Builders At Your Service

  Builders at Your Service have been designing, building and project managing quality home extensions, renovations and new homes (custom designed) for Adelaide home owners for 30 years.   

[buildersatyourservice]

Planning Your Adelaide Home Extension

As specialist Adelaide home extension builders, clients often come to us for advice and to ask what they should be thinking about when they’re planning an extension to the family home.

One of the first questions we always ask is why you want to add an extension. The answers we get to this question are as diverse as Adelaide homeowners themselves!

Why do people need Adelaide home extensions?

For growing families, the need for extra bedrooms is often why they come to an Adelaide home extension builder, as they are looking for lifestyle solutions that don’t involve having to move entirely.

This will also often be the case as to why people engage us to build home theatres, to add a family room, or create additional living spaces — families need more room in which to grow, but at the same time they want to stay in their current homes and neighbourhood so as to avoid the upheaval and inconvenience of moving.

That’s where our experience as home extension builders comes in — we work with you to maximise the potential of your property so that it can better meet your changing lifestyle needs, and can do this in a variety of ways.

Increasing the value of the home is another of the most common reasons people cite when they come to us about adding an extension. Whether it’s in preparation for selling, or just to increase the worth of their investment, we are often asked about building Adelaide home extensions in order to make a property more enticing when it goes on the market, so that it’s ‘move in ready’.

In this case, our extensive knowledge of the housing industry in the northern suburbs of Adelaide (in particular Salisbury, Elizabeth and Gawler), means that we are able to share with you the benefit of our experience as to the most cost-effective way of increasing the value of your home.

What you need to think about when you’re planning an Adelaide home extension

The age of your home

If you live in a heritage or historic property, it’s important to be aware of the planning regulations with regard to adding a home extension. The process has, in some regard, been made easier but there are some challenges that you don’t encounter with a newer property.

There are specific requirements in place, for instance, in terms of how a new extension connects to the exisiting property. Planning requirements generally require Adelaide home extensions on heritage properties to be in sympathy with the existing structure, but not a direct copy i.e., an extension won’t be approved if it is trying to look like it is a part of the original building. It should, of course, be in keeping with the rest of your house but at the same time it needs to be clear that that any extension is precisely that — an addition, not an original feature.

This does present some design challenges, but we are highly experienced in building extensions on all types of character properties and can advise you as to what is possible and how it can be achieved. With newer homes, however, there are fewer restrictions in place and so there is generally more scope as to what you can do. Talk to us about the range of lifestyle solutions we can provide.

The location of your home

When it comes to building an Adelaide home extension, there are a couple of important factors to consider with regard to where your home is located.

The first of these is if your home is located on a sloping block. While this can present some challenges, it does also offer some wonderful design opportunities that with skilful and sensitive handling can add enormous character and features to your home. Whether it’s creating an elevated view, split-level floors, or adding extra natural light and ventilation, building an extension on a sloping block gives you the chance to enhance your living spaces as well as add value to your home.

We are highly experienced at building extensions in the north-east suburbs of Adelaide in particular, and so we can use our expertise to make the most of your property.

Some Adelaide suburbs can also be prone to bushfires, but we can help you to take the appropriate precautions so that a new extension is suitably bushfire resistant. This can be done through positioning any addition to your home so that it is located away from potentially hazardous scrub or trees, while also providing appropriate access for emergency vehicles.

We also employ building techniques that mitigate the risk of bushfire, and use bushfire resistant materials where appropriate. Speak to us about what you need to take into consideration if your property has a high bushfire attack level rating (BAL).

What kind of Adelaide home extension do you want to build?

When you’ve decided on why you need to build an Adelaide home extension, and taken account the location of your property, your next big decision is what kind of home extension will best meet your family’s lifestyle needs.

We specialise in all types of extensions and are always happy to help you decide on what will work best for you. Do you need more living space indoors, or are you looking to create an outdoor entertaining area? Would adding an additional storey make better use of the available space, rather than extending outwards? Would building a new kitchen or laundry, or adding an additional bathroom be the best way to free up space inside that you could use for other purposes?

If you know what you want, that’s great — we can help you turn your vision into reality. But if you’re not sure about what sort of home extension will work best for you, you can take advantage of our vast experience and we will be happy to advise you as to what is possible.

Call Gavan on 8281 6010 or email us to learn more.

[buildersatyourservice]

Why the northern suburbs of Adelaide are the best place for a family home

Recent research has been published that demonstrates what we at Builders At You Service have long known — namely that the northern suburbs of Adelaide are the best place in the greater metropolitan area for family housing.

In a report published by realestate.com, six of the top ten suburbs in Adelaide for families are in Adelaide’s north. In addition, information from the 2016 Census in Australia has shown that the City of Playford in the northern suburbs experienced South Australia’s fastest population growth. The number of people living in Playford grew from 80,000 in 2011 to 90,000 in 2016, which represents an increase of 13 per cent during the five-year period. Plus, with around 90% of properties in the area being detached houses and over 66% having three or more bedrooms, it’s easy to see why it’s a growing number of families with children that have accounted for this population boom.

So what is it that makes Adelaide’s northern suburbs so attractive to families?

Room to add a home extension

Hewett, which ranked number one in the report as having the most popular housing for families, is a good example of why many northern Adelaide suburbs have such great appeal. Census data reveals that Hewett has more children aged between 0-15 years per household than both the South Australian and Australian averages. It also shows that almost 100% of the dwellings in the area are detached houses with three or more bedrooms. In addition, there is an average block size in the region of around 800m2 meaning there is plenty of room to add a home extension if the family grows, whether it be an

outdoor living space

, additional bedrooms, or a home office.

Other northern Adelaide suburbs that ranked in the top ten in the family-friendly living survey include Angle Vale, Burton, Andrews Farm, Paralowie and Munno Para West. These too have a significant percentage of homes with three or more bedrooms, and as they are located on larger blocks than you’ll find in many other Adelaide suburbs, there is more scope for renovation and adding extensions to meet the changing needs of a family with kids.

Easy to access locations

Another reason for these areas’ popularity is the easy access they provide to major roads, making travel to and from the CBD and other parts of the city relatively quick and easy, particularly via the Northern Expressway, and so they tend to have more convenient road links than many other suburbs in Adelaide. The rail line running from Gawler to Adelaide is another popular travel option, with major interchanges at Salisbury and Mawson Lakes making commuting to work by train straightforward and affordable.

There is also well-established infrastructure and facilities in terms of schools, shopping and entertainment, with places like the Playford Shopping Centre (which has recently undergone a $250 million facelift) proving to be a hugely popular and accessible retail and leisure hub for much of the north of Adelaide.

More affordable for families

It’s also the case that family homes in Adelaide’s north are amongst the most affordable in the greater metropolitan area.

In December 2017, according to the State Government, the median house price in metropolitan Adelaide was $465,000. However, in Andrews Farm (City of Playford) the median value is $267,000 (Q4 2017), while elsewhere in Playford, it stands at $287,500 in Munno Para West. In the City of Salisbury, the median house price in Paralowie is $325,000 and $360,000 in Burton.

These more affordable house prices go some way to explaining why, according to the latest Census data (2016), there are more school-aged children in all of these suburbs than the average across both the state and the country. The homes here represent good value and, with the majority of properties being detached houses with three or more bedrooms, they are the perfect homes for families with children. They also tend to be on larger blocks of land than other Adelaide suburbs and so there is more scope for home renovations and extensions, so families have greater flexibility as to how they can adapt their homes to suit their lifestyles.

Your building specialists in the north of Adelaide

Located in Salisbury for more than thirty years, nobody knows the northern suburbs of Adelaide like Builders At Your Service. We are specialist home extension builders who have been helping families in the cities of Salisbury, Playford and Gawler and beyond to increase the value of their homes and improve their lifestyles for generations.

Call Gavan on [phone] or email us to find out more about adding a home extension or renovating your family home in Adelaide northern suburbs.

[buildersatyourservice]

Building a granny flat extension

A granny flat (technically known in planning jargon as Dependent Accommodation) is a great way of adding additional living space to your property. Of course, it doesn’t mean that a granny flat has to be used exclusively for the housing of an elderly relative — far from it! There are a multitude of different uses that it can be put to increase your living space and enhance your family’s lifestyle.

What makes a granny flat different to a home extension?

The key difference between a granny flat and other types of home extension is that a granny flat exists as a separate structure (although it nevertheless needs to be connected in some way to the main dwelling). Usually located in the back garden, granny flats are generally self-contained and will often include a kitchenette and bathroom. Obviously the precise design will depend on your specific needs, but a small bedroom and lounge/dining room can produce a compact yet comfortable living space. Therefore, rather than being a home extension in the conventional sense, a granny flat is a linked extension that is nevertheless a separate functional space detached from the rest of the house, with its own entrance and facilities.

Advantages of adding a granny flat extension

As the name suggests, granny flats are very often used for housing older family members who want to retain some independence, but are perhaps of an age or disposition where they need regular assistance and someone close at hand. They are a great way of providing light touch care so that some sense of independence can be retained, but with the added reassurance of having other family members always near by.

With our experience and expertise, we can ensure that any granny flat design takes into account the specific needs that elderly people may have in terms of easy accessibility and functionality, and we can include ramps and other mobility features as required.

Adding a granny flat extension can also make sense economically. For an older relative downsizing, for instance, it is a considerably cheaper alternative to buying or renting a unit, or going into a form of care facility, where the costs can be very high and are ongoing. There is also the added advantage that adding a granny flat adds overall value to your property.

A further benefit is that, unlike some other home extension projects, a granny flat can be constructed with minimal disruption to the rest of your home and so you can continue living largely as normal during the construction period.

Other uses for a granny flat

Despite the name, there are of course a multitude of purposes and uses for a granny flat beyond housing an older member of the family. For teenagers or older children, it provides an ideal way of giving them some independence while still being able to keep an eye on them. This also frees up extra living space in the main house for other purposes.

Likewise if you have children at university or in further education — they get the space they need to study in peace without being burdened by excessive rental or mortgage costs when they are just getting started on the road towards work and professional life. Similarly, a granny flat extension can also provide a useful stop-gap for older children saving to get on to the property ladder, while still enabling them to live a relatively independent lifestyle.

A granny flat can also be an ideal solution if you regularly have friends or family visiting from interstate or overseas. They have the ability to come and go as they need to without affecting the family’s regular routines, while you are still able to make the most of their visit by having them close by.

And of course, the concept of a space that is semi-detached from the house can also be translated into a range of other uses as well — home office, home theatre, studio, gym or exercise room, freeing up living space in your home for other purposes, such as an extra bedroom or a renovated and expanded living/dining area.

Can I add a granny flat extension in Adelaide?

There are some rules and regulations in place regarding adding a granny flat extension in Adelaide and these can, in some cases, vary from council to council. However, as we are highly experienced home extension builders, we understand the requirements and are used to working within the guidelines of different councils within the Adelaide metropolitan area. In most cases, however, the restrictions aren’t too onerous and permission is usually given, and we are happy to take on all aspects of a development application on your behalf.

If your property meets the following conditions, you should get approval to add a granny flat extension in Adelaide. Your block will need to be at least 600m2, while the floor area of the extension cannot exceed 60m2 (or 70% of the total area of your exisiting home). There also needs to be at least 100m2 of outdoor space available that is accessible to both dwellings. In addition, there needs to be on-site car parking available. In terms of design, your granny flat extension needs to be constructed from materials and in colours that are in keeping with the main dwelling, and it needs to be attached in some way to your home (through a pergola, verandah or something similar).

You also need to take into account where access to services are located on your property, like stormwater drains, easements and sewers, as this will have an impact on location, design and construction.

We are specialist Adelaide home extension builders

At Builders At Your Service, we offer consultation, design and construction services, and so can help you throughout the process of building a granny flat extension to your Adelaide home. We can engage with local councils on your behalf, and then design a home extension that meets all guidelines and regulations, as well as fulfilling your needs in terms of space and lifestyle expectations. Call Gavan on [phone] or get in touch via email and we can help you to make a start.

[buildersatyourservice]

New Trends in Adelaide Outdoor Living Spaces

With summer upon us here in Adelaide, it’s a good time to look at the some of the most recent trends that homeowners are incorporating into their outdoor living spaces. If you already have an entertaining area or outdoor kitchen that you are looking to enhance, or if you are thinking of adding a home extension to improve your home, here are some of the latest features that have become popular when renovating Adelaide homes and outdoor living spaces.

Removing the Indoor/Outdoor Divide

Increasingly, we have seen that when Adelaide homeowners are looking at adding an outdoor living area extension, they want to create a greater synergy between inside and out. The aim is to make the outdoor entertainment area an extension of the home rather than an additional or separate space, and for it to be just as comfortable and functional as the rooms and other areas inside the house. Going down this path gives you greater flexibility, as the outdoor area becomes more multi-purpose and more suitable for year-round use, while also increasing the overall living space of your home.

There are any number of ways in which you can achieve this, and as experts in Adelaide home extensions we can help you to design a space that gives you a seamless transition between inside and out.

Sliding, Folding and Stacking Doors

One of the most visually attractive yet practical ways of opening up your home to incorporate an outdoor living space is through the use of sliding doors, stacking panels or top-hung shutters.

Sliding doors tend to operate on a bottom rolling system, and are a practical and attractive way of opening up your home to provide easy access to the outdoor living area while at the same time giving you both protection from the elements when needed and home security, as they can be locked in order to prevent access from outside when you’re not at home.

Sliding doors offer great versatility, and can be customised in such a way to suit your design concept and access needs: for instance, you can create postless corners, where when the sliding doors are rolled back on either side, you get a completely uninterrupted view; and you can also choose timber frames or coloured aluminium to blend in with your design and colour scheme.

Another method of opening up your home to create an outdoor living space is through stacking panels. These are especially attractive in large, open doorways, as each panel rolls back to be stacked behind the others so that you have an entirely open space, and can be configured so that panels either all slide in the one direction, or to either side to create a central opening. Again, there are a variety of frame styles available to suit your home extension ideas, including glass panels or wooden slats to create a shutter finish.

One of the most popular Adelaide home extension ideas at the moment is the use of top-hung sliding shutters. These can create a unique look, as the top-hung system can accommodate doors and shutters made from a variety of materials, including timber, aluminium and MDF. This means that you have a number of design options available, from classic wooden frames to a modern industrial look, depending on the age and character of your home. The top-hung system allows you to opt for a single panel or two panels that part either way, and these sorts of sliding shutters are ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

Folding shutters and doors are also an attractive way of making sure your outdoor extension looks good, while also giving you flexibility as to how much of the space you open up at any one time. The advantage that folding shutters and doors have is that even in a large space, you can fold back just one or two panels to create a conventional doorway, or fold them all back to create a completely open space.

Fly Screens and Screen Doors

We may all love an outdoor living space, but that doesn’t mean that we want to make it open house for every mosquito and flying insect the Adelaide summer brings out! But while the good old fashion fly screen or screen door may be a necessity for an outdoor living space, this doesn’t mean you have to accept an old-fashioned look.

For instance, pleated and retractable fly screen doors are contemporary in design and ideally complement sliding, folding and stacking doors as they can be configured in such a way that they can cover even the largest open space. They can also be installed where you have postless corner spaces, so your uninterrupted view is not diminished.

Low-maintenance Decking

Composite decking that is low maintenance and less prone to degradation is also a popular choice for many homeowners building an extension in Adelaide. This gives you the timber finish that so many people enjoy, but without the need for maintenance like re-painting and re-staining. It is also free from attack by termites and mould, and doesn’t split in the way that timber decking can do. If your verandah or patio gets a lot of hard wear and tear, or is exposed to the elements, then a composite decking might be a good alternative.

Fire Pits and Fire Tables

Fire pits have become a popular feature in many Adelaide home extensions, as they can be a real focal point and give your outdoor living space added character, coming as they do in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Fire tables are a variation on this theme, and as they come in a huge range of styles and materials, they give you great design flexibility, especially in the warmer summer months when they can act as an additional table space. However, you need to check the EPS regulations as to what you can burn in a fire pit, as there is some confusion as to when you can or cannot use coal or wood.

Using Concrete as a Design Feature

Increasingly in contemporary home extensions in Adelaide, concrete is being used as a design feature. It’s durable and comes in a variety of forms and finishes, meaning it can be utilised in a range of different ways to create an ultra-modern, semi-industrial look. We have found that a number of homeowners are choosing finished concrete over tiles and pavers because it’s both easier to maintain and also lends itself to creating unique or bespoke design concepts.

Your Adelaide Home Extension Builders

As one of Adelaide’s most experienced home extension builders, we can help you to design and create an outdoor living space that is ideal for you and your family. Specialising in building extensions and renovations in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, we can take care of every aspect of your home extension project, from initial concepts right through to completion. Call Gavan on [phone] or get in touch via email and we can help you to create the perfect outdoor living space to help you get the most out of a South Australian summer

[buildersatyourservice]

Why Adelaide Homeowners are Renovating and What Do They Want?

The reasons why homeowners want to renovate their Adelaide homes, and what they expect from their renovations, is something that is naturally of great interest to us!

Although there are no definitive answers, our long experience as Adelaide home renovation builders, combined with some recent research into the home renovation industry across Australia, goes some way to revealing the answers as to why so many homeowners are opting to improve rather than move, and which parts of the home are most likely to be the target of a makeover.

Who is renovating in Adelaide?

The short answer to this is, a lot of people. In 2016, more than 60% of Australian homeowners undertook some form of home renovation, and this growing trend shows no signs of abating — it’s estimated that the amount spent nationwide on home renovations will reach $33.2 billion annually by 2018-19.

Interestingly, 26% of the homeowners who undertook renovations in 2016 had been in their home less than twelve months, compared to 14% who had lived in their property for more than five years. This indicates something that we have also found at Builders At Your Service, namely that one of the primary motivations for undertaking a home renovation is in order to make a newly-purchased property ‘your own’, and this reflects many new homeowners’ desire to personalise their living spaces in a way that suits and reflects their family and lifestyle, and allows them to express their own taste as opposed to that of the previous owner.

There is some further interesting research data that also confirms our experience as specialist renovations builders in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. For instance, 21% of home renovations nationally are carried out on properties built between 1961-1980, while on houses constructed between 1981-2000, that figure rose to 27%.

For areas in the north of Adelaide, particularly Elizabeth and Salisbury and the surrounding suburbs, the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were boom building periods, with the vast majority of the properties in these areas being constructed during these years. As those homes, however, are seldom still in the possession of the original owners, and are often bought today by young families making their way on the housing ladder, renovation is undertaken by the new owners to update these properties (particularly the bathrooms and kitchens, as these are the living spaces that seem to show their age most quickly and dramatically), and to add the personal, individual touch.

Why are Adelaide homeowners renovating?

The recent research, plus our own experience, reveals that there a number of reasons behind the growing desire to renovate rather than uproot — apart from the enormous popularity of the seemingly never-ending stream of home renovation shows that dominate the TV schedules!

Firstly, despite wanting to give their house a facelift, a lot of people are simply very attached to their current home or block of land, and have no desire to go elsewhere. Allied to this, another frequent driving force behind the choice to renovate was shown to be a desire to stay in the same neighbourhood, with 33% of Australians citing this as the reason why they are undertaking home improvements rather than moving.

We have also found this to be the case with many of our clients for whom we have undertaken home renovations in Adelaide. Whether it’s the convenience of getting to work, the proximity of kids’ schools, the cachet attached to your address, or simply that people have built up a network of friends and neighbours that they don’t want to leave, families form very strong bonds with the Adelaide suburbs in which they live, and want to maintain these, even if their circumstances are now such that their house as it currently stands isn’t meeting all of their lifestyle needs. In this case, a home renovation or extension gives them the best of both worlds, a mixture of the familiar and the new.

A desire to combine both history and contemporary comforts is also the reason why homeowners with period or heritage homes often want to renovate as well. While a late 19th- or early 20th-century cottage, like you find in some parts of Salisbury and further north in Gawler, may be beautifully proportioned and solidly constructed, few people today are really that keen on century-old ablutions or cooking facilities. However, a sensitive and well-designed renovation of these essential spaces can mean that you retain your modern comforts without detracting from the overall integrity and period feel of the house.

Another driver that came out of the research was that for many homeowners, the relative costs involved in renovating their existing property were substantially lower than the costs (and hassles!) associated with buying another property and then moving (stamp duty is a particular barrier for many when it comes to considering a move, especially in high-demand residential suburbs). In many cases, it simply makes more economic sense for homeowners to undertake a home renovation, or to add an extension, rather than sell.

Of course, for many homeowners, the decision to renovate may be a purely practical one, as your home’s structural integrity may have deteriorated due to age or the effects of sea air, or suffered damage as a result of termites or other pests. Recent research suggested that these or similar reasons were the motivating factor behind about 15% of home renovations across Australia, and this would seem to correspond with our experience as well.

How much do people really DIY?

Apparently, not as much as we are led to believe by TV and advertising. According to research carried out by Houzz, 89% of homeowners who undertake renovations call on the assistance of a professional to get the job done. And it tends to be specialist home renovation builders (like us!) who are most commonly used, with 21% of renovation work undertaken by builders, followed by kitchen designers and interior designers.

The reasons why people prefer a professional to DIY, as revealed by the research, is the quality of the result, the ability to complete the job according to the budget, and the expertise of qualified builders to find and use the right products and materials to suit the specific needs of the work.

What and where are we renovating?

As we have been in the Adelaide home extension building business for so long, and worked on so many projects, the results of the research as to which areas of the house are most frequently renovated came as no surprise to us, with the top five being kitchen, living/family room, bedroom, bathroom and laundry room.

With kitchens, bathrooms and laundries, the desire to renovate these is more often than not driven by a pressing need to modernise, in terms of the decor, layout, and appliances — or often all three. A kitchen can show its age very quickly, due to the fact that it gets a lot of heavy-duty use, while those designed and built in earlier times very often don’t have a layout suited to a modern lifestyle, nor the room to accommodate the greater number of appliances that we have all become used to. Interestingly, as well as being the room that is most commonly updated, we have also found that the kitchen is also the first room that new owners want to renovate, and that personalisation of this central living space, so that it accommodates how you and your family live, is almost always the first priority.

However, bathrooms aren’t far behind. Again, they can also age very quickly, especially with regard to colour schemes (some 1970s bathrooms were truly awful!), and as they come in for a lot of use and abuse, they can look very tired in no time at all. Also, lifestyles have changed and, while the old-fashioned stand-alone bath is making a comeback, there has been a big shift in bathroom design towards a much more contemporary, sleeker look, incorporating bigger and better showers, stand-alone sinks (as opposed to the old vanity unit) and a generally less cluttered feel. For this reason, our experience absolutely corresponds with the research that says a major renovation priority in Adelaide homes is almost always the bathroom.

Your experienced Adelaide home renovation builders

Whatever your motivation for renovating — a desire to stay in your current neighbourhood, the cost of moving, or you have bought a house and you want to turn it into your own home — we can advise and guide you every step of the way. With our extensive experience and knowledge of the Adelaide housing industry, we can plan and build a home renovation that meets your family’s needs precisely.

Call Gavan at Builders At Your Service on [phone], or email us to find out more,

[buildersatyourservice]

Added Security For Your New Home Extension

When you add a new extension to your home, during the planning stage you should be thinking of the ways in which you can keep your new addition — and the rest of your property — secure. More doors that open to the outside and more windows do, unfortunately, mean more opportunities for intruders, and so it naturally pays to consider what you can do to make your home as safe and secure as possible.

We have some suggestions for ways to add security to your new Adelaide home extension, and can advise you on how to get the best value and the most protection for your home and family.

Roller Shutters for Windows and Doors

Roller shutters on your windows and doors are an effective and cost-efficient way of achieving high levels of home security, as they provide both a visual deterrent and a physical barrier to would-be intruders.

Roller shutters are very strong and manufactured from high-grade aluminium so as to be able to withstand significant force. They are further strengthened by being constructed using a system of interlocking slats, and feature an internal locking mechanism that locks your roller shutter firmly in place when it’s closed and prevents it from being forced open. However, unlike security grilles or bars, you can also open roller shutters fully so that windows can be easily cleaned and maintained.

In addition, many insurance companies recommend roller shutters as a means of creating more effective home security, and in some cases can even make a difference to the cost of the insurance premiums that you pay.

There are some further advantages that come with roller shutters as well. They can help to protect the glass in windows and doors from storm damage, as well as improve your energy efficiency and reduce your electricity use, while BAL40 roller shutters can also give your home added protection if you live in a bushfire-prone area of Adelaide. Roller shutters are also very easy to use, with remote control versions making operation quick and simple.

Window Grilles

Window grilles are strong and durable, and can provide a solid barrier to would-be intruders, as well as a visual deterrent. The best window security grilles are constructed with a heavy-duty aluminium frame and have corner stakes and three-point locks, all of which are operated by a single key. This means that your grille is locked in place at the top, bottom and in the middle, making it able to withstand a great deal force so it can’t be caved in, as well as strong enough to resist any attempts to force it open with a crowbar or other tools.

The mesh in window grilles is generally available in single- or double-diamond patterns, and this means it can’t be cut or smashed in. You can also opt for one-way vision mesh, allowing you to see out but which can’t be seen through from the outside, so in the summer months you can have the windows on your home extension open but still retain your privacy. Window grilles also give you the ability to have windows open when it’s warm without having to worry about being inundated by mosquitoes and other insects.

You can also get customised window grilles in a variety of colours, so they can be designed to suit any style of home extension.

Security Screen Doors

Security screen doors are an effective way of not only enhancing your home security, but also increasing comfort levels, as they enable you to have doors open during the summer months so that air can circulate, while at the same time keeping the insects at bay and your property safe from intruders.

AS5039 is the standard to which Adelaide security screen doors should adhere if they are to provide adequate security and protection for your home. This Australian Standard covers the quality of the materials, and overall strength and integrity. Installing a security screen door on your home extension that meets AS5039 means that you can be sure of having a high quality product that is well-made and fulfils its function of providing an effective barrier.

However, the proper installation of a security screen door is just as important, and as experienced Adelaide home extension builders we ensure that strong fastenings and hinges are used when we install security screen doors to ensure their overall strength and effectiveness, meaning they can resist attempts to prise them open and are able withstand substantial force.

We can install variety of different security screens, including sliding doors, to suit your home extension and lifestyle.

Adelaide Home Extension Builders

As experts in building extensions for all types of Adelaide homes, talk to us about the added security you can gain by installing roller shutters, window grilles and security screen doors on any addition to your property. Call Gavan on [phone] or email us to learn more.

[buildersatyourservice]

Adding an extension in a bushfire-prone area of Adelaide

Sadly, South Australia has a traumatic history of catastrophic bushfires. As a result, there are very clear rules and regulations in place when it comes to building in a bushfire prone area in suburban Adelaide, which are set out in Australian Standard (AS 3959).

In Adelaide and across South Australia, residential and commercial districts are classified as being in areas that are at general, medium or a high risk from bushfires. There are further classifications within these broad categories, known as bushfire attack levels (BAL), and these relate to how likely it is during a bushfire that a building will be exposed to direct flame, radiant heat or ember attack. These are:

BAL-LOW — very low risk

BAL-12.5 — low risk

BAL-19 — moderate risk

BAL-29 —high risk

BAL-40 — very high risk

BAL-FZ — extreme risk (Flame Zone)

You can contact the CFS for clarification if you are unsure of the BAL of your property.

Depending on which part of Adelaide your home is located in and its BAL classification, there are building criteria that must be adhered to if you are building a new home or adding an extension to your existing property.

Therefore, it is important to work with an experienced Adelaide home extension builder who understands the needs of homeowners building in bushfire-prone areas, and can provide solutions that will make your home more resistant to bushfires, should the worst happen.

A well-constructed home extension that is built with bushfire resistance measures in place can give you, your family and your possessions some greater protection in the event of a fire, as well as reducing the risks for those involved in rescue and emergency services, and the costs of the clean up afterwards.

How we can help you to ensure that your home extension is more bushfire resistant

As an experienced Adelaide home extension builder, Builders At Your Service can advise you about the requirements for building in a bushfire-prone area during the planning stages of your home extension, as well as employing building techniques and materials that will help to make any addition to your home more bushfire resistant.

Positioning a home extension It is important to take into consideration the location of any new extension to your house or business premises with regard to how close it is to any hazardous vegetation, and in which direction from the property any scrub or trees are located.

Any home extension in a bushfire-prone area also needs to provide sufficient room for emergency vehicles to manoeuvre, and easy access for firefighting crews. 


Bushfire resistant building techniques and materials One of the most important elements of any home extension built in a bushfire-prone area is putting measures in place to protect it from flying sparks and embers that can lead to ignition. For instance, ensuring that there are covers under any eaves, that wooden posts on decking or patios have metal shoes, and fly screens are made of metal and wire. 


In addition, flooring in a home extension should either be a concrete slab, a suspended concrete floor (if you are located on a sloping block) or, if there is a framed floor with space underneath, this should be protected with a non-combustible material on the underside.

The external walls of any home addition in a bushfire prone area of Adelaide should be either timber or steel framed with sarking installed, or have an external leaf of masonry, concrete or earth wall.

Windows should have a corrosion-resistant steel or bronze mesh screen, with a 2mm aperture, while external doors should have weather strips, and also be screened in corrosion-resistant steel or bronze mesh screen, with an aperture of 2mm. The same sort of screen should also be applied to vents and weepholes.

Roof coverings should be constructed from fibre-reinforced cement or metal sheets, with all gaps under corrugations sealed or protected by sarking, while any eaves or fascias should be sealed with a non-combustible material, as should vent pipes.

If you have a verandah or decking, or any sort of timber outdoor living space, then all posts and columns need to be constructed from non-combustible materials or, if they are timber, they need to be mounted on metal stirrups and have a clearance of at least 75mm above the ground.

Speak to our team of experienced Adelaide builders

At Builders At Your Service, we have been building Adelaide home extensions for more than thirty years, and so we are experienced in building in all types of bushfire-prone areas across the metropolitan area. If you live in an area that is at general, high or medium risk of bushfire, you can benefit from our expert advice when it comes to planning and building your new extension. Call us on 8281 6010 or email us to learn more.

[buildersatyourservice]

Your Own Adelaide Home Theatre

As we increasingly have more and more options for home entertainment as new technology becomes more affordable, combined with the fact that Adelaide homes are getting larger at the expense of gardens and other outdoor spaces, creating a home theatre has become an ever more popular lifestyle choice.

Whether it’s adding a new extension to create a home cinema, or renovating an existing space to turn it into a multi-purpose media room, we can help you to plan and design a home theatre that’s right for you and your family.

Renovating or Extending to Create a Home Cinema

Many Adelaide homeowners have taken the opportunity when building a home extension to create a home cinema — a dedicated space given over to streaming and watching movies, playing games, and other forms of electronic entertainment. These work best as a separate room where you can create the ideal environment for viewing, and there are many design features to consider when it comes to creating your own home cinema.

For instance, you might want to go the whole way and install a projector and motorised screen, along with ceiling and wall speakers to get the full surround sound effect. If this is the case, it’s important to factor these elements in during the design stage of your project. Allowing for a sufficiently large screen, and being able to position it at the right height and angle for maximum viewing comfort is essential, and you also need to factor in the distance from the screen your projector needs to be to obtain a crisp, clear image.

Lighting is also especially important. If you decide to go for the full cinema effect and install a projector system, for instance, you will want the room to be as dark as possible, and so in the design of your home extension you might consider only including a small window or skylight that, if possible, is not in direct sunlight. This will avoid there being annoying glare on the screen and create a more cinematic feel, especially during the day. The choice of wall colour can also have an effect, and so essentially the darker you go, the better.

You might also want all of the lighting in the room to be able to be controlled from the one place, ideally a remote control, and have dimmer capabilities. This is why planning ahead as to the style and positioning of your lighting is so important, as it’s best if any special wiring required for this purpose can be accommodated during the building phase, rather than retrospectively.

Wiring is also important if you want to make cinematic surround sound a feature, with speakers located around the space and/or in the ceiling. For this to be effective and efficient, the number of speakers and where they are to be situated needs to be considered in advance so that the appropriate cabling and wiring can be put in place during the build.

Allied to this is the question of sound insulation. There’s no point having an elaborate, cinema style sound system if you can't use it to its full potential for fear of disturbing the rest of the house or the neighbours. If you are contemplating a home cinema extension, then sound absorbing wall insulation is essential so that you can enjoy maximum volume with minimal disturbance to others. Wall-to-wall carpet will also help in this regard, as will installing only small windows and solid doors.

Some Adelaide cinema fanatics even go as far as to install theatre-style tiered or raised seating to ensure that everyone in their home cinema gets the best possible view. If this is the effect you are after, this naturally needs to be incorporated during the design stage as it will present some unusual challenges during the building of your extension or when renovating the space.

You might also want to consider including a space for a fridge or mini bar, to make sure you and your guests don't have to go too far to stay stocked up on snacks and drinks.

Turn a Living Room into a Media Room

For many families, having an entire space dedicated to watching movies and TV or playing games might be impractical, but that doesn't mean that you can’t create a multi-purpose media room to make the experience of coming together to enjoy your favourite films and shows more enjoyable.

The main difference between these two types of home theatre spaces is that, regardless of whether it is a new extension or a renovation, a media room will likely double as one of the main living and entertainment areas in your home, and so the design requirements will be different.

Nevertheless, the typical Adelaide home media room will include features such as a large, flat screen TV (maybe wall mounted), a high quality sound system and a variety of comfortable seating options, enough to accommodate both the family and guests when you entertain. The key is flexibility, however, as there will be times when you want to use the room for other purposes, and so a versatile, well thought-out design is essential.

This versatility will be evident in the use of both artificial and natural light, for instance. While you want a home cinema to be as dark as possible, a multi-purpose media room will more likely be used in different ways, and so needs to be designed to allow natural light in when desired, but also to block out light when necessary.

Similarly, the screen will not always be the focus in your home theatre media room, as you will use the space for a variety of purposes, and so it needs to be set up so that you have greater flexibility when it comes to arranging furniture, and other fixtures and fittings.

Your design and decor aims will also be different with a media room when compared to a dedicated home cinema. While the latter is a stand alone feature, a media room located in a main living area will need to be decorated in such a way that it’s compatible with and complements the design and style of the rest of your home.

Speak to Us About Your Home Theatre Renovation or Extension

As specialist Adelaide home renovation and extension builders, we can help you design and create your own home theatre space. Whether you’re looking to create a whole new home cinema experience, or want to renovate an existing space into a versatile media room, we have the experience and expertise to turn your vision into reality. Call us on [phone] or email Gavan at [email protected] to find out what Builders At Your Service can do for you.

[buildersatyourservice]

Design Your Ideal Adelaide Home Office

Recent research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that about 1.3 million people in Australia work primarily from home, with another 2.2 million bringing work home on a regular basis. This means that, overall, around 1 in 3 people in Adelaide are using their homes as work or office spaces in one capacity or another.

For some, working from home is a way of avoiding a lengthy or time-consuming commute every day; others like to combine working both at home and at the office as a way of achieving a better work-life balance and managing childcare and family commitments; while for some Australians, bringing work home is a necessary evil, as the demands on their time mean they can’t keep on top of everything during a conventional eight-hour working day.

Regardless of the reasons why your home also doubles as your office, or the amount of time you spend working at home, for most people sitting at the kitchen table or on the sofa with your laptop on your knees isn't a long-term, viable solution. Anyone using their home as a workspace needs somewhere that is practical and comfortable, and that also blends in with the look and feel throughout the rest of the house.

Home Office Renovations and Extensions

To create the ideal Adelaide home office, it may be a case of redesigning and re-configuring an existing living space in order to create a place to work, or you might be in the position of being able to add a home extension that gives you a discrete, dedicated place to work from.

Using the space Effectively using the space available to you is the key to creating a functional, yet attractive, home office. However, achieving this doesn’t necessarily require enormous amounts of room — even the smallest space can, with good design, intelligent re-modelling and the expertise of an experienced home renovation builder, incorporate a work space. It’s a matter of deciding where you want to locate your home office, and then how you can make the most of what you have.

A multi-purpose space should be designed differently to a room that is only an office; for instance, if your work area is located in a spare bedroom, you need to decide whether it’s going to be primarily an office or a place for guests, as this will influence how it’s configured, particularly with regard to shelving and storage. You may also want to think about including a screen or panel glides as a way of effectively demarcating the space. If the space for your home office is unusually shaped or particularly confined, such as in a hall, wall recess or under the stairs, we can help you to create design solutions that will mean you are using every bit of space constructively.

And no matter what sort of work you do at home, or where in the house you do it, a desk or workstation is likely to be a central component. Where a desk is situated is crucial to the design of any home office, especially one that’s created out of a confined or small space, as there may not be any alternative as to where it’s positioned once your home office renovation is complete, so plan for this carefully in the design stage. There is also quite a vogue today for stand-up and adjustable height desks, so if you already have or are considering one of these, plan ahead so this can be accommodated too.

If you are in the position of being able to add an extension to your Adelaide home and in so doing create a new office from scratch, with our experience as home extension builders we can help you to design a workspace that meets all your needs, blends in with the rest of your home, and is also energy efficient.

Lighting The lighting in a home office is a crucial consideration. If you are having a new office space built as part of a home extension, or creating one out of existing living space as part of a home renovation, finding ways to utilise natural light is essential, whether it’s a window, a glass or sliding door, or a skylight.

For those who put in long hours during the day at their desk, working with natural light is helpful not only for state of mind and well-being, but it’s also very important financially — especially with South Australian power bills now rising to become the highest in the world. As the home office worker not only uses power in the evening when the family is all at home, but also throughout the day as well, any way that natural light can be incorporated into your design to cut down on electricity use during the working day certainly makes good economic sense. Having a view beyond the confines of your work space, through a window or door, is also important when you’re putting in those long hours.

However, home offices have other very specific lighting demands as well. For those working at desks and on computers, direct overhead lighting that doesn't throw shadows across your keyboard or screen is extremely helpful. This may also need to be supplemented with a desk or standard lamp if you need extra illumination, or if your home office is located in a shared space in your house where others at times may not appreciate your having the main overhead lighting on. It is also important to bear in mind when you’re planning your lighting configuration that there is always enough light on your desk or workspace when the rest of the house is dark, as many home workers aren't always on the job during conventional business hours and so work into the night.

Storage The biggest downfall in most home offices is that there is not enough storage space, and so papers, files, etc., soon spread from the desk, to the floor, to other rooms… But at the same time, many people work from home to escape the confines of the conventional office, so are filing cabinets and other business storage solutions really appropriate?

Instead, when you are planning a home office extension or renovation, try to incorporate into your design built-in storage that avoids the intrusive corporate look. Talk to us abut how to plan and use storage effectively, and in such a way that it not only meets your current needs but can incorporate further expansion as well, so that the problem of not having enough room doesn’t come up again as soon as you get settled.

A different sort of problem can also arise if your home office is located in shared space, such as in a spare bedroom or as part of the central living area. If this is the case, you should consider shelving and storage with doors so that papers and files, etc., can be closed away and therefore out of sight of visitors — or away from the curious hands of young children!

As home office renovation experts, we can design and build tailor-made storage solutions, like floor-to-ceiling shelving, cupboards and bookshelves, that help you to make the most of every available centimetre of space.

Power points and phone points A home office is likely to need a greater number of power points than other rooms in the house to accommodate a PC or laptop, printer, phone, desk lamp, etc. Therefore, when you’re designing your home office space, plan where it will be most efficient for these to go so that you can avoid the need to have cables and extension cords trailing all over the place, as these not only clutter up the space but also pose a safety risk as well.

Adelaide Home Extension and Renovation Experts

If you’re looking to create the ideal Adelaide home office, whether you’re renovating an existing space or building a separate extension, talk to us. We have been renovating and adding extensions to homes in Adelaide for more than thirty years, and have the experience and expertise to help you make the most of the space you have available and create a work environment that you will make you glad you’re not in the office! You can call us on 8281 6010 or email us to find out more.

[buildersatyourservice]

Make the Most of the Space in your Laundry

Although laundries can be often overlooked when considering an Adelaide home renovation, they are spaces where a renovation incorporating efficient design and space-saving devices can have a significant lifestyle impact. And while laundries are largely functional spaces, there are nevertheless design options that will not only improve how effectively you utilise the space you have available, but also how the room looks and feels.

What do you use your laundry for?

When space is at a premium in your home, the laundry often becomes much more than just the place where the washing is done. Ironing, storage, housing an additional fridge or freezer, or a place to keep outdoor clothes and gardening tools are some of the uses the average laundry gets put to, and this is why when you come to renovate you should be looking at smart ways to accommodate all of these additional functions.

How much space do you have available?

Is your laundry an entirely separate room, or is it instead an alcove situated off the bathroom or kitchen? In some Adelaide homes, the laundry space is essentially a large cupboard, kept out of sight by sliding or bi-fold doors. Whatever the set up, through thoughtful design and the use of modern space-saving features, you can always make more of the area that you do have.

Tips for your laundry renovation

Any laundry renovation — even of the smallest space — needs to take into account the room’s many features and functions. For instance, you need to think about how much storage space you actually need, whether you want to include hanging space for clothes, how you can incorporate laundry hampers, and where the ironing board is kept.

There are also plenty of options available to you when it comes to fixtures and fittings, such as the lighting you need, the bench tops you have installed, the troughs and taps you feature, and the sort of floor you opt for. All of this means that a laundry renovation, just like when you update the look of any other room in the house, should give you food for thought beyond the purely functional.

If you’re looking at renovating the laundry in your Adelaide home, here are some tips and suggestions to consider:

The space If you have a small, single wall laundry area that is situated off your kitchen or bathroom, you will naturally need to be creative to make the most of the limited space that you have; however, even if you have a larger, dedicated laundry room, you will still need to incorporate some innovative features to maximise the room’s potential.

If you laundry space is not a discrete room, but is rather located off of the kitchen or bathroom, or is situated against a wall or in a recess on a landing or passage way, then a renovation that includes folding or sliding doors (available in a variety of styles) will keep the laundry facilities enclosed and out of sight when not being used.

Alternatively, in some Adelaide homes a larger, galley-style laundry space can be combined with a butler’s pantry to create a multipurpose storage room. These sorts of bigger laundry spaces can in fact be opened up rather than hidden away, so that they become design features.

Splashbacks Splashbacks can be a significant design feature in a renovated laundry, and as well as being practical they can set the tone for the look and feel of the space. Glass splashbacks are a popular choice for Adelaide homeowners, as are ceramic tiles, which are available in a huge range of styles and patterns. Stainless steel can also be an eye-catching choice, especially if you’re renovating in an ultra-contemporary style.

Sinks Modern laundries can accommodate and are well-suited to a variety of sink and trough types. Most commonly, you’ll find a single bowl drop-in sink, although undermount sinks and double bowls are also commonly installed. Ultimately, the type of sink you choose will be dependent both on the plumbing you have and your design intentions.

Stacked washer and dryer Having both a clothes dryer and a washing machine, while highly desirable, can take up a significant amount of floor space. The most straightforward solution is to opt for a stacked washer and dryer set up, where your tumble dryer is mounted on the wall. When you’re renovating a laundry, this space-saving feature naturally needs to be incorporated during the design and planning stage.

Floors One way in which you can personalise an otherwise plain laundry space is through the floor surface that you choose. Tiles in a variety of media, such as ceramics, slate and porcelain, are popular because of their practicality and the design options they provide. Polished concrete is also becoming widely used, while a more upmarket space may be enhanced by marble tiles.

Lighting The importance of lighting in a laundry shouldn't be overlooked, especially if it’s also a space where you iron, sort and fold clothes, or use for storage. Downlighting gives both a contemporary look as well as focussing the light where you need it most, while the position of the laundry in many Adelaide houses at the back of the property, opens up the possibility of installing a window to increase the amount of natural light in the room.

Cabinets The style of cabinets and cupboards that you instal in your laundry can really personalise the look and feel of the space. There are a wide variety of door and handle types that you can choose, such as contemporary flat panels or heritage-style shaker panels, and these really liven up the look of an otherwise plain broom closet or linen cupboard.

Benchtops The bench tops in Adelaide laundries tend to see a lot of service, and so they need to be durable and practical, as well as fitting in with the rest of the room. Laminate is a straightforward and popular choice, because it’s so easy to keep clean and maintain, although wood or granite benchtops can add a more decorative look, while still being functional.

Laundry hampers Clothes that are piled up waiting to be washed can be an unsightly mess, so any laundry renovation should have as a priority laundry hampers that help you to keep them out of sight. Hampers come in a variety of forms, all designed to be both discreet and space savers — for instance, you can choose door-mounted or closet-mounted built-in hampers which come with either a pull-out or tilt-out function, depending on the space available to you.

Ironing boards For a piece of household equipment that might be used relatively infrequently, an ironing board can take up a disproportionate amount of space, even if it folds up. When you plan a laundry renovation, you should therefore consider an ironing board that is hidden away in a drawer or cupboard, or installed against the wall, and can be folded down or expanded when needed and then tucked away again when not in use.

Hanging rails Whether you want somewhere to store your freshly-ironed shirts, or just some additional storage room, clothes rails are a very useful feature to incorporate into any laundry renovation. These can be ceiling mounted, or along the bottom of wall-mounted cabinets, and can give you a surprising amount of additional space.

Adelaide Laundry Renovation Specialists

At Builders At Your Service, we are Adelaide home renovation builders with extensive experience in all types of home improvement projects, including laundries, and we bring our expertise to bear on renovations of all types, and on all sorts of properties. Call us on 8281 6010 or email us to find out more about sprucing up your laundry space.

[buildersatyourservice]

Building A Home Extension on a Sloping Block in Adelaide

Many of Adelaide’s north-eastern suburbs, centred around the City of Tea Tree Gully, lay at the base of the Adelaide foothills and so there is no shortage of homes here built on sloping blocks. It is not uncommon for properties in suburbs like St Agnes, Banksia Park and Redwood Park to have been built on blocks with significant gradients, and this has led to some creative and innovative design solutions over the years. Many of these sloping blocks are also irregularly shaped, so as to provide sufficient room for house building when the newer north-eastern suburbs were being developed in the 1970s and 1980s.

Adelaide’s north-east has always been a popular place to live because suburbs like Fairview Park, Ridgehaven and Golden Grove provide a great range of established and new family-style homes that come with decent sized gardens front and back. These sorts of properties always been an attractive proposition for families because they also have the potential to be extended as young families grow and their needs change.

For homeowners living in properties on sloping blocks here and in areas like Salisbury Heights, Wynn Vale, Holden Hill and the Modbury Triangle (which includes Modbury Heights and Modbury North), while there is scope for creating great views and incorporating innovative design elements when you add a home extension, steep or uneven land and irregular block shapes can also present some challenges when it comes to extending by adding extra rooms or an outdoor living space. That’s why you need to make sure that you talk to a builder experienced in extending suburban homes situated on sloping blocks.

Advantages of Building an Extension on a Sloping Block

A room with a view

When designed and built with imagination, a home extension on a sloping block can provide unique opportunities for creating an elevated view. Incorporating a balcony, a patio or panoramic windows into your extension allows you to take full advantage of your location, and so any design for a home addition should ideally make the most of any slope and the space you have available, especially if your block is unconventionally shaped, as these features can enable you to create some stunning vistas.

Split-level living

You can also take advantage of the shape and dimensions of a sloping block to create split-level living. By intelligently making use of the gradient, different areas of the house can become situated on different levels, and this can create a greater sense of space, as well as giving you the potential to incorporate a range of unique features.

Because this sort of extension may include steps to take you from one part of the house to another, as well as different ceiling heights, entirely separate living areas can effectively be created on the different levels. Upper story extensions and additions can also be accommodated on sloping blocks, further allowing for separate living spaces to be created.

Natural light and ventilation

Using the shape and slope of your block to create a split-level home with different ceiling heights can also provide a range of opportunities for utilising natural light and ventilation through the installation of skylights or headlight windows. As well as being attractive features that add a sense of space and light to your extension, they can also prove cost-effective by reducing your energy consumption.

Add value to your home

All of the above features will not only enhance the quality of life of you and your family enjoy, but they will add significant value to your home by making it a ‘one-off’, individual property. Variety and unique features can be crucial when a house is on the market, and so through extending your home by adding additional living spaces that imaginatively capitalise on a sloping block, such as a panoramic view, split levels and natural light, you can significantly add to your re-sale value, especially in areas in and around Tea Tree Plaza where there is significant demand for family properties.

Specialist Home Extensions Builders

Successfully designing and building an extension or adding new living spaces to a home situated on a sloping block requires the experience to be able to fully realise the potential of the space available, along with the expertise to bring your plans and ideas to fruition.

As specialist home extension builders in Adelaide’s north-eastern suburbs for more than 30 years, Builders At Your Service has a long track record and the years of know-how required to make the most of sloping, narrow or irregular- shaped blocks, so that your new home extension effectively utilises both the space and the features of the land at your disposal. We have designed and built numerous home extensions in the north-east of Adelaide, and so we can provide the design and building solutions you need to make the most of your home and land’s potential.

[buildersatyourservice]

Creating the Ideal Adelaide Outdoor Kitchen

The Adelaide backyard is no longer what it once was. Rather than indulging in a family cricket match on a home-made pitch on the back lawn, today you're just as likely to find everyone outside watching the Test Match on a 56-inch flatscreen in an undercover outdoor living space, with barbecue and beers on tap.

As lifestyles have changed, so have our living spaces and how we use them. Perhaps this is a result of our no longer having the time or inclination to maintain a lawn and garden. Or it may be that as house blocks in Adelaide’s suburbs have gradually gotten smaller over time, the area that we have available has diminished and so we have to make hard choices as to what we want to do with the space we do have available.

In either case, extending an Adelaide home by adding an outdoor living space has become one of the most popular options for renovating an existing property so as to increase the range of lifestyle choices you have. There is also the added incentive that a successful outdoor renovation can significantly increase the value of your property, as they have become sought-after and desirable features, especially in suburban family homes.

The barbecue has always been an integral part of Adelaide life, especially during the summer, but this is now only one of many features you can find in the outdoor kitchen. Where we once just settled for a hot plate out in the backyard, you’ll now see in many homes an entire food preparation area outside, complete with a permanent, gas-fired barbie, pizza oven, fridge and storage spaces, sinks and running water, as well as a dining table and sofas, producing a complete year-round outdoor entertainment space.

5 top tips for creating an outdoor kitchen

Protection from the elements

Although the whole point of an outdoor kitchen is that you’re cooking and eating in the fresh air, there will be times when the weather makes this more difficult. However, some good planning can help you to overcome this. Look at installing some café blinds (perhaps in mesh, or clear PVC) that can rolled up or down depending on the weather. Also, think about ceiling fans to increase your comfort during warm spring and summer nights, as well as a portable heater, or even an open fire, for the colder times of the year.

If you plan on having appliances, such as fridge or TV, in your outdoor kitchen, protecting these is also important, and so blinds or awnings, along with where your appliances are positioned, can help in achieving this.

Open up the space

One of the keys to a successful outdoor extension is the way it’s integrated with the rest of the house. In this way, you can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle all year round and effectively increase your overall living space at the same time.  

To achieve this, you should aim to make the transition between indoors and outdoors as seamless as possible. Removing existing walls and doors, and replacing them with sliding, bi-fold or pivoting doors is a good option, as this means they can be opened out in such a way that the indoor and outdoor spaces blend into one another. Your outdoor kitchen then feels much more like an extension of, rather than an addition to, your home.

Light it up!

Lighting can make all the difference with regard to how functional and liveable your outdoor kitchen is. The key is being able to change the lighting state, depending on how you are using the space. For instance, you need to be able to have bright light over cooking and dining areas, but then to be able to adjust it down when you want a quiet, mellow evening. Dimmer lights are an obvious solution, while festoon lights and even candles can also help to create a more intimate atmosphere.

Which way do you face?

When you’re thinking of the design and layout of an outdoor extension, you need to take into account the orientation of the space. How much direct sunlight will you get in the summer and winter, for instance? A thoughtful, well-planned design will enable you to keep out as much of the heat as possible when you need to, but at the same time allow in as much sunlight as possible when it’s colder and need to warm the space up. Installing well-placed adjustable awnings and blinds, or clear skylights, can help you to make the space more comfortable all year round, no matter which way your property faces.

Ceiling the deal

Depending on the look you’re trying to go for, lined ceilings in an outdoor kitchen or living area can be particularly effective in terms of insulation, by deflecting heat in summer and retaining it in the winter. A lined ceiling will also give you more options in terms of lighting, as you can fit LED lighting in the ceiling, as well as being able to install ceiling fans to help control the temperature. There are also a number of options when it comes to colours and materials, so you can choose a look that suits your overall design concept.

Having a lined ceiling as part of your outdoor living space can also help to reduce the noise from heavy rain or hail as well.

Adelaide outdoor kitchen builders

Builders At Your Service are Adelaide’s home renovation and extension specialists, and we can help you to plan and design your perfect outdoor kitchen or living space. Our expert team of builders are highly experienced in adding extensions to all types of Adelaide homes and properties, from heritage homes to contemporary townhouses, and we work closely with you throughout the process to ensure that your new home extension or outdoor living area meets your needs now and in the future.

Call us now on 8281 6010, or email us to learn more.

[buildersatyourservice]

Energy Efficient Adelaide Home Extensions

If you’re planning on adding an extension to an existing Adelaide home, there are certain conditions that need to be met with regard to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. To some extent, these depend in which of South Australia’s three climate zones your home is located (metropolitan Adelaide is zone 5, while the Adelaide Hills are classified as zone 6, for instance).

However, the important point to note is that all new home extensions must have a 6-Star rating in terms of the energy consumption and efficiency. Star ratings go from 0-10, and the more stars a property has, the less energy it consumes to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Energy rating reports will show whether your proposed new addition meets the requirements of the Code, or whether changes need to be made in order for it to be compliant. Your extension builder will generally undertake to have an energy rating assessment done as a matter of course.

However, meeting compliance can be a burden at times, and your home extension builder should always be looking for the most cost-effective solutions to help you meet energy efficiency targets. Also, considering the energy rating of a proposed home extension early in the planning and design process means that you can avoid having to change plans or re-design later on.

What creates an energy efficient home?

The aim of an energy efficient home is to enable you to heat it in winter and cool it in summer using as little energy as possible. Assessing what is known as the thermal performance of your new home extension during the planning and design stage means your builder will be able to find the simplest and most economical way of keeping the temperature at a comfortable level (measuring this is known as comfort mapping).

For instance, it may be that you need to have double glazing or low emissivity (low-e) glass installed, reduce/increase the amount of glass you use, or include more insulation in your roof, walls and floor in order to achieve greater energy efficiency. The amount of natural light that you allow in or exclude can also impact on how much electricity you need to use to light your new extension, which further affects your energy use and costs. It can also be useful to assess the air circulation, to ensure there are no areas where heated or cooled doesn’t reach as this will impact negatively on your energy use, or whether natural air ventilation is a viable option.

The orientation of your new home extension (i.e., which way it faces) can also have a significant impact on achieving a 6-Star energy rating. Likewise, it may be that the properties around yours have an effect, in that they could be shadowing your new extension in a way that makes efficient heating harder to achieve. The colours of the exterior cladding can also make an impact in terms of the degree to which they reflect or absorb heat.

What does home energy efficiency mean for you?

To put it simply, the more energy efficient your home is, the less it costs you to run. As has been all too well documented, energy prices in Adelaide are by far the highest in Australia, if not the world, and so it makes sense to be as frugal in your energy use as is possible with regard to your lifestyle. A home with a 6-Star energy efficiency is calculated to use 24% less energy than a 5-Star rated property, and this can mean you save hundreds of dollars each and every year on your heating and cooling costs.

Energy efficient Adelaide home extension builders

Builders At Your Service are highly experienced Adelaide home extension builders, with extensive knowledge both of local building conditions and in meeting the requirements of the Building Code of Australia with regard to home energy efficiency ratings. We can help you to plan and design a home extension that will not only be compliant with all regulations, but will also mean that you use less energy to light, heat and cool your home, giving you long-term savings on your electricity bills and other energy costs. Get in touch with us to learn more about energy efficient home extensions and how Builders At Your Service can help you to get the best value from your new addition to your Adelaide home.

[buildersatyourservice]

Finding the Right Adelaide Builder for Your Home Extension or Renovation

You’ve made the important decision that the time is right to add an extension or an additional storey to your home, to meet your family’s changing needs. Or it might be the case the case that you’re looking to modernise the kitchen or bathroom, or you want to renovate your home in other ways.

The next crucial decision that you need to make is how to find and choose the right Adelaide builder to undertake that work for you.

Finding a Builder

Unless you’ve worked with a builder before (whether it’s for an extension or renovation, or having a new home built), you may be a little in the dark when it comes to finding someone to undertake your project. However, there are some useful criteria to use when you’re searching for a builder:

People you know are always a good starting point. Have friends, family or neighbours had any building work done recently? How happy have they been with the end result? Of course, if it’s someone you know well, you will likely have the opportunity to inspect the quality close-up for yourself. It’s also important to find out how satisfied they were with the whole process. Was the communication open and friendly? Did the builder do what they said they would do, and when they said they would do it? These are all vital parts of a successful home renovation or extension building project.

Look around the neighbourhood and see if there is any work currently being carried out nearby. if so, take a note of the builder’s name, because if they are local to your area this can be a bonus as it means they understand the local conditions and building styles, and are likely to be more accessible than someone based on the other side of town.

Check out a company’s online presence. What can be really helpful is to look at any photo galleries on the builder’s website – do they have a track record in undertaking the sort of extension or renovation work that you want done? Testimonials are also a very useful guide – if a previous client is willing for their name to be used in association with a builder, or for photos from their project to be publicised, this is a pretty fair indication that they have been extremely satisfied with the work and are happy to recommend a builder to others. Also take note of the company’s history – the fact that a builder has been in business for an extended period of time should tell you not only that they’re experienced, but also that their work is professional and that they have a significant number of satisfied customers to their credit.

You can also get advice and guidance from professional bodies, such as the Housing Industry Association (HIA) or the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). They will be able to refer you to builders who are based near you, or those that have experience in the sort of home extension or renovation work you’re looking to undertake.

Getting a Quote

It’s always advisable to get at least three quotes for any proposed work. As far as possible, these should be based on your design and specifications so that they are a true reflection of the work that will need to be done – this will also enable you to compare quotes from different builders more effectively. Check whether the quotes include fixtures and fittings and that the itemised quote also includes the GST that will be payable.

If the quotes you receive vary significantly in price, you should remember that the cheapest will not necessarily be the best option. Has everything that you want done been included? What is the quality of any fixtures ad fittings? Have the particular circumstances that might make your project more challenging or time consuming been taken into account? If in doubt, ask – you can only make a fully informed decision when you have all the facts to hand.

Communication

This value of being able to talk to your builder is often overlooked, but being able to communicate in a clear and open fashion can ultimately determine how happy you are (or otherwise!) with the final result. Most home renovation or extension projects will require you and your builder to be in contact quite regularly, and so it’s important that you select a builder with whom you feel comfortable speaking, and who you regard as open and straightforward in how they communicate with you. This is important because more often than not problems with building projects come about through misunderstandings, or the channels of communication not being clear.

Why You Should Choose Builders At Your Service

We have an outstanding reputation, established over more than thirty years as home extension and renovation builders in Adelaide.

We are members of the HIA and GBCA, so you can be confident that our work adheres to industry best practice and standards.

Our clients are always very happy to recommend us and for us to share their testimonials with the public.

When you receive a quote from Builders At Your Service, it will be thorough and comprehensive, and contain no hidden surprises.

We offer a highly personalised service that means you will always be able to speak with us before, during and after the completion of your building project.

Call us on 8281 6010 or get in touch to find out more about why you should choose Builders At Your Service for your Adelaide home extension or renovation.

[buildersatyourservice]

Tips for Adelaide Kitchen Renovations and Extensions

If you’re looking to sell or rent out your Adelaide home, a kitchen renovation can go a long way to improving the look and appeal of your property. Alternatively, you may be having a new kitchen or a kitchen extension built as part of an overall renovation or upgrade of your home. In either case, there are some important design and construction elements to take into account that will help ensure you get a beautiful new or refurbished kitchen that also meets your day-to-day living needs.

Kitchens are lifestyle spaces. They have a very practical function, yet can also act as the centrepieces of your home’s living and entertainment areas. This dual function means that the design of your kitchen needs to be a reflection of how you and your family live, as well as providing an attractive focal point, especially important if you have a home with an open plan design.

The kitchen is also very often a deal breaker when it comes to selling or letting – prospective buyers can easily be put off by a tired-looking or poorly-designed kitchen that means they would have to spend time and money getting it up to scratch, while a kitchen that is both attractive and functional is a real plus in the rental market, where tenants are limited in what they can do to make the space meet their needs.

Design Your Kitchen To Suit Your Lifestyle

If you’re having a new kitchen built as an extension to your Adelaide home, or undertaking a significant renovation to bring your current kitchen space up to date, the first thing to consider is how you actually use it. Is it part of an open-plan design that means you not only cook and prepare meals there, but also entertain in and around it? Is your kitchen a separate room away from the dining area and therefore not on display? Or is the kitchen for you a purely functional space that’s not used to prepare multi-course culinary extravaganzas, but rather somewhere where you only spend a limited amount of time? All of these factors come into play when designing how your kitchen looks and how it works.

Using the Space Older homes often have smaller spaces available for a kitchen than more contemporary, open-plan properties. However, in either case, utilising the available space effectively and efficiently is the key to a successful kitchen design.

Island Bench Tops If your kitchen is a focal point for entertaining, and is part of your dining areas as well, then an island bench top can act as a major design feature. It opens out the food preparation area to the rest of the house (so you can still interact with the family and guests while you’re cooking), and also adds additional workspace and storage. You may even want to take it one step further and actually have a cooktop installed in the island bench.

Butler’s Pantries Even if you’re happy to have your cooking space open to all, there may be some things you’d like to keep out of view, like piles of dirty plates and more mundane appliances and utensils. In this case, a butler’s pantry or scullery can be the ideal solution. The kitchen sink, for instance, can be tucked away from your main food preparation and entertaining space in a butler’s pantry, so you can hide the dirty plates and glasses out of sight while keeping the rest of the kitchen that’s on show looking pristine.

Kitchen Cabinets It’s always surprising just how much storage space you need in a kitchen. Those everyday things like cups and cutlery, tea and coffee, Tupperware and jars, can actually consume more space than you think, meaning that you don’t have a lot of room left for more substantial or bulky items. A simple solution to help you make the most of all the available room in your kitchen are floor-to-ceiling cabinets and cupboards. These are not only an effective way to utilise space that would otherwise be wasted, but they look good in all styles of kitchen as well.

Making Room for Everyday Appliances Almost every kitchen will have a toaster, a kettle, a coffee maker, a microwave and a host of other everyday appliances that you use all the time and so need easy access to, but which nevertheless take up quite a lot of bench space. When you’re looking at how you design, incorporate and use the available surfaces, you need to remember to allow space for these. No-one wants to have to store these things away, so they have to be gotten out and plugged in every time you use them – rather, they need to accessible and there whenever you want them. When you’re planning how much bench space you want or need, don’t forget to take the basic necessities into account.

Lighting Up

Lighting is an often neglected part of kitchen design. Food preparation and other tasks performed in the kitchen can require delicacy, and so being able to see clearly what you’re doing is a must. Downlights over the working space, or lights in overhead cabinets that are directed onto the areas that are most-used, are a good solution for helping you to focus on practical tasks. However, don’t forget that lights can also be an attractive design element in the kitchen and there are plenty of imaginative solutions out there. Pendant lights, for instance, help you to concentrate the light into areas where you need it while still offering a pleasing aesthetic aspect. You can also look at ways of introducing more natural light, through a skylight or additional windows – this is both easy on the eye but can also help to keep those excessive Adelaide energy costs in check!

Making the Most of Your Existing Kitchen

If you’re unable to undertake a full kitchen rebuild or to add a kitchen extension, but nevertheless want to spruce up what you already have, there are a number of ways in which you can make the most of the space and improve both its functionality and overall appearance.

Replacing Your Bench Tops Replacing bench tops is one of the most straightforward and effective ways of re-energising a tired kitchen. Along with the joinery, these are the most visible, not to mention most-used, parts of any kitchen and so upgrading them has an instantly transformative effect. There are options to suit all budgets, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive project, but you will undoubtedly reap rewards in the uplift it gives you.

For instance, laminates are affordable and nowadays both look and wear better than they might have done in the past. Stone bench tops, particularly those in reconstituted stone, are popular because of their look and durability – as well as being tough, there is great range of styles and colours to suit any colour scheme and design. If you want to go high end, then granite bench tops provide a unique look that is also strong and hard working. Alternatively, acrylic bench tops are especially effective in an ultra-contemporary kitchen, where features like sinks and draining boards can be integrated seamlessly.

Updating Your Joinery Cupboard and pantry doors, drawers and other joinery are the first sign that a kitchen is out of date or has seen better days. Colour schemes and design concepts have changed significantly and so the joinery is probably what dates the quickest in terms of style, while at the same time, because they get so much use, they also tend to suffer from major wear and tear more than anything else in the kitchen as well. A simple paint job, or replacing handles and knobs, may be all that’s needed if your cupboard doors and drawers are structurally sound, but if they are worn or damaged, replacing them is probably more efficient and cost effective. Doing this will also give you a greater range of options in terms of creating a more up-to-date design concept.

Making a Splash Adding or replacing a splashback in your kitchen is a really simple way of achieving a more contemporary look, and there are options available to suit all types of property and budget. Coloured glass, for instance, is ideal because it’s low maintenance, easy to clean and prevents germs and bacteria building up, as there’s no grouting for it to hide in. Subway tiles are also popular in Adelaide kitchen renovations, as they create an old-school look that at the same time is widely used in contemporary design or, if you prefer, mosaic tiles can be a good alternative. For the ultimate modern look, mirror splashbacks are also being seen more often in today’s homes, and these have the advantage of creating a feeling of space, ideal if you don’t have as much room as you would ideally like.

Sinks and Taps There is an infinite variety of sink and tap styles and designs available on the market, and these can quite dramatically update and transform the look of your kitchen. From basic, functional design to more eye-catching models, replacing your existing taps and sink will do a lot to make your kitchen more appealing, even when you can’t reconfigure your existing space in any meaningful way.

Specialist Adelaide Kitchen Renovation and Extension Builders

At Builders At Your Service, we are specialists in building kitchen extensions and renovating existing kitchens in all types of Adelaide homes and properties. Contact us to learn more about our specialist kitchen design and building services, and find out how we can help you to create a brand new kitchen for your home, or put life back into the kitchen that has served you so well.

[buildersatyourservice]

Tips for a Successful Adelaide Bathroom Renovation

Whether you’re looking to improve your home prior to selling or renting it out, or simply want to improve the quality of life for you and your family, there’s no doubt that adding a bathroom extension, or renovating your exisiting bathroom, will make a significant difference to how your home looks and your comfort levels – as well as its value.

As highly experienced bathroom extension builders, and experts at bathroom renovations for homeowners right across Adelaide, we’re well-placed to be able to share some useful tips on what you need to consider when you are planning on having a new bathroom built, or undertaking renovations to your current one.

Use the space carefully

Bathrooms do tend to be amongst the smallest rooms in the house, and so effectively utilising any space that you do have is vital. There are any number of ways in which you can make the most of the area that is available to you:

A wall-mounted basin rather than a vanity unit can make your bathroom feel less cluttered (although this may mean that you need to find an alternative storage solution).A mirror-fronted bathroom cabinet is a simple way to gain some storage space without impinging on the rest of the room.

In your shower, recessed shelves are an effective way of keeping the floor and walls clear from shampoo bottles and the like.

A recessed toilet cistern is another way of gaining extra bathroom space, although this isn’t always possible in every home. Even if you can’t achieve this, a low-profile toilet does take less space and introduces a more contemporary look.

Consider going for sliding doors rather than conventional hinged ones, as these can open up the room and give you additional, useable floor space.

Frameless shower screens can also help to open a bathroom up, as well as giving it a modern, up-to-date look and feel.

Think about the colour scheme. Even the smallest bathroom can create an illusion of space with a well thought-out combination of light or neutral colours for your tiles, walls and fittings.

Make the Most of Your Shower

Showers no longer have to be purely functional spaces – they can become the focal point of a well-designed bathroom. For instance, frameless or semi-frameless shower screens help to create a feeling of space that can also serve to highlight your fixtures and fittings. Or, if you want to take the ultra-contemporary look a step further, the wet room style – where there is no shower screen at all – could be worth considering.

The wall and floor tiles you choose can help you to create a range of different looks, from old-school clinical white, to sophisticated autumnal colours, to mosaics that can bring out your individuality. Adding a strip or row of coloured or patterned accent tiles to an otherwise plain wall in your shower can also be a simple way of creating a stand-out look.

However, it’s important to think about the traffic your bathroom gets when you’re choosing tiles; for instance, plain white or subway wall and shower tiles may look stylish, but they can be difficult to keep clean, especially if the whole family uses the bathroom, and so earthy colours with a darker grout could be more practical in this scenario.

You could also consider a stainless steel floor grate as an alternative to the conventional drain if you want to update your shower’s look.

There is also a wide variety of different shower systems you can choose from, depending on the look you want to create, or the functionality you need:

Overhead rain showers look smart and are especially suited to ultra-modern bathrooms.

Shower heads mounted on a rail are great in households where kids and adults share the same bathroom, as the height can be adjusted easily.

Hand-held showers give you extra flexibility – great both for washing your hair and for blasting the mud off the kids’ knees after sport.

The Return of the Bath

While modern apartments and newer townhouses tend to be shower-only domains, a more established property or a home designed for family use is likely to have a bath as well. As baths can be quite a dominant feature, sprucing up the tub can have a very positive impact on the overall appearance of the bathroom. For instance, they do tend to show quite visible signs of wear and tear, and so replacing an older, worn bath is a relatively simple way of giving the whole room a real boost. Alternatively, even just having it resurfaced could do the trick.

However, if you have the room and a suitable layout, the free-standing bath has seen a big return to favour. Available in both classic and modern styles, they can help either to create a retro look or one that is stylish and oozes luxury. And although it might seem counter-intuitive, a free-standing bath can actually add a feeling of space to a bathroom, because the floor can be seen all around on all four sides, right up to the walls.

Fixtures and Fittings Can Make The Difference

Even if your budget for a bathroom renovation is relatively small, it can be worth making a splash with at least some of your fixtures and fittings. While you mightn’t want to go overboard (a-lá Donald Trump and his gold-plated taps!), it can pay to focus on a couple of areas where you opt for the highest quality possible.

For instance, marble tiles on a single wall, or natural stone just on the surface of a vanity unit, can really enhance the appearance of your bathroom without it costing you the earth. A heated towel rail is also a practical addition that can also look very stylish in either a modern or classic-style bathroom.

Taps and other fixtures are another area where it’s worth spending that little bit extra to get the best quality you can. You really can notice the difference it makes when you install high-end taps – both in how they look and how they feel to use – and as they are probably the feature that gets the most use in a bathroom, this is an investment that makes sense from both a style and a longevity point of view.

We are Adelaide Bathroom Renovation Specialists

We are specialist home renovation builders and have redesigned, refurbished and rebuilt bathrooms for families all across Adelaide in a wide range of different houses and styles. If you’re thinking of upgrading your bathroom, or adding a bathroom extension, contact us to talk through your options, and to find out how you can improve both your home’s functionality and its value.

[buildersatyourservice]

Adelaide Home Renovations and Extensions by the Beach

Adelaide is rightly proud of its beaches and their easy accessibility from just about anywhere in the city. Unsurprisingly, its many beachside suburbs have always been extremely popular places to live, and so this means there are houses and properties along the coast in a wide variety of building styles, from classic Adelaide sandstone and bluestone villas from the nineteenth century in and around Semaphore and Tennyson, to the high-rise apartment blocks along the beachfront at Glenelg, to modern, contemporary townhouses that can be found at Henley Beach or Grange. These very different housing styles can often be found side by side, and this variety is for many part of the attraction of living in Adelaide beachside suburbs.

However, there is one thing that all of these very different styles of property have in common – the potential damage that can be caused to building structures by being so close to the sea as a result of salt deterioration.

Brickwork

Particularly in older properties (including those built up until the 1970s), exposure to salt can lead to a gradual disintegration of soft lime mortar, which can over time become a powder and which leads to decreased efficacy. This form of salt deterioration can, in extreme cases, extend throughout the entire brickwork and can have serious implications for structural integrity. This is naturally more of a problem for properties right by the sea, but can also affect buildings and houses up to a couple of kilometres away.

The surface of exposed brick can also be affected as result of exposure to salt. Crystals are absorbed into the pores of the bricks, and these then expand (in a process known as surface delamination), and this affects the overall strength and integrity of the brick surface as the outer hardness is diminished. Once this is lost, any further deterioration of the brickwork will be accelerated.

Wall Ties

Wall ties are the means by which the external brickwork is secured to the frame of the building. Exposure to sea air can lead to rusting, which means that the brickwork becomes less secure and can bow outwards, undermining its strength and integrity and this, in extreme cases, can lead to a partial collapse of exterior walls. This problem can be further exacerbated if mortar has likewise deteriorated.

Roof Tiles

Different types of roof tiles have varying degrees of tolerance to salt, and in the case of terracotta tiles, this can also depend on when they were manufactured, with more modern tiles generally being stronger but at the same time less salt resistant. It is the underside of roof tiles where the effects of salt deterioration are largely seen, with holes being formed which can then let in water.

Concrete

Concrete is affected by salt deterioration when the reinforcing steel frame inside a structure begins to rust, a process often accelerated in environments with salt in the air. Known as spalling, cracks that are then formed below the surface mean that fragments of the surface concrete begin to fall off. This is particularly relevant to apartment block and other multi-storey structures that have balconies or other exterior additions made from concrete.  

Delignification

Wooden structures on seaside properties, such as car ports, verandahs and pergolas, can suffer from what is known as delignification. Producing a fuzzy layer of salt crystals on the surface, this is the result of saltwater penetrating the wood which then breaks down the lignin (part of the cell wall) so that the salt gradually begins to eat away at it. This can lead to a weakening of the structure as the solidity of the wood begins to deteriorate from within. Not only harmful to structural integrity, delignification can also affect the appearance of wooden structures through the layer of salt crystals that develops on the surface.

Adelaide Beachside Home Renovations and Extensions

Builders At Your Service have over thirty years experience as home extension builders across Adelaide beachside suburbs like Glenelg, Semaphore, West Lakes, Seaton and Largs Bay. This means we understand that there are special requirements in undertaking a renovation or adding an extension at properties located by the beach, and so all of our work is carried out using building materials and techniques that can mitigate the worst effects of salt deterioration.

We are also experienced at working on properties of all vintages, so whether you want to modernise an Adelaide sandstone cottage, renovate a brick 1960s or 1970s beachside house, or you want to add an extension or an upper storey to a more contemporary home, our knowledge and expertise means that we understand what is required to meet your building needs. Contact Builders At Your Service to find out more about renovating or extending your Adelaide beachside home.