Front of house upgrade

8 years ago

We are planning to bring our dated 70's home into the 21st century by rendering, roof, window and weatherboard replacement as well as adding a double garage. We would like some ideas as to how to make this all work. The home is in Perth and faces the west, 10km from the coast. It gets direct afternoon sun. I have attached a photo and the potential positioning of the garage.
We thought we might continue the weatherboard across the whole roof line and build an eve instead of a flat roof face. Thinking earthy render colour with a colour bond roof and perhaps wood look weatherboard and garage door. We are unsure how the large wall with no windows will look with weatherboard across it. Would love some ideas.

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PRO

Timandra Design & Landscaping

8 years ago

I like your home. The colours are good and are sympathetic with the period of the home.
The problem with this picture is not the house - it is the garden.
The picture shows the garden is a cottage style; this is totally our of character with the home. The style of home is essential to the type of garden that you create.
Your home needs a more structured garden with a change to the style of garden beds and removing the garden away from the house. Once this is opened up, you will be able to see what an attractive home you actually own.
Trees will give height and vertical perspective, totally lacking in this picture. But keep the vintage of the garden reminiscent of the 70's. You can change the interior to any period that you like, but externally my best advice is to maintain the facade and garden with the period of the home.

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Comments (12)

jbantick
8 years ago
These houses were ahead of their time in the late 60's/70's/early 80's so you're already in the 21st century. The skillion roofs are cool as are the bricks and bang up to date in 2015!

Leave facade as is but repaint the cladding or replace with painted FC sheet. The red brown paint is the main issue, it's too strong. Go for Monument, Ironstone, Woodland Grey.....

If the roof is bowing or leaking then replace with Custom Orb. Don't change garage roof, it'll look like a dodgy add-on. New garage door though or repaint if budget is tight.

The driveway could do with a colour change too in a charcoal. The mirror tint on the windows should go too. Replace the glass with Low E grey tint or comparable.

Update the landscape with something more 21 century though. Re-use plants where you can but layout in a modern way. A good landscaper will re-use what you have including the lawn.
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I would avoid grey tsunami too and I love the colour of the red bricks which I would focus on highlighting instead. I would take out the dull dark green bushes in front of the wall and plant a 'Starburst' Honey Locust which has brighter, lacey, yellow-green leaves. This variety is very user friendly as it grows quickly, leaves decompose quickly and it is very 'dry' tolerant once established. Or have a look at the houzz article 'Dutch Houzz: A Run-Down Nursery Estate is back in full bloom (photo 2) [https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/dutch-houzz-a-run-down-nursery-estate-is-back-in-full-bloom-stsetivw-vs~60914085?utm_source=Houzz[(https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/dutch-houzz-a-run-down-nursery-estate-is-back-in-full-bloom-stsetivw-vs~60914085?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u2489&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery10) for how to complement red brick with colour. Your brickwork looks like an orange-based red rather than a blue-based one while the garage door and guttering looks blue-based which is why the clash from the street perhaps. I would paint those and the wood fence instead of the brick.
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Hi there, I personally don't like the look of that rock wall with your home. It does nothing for it. I would get rid of it, you may even be able to sell the rock for a bit of cash. I would besser block a retaining wall in its place with posts and render this, then use your timber horizontally slated between the posts. Select a paint colour that works nice with your timber colour and carry the colour through to your house. This will also work in with your side timber fence. Also remove all the plants in the front, just because they are lovely doesn't mean they are in the right place or serve a purpose, you may be able to transplant them somewhere else in the yard. Plants: mop tops are a great feature tree and give lots of shade in summer. A hedge along the inside of the fence would look great, Lilly pilly's are good and Japanese box is tough as boots and requires little water once up a bit. Westringia, birds of paradise, hibiscus, viburnum, Murraya all take heat, depends on what look your after. My average temps in summer are 47 degrees and winter -3 & these plants survive. Yes I also agree with a path from the front to the door. Front door to house could have some timber posts added with an awning/patio to make it stand out. The timber would carry through from the front fence. Painting the brick can also give it a lift if you don't want to go modern with render. You could also paint the concrete driveway, there are some snazzy options available for this, plain or stencil. Best of luck! I'm sure it will come up a treat.
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65 Curl
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you for these suggestions. I'm pleased to hear you think the red brick can work by changing the colour of cladding and garage door. The roof suggestion is excellent too. What roof colour would you suggest with the red brick? The current roof leaks terribly so after many attempts to repair it we decided it needs an upgrade.
I agree with the garden suggestions. It doesn't fit in with the home. This is how we bought it. We have done some changes since this photo and I will upload a more recent photo so you can see the growth and change. We haven't moved the garden beds out though which is an interesting idea: (we have spent most of our time and energy on the back garden.)
I tend to agree about the new garage idea looking too much like an add on but we have a need for a double garage and the angle of the roof doesn't allow us to continue it to create this with the right height. We could do a flat roof add on? Any thoughts on how we could achieve the double car space?
PRO
International Design - Interior Architecture
8 years ago

Hi 65 Curl,

There's so much untapped potential with your home! Ideas that haven't yet been discussed here. It's stood the test of time and is still standing after 45 years (like us) but let's do a scheme that can still look great in 2050 (another 45 years)

Why not give a pro a go and get me to give you three schemes for your budget. Here's some food for thought...
PRO
International Design - Interior Architecture
8 years ago

I would love to help you find the "best and highest use" of your house and garden and best contemporary design of your home and site.

Warm Regards

Liz Thomas

http://www.internationaldesign.bpweb.com.au
PRO
archimondo
8 years ago
G'day 65 curl

We did an addition and renovation on a very similar house a few years ago.

Worked out well but this presentation sketch gives a better feeling than the latest photos.
jbantick
8 years ago
If you have a small budget replace the leaking roof with custom orb in 'Ironstone' for a dark blue grey or 'Monument' for the charcoal.

Depending on budget again, to gain the double garage and keep the roof pitching over the wider & new garage by digging both garage floors down to same level. Not really a cheap option but I would do it as I have trade contacts. Other option could be to have the new garage set down lower than the the existing. Keep the exist external wall in place (this becomes a dividing wall between garaging). Setback the front of new garage, from the front of the existing garage to keep that stepped facade style.
mykky48
8 years ago
As a fellow Perth resident I'd recommend a new light toned (pale grey) colour bond roof with matching garage door but get the roofers to put 600mm eaves over the whole house when they do the new roof. Consider insulation under the metal to keep the house much cooler in WA summer while keeping the heat in during winter, an added bonus is a quieter house when we get that drumming rain! Paint those weather boards a warm tone mid-grey to freshen them up and enhance the classic brickwork and then plant a feature shrub in front of the big brick panel, a Geraldton Wax could look amazing all year round and soften that wall. Re-vamp the garden with more native to WA plants, less upkeep with no water guzzlers! a wider than the garage but light grey toned (reflects the heat) driveway and a new mailbox would smarten up the entire property. Good luck and please keep us updated with your progress.
jbantick
8 years ago
Most roofers use a foil backed blanket under the metal sheets these days. 55mm, 75mm or 100mm are the usual thickness. Check with them first to make sure as some may just use standard sarking.
PRO
Exterior Visions
8 years ago
Have you considered a free standing double carport with a skillion roof on the same pitch as your house? This could sit directly in front of the existing garage and to the side of it. It would have to be higher than the existing roof to allow for enough head room. The gap between the two roof heights could be filled by more weatherboarding to match the rest of the facade. The roof could be colorbond in the same colour as your new house roof. I agree that a new, modern garden would work wonders. You'll be needing a new double driveway. Any additions to the existing concrete will look bad. Unless you pour more concrete and clad the lot ( including any front paths to the door ) in a stone tile suitable for driveways. I agree with previous comments that the exposed brick is fashionable but there is too much of it and it gives a very dark impression. Could you leave the widest band between two windows and render the rest? I would be happy to help you with some garden design http://www.exteriorvisions.net
65 Curl
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for these fabulous comments! After reading them all we think we will definitely leave the red brick and replace the red wood with monument. We will add eaves across the front and will get a price on roof restoration with paint to match monument compared to reroofing in monument. Adding a double skillion carport to the front is a great idea too. We will definitely replace concrete with new as its old and cracked. The drive will have to curve in due to the water metre location right next to the letter box and a cost of over $2000 to move it. The garden definitely needs an upgrade. We have done a little bit out the front, not a great photo but I've attached a more recent one, we are thinking we will leave the bigger trees in this photos and add kangaroo paws through out. Front has been neglected a bit due to other renovations out the back. Nearly time to attack the front! Thanks again, we really appreciate all your thoughts! I'll post some photos once we get underway. I've added some of what we did out the back with the original 70's look we had. Been fun and hard work. All the work was done by ourselves and our sons.
PRO
Amerex Renovations
8 years ago
We renovated a home similar to this a couple of years ago. Check it out for inspiration:

City Beach Home Improvement and External Makeover · More Info

Before renovation

City Beach Home Improvement and External Makeover · More Info

After renovation