The problem with the house was that the kitchen was too small. The owners enjoy to cook but were limited by the space. The solution was to knock out the external walls by 2 metres and extend the roof to make it look original. We installed bi-fold windows and a bench for an outdoor servery.

The deck ceiling was low and got really hot in summer. The solution was to build a 75mm SolarSpan roof with a couple of pitches to get ceiling height as well as adequate airflow to make the deck enjoyable.

The bathroom was converted into two rooms. A skylight was installed to make the room brighter and more energy efficient.

The house had an asbestos roof, walls and ceilings. The client took my advice to resheet the internal walls so now the interior is insulated, rewired and looks new – because it is.

The clients wanted to reuse as much of the old deck as possible so we used the existing joists and decking. Bearers, pole plate and posts were replaced to specs. It was tricky work threading nine metre long steel posts through the deck. The only way this could be done was through mechanical means. The council was also involved with sewer modifications and inspections to approve the renovations of the pre existing deck.

The one thing with building is that your day finishes when the task is completed. Sometimes it is not worth while doing a few hours the following day. You always need to ensure that there is integrity in the structure and you need to ensure that the site is safe before you go home. This is just common sense but it is also  legislative now. So here we are a twelve hour day.

Stacker doors were installed and the decking was sanded and stained with a decking oil. A ceiling fan and lights were also installed. The deck can easily accommodate thirty people.