I was asked by the client to extend the main bedroom above the garage. A walk in robe cavity was to be built it was actually the replication of the existing building only extended by 3200 mm. The downstairs supports had to be altered to make it open plan with no posts. This meant that engineering had to be done in order to work out this building solution. PFC Beams were to be used and tied into the existing members of the building to disperse the load.

The steel posts and the LGL had to be removed.

I had to get plates and beams cut close to size by my metal fabricator then I transported all the material on my truck to the work site.

Once the steel beams/posts were welded, bolted and chemically  set into place we had to place struts into the webbing of the existing trusses as the load points shifted.

Here we are double platting a floor joist which will be tucked on the outside underside of the floor. We are laminating and leaving space for three tie down rods. Below is the start of our framing.

Tie down, speed bracing, roof insullation and facia installed.

Once the roof was water tight we fixed and set the gyprock. We didn’t fix the front window in until we brought in all our wall and ceiling plaster sheets in over the roof. Tip Before you build, work out a plan which includes materials delivery for each stage of your works. Sometimes you need to get materials weeks in advance to work areas before you close off that area. 

External cladding was replicated as before. We recycled the cladding from the previous gable and used it to do our stitching around the windows on both the front and rear faces. This was an existing masonite sheet. The side where the gable is has a similar pattern being made of concrete fibro. We gave the sheets a couple of coats of paint before fixing them to reduce painting on the roof. Nails and gap filling will have to be done and nail heads painted but cutting will be not be required where the cladding meets the roof.

The client wanted a bulkhead built over the bed head. This was best achieved by having all the plaster square set in that area. We did the setting and sanding and the client will do the painting.

This is how it looks now.