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Eltcon

Custom Homes, Renovations & Extensions
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12/10/2026

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT | NORTHCOTE

One of the challenges when renovating a Victorian home is working out how the old and new should come together.

At Northcote, we worked alongside Studio ALO to extend the existing home with more than 150m² of additional living space, including a new kitchen, dining and living area, bathroom and laundry.

Rather than trying to replicate the original house, the new spaces have their own character. A restrained palette of timber, soft neutral finishes and tiles runs throughout the addition, with details such as the curved tiled kitchen island and timber-lined opening giving the new work its identity.

But the original home hasn't disappeared.

From the new kitchen, you can still look straight through to the Victorian hallway and original front entry. It’s a simple view that tells a lot about the project, two very different parts of the home, connected rather than competing with one another.

And behind those finished spaces was the practical challenge that comes with renovating an older home: existing walls aren't always straight or square, and new construction has to work with what is already there.

The result is clearly contemporary, without losing sight of the home it was added to.

Project: Northcote
Architect: Studio ALO

08/10/2026

WHEN SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF THE BRIEF.

Sustainability was an important part of the brief for project Coburg.

The clients had strong environmental values, and that influenced the way the home was designed and the decisions made throughout the project.

Working alongside Design Core Architects and Giant Grass, the home incorporated passive design principles, natural materials and a low-impact approach to construction.

Natural light, the connection between inside and out, and the use of timber and natural finishes all formed part of that thinking.

From a builder’s perspective, our role is to understand what the architect, designer and client are trying to achieve and make sure that intent is carried through during construction.

Because sustainable building isn’t necessarily about one product or one feature. It’s about a number of decisions made throughout the design and build, and how well they work together in the finished home.

Project: Coburg
Architect: Design Core Architects .core.architects
Designer: Giant Grass
Builder: Eltcon

06/10/2026

A building quote is only as good as the information it’s based on.

When you’re comparing quotes for an architectural home or renovation, it’s easy to go straight to the number at the bottom.

But that number doesn’t always tell you whether two builders have actually priced the same thing.

One builder may have allowed for something another has excluded.

Selections might still be undecided. There may be provisional sums for work that can’t yet be accurately priced, or assumptions made where the documentation doesn’t provide enough detail.

None of that is necessarily a problem, but you need to know it’s there.

Before comparing two prices, make sure you understand what each builder has included, what they haven’t, and what is still to be worked through.

The more information we have before pricing, the more accurate we can be and the clearer the client can be about where their money is going.

A good building proposal should make that easy to understand.

02/10/2026

Some things can’t be known, until the renovation begins.

There is a point in almost every renovation where the existing home begins to reveal more of its story.

Before construction starts, drawings, inspections and investigations can give the project team a considerable amount of information.

But there are parts of an existing building that simply can’t be fully understood until walls, floors or ceilings are opened up.
Previous alterations may be uncovered.

Existing structure can differ from what was anticipated. Services may be located somewhere unexpected.

And dimensions that couldn’t be verified beforehand can become clear.

This doesn’t necessarily mean something has gone wrong.

It’s part of working with an existing building.

What matters is having a process for dealing with what is found:
understanding the implications, involving the architect, engineer or relevant consultant where required, and working through the solution before the next stage proceeds.

Experience in renovation isn’t about claiming there won’t be unknowns.

It’s knowing what to do when the unknown becomes known.

24/09/2026

A closer look at the material palette at Blackburn.

The existing brickwork was retained, providing the backdrop for new timber elements introduced as part of the renovation.

130mm Ironbark decking was used to form the new entry stairs, landing and deck, with the timber continuing across the risers and sides to create a substantial, continuous form.

Meranti timber windows add another layer of warmth, sitting naturally alongside both the Ironbark and the varied tones of the original brickwork.

It’s a material combination that allows the new work to feel distinct, while still sitting comfortably alongside the existing home.

Project: Blackburn
Design: Anabode Design

23/09/2026

COLLABORATION

Eltcon has worked alongside Jenni Michalowsky and Caitlin Muir, the team behind Vision Design Studio, across a number of projects.

Jenni and Caitlin bring a strong understanding of both design and construction to their work, which makes for a really natural working relationship between our two teams.

There’s an understanding of what each side brings to a project, open conversations when something needs to be worked through, and a shared focus on achieving the best result for the client.

We’ve really valued the relationship we’ve built with Jenni, Caitlin and Vision Design Studio, and look forward to what we work on together next.

18/09/2026

PROJECT | HUGHESDALE

Our Hughesdale project began with an existing three-bedroom weatherboard home that needed more space and a better connection between the way the family lived inside and out.

Rather than starting again, much of the original home was retained, while approximately 52m² of the existing rear was demolished, along with the old garage, alfresco and verandah.

From there, the home was substantially extended and reworked.

The new layout introduced a fourth bedroom and a new master suite with walk-in robe and ensuite, while the rear of the home was completely transformed with a generous kitchen, meals and family area, butler’s pantry, laundry and powder room. A new garage, covered alfresco and decking completed the extension and created a much stronger connection to the backyard.

Importantly, the new work was designed to sit comfortably alongside the original weatherboard home, with roof forms, weatherboard cladding, architraves and other details selected to relate back to what was retained.

The result is a home that is considerably larger and works very differently for the family, without losing the character of the house they started with.

Project: Hughesdale
Design: AJG Design & Drafting

15/09/2026

Existing homes don’t always tell you the full story until you start opening them up.

A wall can be thicker than documented. Structural framing may have been altered during an earlier renovation. Services can run somewhere completely different to where they were expected. Sometimes what is on the drawings simply isn’t what is standing in front of you.

That doesn’t mean the drawings are wrong. In many renovations, there are parts of the existing home that simply can’t be fully understood until construction begins.

What matters is what happens next.

When something unexpected is uncovered, the first response shouldn’t be to find the quickest workaround. It is to understand what has changed, what it affects, and whether the proposed solution still protects the intent of the design.

That can mean working through the detail with the architect or engineer, reconsidering sequencing, or finding another way to construct something without compromising the finished result.

You can’t remove every unknown from a renovation. But you can have the right team around the project to deal with them properly when they appear.

That is an important distinction when choosing who will build your home.

13/09/2026

Not every detail in a new home starts with a new idea.

For this client, the sauna was inspired by one her father had in his own home. It was something familiar she wanted to carry into the home she was creating for herself.

Our role was to take that reference and build it into a completely different home, so it felt like it belonged there from the beginning.

It is a small part of the overall project, but probably one of the most personal.

Because sometimes what makes a new home feel like yours is something you have brought with you.

10/09/2026

You don’t need finished architectural plans to start talking about what your renovation might cost.

In fact, waiting until the design is complete can sometimes be too late.

Before plans are drawn, start by defining what you actually want to change. Is it an extension, a substantial renovation or both? What are the non-negotiables? More space, another level, a new kitchen, better connection to the outdoors?

Then comes the important part. Set a budget range. Not just what you would ideally like to spend, but the upper limit you are genuinely comfortable investing in the project.

At this stage, nobody can give you an accurate construction price. There are simply too many unknowns. But an experienced builder can help you understand whether the scope you are considering and the budget you have in mind are broadly aligned.

That conversation can influence what happens next, including the design brief, material expectations and where your money is best spent.

Because finding out a completed design is significantly beyond budget is an expensive time to start making compromises.

Cost clarity doesn’t begin with a quote. It begins with making sure the project you are about to design is financially realistic.

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3156

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