Why don’t you take on projects with a budget of less than $400K

Over the years we’ve found ourselves extremely good at large scale home renovations and extensions. Of course, there’s a large market for smaller works to get in quick and get things done. We prefer larger, more transformative renovations when we can really have a positive impact on peoples lives. We understand that most people will only renovate once or twice in their life. - Therefore we like to get the work right the first time and typically the only time!

Why don’t you build new homes?

Over the years we found we were great at renovations/extensions and it was the work our team really really loved to do. Also the fact that new builds didn’t sit as well with us from a sustainability point of view. We could see that rather than demolishing the old and building new, we should be using the beautiful old homes that we have. Allowing these old homes to tell their storey while we transformed them into homes fit for modern living.

What’s included in construction costs?

We include absolutely everything in construction costs! From insurances to council permits, carpets to driveways and everything in between!

What’s sustainable about Sustainable Homes Melbourne?

First, we have to determine ‘what is sustainable’? Definition straight from Google is; able to be maintained at a certain rate or level. I honestly question whether the human race is sustainable at it’s current rate or level. However that isn’t going to change anytime soon, so it’s about making our current level of living much more sustainable. Our mission is to improve our current housing stock and restore the beautiful, old homes that we have, rather than build new. We build for longevity. People often say ‘homes these days aren’t built like they used to be’. I guarantee you, the homes SHM build will last much longer than homes built in the 20th century (and homes built by 99 out of 100 other builders). We build high-performing homes that are beautiful and comfortable to live in and use very little operational energy, which is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases. These are just some of our answers.

ECO FRIENDLY HOME BUILDERS

Our passion lies in transforming Melbourne’s rundown old homes into beautiful, comfortable, eco friendly homes.

Eco Friendly Builders Melbourne

At Sustainable Homes Melbourne we undertake meaningful projects that align with our purpose and values. We support, inspire and engage with our clients to design creative eco friendly building.

Eco Friendly Home Building Glenlyon Rd Brunswick

Eco Friendly Homes

A building designed to be ecologically correct by using resources efficiently, using internal recycling, renewable energy sources, recyclable or biodegradable construction materials, and blending in with the local environment, particularly in out-of-town locations.

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7 Basic Principles Of Eco Friendly Building

1.Insulation
Ensuring your home is fully insulated is a smart investment and the most cost effective way to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. It will save you money on heating and cooling costs. Insulation is not an area to cut corners on. It can help reduce noise transfer between rooms as well as the thermal benefits. It’s best to get this right during the renovation rather than adding it once the project is complete.

2.The Right Ventilation – Airtightness
Having the right ventilation and ensuring the homes structure is air tight will maximise the efficiency of insulation. Depending on the property, ventilation can be passive, mechanical or both, but it needs to be considered as part of the design.

3.Thermal Mass
Thermal mass is the ability of material to absorb, store and release heat. We use materials to create thermal mass in your home which can absorb the sun during the day and release it into the home as external temperatures drop. Therefore maintaining a comfortable internal environment. We identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing home in relation to thermal mass and where it could be located. Used correctly, thermal mass can help to reduce energy consumption.

4.Natural Light
Maximising the amount of natural light in your home not only reduces the amount of energy to run the house, it is proven to boost the health of the occupants. There are many aspects to consider with the placement of windows to reduce the need for articial lighting. Heat captured through windows from the sun can be used to help heat a building and combined with thermal mass it can help reduce heating bills.

5.Eco Friendly And Sustainable Materials
There are various ways to ensure the products and materials you use are as eco friendly as possible. Wherever possible we want to use materials that don’t harm the environment and use recycled materials when appropriate.

6.Choosing The Right Structural Systems
All construction systems can be adapted to meet good levels of energy efficiency, but some lend themselves more immediately to hitting the highest standards. We use our experience to incorporate the right structural system techniques for each project

7.Deploy Renewable Technologies
We help each client pick the right renewable technologies for their home. Examples are solar how water systems and rainwater harvesting.

These 7 basic principles ensure that performance, quality and comfort are all delivered on any eco friendly house renovation.

Elements Of Eco Friendly House Renovations

Insulation
The Right Ventilation
Thermal Mass
Natural Light
Eco Friendly And Sustainable Materials
Choosing The Right Structural Systems
Deploy Renewable Technologies

Examples Of Eco Friendly Home Renovation Projects

Below are some examples of eco friendly house building projects we’ve been involved with that we are proud of:

Project 1 – Anna’s Home Munro St

We transformed this cold, leaky, dark and cramped home into Anna’s dream. A cosy, light filled open plan home with space, comfort and an earthy feel

We maximised the use of windows to the east to bring the greenery of the garden into the home

We incorporated the following strategies;

Preservation of the heritage of the existing home
Recycled timber flooring
Central courtyard to allow the northern sun in winter
Large north and east facing double glazed windows
Hydronic heating panel
4 KWh solar system
Slimline water tank with pump to flush toiles
Bosch combi boiler for hydronic heating and how water usage

Project 2 – Glenlyon Road Brunswick

We breathed live back into this rundown old Victorian terrace home in the heart of Brunswick. The project was to build a functional, comfortable and sustainable home built for longevity.

The use of natural and recycled materials (particularly timber) was of great importance to the client and complemented the heritage of the existing home bringing it into the 21st century.

We incorporated the following strategies;

Preservation of the heritage of the existing home
Variety of recycled timber used throughout
Central north facing courtyard
Services (toilet, stairs, storage, etc) along the western wall to protect living areas from harsh western sun
Large double glazed windows protected by large eave
Hydronic panel heating
Slimline water tank with pump flush toilets

Eco Friendly Home builders Glenlyon Rd Brunswick

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