Saturday’s brand-new episode of Renovate or Rebuild saw us head over to Underwood in Queensland. James Treble caught up with Julian and Angela, a young couple who bought their 800sqm home four years ago. They bought the home with a view to renovate it to suit their needs. With an upgraded kitchen and a glorious back deck, Julian and Angela have high hopes for the home. Andy and Deb, of The Block fame, along with builders Kai Konstruct, were brought in to provide the couple with renovation or rebuild solutions and options.
Hopes and dreams for the Underwood home
Sitting down with James, Julian and Angela ran through their hopes and aspirations for their home. In its current state, the home has little storage.
The renovated kitchen reduced the available storage space even more. They listed the following as their must-haves:
- More space and more storage
- Master bedroom with ensuite
- Keep the deck in the same position
- A pool
- Efficient, comfortable, and healthy home
Along with their two dogs, Lucy and Beverley, the couple agreed that their budget would be $550,000 – $600,000. With the hope for a heated pool, the couple are also considering adding solar to offset the running costs.
Home energy system by Fronius
To find an energy solution for Julian and Angela, Andy enlisted the help of Roshan; Energy Matters’ CEO and resident energy expert. Pulling up in a $340,000 BMW i7 electric vehicle, Roshan took Andy to the home of Chantel, the CEO of Bluegum Electrical Solutions. Chantel’s home features an incredible 38kW of solar and 24kWh of battery storage. The system also features an EV charger. Installed to power the home during the day, night, and blackout events, Chantel’s home energy system is an excellent demonstration of Fronius’ technology.
Fronius Gen24 and Gen24 Plus inverter
The Fronius GEN24 series provides comprehensive backup power solutions, offering either the PV Point or Full Backup option with the GEN24 Plus model for whole-home backup. Featuring open interfaces, both the GEN24 and GEN24 Plus facilitate seamless integration with Fronius or third-party components for customised photovoltaic setups. These inverters boast energy management functionalities that enhance efficiency, while integrated active cooling extends their lifespan, ensuring long-term investment protection. Additionally, with the Fronius UP.storage software upgrade, users can easily retrofit their devices for Full Backup capability. When paired with batteries, the GEN24 Plus maximises the self-consumption of solar energy, promoting independence from grid electricity and fluctuating prices.
Fronius Wattpilot EV Charger
The Fronius Wattpilot is the ultimate solution for electric vehicle charging whether you’re at home or on the move. Available in Home and Go versions, the Wattpilot offers flexibility and intelligence like never before. The Home version, available in 11 kW and 22 kW power options, is a stationary charger for effortless home use. Meanwhile, the Go version, with a 22 kW power rating, is a portable solution perfect for travel.
Pools, fans, cooling, and more
To investigate the options available for the homeowners, the Renovate or Rebuild team set out across Queensland to check out options to address their must-haves.
Naked Freshwater Pools
First up was Andy, who visited a home with a Naked Pools freshwater system. The homeowner, Pria, chose a freshwater pool for the health benefits. Her children can swim all day without the risk of irritation to their skin thanks to the freshwater.
Universal Fans: Fanco
James toured the options available from Universal Fans. With cooling a must-have in Queensland homes, ceiling fans are an economical and effective option. The Fanco Infinity DC fan range can run 24/7 for a whole year at a cost of around $10! James was smitten with the Fanco Sanctuary DC fans that offer gorgeous aesthetics with many colour and size options.
Bondor SolarSpan roofing panels
Jimmy lent a hand and took a trip to North Stradbroke Island, where he met with Architect Paul Butterworth. Paul showcased two homes that utilise passive designs for cooling. Bondor SolarSpan roofing offers additional insulation and ease of installation. Built to withstand the elements, Bondor roof panels are an excellent option and solution for Australian homes.
Prestige Plus Windows and Doors
Jimmy explored the options available for windows and doors from Prestige Plus. Not only do the windows and doors come in various colours, but multiple colours can be chosen for the interior and exterior. The tilt-and-turn windows allow for partial or full opening, allowing for control over the breeze throughout your home. A fantastic feature of Prestige Plus windows is an internal blind between the glass that is dust-free. 90% of energy loss in the home is lost through windows and doors. Double-glazed windows reduce this loss by 30%.
Beacon Lighting
Deb took Tim Sayce from Kai Konstruct on a tour of a home recently renovated by herself and Andy. The home incorporates layered lighting which lifts each room, provides function, and allows for mood lighting. Deb chose Beacon Lighting to provide all the lighting for the interior and exterior of the home. They provide an extensive range of downlights, strip lighting, pendants, and so much more.
The renovate or rebuild designs
Armed with the desires of the homeowners and the information obtained from their investigations, Andy and Deb go to work designing their renovation and rebuild options.
Lifesize Plans in Nort Lakes, north of Brisbane, set the scene for the competition. Going head to head, Andy and Deb agreed to the terms of the competition. Should Andy win with Team Rebuild, Deb will need to do a comedy set. If Deb takes the crown for Team Renovation, Andy will need to face his fear of spiders!
Team Renovation’s plans
Kai Konstruct and Deb designed a facelift and extension for Julian and Angela. The facade would be given a lick of paint and the kitchen, dining, and lounge room would remain mostly untouched. To bring the couple’s dreams to life, an extension would be added that would house the master bedroom and ensuite. A brand new pool would connect to the back deck and bring their backyard to life along with fresh landscaping. New paint throughout the home, added ceiling fans, the addition of solar, and new lighting would all round out the renovation. The updates would bring the energy rating of the home to 6.9.
Cost: $500,000
Team Rebuild’s plans
Flipping the design of the home on its head, Andy and Kai Konstruct designed a brand-new home with a pool and outdoor dining at the front of the home. The much-loved backyard deck would be included in the new design with a rear deck. With 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the home would be much larger with the addition of a media room and space for storage. The home would include roof insulation and solar, bringing the energy star rating to 7.5.
Cost: $1,100,000
What did the couple choose?
Ultimately, the design and budget played a big role and Julian and Angela chose to renovate! We cannot wait to see what the newly renovated home will look like, and see the results of Andy’s date with spiders!
Tune in next Saturday, the 6th of April, to watch the results on Channel 9 at 3:30pm. You can catch reruns throughout the week on Channel 9Life and stream on 9Now.
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