Transforming a three-storey home into a six-storey sanctuary in Sydney’s Northern Beaches wasn’t an easy task. Even though Alex Politano, Managing Director of Lexpol Group, was well-prepared, unexpected obstacles arose during the three-year build.

Alex describes the project as the most challenging he’s ever undertaken. ‘Looking back, our team is still astounded by the sheer scale of the task and the difficulties,’ he says.

The outstanding success of this problematic build was celebrated when Lexpol Group recently won the 2025 HIA Australian Renovation/Addition Project award. Alex describes it as ‘the icing on the cake’.

Construction involved significant alterations and additions to an existing three-level brick home. The project also required substantial rock excavation and stabilisation, which involved tunnelling and deep excavation in unstable ground.

The presence of large rock, loose soil and fragments beneath the site necessitated the installation of over 126 rock anchors and 343 square metres of shotcrete to support the structure. Additionally, large load-bearing brick columns and concrete elements needed to be propped up and removed.

‘We had over 80 props and large temporary steel beams installed and then removed, making staging a massive undertaking,’ explains Alex.

Under the guidance of geotechnics, an unconventional method was used to assess the site’s stability. ‘We strategically installed thin glass plates throughout the existing structure,’ says Alex. ‘These plates were placed between slabs, walls and at specific junctions. Even minor movement would cause the glass to crack, serving as an early indicator of any movement. Fortunately, the staging went to plan, and none of the glass plates cracked. In fact, quite a few of them are still intact today.’

Overlooking idyllic Clontarf Beach, the property boasts five bedrooms, an aluminium-lined curved roof, and a suspended infinity-edge pool with a spectacular glass window. Additional features include an expansive kitchen with a sculptural marble island, six bathrooms with terrazzo and marble surfaces, a cinema room, gym and sauna.

Lexpol Group worked seamlessly with Squillace Architects during the build. Architecturally, many intricate details required extensive prototyping and planning to execute.

Although Alex wasn’t initially convinced that he’d win the national HIA Award, he still took his wife, two young sons and parents to Melbourne for support. He told his boys, ‘Whatever happens, this is what hard work looks like.’ When he took out the award, it was an exhilarating moment for his family and the entire team. www.lexpolgroup.com.au

Lexpol Clontarf Beach project before the renovation

Materials:

• Bricks: Austral, and recycled bricks 
• Doors: Nicco & Hume
• Floor/finishes: Nash Timbers
• Insulation: CSR 
• Kitchen: Curved marble feature from Form Joinery
• Paving and stone cladding: Surface Gallery
• Pool: Crystal Pools
• Roofing: Aluminium, curved roof from ARC

First published on 10 July 2025.