Garage transformation in Wollongong, NSW

Situated in lush Figtree, this suburban home is surrounded by established natural beauty. And as for the property, it’s full of earthy charm; standing proudly on a sloping block still in its original 1970s brick cladding.
The homeowners’ main reason for this project was to establish a much-needed craft room and home office. As they had a large double garage that wasn’t being used, they couldn’t picture a better space to convert. All they needed was someone to make the renovation a reality.

Finding the right experts

Robyn, one of the homeowners, notes: “I knew exactly what I wished to happen but found it very difficult to get interest from local builders. They would either not reply to enquiries or come and look at the job but never get back to you.”
On the verge of giving up, their son came across the contact details of a Refresh Renovations specialist on a local project sign. Still hopeful in their search, they reached out to the specialist for assistance and were thrilled with her quick response to arrange a consultation.
“It was a really great experience,” says Robyn. “She understood exactly what we wanted to achieve, and when all the plans and specifications were complete, she came back to us for the finishes and fixtures to be chosen.”

Costing and timeline

Once the Refresh Renovations specialist and her renovation team developed the design and full scope of works, they were able to determine the costing and timeline.
Altogether, the project required $100k and 9.5 weeks of construction to complete. In this phase of project development, the homeowners hugely appreciated being given a final quote - especially as it didn’t change by the end of the project. 
On the contrary, a positive surprise was that the Refresh Renovations specialist and her renovation team managed to complete construction ahead of schedule. Instead of waiting out the expected timeline, the homeowners were able to enjoy their transformed space in a short eight weeks.

Making the garage habitable

Converting a garage into habitable space can pose some difficulties, especially when there’s little evidence of a waterproofing membrane under the current sub-structure.
This problem is precisely what the Refresh Renovations specialist and her renovation team came across. Consequently, the entire garage area and external walls required the application of a negative waterproofing membrane to keep water out. 
As part of the space was submerged underground level, this measure was essential for making the area a class 1A building, allowable for habitation.

The new additions

The renovation completely transformed their sizeable double garage into a comfortable space consisting of a craft room, utility/storage area, and home office. Notable features include the craft room’s Hafele cabinetry, Laminex benchtop, and luxurious vinyl flooring. 
During construction, it was essential to keep the homeowners updated on daily tasks and give them an easy way to communicate with the renovation team. They found this aspect particularly enjoyable with the help of Refresh Renovation’s client portal.
Robyn comments: “once the project commenced everything ran so smoothly. I was kept updated by the portal and knew exactly when things would be done.” 

A few more tweaks

Before the project wrapped up, the Refresh Renovations specialist and her renovation team undertook a few final internal works. 
These changes were all made inside a room adjacent to the garage and included restoration of the stairs, re-lining of the laundry, and brand new flooring. The outcome presented a modernised interior with an elegant colour palette.

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Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Renovation Specialist.