Basement-4
Basement
Basement-23
Basement-24
Basement-26
Basement-25
Basement-22
Basement-14
Basement-12
Basement-10
Basement-11
Basement-13
Basement-15
Basement-16
Basement-21
Basement-19
Basement-18
Basement-17
Basement-9
Basement-3
Basement-2
Basement-1
Basement-5
Basement-7
Basement-6
Unique Basement Restoration
Location: North Melbourne
Building Type: Residential
Budget: $65,000
The renovation of this North Melbourne terrace house stands out as one of our most fascinating and rewarding projects to date.
After buying the property, our clients planned to turn the basement into a lively studio and workspace. However, they faced ongoing moisture problems, shown by the musty smell and stains on the relatively new timber floorboards.
Discovery & Restoration
Our first step was to remove all partition walls and plasterboard from the back of the basement. To our surprise, this exposed the original brick wall with two historic oven openings. Lifting sections of the floorboards revealed stunning original terracotta pavers underneath, evidence of the building’s history as an old bakery.
We recommended exposing and restoring the original oven wall and terracotta flooring—not only to highlight the building’s historic character, but also to allow moisture from the natural materials to evaporate. This approach helps prevent mould and promotes a healthy indoor environment.
What We Did
- Dry-sanded the oven wall to remove grey acrylic paint and cleaned the brickwork
- Filled gaps and regrouted the oven wall
- Completed and regrouted the floor pavers, then treated them with linseed oil
- Install a modern sump system
- Thoroughly dried out the basement
- Installed an ultra-silent, highly efficient ventilation system and a hygrometer to monitor the room climate
- Rewired electricals and added new power points
- Installed two light wells from the living room above (see our lightwell installation project)
- Repaired and refreshed the timber ceiling and painted the ceiling and walls in crisp white
The Result
This project was a genuinely collaborative effort, characterised by excellent communication and trust between us and our clients. Schreier’s combination of restoration expertise, material knowledge, and coordination with skilled tradespeople made this unique transformation possible. The result is a stunning, one-of-a-kind studio space with excellent air quality and preserved historical character.