JDP Gallery Renovation - The Complete Renovation Process

The Demolition Begins

Today is Demolition Day. I’ve owned this unit for about two years, and it has sat vacant, waiting for the right moment to transform into the gallery I’ve always envisioned to showcase my personal photography collection from around the world.

My plan is to gut the premises before I leave for a five-week trip through central Australia. This will create a sense of urgency, motivating me to finish the project upon my return in August. I’m excited to share my extensive collection with the public. 

    

Day 2. Renovations Have Started

Renovations on the unit next door to my office and print lab are now underway. After a long wait of about two years, I believe I’ve finally settled on a design that will seamlessly integrate the space with my office and lab, connected by a generous set of bi-fold doors. This unit will become the permanent home of JDP Fine Art Gallery, showcasing my work from the past 15+ years of travel across the globe.

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Day 3. Renovations Continue

The boys have been at it for a few days now and are starting to settle into a routine. I’ve been stepping in regularly to ensure that the designs I envisioned are being properly implemented as the build progresses.

I’ve decided to incorporate a section of plywood behind the plastered walls, which will allow framed pictures to be mounted using screws rather than relying on a wire hanging system or other methods. This approach ensures the prints hang vertically without leaning forward, with no distractions around the frame when displayed.

The unit has two large windows facing the street and overlooking a local park. To avoid seeing the wall structure through the tinted windows at certain times of the day, I’m creating removable walls with black plastic adhered to the structural frame.

We’re also replacing the toilet block and installing a kitchenette/bar area in the corner, which will allow for drinks to be stored and served.

Day 4. Structural Renos Completed

All of the structural renovations have now been completed. The final task in this stage was repairing a hole in the wall, caused by the previous owners cutting through it improperly. They failed to install a lintel beam above the void, which meant the wall above the doorway wasn’t properly supported. Over time, this led to the bricks collapsing!

The team at Leightal Constructions (my builders) have now fixed it, restoring the structure as it should have been from the beginning. So, now, just one week after the structural phase was completed, we’re set to begin installing the services next week—ducted air conditioning, network wiring, electrical, and plumbing. Hopefully, that will be wrapped up within a similar timeframe!

     

Day 5. Services & Rough-in

Stage three of the renovations kicked off today, with the first of the basic services being installed into the gallery ceiling void. Mark from Staycool began fitting the air-conditioning ducting, which now looks like a big silver snake weaving through the roof cavity, ready to deliver essential cool and warm air throughout the year.

Endre from Dimension Design was here to confirm measurements for the kitchenette and bar installation. He’s overseeing the cabinetry, ensuring everything is set up just right. Leigh from Leightal Constructions also spent time double-checking the completed work and organising modifications. He’s coordinating with the various service teams to ensure everything is in place for Stage Four—plaster sheeting, etc. Plumbing and electrical work are both underway and are expected to be completed by mid-next week.

As for me, I’ve been driving around picking up bits and pieces for the gallery, finalising colour schemes, and turning the grand design in my head into a reality. I’m also keeping track of my budget and ensuring everything is on course, with no major surprises expected. A lot of thought and preparation has gone into this renovation, and I’m especially looking forward to how my prints will be framed. Scott from Dawsons Framing is crafting a unique moulding specifically for my work, making sure each piece is displayed perfectly when the gallery is complete.

   

Day 6 Services Rough-in continues...

The rough-in of services is progressing smoothly, like a well-oiled machine. The plumbers have installed all the necessary pipes and drains, Mark is almost finished with the ducted air conditioning, and Brent has been running electrical and network cables everywhere. It’s funny they call it "rough-in" because it’s as neat as a pin. The way Brent installs the wiring is impressive—almost like a loom in a car!

I’ve decided on basic spotlight lighting for the gallery. There will be three rows of around 20 dimmable LED white lights, plus a double track system for spotlights to highlight the artwork on the walls. It’s going to look pretty impressive when everything’s in place, but I’ll save the full details for later.

The cabinetry is complete and ready for installation when the time comes. I’ve already purchased all the white goods—basins, fridge, sink, tapware, toilet, etc. The wall and floor tiles have also been selected, so that’s one more thing crossed off the list!

Leigh is back today to take deliveries (gyprock and other materials) and coordinate timelines with the other trades to install sheeting, insulation, etc. Work is expected to start later this week. They still need to install the doors and bi-folds between the gallery and my office unit next door, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that come together!

 

   

Day 7. Plastering

It’s been a busy day! The last of the rough-in tradesmen were hard at work, finishing up their parts of the project. Meanwhile, the truck delivering the gyprock was delayed by about four hours, so we had five tradies hanging around, playing on their iPhones.

Once the gyprock arrived, it was all systems go. The ceiling and walls went up so quickly, I felt like I was on The Block! The following day, the plastering was finished, along with some finer A/C touches in the ceiling.

The space is now starting to look like a room that’s soon to be a gallery. Plaster setting is set to begin tomorrow and should be completed by the end of the day on Friday.

       

Day 8. Finish-Off Plastering

The plaster fix-out finishers arrived this morning and got straight to work. A team of just three guys, all on leg extensions making them about 2.7m tall, so they could easily reach the ceiling.

They worked like a well-oiled machine, fixing all the joins and holes in the plaster. Their job was to dark finish the space, and they'll be back this morning to do a final sand to get the surface ready for painting.

The gallery has certainly progressed quickly, transforming from a gutted shell into a soon-to-be formal showcase for incredible pieces of art from all over the world. It will also serve as an exhibition space for other artists on occasion.

I've had a lot of interest from people wanting to visit when the gallery opens, hopefully early next year. I'll be creating an invite form soon to add to this site and my Facebook page so people can join the "A-list"!

         

Day 9. Cabinetry & Tiling

The cabinetry team arrived with all their tools, and in no time, they were hard at work—banging, sawing, grunting, and groaning. By the end of the day, the kitchen and bar area were fully installed. Meanwhile, Leigh got busy with the tiling. All the floor tiles are down and set in place, and he’ll be back tomorrow to finish the wall tiles and grouting.

Overall, everything has run smoothly. The flooring team came in to measure up the space, and Luxaflex measured the windows and sliding door for blinds. Martin also popped in to check the windows for tinting. My painter is scheduled for Saturday to do the painting, and the plumber will be finishing off the work on Thursday. The doors and bi-folds are also set to be installed that day.

Everything seems organised—hopefully, it stays that way! We’ll see...

        

Day 10. Plumbing to Painting

The tiles in the toilet are now laid, with grouting to be completed this week, along with a few finishing touches like the towel rack. The plumbers came in and, in no time, had the taps, basins, toilet, and hot water system installed—here and gone in a flash!

Michael from True Blue Painting arrived to start painting on Saturday morning. They handled all the cut-ins, and by Saturday and Sunday, they had applied three coats to the ceilings and walls. The job’s done and looks great—very white!

Next week, the electrical work, air-conditioning, floor coverings, blinds, and bi-folds will all be completed. I’m expecting to be finished by the weekend, a week ahead of schedule! Stay tuned for further updates—it’s really starting to take shape now!

        

Day 11. Let there be Light

We're now getting ready for the floor coverings, so we had to fill in all the divots in the floor left by the removal of walls, nails, and screws. These holes needed fixing to avoid any tripping hazards, especially for visitors in high heels. Everything’s patched up now and looking great. Leigh has also finished the grouting in the toilet and attached all the accessories.

The guys from Carpet Court arrived, surveyed the space, and had the carpet rolled out and installed in no time. The change in acoustics is fantastic—no more echo! Now, for the electrical work: the rough-in is complete, and we just need to connect everything up. The new switchboard is in place, along with an instant hot water system (fantastic little system), plenty of power, down-lights, and a full double track lighting system around the room—all controlled by Wi-Fi switches that can be sequenced, dimmed, and more.

My target completion date is fast approaching—this Saturday, the end of the month. Only the A/C fit-off, tinting, blinds, bi-fold installation, and final painting remain. Then, I’ll be done!

        

Day 12. Tinting & Air Conditioning Installed

There’s been a bit of a setback with the final installation of the bi-fold doors. We’ve been waiting for a top roller rail that was missing from the package when it arrived. After nearly a month of waiting for a replacement, the good news is that the part has finally arrived. I’ve organised for the tradies to install it next week—hooray!

In other news, Martin from Lifestyle Products has applied a very dark tint to the two external windows and door areas. This will help reduce the external daylight and improve the overall look and functionality of the space.

  

Day 13. Blinds & Bi-Fold Doors Installed

At long last, the hanging rail for the bi-folds has arrived, so Tom from Leithal Constructions got straight to work on the install. Meanwhile, I had to get on the phone to reschedule the painter, who will now be back next week.

Luxaflex Blinds arrived and installed the motorised blinds I ordered for both the front and back windows and doors. They look great and work perfectly—all Wi-Fi controlled. I also had Brent from Sparkit Electrical install Wi-Fi switches for the spotlights and track lighting, so I can control all the lighting either via the wall switch or an app on my phone!

We’re almost there—just a little more plaster work, the final coat of paint, and then a full clean, wipe down, and vacuum. The space will be ready for the prints to be hung shortly!

   

 

Day 14. Finished at Last

It took a little longer than I anticipated due to a missing part for the bi-fold doors, which took about five weeks to arrive—quite ridiculous considering parts can usually be sourced from anywhere in the world in a matter of days. But, eventually, the parts came in, and the job was completed.

The painter has returned to finish up his work, and the chippy has been back to add the final touches. The electrical work is now complete, and I’ve ordered the spotlights, waiting for a Christmas special discount that gave me 25% off retail prices—great deal! They should arrive in the New Year.

The kitchenette bar area is now fully equipped with lights that turn on with a simple wave, a bar fridge, and a personalised splashback that I can swap out with new images whenever I want. To top it off, I installed a fully automatic De'Longhi coffee machine, thanks to a super Christmas sale at Harvey Norman, which allowed me to get a machine twice the quality I initially planned, all within budget. Win-win!

I’ve spent the past few months finalising images for my website and am thrilled to have reached over 1,300 commercial images ready for sale. This was a target I set ten years ago. I’ve also got 200 jigsaw designs available, with more products on the way, all getting ready for the gallery opening soon.

Now, I’m ready to start selecting images for the walls. Since the gallery will be a permanent exhibition, the selection will be ever-changing from month to month, with framed prints being replaced with new works or themed pieces. It’s an exciting time! Looking forward to 2020 and the creation of the permanent home of JDP Photography!

    

 


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