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Pro Spotlight: Get More Space Without Breaking the Bank
A building designer shares his secrets to finding more precious space without the huge costs
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Who: Steve Drougas of Concept Studio
Where: Hughesdale, Melbourne
In his own words: Commencing the process for a new project can appear quite daunting… don’t let that be the case. Be excited by it, welcome it, embrace and enjoy it! It’s a real opportunity to express yourselves in a way you may never have the chance to do again.
In the current climate there’s no doubt that it can be easier to improve your home than to move. One of the most common requests is more space. Yet, whether you have the budget for an extension, or choose to reconfigure your layout there are smart choices you can make to ensure that you avoid cost blow-outs. According to Steve Drougas, building designer at Concept Studio, these boil down to two main things: truly understanding how you live and what you are comfortable spending; working with your existing structure where possible, no matter how extensive the project is. Get this right and you can have the space you desire without the unforeseen costs.
Where: Hughesdale, Melbourne
In his own words: Commencing the process for a new project can appear quite daunting… don’t let that be the case. Be excited by it, welcome it, embrace and enjoy it! It’s a real opportunity to express yourselves in a way you may never have the chance to do again.
In the current climate there’s no doubt that it can be easier to improve your home than to move. One of the most common requests is more space. Yet, whether you have the budget for an extension, or choose to reconfigure your layout there are smart choices you can make to ensure that you avoid cost blow-outs. According to Steve Drougas, building designer at Concept Studio, these boil down to two main things: truly understanding how you live and what you are comfortable spending; working with your existing structure where possible, no matter how extensive the project is. Get this right and you can have the space you desire without the unforeseen costs.
Drawing board. From a young age, Steve Drougas developed a passion for freehand drawing which led him to volunteer at the Ministry of Housing. Here, he had his first opportunity to work on a drawing board, which cemented his love of building design.
He now thrives on working with clients to assist them in solving problems and creating their dream homes: “It’s so rewarding seeing your ideas evolve from what begins as just a single line and develops into a completed home that families love and enjoy,” he says.
He now thrives on working with clients to assist them in solving problems and creating their dream homes: “It’s so rewarding seeing your ideas evolve from what begins as just a single line and develops into a completed home that families love and enjoy,” he says.
Avoid blow-outs. According to Drougas, when planning an extension, it’s critical that clients understand what they need from their home and have a good awareness of what they’re comfortable investing in it. “That’s your starting point,” he says, recognising the need for designers to be creative in how to fulfil briefs according to different budgets. “It is really up to the designer to advise clients in a responsible manner and to keep a lid on cost blow-outs – it’s changed the way I design,” he states.
Going up? Follow Drougas’ expert tips on avoiding budget blow-outs when hunting for more space.
Going up? Follow Drougas’ expert tips on avoiding budget blow-outs when hunting for more space.
1. Work With the Existing Structure When Extending
If you’re in need of more space – and budget and planning regulations allow – building a second-storey extension for extra space is a great option. “Seventy-five per cent of homeowners I speak to are extending up,” says Drougas. “They love the area they live in, so it makes sense that they want to stay and invest back into their home. Plus, they’ll save their backyard space and add value to their property – a two-storey home has more kerb appeal than a single-storey home.”
When adding a new second storey, always try to work with the existing structure as best as possible, says Drougas. For example, aligning a new first-floor external wall immediately above any ground floor wall will help control engineering and construction costs. “Single-storey structures are typically not designed or built to accommodate the additional weight of a new first floor above it and as such, these structures will need to be strengthened at nominated points.
“Importantly, the new first-floor external walls, along with everything else, also pick up the weight of the new first-floor roof,” he continues. “These new walls need to be supported on either an existing wall below or new engineered beams, to ensure the new additional weight is eventually spread back down to the ground. By positioning new first-floor external walls on top of an existing wall, the number of engineered beams and their associated costs will be reduced.”
By extending this Clifton Hill home upwards, the homeowner can now benefit from not only its enhanced city views resulting from its new, elevated position, but also from its potentially higher resale value – another reason for building up. “When I first met the client, one thing he didn’t consider was reverse living,” Drougas says. “We planned the living spaces on the first floor to make the most of the city view.”
See more of this project
If you’re in need of more space – and budget and planning regulations allow – building a second-storey extension for extra space is a great option. “Seventy-five per cent of homeowners I speak to are extending up,” says Drougas. “They love the area they live in, so it makes sense that they want to stay and invest back into their home. Plus, they’ll save their backyard space and add value to their property – a two-storey home has more kerb appeal than a single-storey home.”
When adding a new second storey, always try to work with the existing structure as best as possible, says Drougas. For example, aligning a new first-floor external wall immediately above any ground floor wall will help control engineering and construction costs. “Single-storey structures are typically not designed or built to accommodate the additional weight of a new first floor above it and as such, these structures will need to be strengthened at nominated points.
“Importantly, the new first-floor external walls, along with everything else, also pick up the weight of the new first-floor roof,” he continues. “These new walls need to be supported on either an existing wall below or new engineered beams, to ensure the new additional weight is eventually spread back down to the ground. By positioning new first-floor external walls on top of an existing wall, the number of engineered beams and their associated costs will be reduced.”
By extending this Clifton Hill home upwards, the homeowner can now benefit from not only its enhanced city views resulting from its new, elevated position, but also from its potentially higher resale value – another reason for building up. “When I first met the client, one thing he didn’t consider was reverse living,” Drougas says. “We planned the living spaces on the first floor to make the most of the city view.”
See more of this project
2. Small Spaces Can Feel Spacious With the Right Layout
Don’t be afraid to scale back on the size of your home, advises Drougas. “Just because rooms are smaller, doesn’t mean the areas can’t work efficiently and feel spacious,” he says. “Everyone loves a large home but you’ve got to be able to afford to build it.”
By putting thought into the internal configuration – window and door positions, for example – Drougas works hard to get the most out of a space. He is currently renovating his own home, a unit in Black Rock, Melbourne, an area he loves, using smart furniture placement and design. By repositioning access to an existing cupboard and reconfiguring the existing bathroom, he was able to shift the bathroom door across and, in turn, completely free up wall space to the existing living area. “These two subtle changes transformed what had felt like a small room into a spacious area without physically increasing the footprint,” he says.
See more of this project
Don’t be afraid to scale back on the size of your home, advises Drougas. “Just because rooms are smaller, doesn’t mean the areas can’t work efficiently and feel spacious,” he says. “Everyone loves a large home but you’ve got to be able to afford to build it.”
By putting thought into the internal configuration – window and door positions, for example – Drougas works hard to get the most out of a space. He is currently renovating his own home, a unit in Black Rock, Melbourne, an area he loves, using smart furniture placement and design. By repositioning access to an existing cupboard and reconfiguring the existing bathroom, he was able to shift the bathroom door across and, in turn, completely free up wall space to the existing living area. “These two subtle changes transformed what had felt like a small room into a spacious area without physically increasing the footprint,” he says.
See more of this project
3. Avoid Repositioning the Plumbing
Keeping your plumbing where it is will be a sure-fire way to save money, says Drougas. For example, if an existing bathroom has plumbing in the concrete sub-structure of the property, you’re going to have to cut through the concrete to redirect the plumbing, which could in turn also compromise the integrity of the concrete slab. “You’re opening up a can of worms,” he says.
Again, taking the Black Rock renovation as an example, although the bathroom layout was reconfigured, plumbing points essentially remained deliberately where they were in order to avoid concrete cutting, unnecessary additional plumbing works and their associated costs.
More: For more information and examples of Drougas’ work, visit Concept Studio’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Keeping your plumbing where it is will be a sure-fire way to save money, says Drougas. For example, if an existing bathroom has plumbing in the concrete sub-structure of the property, you’re going to have to cut through the concrete to redirect the plumbing, which could in turn also compromise the integrity of the concrete slab. “You’re opening up a can of worms,” he says.
Again, taking the Black Rock renovation as an example, although the bathroom layout was reconfigured, plumbing points essentially remained deliberately where they were in order to avoid concrete cutting, unnecessary additional plumbing works and their associated costs.
More: For more information and examples of Drougas’ work, visit Concept Studio’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
For over 35 years, award winning Concept Studio principal Steve Drougas has been involved in building design,... Read More
Review by HU-503065958:
Steve from Concept Studio has been a true professional with our project. He has taken the time to listen (important), understand our needs, likes and dislikes and even challenged us on the ideas to en...More