It’s 2 weeks today when the AC roof comes off and the new color-bond one is installed + insulation ALL IN THE ONE DAY!

Got to say I have sympathy for the electrician who is going to have to rework the wiring in the roof space in between the roof on and the roof off… and also for the poor cat who is going to have to deal with the noise and the chaos… but most of all I have sympathy for the gung ho renovators who have to clear the front yard so the roofers can even SEE the roof they are replacing….

check out the photo and you’ll see what I mean 😦

So the image shows the floor plan of the house as it in now, and then the much ruminated plan for where we are heading.  Just love that Peter could draw the plans by hand.  (And even though there were many moans and groans through the process I know he loved that he could draw those plans too).  Another nod to the ‘old school’ style of this place.

We’re changing the house from a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 off street car spot home to 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 off street car parks while maintaining the same footprint. We hope we’re creating more interest and a sense of easy livability and not making anything feel ‘squeezed in’.  Changes we like…

• Moving the kitchen closer to the back verandah and pool makes great sense and gives room for another fairly spacious bedroom on the upper level.
• The huge existing bathroom should easily convert to a main and ensuite without compromising the essential bath for a relaxing soak.
• Closing-in part of the side verandah gives us a well defined entry and a sun-room on the northern side – wonderful coffee drinking spot/sleep out for extra visitors/you name it!
• Living/dining/kitchen in one open space with those lovely exposed rafters keeps the essential beach appeal. Big question here – what to do with our 8-seater dining setting in this space? Going to a good home when we find one! All offers considered.
• Moving the internal stairs sideways creates room for a tidy home office space with the rest of the wall great for storage.

Great news… well for us at least.  We aren’t having the ‘roof on/roof off ‘discussion any more.  The roof is coming off!! and replacing the AC with Colorbond ‘Surfmist’.  Last week Peter managed to get the old chainsaw repaired and will be attacking the front yard so we the roofers can actually get to the old roof.

We’ve spend lots of hours talking about what to do with this 1978 block of bricks.  In between full time work and family time and friend time it can do your head in.  Really loving living in this area though.  It’s not unusual for us to get home, grab a glass of something nice and the beach mat and head through the beach access to our favourite spot to watch the passing parade of late afternoon walkers on the beach.  My favourite way to let go of a busy day and set the mind onto what’s important!

This is a familiar sight at our home at the moment. Peter investigating options about how to change our ‘hot house’ into a cool house with insulation. Then we have the question of whether we replace the A.C. roof? Internally do we keep the brick, cover the brick, paint the brick?  Same with the racked ceiling or make flat ceilings in some rooms?  And lets not get forget the outside and the yard…    Think it’s time to grab that drink and head to the beach!

With the long service leave date looming – it’s less than a month – the order of the project is a really important to work out.  The good news is that we’ve decided on the floor plan.  Will post that next.

We thought that a blog would be a great way to involve others in our reno and to keep everyone up to date with progress.

And we need your help, support and inspiration!!