PORTFOLIO

Brighton

  • Heritage Renovation & Extension
  • Brighton
  • 2023

The Brighton project masterfully blends the charm of an original Edwardian brick home with a thoughtfully designed modern extension. Our approach centred on preserving the heritage features while creating a light-filled, contemporary family space. The rear extension was crafted with metal, glass, and render, and contrasts superbly with the original brick front.

Addressing the home’s challenges was a key focus. The design and construct approach enabled us to collaborate closely with architects and trades, ensuring every detail was meticulously executed. The heritage overlay required thorough restoration of features such as tuck-pointed brickwork, tessellated tiles, and intricate fretwork. We tackled rising damp and poor ventilation by replacing the subfloor frame, injecting a damp-proof membrane, and installing new brick vents for cross-ventilation. Landscaping and a large pool along the north elevation complicated access, necessitating the construction of a structural platform for workspace and material storage, with manual handling for all deliveries.

Our expertise in older homes allowed us to rectify past building mistakes to ensure the home’s longevity. We battened, insulated, and ventilated the structure to enhance energy efficiency and durability.

Noteworthy features of the extension include an entertaining space with a bar cabinet, climate-controlled wine cellar, and an upholstered dining bench overlooking the pool. The real wood double-sided fireplace serves both inside and outside areas, while expansive skylights allow an abundance of natural light. Premium materials like bagged recycled brickwork, Weathertex cladding, and Statuarietto marble are complemented by engineered timber flooring, bespoke stone shelving, and 100% New Zealand wool carpet.

"Exceeded Our Expectations"

Our experience with Secon Constructions was extremely satisfying because of both the process and outcome. Being our first renovation, we understand this is rare. We feel it is because of the strong planning and client engagement that is apparent across the whole team, from Pete to the office, to the project manager to our wonderful site manager Jesse, as well as the standards they require from all trades working with Secon on our site. We have recommended Secon to a number of people asking whether we would work with our builder again - the answer is that we most certainly will.
Clients

Ready to renovate or build new?

We are an award-winning specialist in architectural heritage renovations and new custom builds in Melbourne’s prestigious inner-south and bayside suburbs.
For anyone considering putting their own personal touches on a piece of local architectural history, we’ve drawn from years of industry experience to compile a conclusive guide to renovating a heritage home.