Dice & Bricks

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Dice & Bricks

The hurdles, wins, details & decisions of developing property.

13/02/2023

POCKET DOORS: Bringing some 🔥 to the kitchen with these sleek and modern pocket doors! Perfect for creating an open concept feel while still keeping the mess hidden away. Who else is a fan of functional design in the kitchen?

Build
Joinery
Photo

30/06/2022

THE LOGIES OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT: We're delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted as a finalist for awards in the Development of the Year - Small-Scale Residential (1-3) category.

This award recognises excellence in the development of boutique in-fill residential projects in urban and suburban locations.

We're up against two other Melbourne projects that both look amazing so there's some stiff competition, but as the saying goes, you've got to be in it to win it!

A big thank you to all our suppliers, consultants but most importantly to for bringing this dream to life.

The awards ceremony is on the Gold Coast at the beginning of August. Wish us luck 🤞

28/06/2022

MORNING LIGHT on the rear facade 🌅

14/04/2022

WE LIKE BLACKBUTT AND WE CAN NOT LIE! 😜

Made from Eucalyptus pilularis endemic to eastern Australia, we opted for engineered timber floorboards from for the maintenance benefits they bring.

They don't expand and contract to the same degree as solid wood flooring.

They're incredibly durable and enable a wider plank to be produced reducing the number of joins where weaknesses can occur over time.

And the beautiful BLACKBUTT offers tones, textures and warmth against the dark aluminium windows frames from .

17/03/2022

PROPERTY ISN'T JUST HIS PROFESSION, IT'S HIS PASSION. Say hi to Michael (➡️). He's the always reliable and foundational bricks here at duo . It also happens to be his birthday today!
All things property occupies 90% of Michael's mind, everyday. Initially starting out as a Civil Engineer, his understanding of construction coupled with his extensive knowledge of the property market, industry, codes, laws and financials unlocks his uncanny ability to see opportunities overlooked by most.
Here's just one example of his mind at work:
*715sqm block in Willoughby that's been for sale for months with an old existing house
*Asking price the same as what it was purchased for 2 years prior
*Front and rear lot access (dual access)
*Zoning allows for duplex on >700sqm (of which only about 6% of Willoughby lots are eligible) however must hold a new duplex for 5 years
*New low rise medium density housing code due to come into effect in 8 months time that will allow a duplex under a CDC without the requirement to hold for 5 years
*Ding, ding, ding!*
Yes, this was the start of The Station back in 2019 and while we are nearing completion, you can be assured there is already a pile of fresh developments being dreamt up by Michael. Even on his birthday.

05/03/2022

GRACE'S FAVOURITE MILESTONE TO DATE: This is Grace (swipe ➡️) the dice-rolling half of . As a husband and wife duo with 2 daughters, we are conscious of not reinforcing gender stereotypes, however Grace is our household cook and as such the kitchen is her domain. The intricate details, design and storage solutions in this kitchen are plentiful. The finishes researched extensively, from 'how many finger prints will that show?' to 'can dust/dirt/grime be cleaned from that easily?' And then there's the hero feature - the stone bench tops, which were installed this week.

Natural stone is the dream, but in reality this kitchen will be a work horse and likely take a battering from this busy family so engineered stone was a smarter choice. Monte Bianco has delivered in every way, tying the kitchen's monochromatic elements together effortlessly and softening the overall look. We'll share more pics once the protection comes down, but we're too excited to wait 👌

10/12/2021

"You guys have been so LUCKY with the market". We've heard a lot of this lately, and yes it's true, the latest property boom has served us well. But this comment ignores the biggest factor allowing us to be "lucky" - PREPARATION.

The Station has been 7+ years in the making. We started small, in far less desirable areas establishing a portfolio of investments consistently over the years. In our mid 20s we setup a 10-year plan forecasting key life and monetary milestones. Not everything went to script, and we’ve updated the ‘life plan’ every year or so along the way, but having this framework allows us to navigate through the surprises (both good and bad) with confidence.

We didn't forego overseas holidays, but we did choose cheaper alternatives, got married and grew our family, all while hustling our property ventures on the side of our full time jobs.

We've been able to leverage learnings from each venture into the next, both in terms of developments and the daily juggle. Writing this now is probably the first time we've really acknowledged what we've been able to achieve.

So yes, we've been "lucky" but only because we've been preparing for it for the better part of a decade. And we'll keep preparing so we're ready for the next opportunity 💪

08/12/2021

UPSTAIRS BEDROOMS:
With the incredibly shmick plastering by complete, we are starting to get a good feel for the space in the upstairs bedrooms.

Functionally maximising the floor space we had was key in all our design decisions and we are seeing the fruits of that now.
1st pic is taken looking through the door into to our Master. Running the full length of the right hand wall will be wardrobes, as well as in the nook on the left.
2nd pic is of Hazel's bedroom which will also have a wall of robes down the right-hand side.
3rd pic is Imogen's room, you guessed it, robes down the right-hand side. Her favourite feature of her room by far though is that she over looks the street where she can see cranes and excavators at the nearby site (we'll claim that was planned).

Fair to say the latter 2 bedrooms are where has spent way too much of her styling efforts (and funds!). For those who need inspiration we'll be sharing some of the items we've selected and where you can find them in time.

03/12/2021

TAPERING TRIANGULAR PORTALS: Ready for render.

Sometimes we wonder if misses the days of straightforward project home builds with some of the design challenges we've sent their way to execute 😬.
They have never shied away though and work with us to find a viable solution that meets the design and functionality objectives.

These tapering triangular portals have been ones of those challenges. A key feature of the contemporary design, the colours distinguish the 2 dwellings as having their own personality (ours black, our neighbours white) and the offset accentuates this separation (whilst creating many junctions… a builder’s nightmare!). It has resulted in custom Hebel moulds by being shipped all the way from WA and a concealed waterproofing membrane from for a seamless look. It has been a process to find the right balance between form and function, but we think have nailed it, and we can't wait to see the finished product very soon!

02/12/2021

WE HAVE WALLS! It's fair to say we were ecstactic to visit site this afternoon with the plasterboard in place. Imogen was even more excited by the 'Christmas decorations' AKA the HRV air system's piping (to be fair it does look very festive). It's starting to feel like a lot like a.... house!!!!

We'll get more build shots to share in the coming days, it's always a juggle with the girls on site but equally important to involve them in the process. Also worth calling out, who were in fact still working hence the off cuts all over the floor ➡️

26/11/2021

ELEVATION FOR THE WIN: When considering The Station's site for purchase back in 2019, one of the deciding features for us was its street elevation. The high position overlooking the street below provides openness and access to unobstructed natural light rarely found by inner-city properties with neighbours either side.
And then there's that beautiful burst of purple too (even in cloudy weather) 💜

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Willoughby, NSW

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http://www.diceandbricks.com.au/

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