A three-level townhouse in Box Hill required internal reconfiguration to create an additional bedroom, open the ground-floor living area, and replace dated ceiling linings throughout — executed while the owners temporarily relocated during the intensive works phase.
Homeowner Objectives
The owners — a family of four outgrowing their townhouse layout — wanted to convert an oversized ground-floor study into part of an open-plan kitchen and living zone, subdivide the first-floor landing area into a fourth bedroom, and replace original 1990s ceiling linings that showed cracking and uneven surfaces throughout the home.
Aikon Interior was engaged directly after the owners received recommendations from a neighbour who had used our services for a similar renovation. We conducted a site visit, documented existing conditions including suspected asbestos-free plasterboard (confirmed by testing arranged by the owner), and provided a fixed-price quotation with a three-week programme.
Works Executed
- Removal of non-loadbearing wall between study and living area
- New steel stud bulkhead framing at open-plan transition
- New partition creating fourth bedroom on first floor
- Complete ceiling lining replacement on all three levels
- New door openings with jamb framing for bedroom and closet
- Level 4 flushing throughout with junction treatment at existing walls
- Dust containment and daily site cleanup
Occupied-Premises Considerations
Although the owners relocated during the intensive demolition and framing phase, they returned for the final week of flushing and sanding. We implemented plastic barrier walls with zip-door access between work zones and the areas where the family slept and cooked. Floor protection covered all transit routes. Sanding was scheduled in morning blocks with ventilation fans exhausting to external windows to minimise dust migration.
The site supervisor provided daily text updates with photographs showing progress — a communication approach the owners specifically praised in their post-completion feedback. They described the experience as "professional and respectful" compared to prior renovation trades who left dust and debris at the end of each day.
Junction Treatment at Existing Surfaces
Renovation lining inevitably interfaces with existing plasterboard that will not be replaced — particularly at the boundaries of new open-plan openings and the junction between new bedroom partitions and existing hallway walls. These interfaces are the most visible quality indicator in renovation work: a flush line that steps or cracks within months signals poor technique, while an invisible junction demonstrates skilled execution.
At this property, we treated every new-to-existing junction with reinforcing tape, compound build-up and feathering over a minimum 300mm transition zone. The owners' painter confirmed that junction areas accepted paint without telegraphing — a detail the owners commented on specifically during their walk-through at completion.
Open-Plan Conversion
Ground-floor study wall removed with new bulkhead framing defining the kitchen-living transition zone.
Fourth Bedroom
First-floor landing subdivided with new partition, door opening and ceiling lining to match existing levels.
3-Week Programme
Fixed-price scope completed on programme with daily site tidiness and dust containment throughout.
Project Gallery
Client feedback: "Internal wall modifications and new ceiling lines were finished to a high standard. The supervisor kept us informed daily and the site was always tidy." — Homeowner, Box Hill Townhouse Renovation
Lessons from This Project
Townhouse renovations present unique access and logistics constraints compared to detached villas. Materials were delivered to street level and hand-carried through the front entrance — no loading dock or hoist availability. Our crew planned daily material requirements to minimise trips and obstruction to the footpath. Neighbours on both sides were notified of noisy works dates in advance, a courtesy the owners appreciated and that prevented complaints to the local council.
The three-level structure also meant that ceiling replacement on the top floor required scaffolding erected in the stairwell — a spatial constraint that added a day to the programme but was unavoidable for safe working at height. This was identified at quotation stage and included in the fixed price, not discovered as a variation mid-works.
Fixed-Price Transparency
The owners received a written quotation identifying three cost components: defined scope at fixed price, allowance items for conditions that could not be assessed until existing linings were opened, and exclusions listing trades by others (structural engineer assessment, electrical relocation, painting, flooring). This structure prevented the scope disputes that commonly arise when homeowners receive a single lump-sum figure without understanding what is and is not included.
One allowance item was triggered during works: additional framing required behind an existing wall where the demolition revealed non-standard stud spacing incompatible with new door hardware. The variation was priced at the allowance rate documented in the quotation and approved by the owners before proceeding — not presented as an unexpected invoice at project completion.