The Harrow Road project was borne from the team at Finesse Built wanting to support local charity, and a fortuitous meeting with Chris McDermott, founder and Chairman of the Little Heroes Foundation. After seeing the great work they were doing, we offered to build a home for the foundation as a major fundraiser.

The land for the Little Heroes project was subdivided from one of our clients and donated to this project in return for the home we built them. The long narrow block provided the first challenge from a design perspective, and a lot of time was spent making sure the rooms and outdoor areas were appropriately scaled to give a sense of quality and space. We even had to drive a mini-excavator through the front door and down the hallway to complete the backyard landscaping.

Many of our projects see us building our clients their dream homes. In this case, the goal was very specifically to raise the maximum benefit for Little Heroes. Drawing on contacts in the real estate industry, the brief was set for the best possible sales outcome for the area. In response, we designed and built a large family home with appropriately sized rooms and a generous pool plus outdoor and grassed landscaping attractive to families.

We had an overwhelming response from industry contacts when we put the call out. It was fantastic to see so many within the construction industry willing to support this project and this worthy cause. We are extremely grateful for the generous donations and support from many labourers, suppliers and tradesman, and proud to be part of the industry with those that enabled us to construct this incredible home. Visit our Building Dreams page to see everyone who was involved.

Even though the project brief meant that we had to come at things from a different direction, it still incorporated the high level of design and attention to detail that Finesse Built are known for. Parallel lines are a strong theme throughout; evident in the standing seam cladding used inside and out, the finely detailed Western Red Cedar timber battens on the front façade, and the free-standing post fence that welcomes you and guides you to the front door.

A true corner window on the first-floor that had to be craned into place, semi-floating stairs and the use of skylights make this property a standout on the street. High quality cabinetry and fixtures with hidden appliances and integrating services such as air-conditioning help maintain a clean and minimalist aesthetic throughout.

Outside, a cleverly cantilevered eave provides shade the outdoor kitchen, alfresco, and pool area, while maximising space for both the pool and grassed area. A frameless glass pool fence helps showcase the whole backyard as one.

Environmental Sustainability

While the narrow block with a north facing street frontage proved a challenge for winter solar access, the design of the corner window and front eaves maximises access to morning and daytime sun when it counts, and provides protection when needed. With its 14 skylights, the house is never short on natural daylight, and the double-glazed units and extensive insulation help maintain the desired internal temperature. A rooftop 6.8kW solar photovoltaic system with future battery provisions goes a long way to generating and maintaining the home’s own energy footprint.

A great outcome

After the home was auctioned, all of us involved were over the moon with the great outcome, providing Little Heroes with a significant financial resource with which to carry their important work forward.

The project gave all of us at Finesse Built a shared goal to gather around and work towards. We haven’t decided what we want to do next, but this project really opened our eyes to the great work being done in our communities by organisations like Little Heroes, supporting people and families in some of their rawest times of need.