In this Paddington house raise, our team transformed a modest 1920s workers cottage into a modern family home, while carefully preserving its historical charm. The owners wanted more space, more functionality, and a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living. We delivered all of that and more through a full-scale renovation that reimagined the home from the ground up.
The project, completed over the course of a year from March 2023 to March 2024, had a budget of approximately $1 million to $1.2 million. It involved a complex combination of raising the original structure, building in underneath, and adding an extension. This dramatically increased the home’s footprint, creating generous new living areas and bedroom zones to suit the family’s evolving needs.
Inside, we completely reworked the layout and updated the interiors while retaining the home’s heritage features and unmistakable charm. Every element was chosen to strike a balance between character and contemporary comfort.
We also tackled the outdoor areas to enhance the home’s livability. The backyard was previously steep and underutilised, so we constructed new retaining walls to level the space and improve accessibility. Now, the owners can step directly from their living area onto a spacious new deck, perfect for entertaining.
To top it all off, we added a brand-new pool, turning the backyard into a true retreat. With its thoughtful blend of old and new, this Paddington house raise now offers everything the homeowners dreamed of: space, style, and a strong connection to the home’s original story.
Client Testimonial
Here’s what Jessica, the homeowner, had to say about the project:
“From Disaster-block to ‘Perfect layout’. Josh, Kev & Team did a lift, move house, level awful block, reno and pool build for our 1920’s workers cottage in Paddington and it worked out amazing!! It was certainly a challenging project, being on a slip street, u-shaped super sloped block and the age of the house and the fact it was protected so there were a number of things that had to be done a certain way.
Kev and the build team were lovely to work with, no matter how hot and uncomfortable the day was and Josh did a great job of making sure there were not a lot of unforeseen blowouts in price. Thanks team!!”
