Hawkins Avenue

Sorrento

No sooner had Hollywood Builders completed Mr & Mrs Berney's home, than their neighbour approached John to discuss building their new home. Mr & Mrs Lintott had been watching with great interest how Hollywood Builders had handled the challenges of building on such a difficult block of land, and were impressed with the beautiful home they created.

When John met Mr & Mrs Lintott for the first time and saw their plans and the sloping block he knew it would be another interesting challenge. Their architect, Patrick Healy, had designed an innovative three storey home with ocean views on all three levels. Yet this home was to sit on a block with such an incline that the back boundary fence was 6 metres below the planned ground floor level.

Before construction on the house could commence, the first step was to build three massive limestone retaining walls on three sides of the property in order to secure the foundations. This was an enormous undertaking in itself, as the walls would be below even the lower ground floor of the new home.

Features of the home include an internal elevator from the basement right to the top-floor family room and bar, which is designed with floor-to-ceiling glass and a wide verandah around three sides, to take advantage of 180° views across the ocean.

The kitchen was designed to showcase the beautiful teak cupboards, which had been purchased more than 5 years earlier and stored lovingly by Mr & Mrs Lintott. High quality worktops and designer tiles were used to complement these beautiful surfaces.

The distinctive roof design was achieved using curved steel beams overlaid with Colorbond sheeting. Internally, the ceilings are also curved and are highlighted by shadow-line cornicing. A modern central fireplace, imported from France, forms the centre of the large open-plan living area, and draws the eye upwards to the 15' high ceilings.

Boral classic limestone was chosen for the internal and external face brick, with the closest attention to detail paid to the bricklaying in this important feature.

Environmentally-friendly bamboo was used in the flooring for the family, dining and basement rooms and the main staircase. Unusually, all of the door jambs and frames were also made from specially-imported bamboo. Under-floor heating warms the tiled floor surfaces in the kitchen and bathrooms.

An interesting environmental feature of the home is the water collection and recycling system. Hidden tanks collect rain water for use in the kitchens and showers, while all other water from the home is recycled for use on the garden and swimming pool. The home's lighting and electrical systems are also "smart-wired" and centrally controlled.

Everyone at Hollywood Builders agreed that this home was a real pleasure to build, thanks to Mr & Mrs Lintott.

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