Formal entrance created using single car garage

[Nailbag]

So, I bought this house that had the front entrance on a 2nd level on the back of the house. Obviously not ideal, especially when it came to deliveries. The only option in creating a new front entrance was to sacrifice the single garage. This is how how did it . . . . . 

Materials

90mm x 35mm pine

90mm x 45mm pine

10mm Plasterboard

45mm x 120mm Tasmanian Oak boards

Screw in concrete anchors

10mmm 1200 x 2400 panels

Blue board fibre cement sheet

Liquid nails

LED light strip, 12v transformer and cables

TAPO smart plug

Deluxe effects paint

Tools

Mitre Saw

Circular Saw

Reciprocating Saw

Drill

Impact Driver

Pneumatic hammer drill

Crowbars

Hammer

Tape Measure

Spirit Levels

16Ga Brad Nailer

Steps

Step 1

The first step was to apply for a building permit and have drawing submitted to be able to legally have the entrance classed as a living space.

The ground in front had to be dug out below the concrete slab and a drain installed across the front to ensure not water ingress.

Then the roller door was removed.

Step 2

I ordered a 1100mm solid timber door preinstalled to a jamb with side glazing. Once that arrived I was able to frame out the old garage opening to suit. I needed a hand from a mate with this project in various stages to help lift and position the new door into place.

Step 3

Around the same time I was also preparing the external brick work for rendering as they were not flat and needed to be hand ground down.

I fixed blue-board to the out entrance frame which was to be inlayed with a feature stone tile. Then tested the entrance with my first little visitor.

Step 4

Next was to render the blue-board, then pre-wire for feature lights and a Ring smart doorbell before installing the stonework.

With the drainage installed and approved I build a small entrance deck leading up the front door and landscaped each side.

Step 5

With the external entrance part finished, it was time to start on the internal space by gladding the brick with plasterboard and building a dividing wall within the old garage. Behind will eventually be a small living space as part of a new guest bedroom.

Step 6

I wanted to open the staircase up leading up to the 2nd main level of the house as it was very narrow. I was inspired by some designed I had seen and came up with a timber slated feature that I made from Tassie-Oak. Once made, I then cut and prepared the staircase frame to accomodate.

I underestimated how heavy this was and called on my mate to give me a hand to install it. Then I was able to finish the walls.

Step 7

The left hand back wall was plasterboard which I finished with a Deluxe texture paint. the right side was MDF panelling to allow me to fix 19 x 42 DAR pine to.

Step 8

I mounted timber blocks to the centre of the wall to fix a round feature miterer to give the impression it was floating off the rear wall. I had pre-run a cable to the back ready for an LED light strip I wrapped around behind the mirror. 

Step 9

Next step was to tile over the old concrete floor with large format tiles.

Then install the skirting, architraves and paint the walls.

Step 10

Fit a new feature light and project completed.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Nailbag,

Thank you for sharing another project, you really do a fantastic job in each and every one of them.

Great job with the door and surrounding stonework, it gives a beautiful modern look that is very inviting, and the backlit mirror is a beautiful centre piece that draws in the eye. It looks like something you would see on the cover of a design magazine.

I'm a big fan of the vertical batten dividers, and tassie oak is a beautiful timber to make them out of. They give the entryway so much warmth and depth. Did you use any oils or finishing products on them?

Did you do your own plastering as well?  You've got some nice clean lines there and the square set openings add to the clean modern look and as someone who has done a fair bit of plastering, it's certainly not as easy as it looks.

Oh, don't let me forget the tiling, decking, lighting, plants and paint, you've really done a fantastic job on every aspect of this project. A professional builder would certainly be proud of the outcome here.

Congratulations on another amazing project, you really are a fantastic craftsman.

Jacob

[Nailbag]

Thanks very much for the generous feedback @JacobZ. This was one of the more enjoyable and less challenging projects. My only real hurdle was having to have a min 50mm external clearance below the concrete slab at the door sill without have to have a channel grate between the deck and door sill. I managed to conceal this within the cavity under the entrance deck.

I try and do all the work myself as the money saved can go towards trades to perform work that I don't have the skill that meets my own high expectations or required like plumbing, electrical. So, in this project for the plastering I hung all the sheets and did the basic stop-up over screws, but used my local pro to finish the job because as you picked up with all the square sets around the timber feature. Sparky for the electrical and I did the low voltage feature lighting which is part of my Tapo smart home switch controller system and the Ring doorbell.

When it comes to tiling, I'll do small area floors like a laundry or a splashback, but anything larger where I need a perfect level finish I call in the tiler. After I needed to apply some self-levelling compound I was the this labourer to lay the tiles, which gave me the opportunity to learn from a pro.

The timber feature matches in with another at the top of the stairs, which I'll share in another project. I finished the timber using Carbothan's clear poly satin varnish non-drip formula with a very fine sand between 3 coats. Its non-drip helped to prevent pooling at the lower joining sections. I used the same product on the front door.

Regards, Nailbag.

[Jason]

What a classy front entrance you created @Nailbag. It looks brilliant and was well worth the sacrifice.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Jason

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Nailbag 

hahahah Damn I should have known it was your work! Far out you set the standard bar HIGH! 

I clicked on the thumbnail and went through the steps and really you have done a beautiful job, It seriously looks like a high quality builder was involved. 

Then when I was reading the comments I went @Nailbag ? nooooo how did I miss that! lol

Things I loved about your project.

Council approval! Woo impressed you did that Really good idea and knowing me I would not have done so

Drainage at the front Yeah that will save you so many hassels, was it part of the council approval?

The timber slats on black with the round mirror, generally Im not a fan of round mirrors but you may have changed me on that, It really adds to your space.

Love those slats on the staircase wall they look stylish. and fit so perfectly.

You know when you go back and look through a project? And you keep finding design features? Yeah this is one of those.

Well done.

Dave

[Nailbag]

Hi @Dave-1 thanks very much for the kind compliments. I've learnt from both personal experience and those from others who haven't, that anytime you want to turn a non-living space in to one that it will eventually come back to bite you. Any actually building qualified inspector upon selling the house will pick this up or for your own building insurance.They are always looking for an excuse not to pay up! So yes I included it in part of my owner-builders planning permit on two other much larger scale projects yet to share. By doing so, my draftsperson picks up things I need to take in to consideration well before I submit plans in case something isn't viable.

All the best mate.

[tnsmith001]

Wow, you did all that yourself! That is fantastic, what a great result. It’s got to be the best makeover I’ve seen on here. It’s so modern and perfectly executed. 

[MrBajaj]

This is Beautiful. Very well done.

[JacobZ]

Hi @MrBajaj,

Thank you for your comment and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community.

@Nailbag's entrance renovation project is a strong contender in our search for Australia and New Zealand's Best D.I.Y. Project of 2024. 

You might like to have a look at some others here - Australia and New Zealand’s Best D.I.Y. Projects 2024.

Jacob

[Nailbag]

Thank you very much for the kind words @tnsmith001