Harper Design Studio — The McKenzie House Project

Met Sarah at my office. Clear vision, tight budget. Wants a cozy, modern home for her two kids. Excited to create something meaningful for her.

Visited the sloped site with a big eucalyptus to preserve. Sketched preliminary ideas focusing on building around the tree and slope. Foundations will be tricky.

Got the soil report back. The site has clay-heavy soil with moderate shrink-swell potential. Need to specify deeper footings and moisture barriers to avoid cracking.

Sent initial plans. Sarah wants a bigger kitchen island and study nook. Discussed materials that balance cost and durability.

Met with the engineer to design stepped footings and reinforced slabs around the tree root zone. Also discussed retaining walls for the slope.

Submitted detailed plans including tree protection, drainage management, and erosion control measures to Melton council.

Council approved permit but required additional storm-water management details and fencing around the eucalyptus during construction.

Foundation excavation started. Challenges with uneven ground required laser leveling daily. Root protection fencing installed as per plan.

Excavation hit a shallow rock layer. Needed to switch to rock anchors for the foundation — increased costs and slowed progress.

Engineer approved foundation redesign with rock anchors. Client was updated and agreed to the necessary budget increase.

The timber frame sections arrived late December due to supply chain delays, but the crew worked overtime to catch up.

Water pooling noted near southeast corner due to slope and poor soil permeability. Installed French drain and extended downpipe drainage.

Ran all wiring and outlets, including future-proofing for solar panel connection. Client requested extra outlets for home office.

During framing, termites were found near the original eucalyptus root zone. Treated soil and added termite barriers around the house perimeter.

Opted for high-R rating insulation to boost energy efficiency in Melbourne’s climate. Wall sheathing included a moisture barrier for damp protection.

Custom kitchen cabinets delayed by 4 weeks. Rescheduled painting and floor installation to keep workflow efficient.

Double-glazed windows arrived. Installation complicated by the irregular wall heights due to slope; needed custom adjustments on site.

Installed water-efficient fixtures per Sarah’s request. Hot water system positioned for optimal solar water heater integration.

Walls painted in warm neutrals, hardwood flooring down. Selected durable finishes for high-traffic family areas.

Native plants and gravel pathways designed to protect eucalyptus roots. Installed rainwater tank for irrigation.

Preparing for council final inspection next week. Client’s excitement is contagious. Feels good to see months of hard work coming together.

Council inspector arrived today for the final walk-through. Minor issues flagged — a door latch out of alignment and some minor paint touch-ups. Nothing major, but we’ll fix everything before handover. It’s always a tense moment, hoping for that clean bill of health.

Spent the last few days coordinating with Michael and his team to address the snag list. Adjusted door latch, fixed a couple of paint chips, tightened a loose handrail. Sarah dropped by to see progress — she was thrilled with how the kitchen came together.

The house got a deep clean today. We brought in some simple staging furniture to help Sarah visualize the space fully furnished. The natural light really fills the open-plan living area — even better than I imagined.

Met with Sarah and her kids for the official walkthrough. They were delighted, especially with the study nook and the backyard garden. Sarah said she felt “this is finally home.” It’s moments like this that remind me why I do this work.

Provided Sarah with all warranty documents and a maintenance guide for the house, especially tips on preserving the eucalyptus and managing the rainwater system. I’ll be on call for any post-move issues.

Sitting back in the office today, reviewing photos and notes from the project. It was a tough but rewarding journey — balancing site constraints, client needs, and budget. Proud that we preserved that magnificent eucalyptus and created a warm, functional home for Sarah’s family. Already looking forward to the next challenge.