Stria™ Cladding delivers a contemporary finish and savings on costs and time

This residential project looked towards Hardie™ fibre cement products to add a modern extension to an old period house to transform the way the homeowners lived.

The brief to builder Peter Johnstone from DrakeBuild was to build a modern extension on an old period home to make a beautiful, functional family home that offered space for entertainment and to accommodate family living. Adding visual interest to the outdoor space was also high on the homeowner’s wish list, as the new exterior walls formed the backdrop to the outdoor entertainment space.

In a considered approach, a tired 1930’s Californian Bungalow has been revitalised to retain the heritage front of the home and a new modernised extension to the rear, in what is now a ‘forever home’.

In building the modern extension, the exterior building material was key to the successful integration of the original home and the new extension. In contrast to the heritage front façade, Stria™ Cladding by James Hardie with its deep grooves and strong vertical lines introduced design versatility and contemporary looks to the addition.

“To bring to life the contemporary style it was a unanimous decision by the homeowner and architect, Lyndall Williams of My Architect, that Stria™ Cladding was used on the home. From a builder’s perspective, we always use Hardie™ products when it comes to fibre cement cladding, as it’s a superior product to anything else on the market and provides building cost efficiencies,” says Peter.

“Using Stria™ Cladding 405mm provided extensive benefits not only to the homeowner in regards to design possibilities and long term durability, but also to the building team in terms of ease of use and speed to complete the project and let the homeowners enjoy their new house,” says Peter.

Peter notes that it only took two workers a few days to install all the Stria™ Cladding. “From a business perspective the ease of installation is such a huge advantage. The wide cladding sheets cover more area, making installation quicker, and the ‘secret fixing’ with screws being hidden behind the overlapping sheets, means there’s no holes for the painters to have to fill. Additionally, each panel comes pre-sealed and can be finished simply with two coats of paint in any colour of choice, offering additional time savings with painters. It’s a smart business choice to use a product such as Stria.”

“Using Hardie™ products and accessories makes the job quicker, as they all work together hand in hand. On this project we used Stria™ aluminium internal and external corner flashings, Hardie™ Blade, Hardie™ Drive Screws and Hardie™ Joint Sealant.”

Assisting with the build being on time and on budget was local hardware provider, Park Road Timber, who has worked with DrakeBuild for over ten years. Peter says, “Having a reliable supplier is imperative. As part of our team, we really rely on them to educate us on new products on the market as well as sourcing building materials for each project so there are no delays. My rep, Anthony Stephens goes above and beyond to assist us.”

“This project was extremely satisfying,” says Peter. “The homeowner’s respect for the bungalow’s past and desire for a modern extension, sees a marriage of styles. The homeowner is thrilled with how the project turned out. I love the rear extension, the high ceilings that flowed through to the outside eave that is also lined with Stria™ Cladding. Stria™ Cladding allowed us to achieve the modern look extension the client was after, as well as, importantly, saving us time and money on the project.”

Peter concludes, “Everything came together perfectly and I really think we not only met but exceeded the brief. With its modern building materials and systems, James Hardie shows how great planning and product can lead to a great business proposition as well.