Baahouse Hinterland Home, Gold Coast

The Challenge

Claus Ejlertsen from Baahouse Architecture specialises in innovative residential design, particularly in creating efficient and luxurious small-scale living spaces.  

When Claus was approached to design a compact retirement home for a family downsizing to their children’s Gold Coast hinterland property, he knew he had to ‘get creative’ with council parameters. 

The clients—who originally lived near Gympie wanted a smaller dwelling designed to be a future-proof property where they could comfortably live as they got older. 

Working within a tight 60m2 footprint, 20% smaller than a typical free-standing Australian house, Claus’s challenge was to work with this limited space to create a comfortable retirement home that didn’t feel cramped. 

The local council parameters were strict, so he need to strategically expand the perceived space through clever architectural design to create an expansive, light-filled living environment that felt much larger than its compact footprint. 

Bondor’s SolarSpan® insulated, long spanning roof panels gave Claus the flexibility and aesthetic appeal to create a home that perfectly met his clients’ needs. 

The Solution

Claus tackled the project’s restricted footprint by thinking beyond traditional design. He maximised space through high raked ceilings, eliminating hallways, and creating an open-plan layout that seamlessly connected indoor and outdoor areas.  

Claus effectively doubled the size of the home by connecting an additional 40-50m2 outdoor deck to main home. This deck area was excluded from the council’s internal measurement, allowing for significant extra living space.  

He also created an additional rear deck and multi-purpose utility and laundry space, which effectively pushed the total usable area to around 100m2.  

Claus emphasised the importance of the indoor-outdoor connection being crucial to the home’s design. 

“With the subtropical Brisbane climate, it’s really important that we live outside, enjoy that outside deck space, and give that indoor, outdoor connection between the two spaces that we’re working with,” he said. 

“That really makes a small house feel like a big, large, open, family home.”  

The inclusion of high raked ceilings and open plan design also contributed to making the modest space feel much larger and more expansive. 

By using Bondor’s SolarSpan® roofing system, he streamlined construction and created a light-filled, airy interior.  

“Bondor is a fantastic product. It has a self-clipping together modular system that comes in long spans. For this project, we got six metres from one beam to the other beam. 

“It’s also quick and easy to install. Within that roof system, you’ve got the lining so you don’t have to paint underneath, the insulation, and the top of the roof, all in one panel.  

“The same day the electrician comes in, he does the lighting installation, and literally, within a day, you have a whole roof installed.” 

Through innovative design, seamless indoor-outdoor connections, and strategic use of natural light, Claus transformed what could have been standard granny flat into a luxury escape for his clients’ retirement years. 

Manufactured in Australia by Bondor, SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading all-in-one insulated roofing panel offering long-spans, low pitch and high thermal efficiency. 

Scone Historical Society

The Challenge

The Scone and Upper Hunter Historical Society needed to upgrade their archive shed to better preserve their valuable historical collection.  

Established in 1956, the historical society maintains a comprehensive archive of the area’s rich local heritage. The archive includes a wide range of documents such as photographs, books, and various written records spanning from the early settlement period of 1825 onwards. 

 The existing old fibro shed was in poor condition with malfunctioning roller doors and a possum inhabiting the space, making for unsanitary storage conditions for their venerable collection. 

A new shed was needed to address multiple preservation needs, from temperature and humidity control, to protecting against dust and pests. It also needed to meet the Development Authority’s requirements for storing heritage items.  

The project involved obtaining a grant, working with Great Value Garages, and navigating complex State Government planning portal requirements to create a suitable storage solution for their collection.  

Bondor’s InsulRoof® panels provided the specialised insulation and fire rating requirements needed to protect and maintain the historical society’s collection.

The Solution

For Great Value Garages, this project pushed the boundaries of the company’s traditional shed-building expertise. Unlike their standard builds using corrugated iron or weatherboard-style sheeting, this project marked their first complete shed using insulated panels for both walls and roof. 

The archive storage facility required highly specialised technical specifications, including a precise R5 insulation rating and specific fire protection standards.  

These unique requirements demanded significant engineering adjustments and a completely new approach to shed design, moving well beyond their usual construction methods. 

Having previously used Bondor products in carports, the company was familiar with the brand and knew they could provide the right panelling. After consulting with Bondor, they confirmed InsulRoof® panels would meet the critical protection requirements for storing historical documents. 

The completed archive shed is a 6x9m structure, standing 2.4m high with a 30-degree roof pitch, a waterproof concrete floor, properly closing roller doors, and improved structural design that prevents pest entry. 

It houses a unique collection of historical items such as glass negatives from early photographer Joseph Docker, portraits of early settlers, and some Aboriginal artifacts. The new shed will also house small pieces of historical furniture and other museum collection items that are not currently on display in the historical society’s main museum space. 

By constructing the new, specially insulated shed, the Scone and Upper Hunter Historical Society have ensured the area’s valuable historical records and artifacts are safeguarded for future generations. 

The insulating properties of the Expanded Polystyrene with fire-retardant (EPS-FR) core, together with an airtight joint, makes InsulRoof® panels an ideal solution for preserving the story of Scone and the Upper Hunter.  

Regional Shopping Complex – Tasmania

The Challenge

It isn’t every day that Bondor Metecno Tasmania are approached to supply product for a ‘ground up’ shopping complex build, but when the opportunity came up in regional Tasmania in 2024 it was a challenge the team were ready to tackle.

The shopping complex was centred around a supermarket with additional tenants to include a bakery, a takeaway, and a bottle shop, with concrete tilt-up walls and an exposed roof structure.

The brief that came across State Manager – Tasmania, Ashley Moore’s desk was to supply panelling that was not only thermally effective but commercially and aesthetically pleasing.

As with any project involving food and produce storage, not just any product would do.

The project needed to deliver in three key areas—thermal performance, ease of installation, and aesthetic qualities.

MetecnoSpan® roofing, MetecnoInspire® walling, and MetecnoPanel® for the cool rooms and freezers provided the perfect combination.

The Solution

“This project is a great example of the wide range of panelling Bondor Metecno can offer for various commercial and industrial applications in a single project,” Ashley said.

“The roof, walls, and cool room show how our products work together for quick installation, strong thermal performance, and a consistent, functional design.

“Although we’ve done several projects with cool rooms with food safety requirements, what is unique about this project is the choice of Monument dark panelling for the internal roof and wall finishes.

“The architect selected the colour scheme not only to complement the supermarket anchor tenant, but also because it helped camouflage exposed services like cable trays, electrical work, and ductwork that are visible on the underside of the roof.

“The uniform, dark appearance not only helped conceal internal building services but also offered visual simplicity and a clean, streamlined look to the building’s interior.

“In fact, the colour scheme has become a recurring design choice for the supermarket chain,” he said.

The final building features:

  • Roof: MetecnoSpan® Surfmist over Matt Monument x 2815m2

  • Perimeter lining internally: MetecnoInspire® 60mm Monument over White x 840m2

  • Cool rooms: MetecnoPanel® 100mm Monument over Monument x 274m2

  • Freezer: MetecnoPanel® 150mm Monument over Monument x 108m2

The outcome of the project proving that the client and complex truly could have it all: form and function.

Today, the regional shopping complex is visited daily by hundreds of locals stocking up on essentials who get to enjoy the ‘cool’ aesthetics and even cooler internal temperature with the application of the MetecnoPIR product.

MetecnoSpan®, MetecnoInspire®, and MetecnoPanel® all feature a polyisocyanurate (PIR) rigid core between layers of BlueScope® COLORBOND® steel. They deliver extreme thermal efficiency and are fire retardant, CodeMark™ accredited, GreenRate certified and FM Approved to FM 4880 and FM 4471.

Portarlington Amenities Block

The Challenge

The Portarlington Public Amenities Block project, undertaken by GR Design & Construct, aimed to replace an outdated 1970s-era toilet block with a modern, functional, and aesthetically pleasing facility.

Located on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong, Victoria, the project was part of the local council’s capital works and replacement program. The new facility was designed to cater to a diverse community, including retirees, families, holidaymakers, and individuals with disabilities and in particular with high support needs.

The project needed to meet stringent accessibility requirements, including a specialised ‘Changing Places’ facility that could safely accommodate people with disability and their carers.

The high-visibility and high-traffic location meant that a visual upgrade was also equally important in creating a more sophisticated public amenity that went beyond pure functionality. The facility needed to withstand heavy public use while maintaining cleanliness and durability.

Bondor’s SolarSpan® all-in-one insulated roofing panel, consisting of the roof, insulation, and ceiling in a single panel, provided a cost-effective and energy efficient solution to a traditional corrugated tin roof, and transformed the block from a basic ‘shed’ to a more visually appealing structure.

The Solution

The completed Portarlington Amenities Block stands out as a more functional, accessible, and attractive public space that goes far beyond a ‘typical toilet block’.

The project took about 8 months from design to completion, featuring five toilets, a storeroom, external showers for beachgoers, and a specialised ‘Changing Places’ facility to enable people with disabilities to comfortably and safely use public spaces.

Darren McIntosh of GR Design & Construct said the company was one of the few specialist contractors in Australia who build these facilities.

“Changing Places is a specialist facility that allows people with disability and high support needs to use the beach or public toilets anywhere,” he said.

“We had to meet multiple regulatory requirements, including DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) standards, ensuring full accessibility including door widths, space allocation, and privacy considerations.”

Darren said the Bondor SolarSpan roof was chosen to provide cost and energy efficiencies as well as enhanced aesthetics compared to a traditional corrugated tin roof.

“SolarSpan® offered a cost-effective solution through a single-panel solution incorporating roof, insulation, and ceiling. It also contributed to enhanced thermal efficiency by reducing heat gain and improving energy conservation.”

“The panels provided a streamlined, clean design that elevates the perception of public restrooms and set a new benchmark for public facility projects, demonstrating that practical infrastructure can also be visually appealing and environmentally.”

The Portarlington Public Amenities Block stands as a model for future public amenities, proving that investment in well-designed, high-quality materials like Bondor’s SolarSpan® can result in long-term benefits for both the community and local governments.

SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roofing panel offering long-spans, low pitch and high thermal efficiency to satisfy Section J requirements in commercial and industrial applications. Codemark approved and Australian Standards tested, SolarSpan® features a COLORBOND® steel exterior roof layer, EPS-FR rigid insulation core with a pre-finished COLORBOND® ceiling underside in a variety of profiles and colours to maximise creative expression.

Melton Beach House

The Challenges

Despite its location in Melton on Melbourne’s western rural–urban fringe, homeowner and building designer Jessica wanted to create a home with a beach house feel. A mum of three, Jessica’s vision was for a home that was not only sleek and modern, but also one that felt open, spacious, and able to accommodate her family and friends.  

With time to make up after COVID-related restrictions delaying build time, Jessica needed products that were quick and easy to install while making efficient use of the available space and giving plenty of natural lighting.  

As seen on the eighth episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5. 

 

The Solution

Jessica decided to incorporate Bondor’s InsulRoof® and LuxeWall® in the design and construction of her home, giving it a modern and monochrome look and feel. 

“Although I live in Melton, I still wanted a beach house. Using the available space, I decided to build something similar to a beach house – something with a modern feel in the suburbs,” Jessica said 

 Jessica opted for LuxeWall® on the exterior of the upper floor to take advantage of the panel’s advanced lightweight cladding technology and decorative COLORBOND® 

Basalt finish, offering a cost effective and sustainable addition to the build. 

“I went with LuxeWall® on the upper level to complement the concrete panels on the lower level, which gave a slick, modern look to the home.”  

 “Using LuxeWall® prevented the need to build layers upon layers in the understory, keeping things light and fitting the sleek design.” 

 Jessica also incorporated Bondor’s InsulRoof ® panels in the COLORBOND®  Surf Mist.  

 “InsulRoof ® panels were the perfect inclusion to our design thanks to their span across our rooftop and low maintenance,” Jessica said.  

“We were able to incorporate this roofing solution to ensure we maintained the valuable natural light and regulated temperature.” 

 Despite not living on the beach, Jessica achieved her dream beach house – an open-plan home with plenty of natural lighting and space.  

Lady Galway, Enoggera

The Challenges

Semi-retired resident Kay was looking for a house that would be her forever home. However, not finding one to suit, she approached Jamin Design Group and Petroff Constructions to help  her create a mid-century modern home with a twist. 

Kay shared her portfolio of ideas with Jamin Design Group, who designed a unique home to bring to life Kay’s vision. Karl Petroff from Petroff Constructions made the home a reality, brining the outside in using Bondor’s SolarSpan® and InsulWall®. 

As seen on the fourth episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5.

The Solution

Karl decided to incorporate InsulWall® and SolarSpan® roofing to ensure cross flow ventilation without the need for air conditioning thanks to the insulation value of the all-in-one insulated sandwich panelling. 

“Kay was looking to incorporate a mid-century modern look, blending an industrial feel into modern InsulLiving,” Karl said. 

Bondor’s InsulLiving® system combines the revolutionary, lightweight and strong InsulWall® and SolarSpan® panels, which together form a complete thermal shell to protect the home from extreme hot and cold weather. 

“What makes Bondor’s SolarSpan® so special is its insulation properties. Not only do they create a open, industrial feel, Kay’s house does not require air conditioning.

“The roofing panels interlock easily with the wall panels to form a complete thermally efficient shell. Combined with high level louvers to allow airflow, the home is naturally cooled to remain comfortable throughout the year.”

Kay’s home is her oasis – a place to keep her special memories and packed full of personality. 

“Kay loves her knick knacks, so her home has been purpose designed to reflect her travels. She is pleased to have a space to display her treasures and special memories,” Karl said. 

V Residence

The Challenges

A Brisbane family approached TONIC Architecture and Design to create a home that would work for their growing family; that was functional and filled with light and ventilation, capturing views while maintaining privacy. 

The existing 1970s era brick house featured city glimpses and a connected backyard, with high ceilings, sculpted voids, and an abundance of natural light inside. However, the home was orientated in wrong direction with living areas facing east and the backyard facing west. The lower level of the home also had the incorrect ceiling height and limited connection between the living areas. 

The family did not want to lose the elements of the existing house they liked such as the brick and mid-century modern style. They envisaged a renovated home that suited the lifestyle needs of a large busy family – a light filled sanctuary, offering escape for both parents and children whilst surrounded by greenery, trees, and landscaping.   

After viewing the property, TONIC Architecture and Design’s Managing Director Matthew Riley proposed an extension to the home to include a new double volume kitchen and dining space on the southern side of the home. This space was designed to connect the existing living spaces. The extension also featured a raised clerestory roof to capture the northern sun.  

As seen on the second episode of 9Life’s Open Homes Australia season 5. 

The Solution

Matthew decided to incorporate SolarSpan® roofing on the extended portion of the home, reducing need for large structural elements. 

“The SolarSpan® roofing in COLORBOND’s Surfmist enabled a simple clearspan roof, providing great insulation for the living space,” Matthew said.  

“In addition, we used Bondor Panels as window hoods on the existing house to link the new additions to the existing home. Bondor’s panels provided excellent weather protection and sun shading for existing window openings, creating a new and modern look for the home. 

“Having pre-finished products meant the ease of construction and time saving with the installation. The insulation properties were also considered when deciding to incorporate SolarSpan® panels.” 

The family was impressed with the meticulous design of the new area and the seamless integration with the existing home.  

“The owners were pleased with their new home, which catered for the whole family, and their busy lifestyle. The final product exceeded their expectations and vision of what was possible,” Matthew said.  

Matthew was impressed with the completed build, and credited the ease of using Bondor’s SolarSpan® and pre-finished panels in the home extension to meet the client’s ‘must-have’s.’ TONIC Architecture and Design regularly use Bondor products and will continue to do so in a range of upcoming projects.  

Honeyworks House

The Challenges

In Geebung, a single, detached house was demolished and rebuilt, aiming for a mid-century style home in keeping with the surrounding suburban look of similar motifs, brickwork and detailing.

Constrained by a smaller budget and with high-set homes on either side of it, the scale of this single storey house was elevated so that it sat comfortably in the street. It also included high ceilings with light and airy spaces inside to keep the home feeling open.

This required more pre-construction design planning than most simple house builds to ensure the right products could be used for the project.

With budget and space constraints in mind, Paul Butterworth opted for a carport instead of a built-in garage to preserve the unique design elements of the home. 

Paul Butterworth, the Principal Architect from Paul Butterworth Architect chose Bondor’s SolarSpan® to create a sleek carport with a lightweight look and feel.

 

As featured on episode 1 of 9Life’s Renovate or Rebuild.

The Solution

“It was particularly important for us to create a non-structurally intensive carport that didn’t detract from the house,” Paul said.

“SolarSpan panel was perfect to get that large span, nice thin contour to the street as well as creating a nice synergy with the house’s indoor cladding. Design continuity between the two elements was important and Bondor’s competitors didn’t offer that feature with their products.

“SolarSpan coupled with some express steelwork and a Y-column was the perfect recipe to create a stylish carport out the front of the house, which is the first thing people will see when arriving, without detracting from the house’s design.”

Paul also praised SolarSpan’s longspan capability and slender, elegant finish as one of the other deciding factors.

“Bondor’s documentation and upfront structural capability assessments is also really good. The resources we had on hand to make design assessments at the early stage was really helpful in giving us confidence that the products we chose were right for the project,” Paul said.

Paul has worked using Bondor’s products across multiple projects, including prefab module housing to townhouses, terrace houses and single bespoke architectural homes for boutique clients, with some currently under construction. 

 

Images: © Christopher Frederick Jones

Panelup Patios, Wollongong

The Challenges

A local Wollongong family approached Panelup Patios to build two patio roofs, including a fly-over roof for a second storey balcony and a large backyard patio cover to create a luxury entertainment area. 

With the older house being recently renovated and cosmetically improved, and a massive backyard used by the family and their pets, their days were ruined by rain and hot summer heat.  

The family needed something that would provide adequate shelter, stave off the heat and seamlessly complement their recent renovation. 

Panelup Patios Director Sasha Veselinovic visited the project to gauge the best solution for the family’s request and instantly decided on Bondor’s SolarSpan® (100mm panels) in COLORBOND’s Surfmist ceiling and COLORBOND’s Paperbark for the roofing’s top layer. 

The Solution

Once the product was decided, Sasha went back to the office, and prepared a full 3D plan which the owners could open on their app to see what they would be getting. VR googles also allowed a project walkthrough prior to the build. 

“All the Bondor products including the SolarSpan are designed as BIM models, so it’s fairly easy to incorporate them into any new project and see exactly what the client would be getting’s and how it would be installed,” Sasha said. 

“The aesthetics, durability, insulation and no maintenance for the family made this an easy decision for everyone involved. What more could you want from panelling? 

“For us as patio installers, it’s the speed that is one of the major deciding factors. From start to finish, this build was only three days, one team required, and no need for painters or carpenters to erect any timbers, which is fairly quick considering the size of the roof.” 

Sasha also noted that traditional builds of this nature would otherwise typically take three times longer and would require a few different trades. 

The owners loved the end result as well. 

“The owners were impressed with the insulation properties, large span of panels and overall look and aesthetics of the product, plus the great value it would add to their home,” Sasha said. 

Impressed with the build, Sasha said they would be working with Bondor again in future, including building prefab homes and large projects in the work using Bondor’s panels. For the Panelup Patio division, they are currently building two patios per week with Bondor’s panels with further expansion plans in the works.

Carwoola Patio

The Challenges

Renovating an older house always comes with the challenge of modernising it, maintaining original styling. Renovations of this Carwoola home included an extended rumpus room and outdoor horseshoe entertaining area that needed roofing that maintained airflow to capture breezes and keep the area comfortable year-round.

Speed, efficiency and cost were major factors, as well as needing an option that would still let in light, and airflow.

Building suppliers Canberra Building Supplies chose Bondor’s SolarSpan® Monument with Ashwood Ceiling and 3 x Naturelite strips to build out this design and tick all boxes.

The Solution

The speed and ease of construction for Bondor’s SolarSpan® was the first thing noted in the construction of this wood grain finish patio roofing solution. SolarSpan® also provided more thermal efficiency, blocking out the heat while also providing an option for a skylight to let in more light, which at night could be turned into lights as an added feature. The look of the wood grain being what tipped the homeowners to choosing this option. Furthermore, this was a more affordable alternative to other roofing solutions on the market.

The self-spanning capabilities across the whole distance of the patio, without the need for any extra support, was also an advantage for greater floor space.

This roofing solution provided a seamless design to the rest of the property, pre-fit cladding for ease of installation, added spacing benefits, thermal efficiency and a cost-effective solution, beating out competitor cladding solutions.

Igor Blazeski, the owner of Canberra Building Supplies who oversaw the materials used for this project, said the homeowners were thrilled with the project, which has increased the value of their property substantially.

“Ever since we saw how easy it was for the product to be installed and how great the finish looked, we’ve been recommending Bondor to anyone looking for building supplies,” Mr Blazeski said.

SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roof panel ideal for insulated patios, insulated pergolas, verandas, decks, carports, garages and homes. SolarSpan® is perfect for low pitch flat patio roofs at 2 degrees and its superior comfort, sleek aesthetic, cyclonic approval, long unsupported spans and ease of installation makes it highly sought after from architects, developers and building designers.