Coolum, Sunshine Coast
Bringing back Coolum's old beach houses.
The fibro-and-timber stock near the surf club is worth restoring. Most of the premium work here is doing that properly.
- Since 1985
- /Family-run, locally owned
- /Fully insured
- /Dulux + Taubmans accredited
- /Lead & asbestos qualified
Local context
What this work looks like in Coolum.
Coolum splits at the freeway. Inland you get newer brick-and-Hardie builds that are straightforward to paint. Close to the surf club there's older fibro and timber beach stock, and that's where the interesting work is. Those houses are increasingly worth restoring rather than replacing, which means careful prep on materials that are decades past their first coat. It's the kind of job where what you find after the first sand changes the plan, so we quote them with that possibility written in.
What we watch for
Conditions that change the job here.
Pre-1990 timber and fibro in Coolum often hides lead in the older paint layers, so we test before sanding as a matter of course. Fibrocement sheeting on these houses may also contain asbestos, which means no disturbance until it's tested. Salt drift reaches well past the dunes here, so even houses a few streets back get a Dulux Weathershield specification by default. Timber near the surf club moves more than inland timber, so we allow for flexible joints rather than filling them rigid.
How it runs
What to expect.
Nothing gets sanded until the tests come back. On pre-1990 fibro and timber we test for both lead and asbestos, and the results change the scope enough that we hold the final quote until we have them. If the fibro is positive it goes to a licensed removalist before we start. Once testing is clear, expect a longer prep phase than a modern house needs, because decades of old coating has to come off carefully rather than quickly. The timber underneath is almost always worth it.
Usually included
- Lead and asbestos testing before disturbing pre-1990 fibro or timber
- Weathershield-grade exterior spec even on streets set back from the dunes
- Flexible jointing on beach-side timber that moves with humidity
- Restoration-first approach on older stock rather than replacement
Restore before replace
The timber in these houses is worth keeping.
Old hardwood beats the replacement
The boards on a Coolum beach house are usually better than anything you would put back. Getting decades of coating off without tearing the grain is slow rather than difficult.
Nothing is sanded until tests return
Lead in the old paint layers, asbestos in the fibrocement. A positive fibro result changes the scope enough that pricing before it would be guesswork, so the quote waits.
Beach timber keeps moving
Humidity swings this close to the water push joints open and closed through the year. Rigid filler cracks out within a season, so the joints go in flexible.
How a restoration runs
The quote waits until the lab comes back.
01
Sample first, quote second.
Lead and asbestos on any pre-1990 fibro or timber. Results take a few days to a week, so tell us on the first call if you have a deadline.
02
Hand it over if it is positive.
Positive fibro goes to a licensed removalist before we paint. We do not sand it, cut it or drill it, and that is not a judgement call.
03
Take the old coating off carefully.
Decades of paint comes off slowly rather than quickly. Rushing it tears the grain, and the grain is the reason the house is worth restoring at all.
04
Joint it flexible.
Every joint that moves gets a flexible filler rather than a rigid one. That is what actually keeps water out through a year of humidity swings.
05
Weathershield the lot.
Salt drift reaches well past the dunes here, so even a house a few streets back gets the coastal specification by default rather than on request.
Common questions
What people ask before booking.
Is it worth restoring an old Coolum beach house?
More often than not, yes. The timber in these houses is usually better than anything you’d replace it with, and once it’s properly prepped and sealed it lasts. We’ll be honest at quote stage if a section is too far gone to save.
What happens if the fibro tests positive for asbestos?
We stop and it goes to a licensed removalist before we paint. We don’t sand it, cut it or drill it. That adds cost and time, which is exactly why we test at quote stage rather than finding out on the first morning.
Why use flexible filler on beach-side timber?
Because the timber moves. Humidity swings this close to the water push joints open and closed through the year, and a rigid filler cracks out within a season. A flexible joint holds the line and stays sealed, which is what actually keeps water out.
How long does testing take before you can start?
Usually a few days to a week for results, depending on the lab. We hold the final quote until they come back, because a positive asbestos result changes the scope enough that pricing before it would be guesswork. If you have a deadline, tell us on the first call so we can get samples away early.