Concept design for a fictional business (Ironbark Builds), made by Digisurge. About this design
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IronbarkBuilds
IronbarkBuilds

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Built fromthe groundit stands on.

Custom homes and major renovations around Margaret River, in jarrah, limestone, rammed earth and recycled timber. Six to eight a year, with Tom on every site.

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No. 01 · Witchcliffe

A long, low rammed earth house with a deep skillion roof among tall pale eucalypts and grass trees in late afternoon light

01The number

6 to 8

Homes a year

Few enough that Tom is on every site.

Ironbark is a small crew, and it stays that way on purpose. We take on six to eight homes a year, so the builder you meet at the first conversation is the one checking your set-out, standing on your slab and walking your frame.

Fewer houses means fewer handovers between people. Every decision on your house is made by someone who has stood on the block.

02The register

Five houses, five blocks.

Architect-designed, builder-designed and one old shack, kept and extended. Each is shaped by its block and its light, and each has a page of its own.

  1. No. 01 · WitchcliffeThe Long House
  2. No. 02 · GracetownPeppermint House
  3. No. 03 · PrevellyPrevelly Shack
  4. No. 04 · YallingupRidge House
  5. No. 05 · CowaramupPaddock House
All homes

03Materials

What the walls are made of.

We build with what this country gives: jarrah, limestone, rammed earth and timber saved from old buildings. Each one handles the South West weather and looks better for it.

How we build
  1. S.01
    Close view of a rammed earth wall showing its compacted layers in ochre, clay and rust tones

    Rammed earth

    Damp earth compacted in layers, one lift at a time. Thick, cool in summer and slow to give up its warmth in winter.

    Goes into Feature walls, load-bearing walls, hearths

  2. S.02
    Close view of oiled jarrah with deep red interlocking grain

    Jarrah

    The South West's own hardwood. Deep red, dense and hard wearing, and better for every coat of oil.

    Goes into Decks, benchtops, joinery, stairs

  3. S.03
    Close view of sawn limestone blocks with fossil shell and a mortar joint

    Limestone

    Sawn local stone, pale and porous and full of old shell. It takes the coastal weather in its stride.

    Goes into External walls, chimneys, garden walls

  4. S.04
    Close view of recycled hardwood boards with old nail holes and flecks of paint

    Recycled timber

    Hardwood boards from old buildings, nail holes and paint and all, given a second working life.

    Goes into Floors, ceilings, cladding

04The sun

Section drawing of a north-facing house. The low midwinter sun, at about 33 degrees, passes under the eave and lands deep on the floor slab.33°MIDWINTER NOON79°MIDSUMMER NOONEAVEEARTH WALLTHERMAL MASS SLABNORTH

A house that works with the sun.

At Margaret River the noon sun stands about 33 degrees above the horizon in midwinter and about 79 degrees in midsummer. A well-set eave knows the difference.

Face the living spaces north, size the eave to the latitude and put heavy material where the winter sun lands. The slab and the earth walls take in warmth by day and give it back at night.

See how it works

New-home consultation

Start with the block.

Bring an architect's plans, a survey or just an address. We will talk about the site, the sun and what you want to build.

Book a consultation08 5550 2240