SFGate

alex511 What a great story. Post more pictures--I'd love to see more of what you have done.

olgahicks Love what you have done to the outside.. Looking forward to more pictures. Enjoy your home!

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design Oh HUH! Really? This is the one! These are the best before and after photos! Please, please let us see more of this remarkable transformation! And yes, the story is a keeper just like the home!

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design So this is the fence side and the front is right behind the fence! Interesting!

sharonjune This is the street side of the house, the other side (will post pics) has a total transformation as well with a wrap around verandah and a pool raised to be flush and on the same level as the verandah.
Got pics on my home computer so will have to sort from there. Even the garden had tall grass and dead trees with vines entangled so, cleared the whole garden and started from scratch. The garden servants were not happy to go in and clear because of snakes, but we managed :-)

Christopher James Interiors Incredible job...doesn't even look like the same house. I really like the roof

sharonjune The building was sound, interior had a nice design. We decided to add an upstairs loft (family / music room) and a bedroom. It was a huge job but well worth it. We sub-contracted builders, plumbers, thatches etc (electrics in the house had to be totally rewired). We simply love our home as it has retained the loving family atmosphere that had a long time ago. I do hope that more people will be inspired by what we have done. Find a poor negleted house in a good area and revamp !

Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc. Wow...is that a thatch roof?

sharonjune Yes it is, my dream was always to have a thatched house, so when we had to gut we decided to have the house re-designed to accomodate a thatch roof. We were lucky that we managed to get the draftman who designs for a magazine and has done many thatched holiday lodge designs. The beauty of thatch is that it is so flexible to mould valley's and and hills on the roof. We further built up the walls so that we could have a loft on top with a extra spare Bedroom where the three top windows are.

olldcan Okay, were all intrigued.... need to see more :)

Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc. The house looks great....wish the fence was a bit more in keeping with the style of the house....grapestake, or even a traditional white picket fence. :o)

judyg Truly amazing. Kudos. What do you do for a living? I think you missed your calling. Hmmmm, you got me to thinking about our first date. Do you think I should rehab a '66 Impala convertible? :>)

Dytecture Completely transformed !

sharonjune Some more pics !

sharonjune Some more pics !

sharonjune Some more pics !

sharonjune More pictures of before and after

sharonjune more

sharonjune from the street side - house had undercoat (white)

sharonjune Paving on the verandah and around the pool is the next job. Also still thinking how I want to do the kitchen. I would rather get the design sorted in my head than rush it and find that the plan isnt to my likeing. Also re-doing the flooring in the living area which will be probably the same to the verandah and pool so that there is a clean flow from inside to out. (Looking at smartstone - you can google this)