How to renovate a Queenslander HOUSE
Living in Brisbane, one of the most common enquiries I receive is how to renovate Queenslander cottage homes. While each house has its own nuances and opportunities, here are a handful of tips I find are valuable across most projects. To demonstrate these points in action, I've also included images and a case study of the renovation of a 1920s Queenslander cottage in Albion we designed.
1. Preserve structural walls
It can be tempting to completely gut a home to ensure it fits your purpose - however this can be unnecessarily costly and impractical. If a wall is load-bearing, it's preferable to keep it in-tact, to reduce construction costs.
2. Position your wet areas in similar locations
As above - if it's possible to leverage your home's existing plumbing - then this will be the most cost-effective renovation option. If additional wet areas are required, you should consider grouping the wet areas (e.g. placing the main bathroom adjacent to an unsuited, laundry etc).
3. Re-use original building materials
Look for the opportunity to re-use the materials from the original home in your renovation. Not only is it the most sustainable option, it will also help ensure your home retains its character. In the Albion Queenslander cottage renovation pictured in this blog, we re-used VJ wall panelling, original pine floorboards, double hung windows and even the front fence palings.
4. Be sympathetic to your surrounds
Queenslanders were originally designed to meet the environmental demands of our balmy state, with lots of cross ventilation. Keep this in mind when you are renovating - lots of windows and even plantation shutters will help ensure your property maintains its cool and the aircon will only be required for those very hot days and nights. Large decks that provide an outdoor entertaining area will also ensure a great return on your investment. Finally, many Queenslanders had their front decks built-in during the post-war era to expand the internal living areas of the home. This was counter-productive to how the classic Queensland home was designed, so with modern renovation jobs it may be worth considering opening these closed spaces back up.
5. To raise or not to raise.
While it's tempting to raise your Queenslander to generate more space to build-in, think carefully about how this will impact the street appeal of your property. Not all Queenslanders will retain their charm if they are raised - and this can destroy the street appeal of your home as it can often interfere with its original relationship with the street and look out of place. New laws will soon be introduced in 2017 in Queensland which limits the aiblity of some properties to be raised. I'll blog more about this in another post.
Queenslander cottage renovation case study
Pictured below is a Queenslander cottage renovation we oversaw in Albion. If you have any questions regarding this project - or your own Queenslander cottage renovation, please contact me.
