EXISTING HOUSE UPGRADES

When building a new first floor addition many home owners also choose to upgrade their existing home at the same time. It will be cheaper to complete this work at the same time and make the whole project look like a new home rather than an obvious added on addition

CLEANING EXISTING ROOF SPACE & ASBESTOS

When building a new second storey extension it will be the last time to gain access to the existing ceiling space below the new upper level floor joists. This is the last opportunity to clean & vacuum existing ceiling space, remove any vermin & debris, fix any possible small roof openings, install new insulation to existing ceiling with better thermal & acoustic qualities. An asbestos check should be made by an experienced builder for insulation, eaves, roofing, walls & ceiling linings.

RE-ROOFING

Many client choose to upgrade the existing old roofing materials, usually old faded & brittle concrete roof tiles. O’Mara can upgrade your existing roofing to new corrugated profile colorbond roofing but can also price other options such as the new standing seam colorbond roofing, concrete or terra-cotta roof tiles, slate or even copper roofing. At the same time fascia, gutter and eaves lining can be replaced if required with new modern materials to match the new work.

CLADDING

·       If your house has cladding you have a few different options. If the cladding is hardwood or cypress pine and in good condition that does NOT need replacing but its old and has a special non-standard profile we can match it. We can use the same material or treated pine but can have the profile milled to match. If your house has old fibro cladding we can check it for asbestos and upgrade to a new modern cladding. If your house is an ugly old brick that you don’t want to match we can render the brickwork to the lower level and use lightweight polystyrene cladding that has excellent insulation properties and will match the lower level. If you want a modern look we can use the popular standing seam metal cladding. If you live near the ocean we can use “Ultra” metal cladding for extra protection. If you live in a bushfire area we can show you the options to upgrade the home for the best protection available

BRICKWORK

·       If your house has brickwork we may be able to match the bricks. It will depend on when the house was built but we can visit site and check availability. If the bricks are NOT available there are many ways to still have a face brick second storey extension with some creative design options. There are also some structural beam considerations that need to be considered at the initial stage to reduce construction costs. If you are considering a second storey extension in face brickwork you need to make important decisions at the start of the design process with builder input and not after then council approval stage.

ELECTRICAL MAINS & SERVICES

Sometimes a mains upgrade is required whether being an increase in size from single to three (3) phase mains or from aerial to underground mains. We can also change electrical items to the existing home such as new downlights, pendant lights, dimmers, ceiling fans, bathroom IXL heat lights or external sensor lighting. Solar power can also be added at the same time if required. Access will be easier during construction and therefore cheaper to complete this work at the same time.

PLUMBING, DRAINAGE, STORMWATER & GAS SERVICES

Some older home have the old style earthenware sewer and stormwater pipes which are subject to blockages from tree roots. These should be upgraded at the same time to prevent any future problems. Some old home also still have the old gal water service which can be easily broken at any time which should also be considered to be upgraded to a new copper service. Extra stormwater pits or drains can be installed to prevent storm flooding. Also a gas service can be installed to service hot water, heating or cooking when the roof is removed to the existing house. It’s best to get a qualified & experienced builder to check these services before construction starts.

WINDOWS

Many old homes have old aluminium windows that look ugly or timber windows that are hard to open. Often the glass in these old windows is standard 4mm thick float glass which can be unsafe and terrible for thermal and noise insulation. We can install new windows of any design or materials and make them bigger if required to improve lighting. Operation options in design include sliding, awning, double hung, casement, bi-fold, louvre or kitchen servery windows. New sliding doors can be standard slider, French door opening, stacker slider or bi-fold. We can also supply window frames of different materials being not just standard aluminium windows but wider frames which look much better such as semi-commercial or fully commercial thermal frames, modern black steel frames, cedar timber frames, hardwood timber frames for bushfire protection or even windows that are aluminium externally & timber internally. Timber framed windows can also be made by our specialist joinery window manufacturer that can build new timber windows exactly like old style federation windows to match all heritage details to match older style homes. All these windows can now be supplied with much safer glass that have excellent thermal and acoustic properties such as toughen glass, laminated, low-E or double glazing. This glass can also be changed to obscure glass for privacy, decorative patterned glass, tinted glass to reduce glare or federation style bars added to the glass panels. New fly screens can also be supplied and upgraded for bushfire or security. Window upgrades can make a huge difference to the final finished project.

SECURITY 

If security is an issue we can always add an alarm system with video intercom, Crimsafe security screens, wall or floor safe (built into wall or floor structure), external sensor lighting, security gates, keyless dead-locks or shutters to the existing windows that will greatly increase the security of the home.

STAIRCASE

·       The design of staircase is one of the most important decisions when building a second storey extension and you should consider what options are available. The staircase is often the first thing you see when entering the home and a main focal point, therefore an important design feature. The first decision is where the stairs is to be located and what design of staircase will fit. Does it need to be a straight flight, U-shaped, spiral or curved ? Does it need a landing at the bottom, halfway or at the top ? Are winder treads required ? What is the overall height when allowing for services and the size of new floor joists and structural beams ? O’Mara has built them all before and can offer advise on the best option. Then there is the materials. We can use an open tread staircase design with hardwood timber or feature steel stringer support either on the side or under the treads. The treads can be lined with floating flooring to match other flooring or even solid hardwood. The balustrade is also a very important decision and can include federation turned joinery, stainless steel cable and tube, glass panels, specialist decorative wrought iron, black solid steel slats or modern hardwood screened battens. O’Mara has built all of these types of staircases before and can offer the best option to suit your existing house, new design and your budget. We have even installed lifts before for easy access. A lift can be cheaper than you think. A lift is an excellent way to increase the resale value of your home but needs to be carefully designed from the start of the project.

JOINERY FIXOUT 

Existing house joinery can also be upgraded at the same time. Existing internal doors can be changed to new solid core acoustic doors or modern glazed doors for better lighting. New modern design doors can be used or the popular barn style sliding doors. Skirting & architraves can also be changed to larger sizes or timber stained finishes. We can also use shadow mould and set returns for a more modern appearance.

GARAGE DOOR 

·       Obviously we can change your existing garage door to a new one upon request. However we can also make the opening larger or change two small garage door openings to one larger opening. A good builder will need to make on-site structural checks but it’s a perfect time when building a second storey extension to make this change. You can then also upgrade to new garage door options such as wifi control, high-lites, insulation, safety sensors or battery back-up. You may wish to consider a modern slimline sectional panelift door, an aluminium framed louvre, slat or timber panelled door at the same time.

PLASTERBOARD & CORNICES

Decorative CSR “Tempo” cornices, plantation window shutters, fully frameless shower screens, bathroom strip drains, porcelain / marble bathroom tiling, higher 2340mm internal doors, glazed internal doors, semi-commercial aluminum window frames, mirror robe sliding doors, 3 coat wash & wear wall painting finish, feature wall painting/wallpaper

EXTRA STORAGE

It’s very easy to add extra storage when completing a second storey extension. Often we can use the existing roof space area for attic storage. This can be done in various ways by changing and strengthening the existing roof structure then adding an attic door in the wall for access to the existing roof. We can also add flooring to the roof space & lighting for easy of access. Structural checks by a qualified and experienced builder first is highly recommended.

HOT WATER

·       This is the time to upgrade any old hot water units to more efficient models. We can add a gas service and upgrade to a new gas instantaneous unit, strengthen the existing roof structure and add a solar hot water unit or simply change to the new very efficient electric heat pump units. Sometimes a small additional unit for the house or kitchen is the best option. The builder or qualified plumber should site inspect to view the existing unit and recommend the best option.

FIREPLACES 

Wood & gas fireplaces need to be checked before second storey extensions, especially the condition of the flue. Often flues can be relocated or extended but may need to be upgraded for the long term. O’Mara has built many old style open brick fireplaces and chimneys over our 60 years and know what to look for.

AIR-CONDITIONING

Many old air-conditioning units are very inefficient and use a lot of power. Existing house ducted units will usually require changes anyway when building a second storey extension. Split system air-conditioning systems do NOT have to be completed at the same time as construction but it is likely to be cheaper with access being easily and the installation should be much neater with the ability to hide piping. We can also use concealed robe units and slimline grills which look very modern and unobtrusive. New ducted air-conditioning system and relocation of the existing system is critical in the initial design process as future access will be limited. Careful design of all ducting, fan coils, return air grills, floor joists and roof trusses is very important to all second storey extensions.

FLOORING

We can easily upgrade any existing floor coverings of carpet or tiles upon request. Some clients like to re-tile floors or install the new popular floating timber flooring. However the thickness of this flooring is critical when building a second storey extension. If the wrong decision is made the height of the riser of the first stair tread may end up different to all the other stair treads which would result in a defect and can final occupation certification

EXTERNAL WORKS

We will usually kill your grass when building a second storey extension from the storage of materials. Therefore you may wish to consider some external works upgrades at the same time. We can quote for any new landscaping work such as driveways, external paving,  turf, plants, mulch, irrigation system, garden edging, clothes line, letterbox, fencing, gates and retaining walls. Please contact our office for more information