Dream house, or the second life of an old electrical substation

Mark and Karen Bartkevichus, residents of Tasmania in Australia, turned the abandoned substation into their dream home.

The substation was built in the 20s of the last century. However, since the 60s, it was no longer used. Mr. Bartkevichus had to spend two years to find the current owners of the building and persuade them to sell it.

“In fact, the condition of the building was less of a problem. Much more effort and resources were required to get permission, to go through all the legal formalities, ”notes Bartkevichus.

The transformation of an abandoned building into a dream house took a couple of years from a couple. The Bartkevichus family tried to preserve the historical appearance of the building, giving it a touch of modernity.

“Everything turned out exactly as we planned. We wanted to make the house comfortable, elegant and efficient. So that you don’t have to put a lot of effort into maintaining his condition, ”says Mark Bartkevichus.

After repair, the substation acquired a large open kitchen, which is combined with the dining room and living room. It offers stunning views of the city of Launceston, the mountains and the River Teimar.

You can get into the open corridor on the second floor by a ladder made by individual order from Tasmanian ebony. The second level is occupied by three bedrooms. In the main there is a separate bathroom.

Since the building was uninhabited, the pair faced a serious challenge - to ensure good heating. They preferred the water variant. Hot water pipes were embedded in the cement floor. Solar panels were also added to reduce electricity costs. The windows in the house do not open, so fresh air is supplied exclusively through ventilation.