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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 . . . . .
90mm x 35mm pine
90mm x 45mm pine
10mm Plasterboard
45mm x 120mm Tasmanian Oak boards
10mmm 1200 x 2400 panels
Blue board fibre cement sheet
Liquid nails
LED light strip, 12v transformer and cables
Mitre Saw
Circular Saw
Reciprocating Saw
Drill
Impact Driver
Pneumatic hammer drill
Crowbars
Hammer
Tape Measure
Spirit Levels
16Ga Brad Nailer
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Next step was to tile over the old concrete floor with large format tiles.
Then install the skirting, architraves and paint the walls.
Fit a new feature light and project completed.
Wow! What a stunning new entrance. Every aspect looks amazing. Well done 👏
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