Have a sprawling 90’s home in need of an uplift? We are Architects who know how to adapt 90’s homes for contemporary living.

Some clients approach us with a blank sheet and others with a firm idea of what they want; many are somewhere in between. All that is perfectly OK, because exploring options is a big part of what we do here at EVER. We want you to participate in the process, and understand how the outcome came to be. This means we can test different approaches - allowing you to make an informed decision about whether to lift-and-build under, to extend your home, or to demolish and build new.

The latter parts of the 20th Century saw significant new development in Brisbane, with a prevalance of large, sprawling homes (which some disparagingly call McMansions) predominantly constructed of brick veneer. Perhaps we’ll never know why people saw fit to install columns and balustrades that look like chess pieces, or introduce strange angles in kitchens and bay windows, or why ceilings still tended to be 2.4m when these homes were ever-expanding in girth. Double stairs with half going to nowhere, confused flourishes and trims, spas in bedrooms, glass brick, strange superficial details and the most random of coloured feature walls - this was a confusing time!

As an Architect, we love tackling tricky briefs and design challenges - and these houses are amongst the trickiest type to renovate, although it can be done with some care. The issue at hand is that new openings are both time-consuming to create and somewhat difficult to infill, plus given the sheer scale of these houses it can be costly to renovate. Masonry houses are grounded and heavy, and it’s a challenge to work within the boundaries of what’s already there. If there’s sufficient land we find that minimising internal changes, and prioritising a new Extension with the key spaces, often represents better bang-for-buck. The key challenge is in how we can meet the brief while minimising structural changes.

We work in a full 3D workflow from beginning to end, so that you understand and are involved in the decision-making as a house takes shape. We want you to enjoy the process of imagining and building a home. And we will be with you the whole way as your trusted guide - helping you turn your ideas into purposeful, delightful and life-giving spaces.

Interested? Get in touch for a free initial chat to see how EVER can help.
→ Contact us today or call 07 3726 5430