Original proportions, details and room character can be worth holding onto where practical. The goal is not to strip the house back until it could be anywhere. It is to understand which parts still earn their place and which parts are getting in the way of how you live now.
HOME RENOVATIONS, KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & EXTENSIONS IN ESSENDON VIC
Keep the Character. Change What No Longer Works.
You can love the original rooms, proportions and detail without accepting a kitchen cut off from family life, a rear addition that feels disconnected or a layout that belongs to another era. Level A renovates period and established Essendon homes around the way you live now, with Jake directly involved from the first site visit and the agreed scope set out before construction begins.
If we miss the timeframe agreed in your contract, you get $1,000 back for every week we're late.*
Qualified CarpenterQualified WaterprooferDirect Owner ContactLive Project Portal5-Star Google RatingWritten Variations Before Extra WorkQualified CarpenterQualified WaterprooferDirect Owner ContactLive Project Portal5-Star Google RatingWritten Variations Before Extra Work
WHEN THE CHARACTER IS WORTH KEEPING
The Point Isn't to Make the House Newer. It's to Make It Work Better.
Many established Essendon homes already have the proportions, original details and character worth preserving. The problem is often what happens around them: a kitchen cut off from family life, rooms that no longer suit the way the household uses them or a later addition that feels disconnected from the rest of the home. Jake starts by looking at what should stay, what needs to change and how the renovation can improve the way the house works without stripping away what makes it distinctive.
WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?
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KEEP WHAT GIVES THE HOUSE ITS CHARACTER
A Better Layout Shouldn't Come at the Cost of What Made You Love the House.
Sometimes the kitchen is not the only issue. The living areas do not connect, the bathroom is dated, circulation is awkward and earlier changes have left different parts of the home working against each other. In that situation, the better approach can be to plan the renovation as one connected project.
A beautiful front room can still belong to a house with awkward circulation. Kitchens can sit too far from family living, hallways can waste space and rooms can feel isolated from each other. Reworking those relationships can change how the whole home functions without changing everything that gives it character.
Later additions are not always the problem. The problem is when they feel disconnected from the original house. Improving the transition between existing rooms, rear living areas and outdoor space can make the home feel more coherent instead of like different stages of construction joined together.
Some homes can be transformed through better use of the existing footprint. Others genuinely need more room. Jake works through what the current house can already do before an extension becomes part of the scope, so additional space is solving a real limitation rather than replacing parts of the home that were already working.
MODERNISE THE PARTS THAT NEED TO CHANGE
The New Work Should Feel Like It Belongs
in the House.
In many older layouts, the kitchen sits apart from the rooms where people actually spend their time. Improving its position, storage, circulation and connection to dining or living areas can make the whole rear of the home work better without turning the kitchen into something that feels disconnected from the character around it.
A bathroom in an older home can involve more than new tiles and fittings. Layout, plumbing, drainage, substrate preparation, waterproofing and existing conditions can all affect the scope. Jake is a qualified waterproofer, so the wet-area work stays close to the person responsible for the renovation.
An extension should solve a real need, whether that is more family living, another bedroom, a study or a better connection between the kitchen and the rear of the home. The important part is making the new work feel considered in relation to the house that is already there, rather than simply attaching more floor area.
A deck or pergola can do more than add another feature to the backyard. When it connects properly with the internal living areas, it can make the rear of the home more useful for everyday family life, entertaining and time outside.
What it's actually like
Don't Take Our Word for It. See What Homeowners Say After the Job Is Done.
These are real Google reviews from homeowners who've worked with Jake and Level A Builders. Real jobs. Real experiences. Their words, not ours.
★★★★★
Hear it from a homeowner
★★★★★
“Jake was great when he worked on our place. He was reliable and turned up on time. If he was late, he would always let us know, which was important. Very happy with Jake’s workmanship and professionalism. We will be in contact for future work, thank you.”
Lili WiddowsonGoogle Review★★★★★
“I would highly recommend them—the work was completed on time with great teamwork and clear communication throughout. In addition, their professionalism and attention to detail ensured a high-quality result.”
Rasmi ParajuliGoogle Review★★★★★
“I was impressed by how fast the job was completed without anything feeling rushed. Every stage was done properly and the quality shows in the details. Waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry everything is spot on.”
Zane ThomsonGoogle Review★★★★★
“The in-house design service was a game changer for us. Instead of running around trying to pick tiles, fittings, and layouts ourselves, everything was guided and thought through properly. Jake and the team made sure the space actually worked.”
DANNIGoogle Review★★★★★
“Jake’s knowledge and attention to detail really sets him apart. He doesn’t just build he actually thinks through the entire space and how it’s going to be used. The in house design helped tie everything together and the end result looks clean, modern, and practical. Would 100% use them again.”
Tom ElliottGoogle Review★★★★★
“The team are awesome to work with. They strive to make sure every job is finished to a great standard and will not take short cuts. Do yourself a favour and get Level A Builders on your next project. Would highly recommend.”
Andrew KerrGoogle Review★★★★★
“We had Level A Builders complete our bathroom renovation and the whole experience was honestly better than expected. Jake and his team were great to deal with really respectful, easy to talk to, and always showed up when they said they would.”
G AGoogle Review★★★★★
“I recently used Level A Builders to renovate my home, which required extensive remodeling across every room. From day one, the goal was to find the best outcome without cutting corners, and the bathroom transformation is a perfect example.”
Yin ZhangGoogle Review
5-star feedback built on clear communication, honest pricing, and work completed properly.
VIEW OUR GOOGLE REVIEWSWHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES THE COST
The Price Isn't in the Postcode. It's in What the House Actually Needs.
Two Essendon homes can look similar from the street and require very different renovation work. Reconfiguring rooms, changing plumbing or electrical services, rebuilding wet areas, increasing kitchen joinery, uncovering older conditions, adding an extension or working within heritage or planning constraints where they apply can all change the scope. Jake starts with the property and what you want to change, then works through the known scope before the job is properly priced.
HOW IT STARTS
Before You Decide What to Add, Get Clear on What Should Stay.
Start with the parts of the house you value and the parts that frustrate you. It might be the original rooms you want to preserve, a kitchen that feels cut off, a rear addition that does not connect properly or simply a layout that no longer suits the way the household lives.
The site visit gives Jake a chance to see how the original house, later changes and current layout work together. That helps separate the parts worth retaining from the areas that may need to be reworked.
Some problems may be solved by changing circulation or room relationships. Others may need a new kitchen, bathroom work, an extension or better connection to the rear of the home. If heritage or planning constraints may affect the property, they should be understood early before the scope is locked in.
Once the priorities are clearer, Jake can work through the agreed scope, pricing, expected timeframe and next steps so you understand what the renovation is actually asking you to commit to before work begins.
ESSENDON VIC
Love the House but Not the Way It Works? Start There.
Tell Jake what you want to keep and what you need the home to do differently. He'll inspect the property, talk through what may be reworked and where additional space may make sense, then help make the scope and next step clearer. You don't need a finished plan before you book the site visit. If we miss the timeframe agreed in your contract, you get $1,000 back for every week we're late.*
Residential projects only. Excludes delays caused by the client or circumstances outside Level A Builders' control. Full terms are set out in your signed contract.