What challenges are there in constructing a ‘Back then a lot of it was brickwork which would heritage-style home in the 21st century? The most then be rendered and would have taken tradesmen significant is cost, James says. In the 19th century, longer to complete. We use concrete now which is materials and labour were comparatively much more efficient.’ cheaper. As a result, ornate finishes and extreme So what advantages do the heritage styles offer attention to detail were more generally affordable. modern design? ‘We still put a lot of detail into our homes but ‘Because of ceiling heights, ventilation was we’re forever looking at ways to do things better at better,’ James says, ‘and the high roof pitches now an economical price. give greater accessibility to services such as air ‘Bricklayers and stone masons are in high conditioning. You can actually walk around the roof demand today and hard to find. In fact, so is finding space. The verandas might make the rooms a bit the right tradespeople who enjoy doing the type of darker but, facing west across the front of the houses, James Wagner: Heritage work that we do. It’s not for everybody.’ they ensure that the interiors are shaded and cool.’ Building Group director Although limestone and sandstone remain Although he has been approached by clients popular materials, it’s bluestone that characterises who have moved interstate to build for them there, so much of Adelaide’s residential architecture. This James says that Heritage remains an Adelaide- ‘WE STILL PUT A LOT is not in the dark basalt tones familiar in Victorian focused business. The company caters to the OF DETAIL INTO OUR bluestone but a mineralised slate that has a pale upper-end of the real estate market with some HOMES BUT WE’RE grey or beige colour. Client budgets determine the homes selling for over $2 million. FOREVER LOOKING amount of stone and brick that is used, James ‘But we’re trying to bring it back to the mid-range AT WAYS TO DO says. ‘Some homes are cavity brick and some are with attractive homes that are reasonably priced. THINGS BETTER AT AN brick veneer with stone facing.’ Most of our homes sell for $600,000 and above.’ ECONOMICAL PRICE’ The high ceilings favoured by 19th century He says that the South Australian market is builders can be costly today, he notes. reasonably healthy at present. ‘Your 3.6-metre ceilings are cool in summer ‘We’ve got one to two years’ work ahead of us. but the rooms are harder to heat in winter. So we We only do up to a dozen homes a year but the sometimes drop the height of the ceilings at the homes we’ve built lately seem to be getting bigger back of the houses.’ and taking longer.’ And light is also an issue. The demand for modern homes built in a heritage ‘So many of the heritage homes had a central style is increasing, he says. hallway and, as a result, you find that the front ‘They don’t go out of date. My philosophy is to rooms can be a bit dark. So we put in skylights as try to blend in rather than stand out. People look well as more windows in the side walls to create at one of our homes and think that it’s a renovated more natural light.’ 19th century villa. That’s probably the best Mouldings, for decorative features such as compliment that we can receive.’ porticos, arches and architraves, have also evolved. www.heritagebg.com.au SEPTEMBER 2018 HOUSING 103 BUSINESS • PROFILE