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Passive Solar House in Stawell

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Is it salvageable?

Thomas Parkes · August 4, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Matilda purchased this house back in 2007 after moving here from Melbourne.

The house is a mix-match of original with many additions over the years.

Made from red bricks, the original section was constructed somewhere between the 1860s – 1880s. Sized 25ft by 14ft, its comprised of two rooms, with a chimney in-between.

Prior to being purchased by Matilda, the property was purchased in 2002, and was gutted, with a section of the house demolished.

Unfortunately the house was never insulated, its hot in summer, and freezing in winter.

When Matilda and I got together in 2012, we insulated the ceiling which slightly improved the living conditions, but the drafts, and lack of insulation in the walls and floor made it unbearable.

In winter, condensation settled on the walls, allowing mould to grow on walls and windows.

At some stage as the kids grew older, we knew we had to extend the size of the house to include a third bedroom.

We experimented with the idea of re-gutting the existing house and extending, however, the odd shaped block, and the orientation of the house made that problematic.

Our intent was, a bigger space for our family, and a more stable living environment through winter and summer.

So we came to the conclusion and realisation that the house has served people well over a long period of time, but it was time to start with a clean slate.

Planning

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