A TINY Cooks Hill terrace punched above its weight in the recent Housing Industry Association (HIA) Hunter awards.
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At about three metres wide and snug on its block, the two-bedroom property won the title of Renovation/Addition of the Year against four more expensive projects.
It was one of four awards for first-time entrant BuildArt Projects, a small but growing construction business run by Joel and Jade Ayton.
For carpenter Joel and his tight-knit crew, the rebuild provided lessons in logistics, due to the confines of the inner-city site.
The dilapidated, 100-year-old attached terrace was in a one-way street with access via the front door or back lane, which could be used only as a drop-off and pick-up point.
With little storage room indoors or out, planning was paramount to keep work flowing and the neighbours happy.
The delivery of materials and the removal of rubbish by truck became an almost daily, choreographed dance.
"I know rubbish sounds like such a small thing but a lot of rubbish comes out of a renovation and you're trying to keep a site clean and tidy because you have clients and trades coming through," Joel explains.
"A lot more planning and work was involved than on a normal project to get all the materials in there on time and safely and take all the rubbish out, with as little disruption as possible to neighbours."
Overcoming challenges is nothing new for builders and the finished product often conceals - to the untrained eye - any ordeals.
Builder Peter Bailey, based at Paxton, is another HIA Hunter Region awards winner with a story to tell behind his entry, a glamorous Pokolbin bathroom designed by Swish Concepts, which won Bathroom Project of the Year.
The installation of the bathroom's three Italian marble wall slabs rates among the most nerve-wracking experiences of Peter's 25 years in the business.
"There were many challenges involved in this project but the one that stands out the most was the installation of the three marble slabs," Peter says.
"Due to their size - three metres high by 1.6 metres wide each - they had to be lifted by crane individually and installed before the roof was constructed.
"For this to work, the walls had to be plumbed, wired and lined, waterproofing completed, with the floor tiles laid in readiness."
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Peter admits his heart was in his mouth and he was willing away the slightest of breezes as each slab was lowered painstakingly into place.
Because the marble vein flowed from one slab to the next, turning the three slabs into a unique whole, any slip-up that resulted in damage would have been problematic and expensive.
The HIA judges called the marble wall the "hero feature of this opulent bathroom".
"The attention to detail required to plan and deliver this premium bathroom is impressive and evident in the final product."
In their response to the Cooks Hill terrace renovation, the judges said: "This rundown heritage terrace has been remarkably transformed into a contemporary and inviting inner-city abode.
"This is a stunning example of what can be achieved when an astute vision is paired with impressive workmanship."
Just as BuildArt negotiated the constraints of the Cooks Hill site, Space Design Architecture, which consulted with Contemporary Heritage on the project, made the most in its plans of the terrace's limited internal space.
The ground floor, once dark and disconnected, now accommodates dining, kitchen and living zones, leading outside to a paved, sunken courtyard based around an established frangipani tree.
Stairs lead to two bedrooms - one at either end of the first floor, a bathroom, study nook and concealed laundry.
New blackbutt hardwood floors flow throughout the terrace and the designers have taken advantage of natural light where possible.
With its walls out of plumb and uneven floors, the 100-year-old terrace had been in a sorry state.
"We literally had to reframe the whole house," Joel, of BuildArt, says.
"We really didn't have any other option if we wanted to do this properly to get the house through the next 100 years."
His favourite part of the new-look terrace is its facade.
The custom recessed aluminium balustrade is removable to provide upstairs access for furniture.
There is a matching balustrade - striking and practical - at the rear of the house.
"Everyone that goes there [to the property] falls in love with the front facade," Joel says.
"People falling in love with the work we've done is very satisfying."
The HIA Hunter Region Kitchen of the Year was built by Cardiff-based company Lifestyle Custom Cabinetry, owned by Sean and Linda Trigg.
The classy Lambton kitchen complements perfectly a vibrant artwork in the adjacent dining area.
Lifestyle Custom Cabinetry says it aimed to provide "a practical kitchen that tied in perfectly with the warmth of this house and the client's wishes".
Standout features in the glossy white kitchen include the 900mm, freestanding Smeg oven, Talostone surfaces, brass fittings and farmhouse sink.
Lifestyle Custom Cabinetry, a finalist for the past three years, is thrilled to win the overall kitchen title for 2021.
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