Old Bones, New Life: How Marco Projects and Planna Brought This 1800s Double Bay Home Into the Modern Era

In this behind-the-build Q&A, Planna CEO Scott Bidmead speaks with Dean Marco, Project Director at Marco Projects, about a major heritage renovation and luxury upgrade in Double Bay.

The Backstory

Dean engaged Planna to assist with the approvals for a significant alterations and additions project. Our scope included carefully testing the limits of what was permissible on site, ultimately adding an entire third level to a classic two-storey home, a rare achievement in Double Bay.

Planna delivered the core town planning documentation required to support the development application. Our streamlined tools helped ensure the outcome was both architecturally ambitious and planning-compliant.

It’s been an exciting project from day one, and we were keen to talk with Dean about it.

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"Approvals in Double Bay aren’t easy — Planna helped us push the FSR and get it done quickly.”

Scott (Planna):

This project in Double Bay is a big one — a full alterations and additions job. Where are things up to now?

Dean (Marco Projects):

We’re about four months in, and probably a week and a half away from putting the roof on. That’s a huge milestone. We took a slightly different approach with this build. We started from the lower ground floor and framed things out using bracing below, then worked from the top back down.

Scott:

That’s not the usual method. Why approach it that way?

Dean:

It was all about efficiency. Doing it this way got us to the roof stage four to six weeks earlier than if we’d done it the traditional way. Every bit counts, especially on a project of this scale.

Scott:

And the home itself — you’re not holding back.

Dean:

Not at all. It’s a five-bed, five-bath, with an elevator, sauna, gym, pool, balconies, and skylights everywhere. It’s a premium home, and we’ve treated it that way from the beginning. From the planning with you guys all the way through the materials, every decision has been about quality.

Scott:

What kind of materials are we talking?

Dean:

We’re using a new product called Alpha Floor — pre-cast concrete panels for the subfloor. It feels like a proper concrete slab, way stronger and more durable than traditional systems. All our internal timber is LBL, which gives us really straight lines — not typical in older builds.

Scott:

And speaking of older builds, you kept some of the original structure, right?

Dean:

That’s right. We kept three of the four original walls — the front façade and both sides. We inspected all the brickwork, tied it in, and replaced what we had to. Most people would’ve just knocked it down, but we wanted to reuse and rebuild from the inside out. Some of the original bricks and Oregon timber joists are still in place — and in great condition.

Scott:

And you even recycled leftover materials?

Dean:

Yeah, during the demo, we listed stuff on Facebook Marketplace. One guy took pretty much everything — fireplaces, old doors, skirtings, timber. It’s not a core part of our business, but if you can reduce waste and pass things on, why wouldn’t you?

Scott:

What was the approvals journey like? Double Bay isn’t known for being simple.

Dean:

We had a few design revisions to get through council. There were flood controls to consider, too. Working with Planna made it smoother — your team was great with communication and fast turnarounds. It took around 12 months all up, and we pushed the FSR and the envelope a bit, but it all went through.

Scott:

Love hearing that. Vision approved, executed, and coming to life.

Dean:

Yeah — and we’re proud of it. It’s going to be one of the best homes we’ve ever delivered.

"We worked top-down instead of bottom-up — it got us to the roof stage nearly six weeks faster."

You can keep up to date with our client, Marco Projects, here and on Instagram

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