6. All clear

The site is now ready for footing excavations, following soil tests to determine site stability. The trees removed from the building location have been mulched and are stockpiled on site for landscaping at completion of the works. The resident young scrub turkey is likely to have its eyes on the mound the next nesting season.












The building team has been busy denailing the salvaged house timber and stored it in a custom built "shack" out of the reach of termites, rain and high tides.

5. Almost stumps

All that remains of the house now is the concrete stumps, brick infill walls and concrete slabs. These will be dismantled, with slabs and paths sent away for crushing for reuse as gravel or as aggregate in new concrete.

One trailer load of non-reusable metal has been take to a recycler. All useful timber has been stockpiled at the rear of the site, protected by the old roofing iron. Only two 6m skips have been filled with non-recyclable/non reusable materials and taken to landfill.

4. Disassembly almost complete

This baby python (in builder Rob Peagram's hands) and a young brushtail possum, at home in last section of roofing found quieter new homes nearby.

Disassembly of the house is almost complete with vjs, flooring and framing neatly stockpiled and stored under salvaged roofing iron. Some of the kerbside offerings have found new homes and new lives elsewhere.

Next week, earthworks will begin, scraping topsoil aside for use later in landscaping and preparing areas for rainwater storage, greywater treatment and possibly geothermal airconditioning.

3. Materials for reuse in new house

Inner vj walls have been removed stockpiled ready for becoming ceilings, shelves, wall linings, cabinetry in the new home.

The building team had the creative idea of cutting the original bathroom floor into manageable sizes to incorporate into the new landscaping to fit between larger pavers or as inserts into new garden walls.

2. Dismantling begins

Windows and doors have been carefully removed to send to a recycling yard with some of the doors possibly retained for reuse in the new house.

Timber flooring (hardwood and soft) and vj linings will be salvaged for use as linings, cabinetry and flooring for the new building.

Recyclable elements from demolition which are not reusable will be collected and sent off site.

Deciding what to do with short, damaged lengths of timber of various sizes is a challenge (not useful as a building material): if sent to landfill it will trap CO2; if used as firewood it will produce heat for warmth or cooking, saving on other fossil fuels but lead paint may be a hazard; left on street frontage with a "take me" for creative folk to build small things.

The proposal

Here are a few drawings of the finished product!

Perspective from the street - excuse the floating pavers!

Overall view from the northeast, showing the photovoltaic and solar hot water panels.

...and again from the southwest

Plan of the Main floor showing the central courtyard for private outdoor living and northern sun to living areas