Heritage Building Conservation Services in Gordon, Victoria

“Peter has drawn plans and specifications then overseen two extensions to our house. More recently he has reviewed paint colours. His approach, knowledge and application is exemplary. I have no hesitation in recommending Peter for architectural services.”

“I engaged Sebastiano from SG2 to design a renovation of our tired and poorly built California 3-bedroom bungalow in West Footscray. I also employed him to administer the contract with our builder. The house required considerable rebuilding. It'd been poorly built and maintained and it was way beyond just reblocking and replastering, so there was an opportunity for extensive modification of the interior. (It turned out the house was in considerably worse shape than the builder originally thought, and in the end essentially only the facade and some of the original roof trussing remained from the original.) I explicitly wanted the design to be more of an update and modernisation of the interior spaces than a large exterior statement. I briefed Sebastiano to: * plan a single level house within the existing footprint that maintained, as much as possible, the original exterior appearance & proportions (I didn't want the house to have an addition visible from the street) * create more useable space, including much more cupboard space, while more or less following the existing floor plan (ie, retaining 3 BRs or 2 BRs & study) in the front half of the house * open up the rear part of the house to more light and the garden while accommodating an old magnolia tree that was growing over the rear of the house * create a long, open kitchen space combined with a "European style" laundry * incorporate DG windows, insulation of all exterior & interior walls, and hydronic heating * develop a plan that wouldn't require extensive planning permissions &c from the local council. We met several times at my house to discuss the brief. Sebastiano took measurements &c, and I supplied him with some roughly drawn provisional plans. Within a few days of our first meeting, Sebastian had spoken with Council about planning issues around the proposed plans and came back to me with provisional drawings which, with only a few adjustments over the next few weeks, not only fulfilled but exceeded the brief. This part of the renovation process took only a couple of months and any delays were a result of my procrastination than anything Sebastiano did. He took care of all permits, negotiations with engineers &c, to an extent that I hadn't expected, which was a great relief. Sebastiano's plan included a modest addition to the footprint which didn't require a permit from Council, and greatly improved my ideas, making some notable additions. Most obvious amongst these was a large light well which opens the the rear of the house to light and provides a high ceiling in line with the roof pitch. This improves the interior space and helps to define the kitchen and living areas without sharply separating them. Now that the house is finished and I'm living in it, I greatly appreciate the simplicity, practicality, and livability of the design. Sebastiano has managed to create modern, spacious areas/volumes inside what is, by today's standards, a relatively small house. The play of light in the rear room(s) thru the light well is a real highlight, as is the plan and finishing of the kitchen/laundry area. All of this done without "periodising" the interior or making an in-your-face design statement (tho I guess one person's in-your-face is another's "meh"). What Sebastiano achieved was, I think, clean, simple, practical design with well thought through details of finish & treatment that fit the original style of the house and, most importantly, my partner's and my way of living. Throughout this part of the process, as elsewhere, Sebastiano managed to allay my tyro renovator's anxieties, provide helpful advice, meet deadlines, reassure me about the financial implications of the project, and to negotiate effectively with my builder. His reassurances helped me maintain at least the impression of humor and confidence throughout what, thru no fault of Sebastiano, turned out to be a very long build. As I mentioned, I also engaged Sebastiano to administer the contract with the builder. In this, I'm sure he went much beyond what I had a right to expect. He attended the site regularly, provided timely and accurate information and advice about the progress of the build. He fielded my ignorance, anxieties, vacillation, changes of mind, outrageous demands, and stupidity with reassuring calm. I always felt he was treating me respectfully, patiently, and more than fairly. He returned all my calls and emails within 24 hours, usually within an hour or two. His recommendations (he always provided some options) about fittings, finishes, and suppliers were invaluable and invariably better in terms of quality and price than anything I could find myself. I felt confident that it was speedier, more economical, and more beneficial to accept Sebastiano's recommendations than to waste time looking for alternatives. Sebastiano promptly and effectively negotiated some variations from the contracted plans and, throughout, tactfully managed the relationship between me and the builder. He had an eye for details and worked assiduously to maintain the standard of the build. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Sebastiano and SG2. He provided excellent plans that met my brief and exceeded my expectations. He worked well with me and the builder; kept the build well within budget; ensured the quality of the work and finishes; is patient and calm; communicates well; and was responsive, patient, and professional throughout the entire process.”

“We chose Anne as our Archicentre architect after seeing her work on Houzz. We made the right choice! Not only did she agree to work with us after other architects had said what we wanted to achieve (on our budget) was impossible, but she was able to give us exactly what we needed. She went above and beyond in helping us problem-solve a renovation of a very difficult floorplan on a tiny budget. She came to our house and sat down with us, then sent us multiple sketches and revisions, even updating her own ideas once new options occurred to her. The solution she came up with is wonderful and solved all our concerns, and we were able to manage it on our tight budget. We are almost finished with the renovation now and the amount of natural light, space, and functionality Anne's floorplan has given us is truly beautiful. We can't recommend her highly enough.”

“Fantastic! After having some thorough conversations with Mick and viewing previous work we established Moloney Architects were the firm for us. We have now been working with them for two years to create our dream home. They has been extremely generous with their time, flexible, enthusiastic and supporting through the different stages of the project. The expertise offered at all times keeps us confidant that we will be achieving the best result for us. They were great at designing a solution aimed at our budget, but still giving us the point of difference we were after. They really took all of our criteria into consideration. Can not speak highly enough of this practice. We have developed what we feel is a lasting friendship and are already talking about what our next project will be, we have enjoyed ourselves that much!”

“We have engaged Chadwick Architects on a number of occasions to help and guide us through concept development and the town planning process. Our projects with Chadwick Architects have involved renovations and extensions to our family homes. Chadwick Architects understood our brief, was keen to workshop different options and provided a number of concepts through the design process. They cleared articulated and explained the design rationale, optimising the design within the constraints of the site. On multiple projects, Chadwick Architects delivered a tailored architectural design package consistent with our brief. Throughout the process, Chadwick Architects were professional, added considerable value and were efficient with designs and plan amendments. Chadwick Architects were wonderful to work with, creative and their product exceeded our expectations. The quality and detail of the proposed plans made them easy to interpret and for us to see their vision. We will certainly consider Chadwick Architects again for a future project, and would highly recommend them to anyone”

“Shelley provided excellent professional services on my apartment renovation project including detail design advice, cost control and project management. She introduced a capable contractor enabling the work to be completed in 5 months in the extremely challenging Covid lock down period, an exceptional outcome. I strongly endorse Shelley as an architect of choice.”

“We engaged the Architecture Matters team to help us with the renovation and extension of a small 1930' house in the central highlands Victoria. Throughout the entire process we explored many design options coming up with a solution that would not only give a house double the size, but maximised the outdoor space of the corner block it sat on. We were delighted with the outcome!”

“We have been involved in two major residential projects with Eric, from Green Point Design, one a new build and the other a major renovation of a Victorian residence. As indicated by the fact we used Eric's services twice, we were extremely happy with both projects and in all our dealings with him and Green Point Design. He is an excellent communicator, as well as a good listener and unflappable in the face of change or challenges. He is both a creative and practical architect, committed to meeting the requirements of his clients and working alongside them in a partnership over the course of the project and beyond. His commitment to and knowledge of the environmental factors of building and design is immense and we are certainly reaping the rewards of a more sustainable house because of this. He was a pleasure to work with, always responding quickly to queries, unfailingly polite and respectful and a excellent working partner for builders and other professionals involved. I would recommend him highly.”

“Jenna is such a thoughtful and compassionate person and this translates into her work. Couldn't be happier working with Jenna and I am very happy with the outcome! Highly recommend working with Jenna to anyone!”

“We employed Studiomint to redesign our living area and bathroom, we have lived in the space for 18 years and it need a face lift. We fell in love with the concept plans and we put our trusted in Alla and her team at Studiomint run with all their recommendations. During construction Alla work with the guys on site with any queries and clarified every detail. Now everything is finished and all I can say is ............ WOW! We love our new space, thank you Studiomint”