Renovate your family home with respect by incorporating your home’s past into its future. 

On any street, in any town or village throughout the Illawarra you can hear the  daily buzz of a saw or the hammering of a nail gun. Skip-bins line the streets as homeowners renovate to make way for expanding families and upgrade facilities. 

But with the strong history of our district, it‘s important to learn how to preserve the heritage of your home as you make way for the future.

An enormous amount of work goes into the planning of renovations, from how many toots you need to what colour to paint the door – there are many considerations to be decided. 

But one of the choices that often gets overlooked is the heritage value of your home. 

Australian housing styles have changed dramatically over the past two centuries. Design trends and economic conditions have influenced architectural trends, and these are reflected in the homes we live in. 

The British penchant for Georgian architecture influenced early homes. Georgian homes were renowned for their brickwork, hipped roofs and double-hung sash windows.

Victorian architecture took over from 1840 through to the 1890s with Gothic and Italianate architecture among the most popular styles. 

During the Victorian era, Australian designers finally began adapting to the climate. The Queenslander introduced wrap-around verandahs and wide doors that accommodated cross-breezes and were more suited to our climate. The Federation and later, Edwardian periods followed. Inspired by the worldwide arts and crafts movement, they featured red bricks, timber fretwork and stained-glass windows. 

Early Illawarra homes were a lot less fancy. Driven by a surge in mining and manufacturing, early homes in the area were constructed of local timber and then from fibro and corrugated iron. Homes rented to workers at the steel and coal mills were substandard and many were replaced by housing commission homes by the government as the request of the steel industry. On the northern beaches of Wollongong, the opening of the railway line in the 1890’s meant people were visiting the area for recreation and the idea of holiday homes was introduced. 

Not meant for permanant residance, many of the early homes on the Northern Beaches were primitive and were only meant to be lived in for short periods at a time. 

After WWII, the population of Wollongong boomed, but housing construction failed to keep up with demand and many migrants were left living in hostels, tents or caravans. Multi-unit homes and flats were first constructed in the 1930’s but boomed in the 60’s as more people needed more housing. Every period of time enjoyed a different design aesthetic and over time, many famililes have needed to renovate to integrate upgraded facilities or just find more room. 

When renovating a property with historical features there are some things to keep in mind. 

1. Do your research. Find out the history of your home. Previous renovations may have covered up some amazing features. Try and get the original home plans (local councils often have these on file) and talk to neighbours about what the home used to look like. 

Don’t demolish the architectural history. As fashions come and go, so does the penchant for certain styles. But it’s best to just cover features you don’t like rather than destroy them. Remember, paint and plaster goes a long way.

2. Respect the history. It’s tempting to buy everything new for your renovation, but if you do a bit of digging, you may be able to find features of the period that will suit your home better. Facebook Marketplace can be a great place for old doors, cornicing and tiles. If you cannot find the original, think about using colours or features that reflect the period. Perhaps use muted shades or toned down effects, but staying true to the style will show respect and give your home an original feel. 

3. Assemble the right team. Not every planner, builder or tradie will share your passion for architectural integrity. Before employing anyone, ask questions. Do they have experience with re-building historical buildings? Do they have contacts in the industry that will help them find the right fixtures and finishes? Are they willing to be patient and make sure the building is finished properly and not just quickly? Ensure they have the same commitment as you do.

4. Weigh the benefits. Let be realistic. Renovating a historic buidling can be expensive and sometimes, not practical. Sometimes, the wear and tear of an old building becomes too much. Take the advice of Kenny Rogers and know when to hold them…when to fold them, and when to walk away. Weigh up the costs/time with the benefits with every decision and make sure you use your head as well as your heart before costs get out of hand.  

5. Leave clues. There are some parts of your historical home you will need to cover up. But help future owner’s out and make sure you leave clues as to the history of the home. Leave a strip of wallpaper or leave a remnant of a doorway so they will know how to restore the home to it’s original condition.