Home Renovation & Remodeling in Long Forest.

“Love working with Ketsa. She is honest and very talented. She has helped design and draw up a kitchen for me. We are also working on a full renovation project. Her attention to detail is very impressive”

“Creative, attentive, efficient, hard working, totally professional and focused on great creative outcomes, these young architects have been a delight to work with. From creative schemes to detailed plans to working with councils, statutory authorities, builders and tradesmen, they couple a youthful innovative approach with a practical hands on attention to building, construction, planning , timelines and budgets which gets the job done. They are conscious of budget and value and have over- delivered at every step of the client architect relationship and Project. Young minds and old heads. We would work with them again in a heartbeat. And I would unhesitatingly recommend them to anyone.”

“We have had the privilege of working with Anthony and his team on several occasions as both the head contractor and as a client. We have always found Chan architecture to have the right balance of pragmatism and creativity, which is often rare in architects. I would highly recommend Chan architecture.”

“Rebecca was the architect and site manager for a substantial renovation to our house in Moor Street Fitzroy. The house, which had been converted in a very haphazard fashion into 3 apartments 30-40 years previously had great bones but needed considerable and skilled renovation to return it to its former glory as a family home. The building had a long and chequered history, including as a boarding house where Weary Dunlop lived as a student. We were keen that we retained the unique character and feel of the house and made maximal use of its position, natural light and views over Fitzroy Town Hall. Rebecca was a joy and inspiration to work with from the outset. She was innovative, rigorous, and listened carefully to our suggestions, especially around environmental impact and overall feel of the property. She was incredibly resourceful in sourcing products and ideas, which made a huge difference to the final design. For example, the suspended cupboards in the kitchen – a real winner given the relatively small size for storage – came from a 1950s design magazine. She managed the project meticulously all the way through, and worked extremely well with the builders and other contractors, who clearly respected her professionalism and skill. This was not an easy project – the house had been renovated repeatedly over the years and the legacy meant no wall was straight and no two doors the same size. The final renovation is superb – understated but spectacular. We haven’t had a visitor who hasn’t been amazed by the house and renovation. I’ve lived in over 40 houses and flats in the last 30 years and this is undoubtedly the best house yet. This is partly due to the original structure but also because of the renovation; I’m sure a less skilled architect could easily have made a dog’s dinner of the project. Rebecca also clearly has an aptitude and commitment to teaching and I know that she is heavily engaged in community and voluntary work in Australia and overseas.”

“We have used Quadrant Design for two projects - a renovation in Prahran (2004/5), and a new house in Barwon Heads(2007/8). Working with Tony and his team was a truly collaborative effort, with complete give and take between architect and client. The attention to detail on both projects was outstanding - nothing was too small to be ignored. Little things made all the difference, such as the 'scalloping' of the window frames at the Barwon Heads house, which greatly enhance the visual appeal of the place. All deadlines were met, both in the design and the build phases & the way Tony interacted with the builders (different ones on the 2 projects) meant we had none of the builder/architect tensions that can so often arise. Both projects came in on time and, importantly, on budget. We were so satisfied that we are about to embark on another house design/building exercise with Tony and the team at Quadrant.”

“Peter has drawn plans and specifications then overseen two extensions to our house. More recently he has reviewed paint colours. His approach, knowledge and application is exemplary. I have no hesitation in recommending Peter for architectural services.”

“I recently designed a front and rear landscape for a Balaclava project designed by Taylor Knights. I saw the house before the major renovation which was a fairly standard Edwardian with little space to extend beyond the existing footprint without diminishing the much needed outdoor areas. I thought this would be tough to achieve anything special. How wrong I was! Not only have they created extremely livable and open interior spaces filled with light, plus a private upstairs suite but it’s their considered choices using off the shelf cost effective materials in unexpected ways, that sets these guys apart. Wainscoting and standard pegboard by way of example, become jewels when handled with such care and without blowing the budget. Sure, there are some architectural tricks you’d expect from a young architectural firm, but they don’t take over and create unique textures that are very easy to live with. For me, the test of great design is when you look at the finished project and if you are not too sure what year it was completed then that’s a mark of great architects. They have achieved a ‘timeless’ outcome, which takes real skill and is why I would highly recommend Taylor Knights for a renovation or new residential build. Andrew Plymin Andrew Plymin Garden Spaces.”

“Our 146m² home is part of what was once a factory. It was converted into townhouses about 20 years ago and when we bought it, it was due for a complete refurbishment. We spent 12 months thinking about the changes we wanted to make and gaining building approval. Then, we started to look for a construction company that could provide a well-organised construction process, with high quality workmanship, for the right price. After we had had several unsatisfactory meetings with other potential builders, one of our daughter’s friends recommended we meet with Gareth Owens. Gareth is a builder and had just gone into partnership with architect, Elena Cazacu. Together, they have created Evissa, a company that focuses on design and construct projects. We were impressed with them from our first meeting onwards and even more so after talking with some of their previous clients. People consistently spoke of their professionalism, enthusiasm and reliability. Watching the project begin and develop towards completion was a very happy experience. Communication was easy and honest. Elena and Gareth were always approachable, provided us with regular and detailed progress reports and dealt with any issues or concerns in a timely and professional manner. The Evissa design and construct model was ideal for what the refurbishment we planned – two new bathrooms, a new kitchen, new flooring, windows and doors plus some reconfiguration of the internal space. Significantly, as building work evolved and revealed previously hidden possibilities, the Evissa team was quick to bring these to our attention and show us how these could contribute to our underlying goal of bringing more light into what had been a rather dark ground floor area. These changes to the design along the way added considerable value to our property and a vastly improved outcome. There was a good continuity of trades so the project kept moving. The work site was orderly, clean and, importantly, happy. The renovation was completed on time, within budget and to a high standard. Evissa provided the team and expertise that you always hope to find for a building project. We are pleased to have this opportunity to recommend them. Maureen and John Sidoti Brunswick”

““I have worked with Manias Associates Building Designers documenting a number of houses, I found Michael very driven to achieve a good documentation result of his work and has always maintained a rigorous checking method to constantly improve. His understanding of design and materials always provided good solutions to any questions that arise during documentation. His detail knowledge allowed Builders to understand drawings and produce a good result in time and on budget. “”

“Our experience with IO Architecture was a great result after inviting their services on our behalf to various, useless, overpaid,council departments. Apart from council "doing my head in" the stress relief by Io Architecture stepping in and being persistence proved worthwhile and finally gave us our expected and deserving result. The fees charged were reasonable and regular communication regarding our project was excellent. We recommend your next project to IO Architecture for a complete service.”