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AusWest Construction & Restoration is a Perth-based construction company that has provided high-quality construction and building services to Western Australia since 2012.
YOUR TRUSTED PERTH RENOVATIONS PARTNERS
A home renovation is an exciting but often daunting project to tackle. If you’re planning a renovation or extension to your home, it pays to have an experienced professional team on board through every stage of the process.
Our Perth renovation specialists handle all types of home improvement projects, as well as extensions and upgrades to offices and commercial buildings.
WHY RENOVATE?
There are plenty of great reasons to renovate or add an extension to your home:
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It’s a good way to modernise an old space, making it more practical and comfortable.
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Renovating your existing property is often more affordable (and less stressful) than uprooting your family to move to a larger or better-designed home.
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Enlarging a living space or adding an extra bedroom allows you to make space for a growing family, which is useful for new parents and multi-generational households.
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Extensions and renovations add value to a property. If you decide to move in the future, you’ll most likely be able to sell your home at a higher asking price.
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Professional renovations can also help to improve the returns on an investment property.
Of course, having an experienced team carry out these renovations is key to getting the results and returns you want.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOME EXTENSIONS
What are you looking to add to your home? AusWest is able to manage small additions and extensive projects, on single- and multi-storey homes.
Side Turn Extensions
This type of home extension will expand your home space sideways, into a space like the side alley next to the house. This is typically a small, unused outdoor space, which can be transformed to become part of your home and increase your living space.
A side turn extension can be quite a small change that makes a really big difference to your space and how you use it. It’s especially good for those looking to enlarge their kitchen and dining room area.
Rear Extensions
This type of project involves extending the property out from the back. It’s a practical alternative for houses where side turn extensions aren’t an option. A home renovation like this will add size to your kitchen, dining area and living room, which is great news for entertainers.
Wrap-Around Extensions
A wrap-around combines both a side return and a rear extension, for maximum added space. This can really open up your home by increasing the size all around. Homeowners who enjoy open plan design will find wrap-around home extensions are a good way to create spacious, free-flowing living areas. It’s also useful for growing families, or those looking to add a home office space.
Porches
A porch is a small extension usually added to the front of a house, although it may extend all the way around in some cases. It’s a covered shelter supported by sturdy beams, where you can relax and enjoy the sun or a view of their garden. While they are external to the main building, porches may also feature complete electrical installation.
Which type of porch is right for your property?
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An open porch, or farmer’s porch, is an open-air porch that runs along the front of a home, or sometimes wraps around the sides of the building too. It’s a nice addition to homes in warmer climates, providing families with a shady space to enjoy those hot Perth days or long summer evenings.
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A screened porch is enclosed, usually with fibreglass screens. This is a good spot for those who want a place to enjoy the outdoors with a bit of extra shelter.
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Porticos are front entry porches, which are smaller and usually only cover the front stairs that lead up into the home’s front door. Ideal for renovation projects with smaller budgets.
Sunrooms
A sunroom is an enclosed space that lets in a lot of light, while sheltering you from the elements. They feature large glass windows that use the sun’s rays to heat the space, making them a warm and cosy place to relax.
Conservatories
A conservatory is similar to a sunroom, but will have a glass or polycarbonate roof while a sunroom has a solid roof of tile or slate.
KITCHEN RENOVATION AND EXTENSION SPECIALISTS
Side turn and rear home extensions are both good ways to expand a kitchen space. A larger kitchen can easily be outfitted with an island, or a new utility room or scullery, making it more user-friendly and utilising the space in a more attractive way. AusWest specialises in kitchen renovation services, not only for homes but for offices and commercial buildings as well.
EXTENSIONS ON MULTIPLE STOREYS
Of course, there are some key differences between home renovations projects carried out on the ground floor of a property and those done on the upper storeys of a home.
Single-Storey Extensions
In the case of a single-storey home, the extension will be built on one or more sides of the property (such as a side turn, rear or wrap-around extension). This type of extension covers only the ground floor and the basement.
Two-Storey or Multi-Storey Extensions
A multi-storey or double-storey extension can be added to any part of the existing home, including the upper levels. A project like this usually involves adding a bedroom or bathroom to the upstairs part of a house. These types of renovations tend to be more complex and costly than those carried out on the ground floor.
Over-Structure Extensions (or Over-Garage Extensions)
This type of extension takes place over an existing structure. For example, if a property features a single-storey garage built on to one side, this could be the ideal placement for an over-structure extension, adding another bedroom, an en-suite bathroom or a study on top of the garage. Sometimes additional foundations must be laid to ensure the garage or structure is able to properly support the extension.
Upper Storey Additions
If you have a single-storey home and want to expand, sometimes it’s easier to build up than out. Adding an upper storey instead of extending your ground floor allows homeowners to add multiple rooms to their property.
“Up and Under” Extensions
This extension method has become popular in multiple regions of Australia. It involves building an extension underneath an existing home. However, this is only suitable for certain types of properties, like timber-framed buildings which are placed on stumps or brick piers instead of solid concrete.
CONVERSIONS
Loft Conversions
This is a type of renovation that can transform a stuffy old attic or loft into a beautiful, functional upstairs room. Lofts are often converted into bedrooms, home offices, reading nooks or craft rooms.
Basement Conversions
The basement level of a home can also be converted to become a liveable space, like a bedroom or a games room. Waterproofing, insulation and ventilation are especially important when converting a basement.
Garage Conversions
Converting an existing garage into a utility room or home office is an affordable way to add more living space to your home. Garages are typically quite spacious, but the downside is they often have few or no windows, so some should be installed for proper ventilation.
ROOF EXTENSIONS
For those looking to extend the roof of their homes, different roof designs and shapes will be better suited to different types of extensions and renovations.
Flat Roof
A flat roof design has a very slight incline and is almost level, rather than being sloped. Flat roofs are quite easy to install and extend, and they also offer ample space for solar panel installation.
Butterfly Roof or V Roof
The shape of this roof is made by two adjacent gables that slope down and inward, creating a central dip or “V” shape. Sometimes during a loft conversion, an infill can be created in the “V” of the butterfly roof, adding more enclosed space to the top level of the house.
Hip Roof
These roofs have three or more pitched sides, and typically feature large eaves for great all-round protection for the home from the elements. They’re strong designs especially suited to windy areas. Often used in combination with gabled roofs (which have two slopes), to make a hip and gable design.
Mansard Roof
Also called a gambrel roof, a Mansard roof design has four sloping sides that become steeper halfway down. Extending and renovating a space with a Mansard roof has the potential to add a lot of extra liveable room.
Skillion Roof or Lean-On Roof
This is a sharply inclined roof shape typically added over the top of a porch or shed. Skillions are affordable and simple to construct, making them popular for projects like attic renovations and the addition of skylights.
In addition to conversions and extensions, our team also offers roof refurbishment, re-roofing and roof replacement services for homes and commercial buildings. These services can help to add value to your property, and fix issues like leaks and cracks.
Perth roofing undergoes a lot of wear and tear in the Australian weather, and that’s why we use only the best quality time-tested materials for our work.
APPROVAL FOR YOUR RENOVATION OR EXTENSION
If you’re planning a home extension or renovation in Perth, you’ll need to obtain the proper council approval and building certification before the work begins.
While minor changes that don’t affect the structure of a building can usually be done without approval, designs that include significant additions or “new build” areas added to your existing home will require that you get approval from your local council.
The City of Perth website has a list of the relevant permits and certificates.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL RENOVATIONS
Just as every homeowner has a vision for their home improvement project, different types of business owners will have a variety of requirements for their commercial property renovations.
Office Buildings
The scope of an exterior office renovation varies widely, depending on the type and size of office being renovated. Some may be home to multiple businesses with a diverse variety of operating requirements.
Office Interior Renovations
Updating the look and feel of an office space can make it more comfortable and practical for employees to work in on a daily basis. An office that is well-designed helps employees to work more productively and achieve their full potential.
Retail Fit Outs
Many retail store owners use renovations as a way to make a better first impression on shoppers and attract more customers. Layout, lighting and colour scheme all play important roles in retail space renovations.
Restaurant Renovations
Many restaurant chains and franchises are required to conform to specific guidelines set out by the corporations that own them. Individual restaurants will require a more customised approach that still meets all practical requirements and health and safety regulations.
SKILLED PROFESSIONAL RENOVATORS IN PERTH
The AusWest Construction & Renovation team takes care of every stage of the renovation or extension process. First, we’ll assess your property and its value. We’ll look into any possible legal restrictions or requirements, to let you know which building options are viable.
We create a building design brief, which outlines the scope of the project and lists all the deliverables required. During the renovation, we offer comprehensive project management. This includes construction supervision to ensure that the renovations are completed on time, quality control to produce excellent results, and cost control to keep the project within budget.
AusWest will help you to make sure that all projects meet the necessary building regulations in terms of health, safety and environmental impact. Our builders and contractors bring their expertise to every step of the process from start to finish.
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