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- Prefabricated Home Extension, Melbourne
The Challenge
While a cosy triple fronted brick veneer house in Bulleen Victoria brought back fond memories of their childhood homes, Damien Crough and his wife knew that as a home for their family of six it would be a bit of a squeeze.
The size the property presented the perfect opportunity for a modern, no-fuss extension that balanced nostalgia with the practical requirements for their family.
No sooner had the family decided to undertake this project than Damien run into an old university friend and renowned architect, Paul Catalano from PC Architects.
“This really was the opportunity to build the house we had always wanted,” Damien said.
“When I told Paul about the project, he was all in. He got really heavily involved with the design, and we worked collaboratively to really make the most of the Northern aspect of the rear.
“For us it was important to keep it classic with simple, timeless materials—concrete, steel, timber, glass.”
As CEO & Founding Director of prefabAUS, Damien knew the perfect solution was Bondor’s prefabricated insulated SolarSpan® long-spanning roofing panels to hit the brief for a sleek, contemporary and timeless extension.
The Solution
“We’ve used Bondor products in other projects. As soon as they’re up, the job is done. It’s the perfect low-maintenance building option that shortens construction timelines and provides unparalleled insulation to a home,” Damien said.
“Everything in prefabricated construction comes in a pre-manufactured panel off-site that slips in and bolts or screws together very quickly on-site.
“The main benefits of this approach to construction are speed, performance, insulation, and using quality products that are made in a factory, and made for better tolerances.”
Damien engaged Advanced Offsite Group, specialist builders in modular, prefabricated, and panelised construction systems for the extension. They used 5m long SolarSpan® panels for the walls and roof of the extension, installing the panels after pouring the slab and setting up portal frames.
“We stood the whole structure up in two days. The carpenters who helped us assemble it couldn’t believe it.
“Once installed I didn’t have to paint it. The panels come finished in COLORBOND® Steel in Surfmist, so as soon as you put it up, you’re done. You don’t have to paint it or touch it again,” he said.
Thermal performance and efficiency was another key benefit, with 150mm of insulation integrated into the all-in-one wall and roof panels.
The result is Damien uses just one small air conditioning unit for heating and cooling, demonstrating SolarSpan®’s superior insulation properties.
The final extension introduced a brand-new kitchen to the property with five bedrooms, as well as a long-awaited backyard pool and entertaining area which ties together an idyllic indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
“We promised the kids a pool in our last house. With our renovation we step out of our bedroom and we’re around the pool enjoying each other’s company,” Damien said.
“The Bondor panel aesthetics contribute to our outdoor retreat, and with its low maintenance requirements our backyard will be looking immaculate for years to come.”
Manufactured in Australia by Bondor, SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roofing panel offering long-spans, low pitch and high thermal efficiency.
prefabAUS is the peak body for Australia’s prefabricated construction industry, specialising in educating and identifying innovation in prefabrication technology and design.
