Our clients, a family of four, including two teenagers had occupied this house for several years. The house, a traditional and modest timber villa (situated in an inner urban suburb of Melbourne) while adequate for young children, was showing its limitations in accommodating four adults. The existing house lacked functioning living spaces, internal light, and connection to the outdoors.  Accommodating three bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom, the original villa was in relatively good order. However, an assortment of tatty ‘lean-tos’ at the rear of the villa containing an inadequate kitchen and dining room, laundry, and external toilet were long past their use-by date.