services@gwsbuild.com.au
18/12-20 Lawrence Drive, Nerang QLD 4211, Australia
Our clients loved their street and their neighbours — they just needed more room. This double-storey extension added a parents' retreat, two additional bedrooms and a rumpus room above the existing structure, all while the family continued living below. Careful structural planning and staged works kept disruption to an absolute minimum and the new level blends with the original home as if it was always there.
Adding a full level above a live-in home is as much a logistics exercise as a construction one. The existing footings turned out to be inadequate for a second storey — a discovery that would stall many projects — and the 1970s roofline had to be matched exactly or the extension would look bolted on.
Our structural engineer redesigned the footing solution to work with targeted underpinning rather than a full re-stump, saving the clients weeks and a significant cost. We built sealed dust barriers and a staged works plan so the family lived safely downstairs throughout, and we had the fascia, gutter and roof tiles custom-matched so the upper level reads as original.
The family never moved out, never lost the use of their kitchen, and the finished extension is indistinguishable from the original home — even the neighbours had to ask which part was new. The project came in on programme and the clients describe the parents' retreat as "the best money we spent on this house."
Two lessons travel well from this project. First, never design upward on assumptions: the footing discovery here cost a fortnight and a redesign — far less than it would have cost after the frame order. Second, living at home through a second-storey addition is only humane when the staging is ruthless: sealed zones, protected floors, and a schedule that keeps the family's essentials running. If a builder promises you both extra space and a normal life during the works, ask to see the staging plan in writing.
Every home we build starts with a conversation. Tell us what you are planning and we will show you how we would approach it.