OPTIONAL UPGRADES

Upon request, we can customise our tender to make allowance for any special owner requirements or to suit site specific conditions, such as;

BATHROOM UPGRADE

• Frameless shower screen, shower strip drain, rainfall shower rose & rail, wall hung toilet pan, wall concealed toilet cistern, wall hung vanity unit, bottle trap basin waste, recessed mirrored cabinet, free-standing stone bath tub, free-standing bath mixer tap, floor to ceiling wall tiles, wall niche to shower and/or bath, porcelain or marble tiling, mosaic or diagonal pattern tiling

ELECTRICAL UPGRADE

• 3 phase mains upgrade, dimmers to lights, ceiling fans, stair tread lights, vanity LED or hollywood lighting, upgrade IXL to Neo/Luminate range, LED rocker light switches, Kitchen LED lighting, external sensor lighting, driveway/garden lights,

PLUMBING & DRAINAGE UPGRADE

• Extra stormwater pits/drains to yard or driveway, kitchen water point for fridge, water filter, chilled/boiled water tap, butler kitchen sink, outdoor kitchen sink, extra garden taps, external yard shower, gas heat / fireplace point, gas BBQ point

ACOUSTIC UPGRADE

• Internal acoustic wall insulation, Soundchek Gyprock, solid-core internal doors, double glazed windows, floor insulation, drainage & water pipe insulation

SECURITY UPGRADE

• 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

TIMBER UPGRADE

• Hardwood timber flooring, timber staircase, stain finish skirting, architraves & window reveals, solid timber internal doors, timber wall/ceiling lining boards

GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS

• Natural fibre insulation or carpet floor coverings, fiberglass or polyester insulation, bamboo flooring, polystyrene cladding, Timbercrete blockwork, GTEK plasterboard, Water tank for recycled water supply

FEDERATION MATERIALS

• Plaster cornices, plaster ceiling panels, feature ceiling roses, plaster arches & corners, chair rails, dado wall paneling, picture rails, mosaic tiling, claw foot baths, federation bathroom fittings & tapware, old-style doors, period style skirting & architraves, gas fireplaces & surrounds, timber windows with colonial bars, terra-cotta roof tiles

MODERN STYLE FINISH

• 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

• Attic truss construction, existing roof frame alterations, attic ladder access, under-stair storage, existing roof door access, flooring & lighting to roof space, specialist robe & linen joinery, study cabinetry, laundry chute, sub-floor access door

STAIRCASE UPGRADE

• Open tread staircase design
• Stair treads upgraded to stained timber finish
• Balustrade upgrade to glass, chrome/brass, stainless steel cable, timber or wrought iron

MORE LIGHTING

• Higher 9ft (2750mm) ceiling height or Raked ceilings, High-lite windows, Velux openable skylights, Optic fibre skylights to lower level

PRIVACY UPGRADE

• Louvre privacy screens, obscure bathroom / bedroom / staircase glass, acoustic insulation, internal privacy / locksets

BUSHFIRE PROTECTION METHODS

• Gutterguard, Metal wire fly-screens, Fire rated wall cladding, Hardwood fire-rated external timber, Hose reels, Sprinklers system, Shutters to windows & external doors, Fire bunker, Fire pump (with hoses & cover)

DISABLED ACCESS

• Wider internal stair width with better “ease-of-going” stair design, wider (870mm) internal doors, lever door handles, shower support rails, shower tiled or fold-up seat, WC support rails, disabled toilet pan, NO-step showers, special access vanity basins, internal passenger lift or inclinator

HEATING UPGRADE

• Wood or gas fireplace, gas heat point, heated towel rail, bathroom under-floor heating, heat transfer ducting, insulation upgrade, reversible ceiling fans, window coverings, sub-floor/internal wall/ceiling insulation upgrade

COOLING UPGRADE

• Louvre windows, ceiling fans, solar roof ventilators, eave / gable vents, openable Velux skylights, window sun-hoods, window shutters, tinted or doubled glazed glass, sub-floor/internal wall/ceiling insulation upgrade

AIR-CONDITIONING

• Split system air-conditioning system
• Ducted air-conditioning system

TURN KEY INCLUSIONS

• Carpet or floating timber floor coverings, window furnishings (curtains, blinds or plantation shutters), light fittings

EXTERNAL WORKS INCLUSIONS

• Driveway, external paving turf, plants, mulch, irrigation system, garden edging, clothes line, letterbox, fencing, gates, retaining walls

Please contact our office for more information about details of the above items

EXISTING HOUSE UPGRADE

If you home is fairly new then no upgrades may be required, however if you own an older home it may be a good decision to upgrade some items of the existing home at the same time because it is often cheaper to complete the work at the same time or to make the finished product look like a completely new home and not an obvious extension. Items to consider are ;

-       ROOFING. If your house has old concrete roof tiles these usually do in the bin and we install all new tiles are the are usually brittle and hard to match. Terra-cotta roof tiles can often be re-used. Some people prefer to change their roof to new colorbond, including the new modern standing seam profile roof. Sometimes its just an alfresco are, garage or carport roof than needs an upgrade, we do them all

-       FASCIA, GUTTER, EAVES & DOWNPIPES. This will depend on the age, profile & material. Sometimes the eaves contain asbestos. Sometimes there is no much left of the old eaves when the new second storey work is completed. We can use fascia cover at times to cover the timber fascia, leave the eaves and just replace the gutter. Each project is different and you should get advice from your builder/designer but this item should always be considered.

-       CLADDING. There are a huge range of old cladding used over the years and even more available now. We can match any type of old cladding used in the past but it may be worth considering upgrading the old cladding to a more modern and less maintenance alternative. This can include weatherboards, sheets, metal, insulated polystyrene rendered board, lightweight concrete Hebel, or bushfire resistant material.

-       DOORS. New entry, external swinging or sliding, internal passage, robe, door hardware or even garage doors can be a very easy and economical upgrade that can make a huge difference to the finished project.

-       JOINERY. Skirting & architraves can be upgraded for larger sizes, more modern profiles or with paint or stain finish material from any supplier or manufacturer.

-       WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS. Any material, any design. We have a solution for every problem

-       GYPROCK. We can easily change cornices to or from plaster cornice or add specialist plaster items (such as roses, vents, arches ceiling/wall panels). We can fix cracks or uneven finishes in old ceilings or walls. We can also add decorative bulkheads or wall recesses, even new set openings to existing openings or create new ones

-       EXTERNAL WORKS. At the end of the project you may wish to consider upgrading any work outside the house to finish things off in a professional manner. We can include any of this work required including driveways & paving, fencing or retaining walls, landscaping, decks/carports/alfresco, even a pool or shed.

WINDOWS

The design and specification of windows is a very important item for any second storey extension project. O’Mara can include windows of any style or material. Style can be windows designed to be sliding, awning, double hung, casement, fixed, raked or louvre. Glass can be basic clear glazed, obscure, tinted, patterned, thermal or double glazed. Aluminium frames can be standard domestic, stylish semi-commercial frames, full commercial or thermal. Timber frames can be cedar, maple or hardwood. We can also use windows that are aluminium on the outside and timber on the inside. Fly screens can be standard nylon mesh, aluminium wire or security screens. Doors can be sliding, bi-fold or multi-track sliding. We can also install glazing bars or horns to window sashes. Some people opt for specialist windows such as steel frames or traditional timber heritage sashes to match the existing old home, we can arrange this also. Window can also be installed with decorative window sills, modern gyprock set reveals or large decorative architraves. If your home is bushfire affected we can use bushfire bal rated glass and screens or specialised bushfire shutters. Some people also like plantation shutters or pelmets for automatic controlled blinds. Maybe its heritage style openable high-lites above windows & external doors. Skylights are also an option. These can be standard domes, fixed or openable Velux skylights or even the new optic fibre skylight that can be installed anywhere in the home. No matter what the requirement O’Mara can offer advice on the correct design, the right manufacturer and the best way to install the window to suit the project requirements.

SERVICES

This item is very important and includes water, sewer, stormwater, gas, power, air-conditioning and heating. When building an extension or renovating the exiting home a check of all services, new and old is critical not only to reduce construction costs but to be safe reduce problems in the future.

-       WATER. Is the service old galvanised pipes, copper or plastic, where is the main and incoming line, is there sufficient pressure, what needs to be moved ?

-       SEWER. Is old earthenware pipes used or new PVC, where is the main, stack, vent, gulley and incoming line, is there sufficient fall, what needs to be moved, is Sydney Water approval or inspections required ?

-       STORMWATER. Is old earthenware pipes used or new PVC, is there a main or easement, where does the stormwater go to, is there sufficient fall, is a new tank/pits/drain required, what are the likely council or bushfire requirements?

-       GAS. Is there any natural gas available to site and is so where is the main, if bottles are required where can they be located for refilling, what size main & branch line is required to suit the owner requirements for cooking/fireplace/BBQ/heating/hydronic, are there any bushfire or BCA special requirements ?

-       POWER. Is there single or 3 phase mains existing, do the mains need to be relocated or protected during construction, what circuits are available in the meterbox and does it need to be upgraded for safety or compliance, what are the BASIX requirements, are smoke detectors existing & compliant, is the existing house wiring safe, check condition of downlights & need for upgrade, what needs to be moved & provided for trades during construction

-       AIR-CONDITIONING. What is the condition of the existing system and does it need upgraded, if so to what system and is sufficient power available, what ducting needs to be relocated during construction, does the design allow for new ducted system, can a split system be installed at any stage including cassette or robe systems, is floor or wall grills an option, what about raked ceilings, location of outdoor unit, return air and fan coil has been considered, can the roof structure support the unit or does existing or new work need to be upgraded, where will need ducts be installed and is there sufficient room ?

-       HEATING. Is the gas or wood fireplaces, new or old sufficient, compliant and safe for during construction and upon completion including the flue, hearth and distances to walls, are there any gas heat points, check hydronic or sub-floor heating ?

-       OTHER SERVICES. Check any new or existing special requirements for data, phone, alarm, TV, internet, ducted vacuum, window or skylight power, fans, ducting to exhaust fans.

ALL of these questions need to be answered for EVERY project to minimise problems during or after construction by an experienced builder or building designer.