCD educator, stylist and interior decorator Michael and Rachael are going to be doing plenty of research with this build and that means they can take the time to fully prepare. Think about the budget, especially with hard finishes such as flooring, benchtops and tiles, as this will help you work out how to spread your spend across the renovation. Create a list of every item you need for each room: there won’t be any surprises when it comes to finishing touches. If you select everything before you start, you can ensure a wellplanned schedule of finishes and lead times. It pays to buy the important things around the same time – if you buy the flooring thinking you can pick out wall tiles later, you may not find the right shape or size to match what you’ve already committed to.