Project Overview
This Frankston South backyard was so exciting to begin with. The gardens were lush, the pool was crystal clear, and the composite decking (with a large outdoor dining setting) was perfectly positioned.
Everything was just right – except for the UV rays on hot summer days! The owners had finally come to the conclusion that the outdoor umbrellas just didn’t quite cut the mustard.
The sun regularly swung around the parasol edges, and it was continually a frustrating shift of the gears to keep sheltered in the shade. After more than one or two crispy burnt noses, they decided to act.
Matt Goodie, our Managing Director and Lead Designer, set about creating plans for a new 91 metre square alfresco. The decking was in great condition, and the backend of the house didn’t require any refurbishment, so, with a peeling back of the eaves, the removal of some roof tiles, and some careful placement of new structural posts and beams, we were able to build the entire project around what was already there – without the need for excavation and mass demolition.
The tricky part was to preserve the integrity of the deck and the no-climb zone pool fence, and also protect the windows from welding, rolling scaffolding, scissor lifts, temporary prop legs, and the carrying-in of multiple types of building materials over the time. And that’s where our 20 Plus years of experience was brought to the fore. It took meticulous planning, but everything came together in grand gable style.
Blue Steel and LVL beams, steel posts and a myriad of careful timber framing was necessary to get the structural dimensions into place. It was a painstaking jigsaw puzzle to keep the current home’s features safe, whilst adding a new zone that was intended to look as if it had always been there.
Creating the design was a fastidious process for Matt. “We had to ensure that the overall look of the new blended with the old, and that, to the naked eye, one would think that the alfresco had been there since the actual home was originally built.
Of importance, too, was the necessity to keep the walkways around the backyard spacious and clear, whilst allowing the eye to still see the stunning views of the garden, the pool, and the other elements of this private, secluded space. We laid down protective covers for the deck, boarded up the windows, and tiptoed around the plants. And now, the gable’s pool end stands high, with gorgeous triangular glazing, and the internal ceiling is decked out with plaster lining and four Garron skylights.
Two fans and two sombrero-shaped pendant lights, surrounded by multiple LED downlights, are there to produce atmospheric ambiance, and a further skylight, over the home’s back door, allows natural light to permeate the alfresco’s deeper regions.”
Construction of the Frankston South alfresco included boxed columns (with Blue Board and a textured render finish), hand-selected second-hand roof tiles (to match the existing) and quad spouting and custom valleys in Colorbond.
Once everything was primed and painted, the outdoor kitchen / bar, that we had also designed with the owners, was installed. Armed with a sink, wine fridge, barbeque hotplates, a powerpoint tower, and a bar stool section at the end, this customised kitchen keeps everything at the fingertips.
As always, Custom Outdoor Living provided all of the electrical and plumbing works and connections for the whole alfresco project, and saw to it that compliance on every aspect of the building contract was assured.
