Thursday 1 November 2012

Renovator's Rescue: part six

I thought it was about time I showed you the latest from the Renovator's Rescue house I have been stalking for the past year or so...we drive past it on the way to school. Yesterday I stopped to take a quick snap.

It seems like the bulk of the hard work is now done to the external façade  The stairs are now up, the garage door has been installed and it seems to be occupied. I love how the bay window was retained and the external colour scheme is nice and simple.


The house has certainly come a long way from its previously dilapidated state - it was at the point of collapse, riddled with termites. The owners could easily have demolished the home and started with a blank canvas. Instead they chose to save the old home, so I guess kudos goes to them for trying to save a character home.

I'm going on record to say that I'm not a huge fan of this particular renovation. The choices made regarding the external 'look' of the home are not the ones we would've made, although the new tin roof gets a big thumbs up. It's just that the new proportions, mass and symmetry don't seem quite right in this renovation...in my humble opinion...getting that right is what makes a Queenslander home so appealing.

I think we would've opened up the front entry to make a verandah and we would not have deviated too much from the original identity of the home. I liked the distinctive façade of this inter-war Queenslander pre-renovation...

But with that said, the home is probably very comfortable and it looks to be designed for good modern living. As renovators, we know that sometimes you just have to make compromises due to budget, materials available and time...there is often a valid reason for why some things are done in a particular way, which we as outsiders are not privy to.

So this is my final post on this particular home...I'll be stalking another home soon for your house voyeurism pleasure.

Anyway, over to you regarding the renovator's rescue. Like or m'eh?


the renovator's rescue as seen in the real estate listing

The renovator's rescue in October 2011
renovator's rescue October 2012
p.s Read all the old posts about this reno here:
renovator's rescue
renovator's rescue part 2
renovator's rescue part 3
renovator's rescue part 4
renovator's rescue part 5 

15 comments:

  1. Like you said budget restraints, available materials etc etc, But for me the proportions are a bit out. The right hand side needs a grassed area with a white fence all the way even if it meant a gate and some lines of gravel for the trailer then over all it would appear more exaggerated on the right.
    Just my observation and others may not agree but that where it feels like one more tweek and it would be just that little bit better.
    Let me not take away from what they have achieved though. OMG that was one hell of a rescue and cud's for that.

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  2. I didn't realise it was THAT house. Yep, the symmetry is off, I like the original facade and would have opened up the front part. And that darn small window - it just doesn't make sense :)

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  3. I was relieved to read your opinion because I felt the house looked quite uncomfy - I always think Queenslanders (and all houses that are designed with balconies) look weird without them. As if they're perched on a pole. A bit vertiginous, loike.

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  4. Yes I totally agree with your comments on this one - to me it looks very awkward. I personally would have reinstated the front verandah and there are too many treads on that staircase for my liking - I couldn't imagine carrying the kids, shopping, etc up them everyday. But then each to their own - everyone has different tastes and/or reasons for their renovation decisions. xx

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  5. Totally agree with you. I would be worried walking around in that cantilevered area to the right and it looks so odd. I also don't like when they jack Queenslanders up to put head height underneath, throws off the whole proportions even if it does give better living space. Maybe excavating would be better but then that's expensive. Good on them for not knocking it down and building something really ugly.

    Jennifer xx

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  6. It was certainly a lot spookier last Halloween! Did they renovate to sell it or live in it?

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  7. I love the bay window. Struggling with much else to say though! For me it is still that poky window that is the worst part. Agree with the above comments about the right hand side too, not to mention those stairs. Best stop now. Did i say I really liked the bay window? mel x

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  8. It just looks like it wants to lean to the right & topple over. Ugh!

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  9. Knowing nothing about Queenslanders, my opinion is hardly valuable, but I don't like that they changed up the stairs so much and got rid of the valances. Jason's project has me really liking the looks of them.

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  10. It looks ridiculous! What a shame.

    TDM xx

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  11. It's lovely to see that a character house has been retained. Sadly, the small window at the front of the house has reduced the home's character. Selecting the right style, size and shape of windows is soooo important when renovating.

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  12. Tragic really. What's happening with the right side of the house? Why didn't they keep the verandah, even closed in like it was originally with windows? Underwhelmed with this one! Xx

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  13. looked better before - even with all the paint missing and dodgy steel stringer stairs... some people mean well but just don't get it :-(

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  14. I like that the home is now able to be used and appreciated...it's probably beautiful inside. Outside I would have loved to see bigger windows where the small window is, more like what was, but better and I really did love the old garage doors..pity they couldn't save them or build similar ones...not as convenient though I guess.

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  15. That's a meh for me. Kudos to them for not knocking it down but the proportions are very boxy. Apart from the details retained in the gable it looks like a brand new reproduction.

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