Extensions and renovations that finish on the date we gave you.

The challengeA 1926 four-square with a dark galley kitchen and a rear yard that fell away 700mm across the build line. The whole back wall was load-bearing and the client wanted it gone.

What we didUnderpinned the north-east corner in three bays, dropped in a 6.2m galvanised steel goalpost, and stepped the new slab down to meet grade so the doors open flush to the patio. Kitchen relocated to the old dining room; original sash windows kept and re-corded.

The challengeBought at auction with knob-and-tube wiring, two layers of failed roof, and a stair that no longer met code. The buyers were renting month-to-month and needed a hard move-in date.

What we didFull rewire and repipe, new 200-amp service, roof stripped to deck. Rebuilt the stair with a code-compliant rise and kept the original newel post. Plaster repaired rather than boarded over in the front two rooms. Handed over four days early.

The challengeA cold dark shell in a 1904 mill building: no gas, no grease line, and a landlord who would not touch the roof. The owner had already announced an opening date on social media.

What we didRan a new 3-phase supply and a dedicated roaster flue through an existing chimney chase — no new roof penetration, so no landlord fight. Built the counter, seating banquettes and back-of-house joinery in our own shop while the slab cured. Opened on the announced date.

The challengeUnusable attic — 1.9m at the ridge, no egress, and a chimney breast straight down the middle of where the bathroom needed to go. Two young children living in the house throughout.

What we didTwo matched shed dormers to buy headroom either side of the chimney, an egress-compliant rear window, and a wet-room bathroom tucked into the low eaves. Dust wall and a separate stair route from day one; the family never moved out.

The challengeA 1950s single garage on a slab too thin and too low to build habitable space on, plus a setback rule that stopped the footprint growing by even 300mm. The client's parents were moving in.

What we didKept the original footprint exactly, poured a new insulated slab inside the retained walls, and raised the roof to a single pitch for ceiling height. Full kitchenette, level-access wet room, and its own metered supply. Permit approved on first submission.

The challengeFour surgeries to rebuild without closing the practice, in a building with a single supply riser and a shared waiting room. Losing a week of appointments would have cost more than the fit-out.

What we didPhased in two halves with a sealed negative-pressure hoarding, all noisy work booked into Thursdays and Sundays. New compressed-air and suction runs, lead-lined X-ray walls, and washable seamless flooring. The practice never lost a trading day.