2 Wilson Ave, Inverloch, was renovated by its owners within the past two years.
A massive renovation has transformed an Inverloch house which formerly had dead rats in the walls into a stylish family home named ‘Mr Wilson’.
One of the three-bedroom pad’s owners, Paul Johnson, said the property retained many of its period features but has been “bought into the 20th century”.
Previously the manager’s house at the ex-Kongwak Butter Factory, the abode was moved to its current location at 2 Wilson Ave in the 1960s.
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Mr Johnson said when he and partner Michelle first saw the house about 20 years ago, “it had fairly vivid 1960s and 1970s wallpaper and masonite walls”.
But they fell in love with the home’s vintage charm and purchased it, completing some upgrades before renting it out to a friend.
About two years ago when their tenant left, Mr Johnson and Michelle decided to move in and do a larger-scale reno, which included re-roofing the house.
Professional tradespeople re-plumbed the home and updated the electrics, and a team of licensed removers took out the asbestos.
The original timber-lined walls were left in place where possible, and the exterior was “fully insulated, wrapped and relined with hardy Linea weatherboards”.
The kitchen has ample storage space, plywood bench tops, an island bench and a built-in wine rack fixed to coloured, stripped pine boards.
The vivid 1960s-70s wallpaper which was in the house, pre-renovation.
The home is named “Mr Wilson” after its street name.
A photo of the kitchen from before the renovation.
Mr Johnson and Michelle completed much of the work themselves including sanding back stripped pine boards in the kitchen to reveal coloured paint layers below.
“The house didn’t really have a bathroom, there was a laundry trough with a showerhead above it, so we made the laundry into the bathroom,” Mr Johnson said.
“One day when we pulled boards off the wall in the ex-laundry and there was a number of rats in various states of decay.”
An open-plan living and dining space …
… And here it is pre-renovation.
The bathroom is located in the former laundry.
But this did not faze the couple, who are experienced renovators.
“This was our fourth renovation together and we’re still together after 20 years,” Mr Johnson joked.
Many people are stunned by the difference between the house’s pre- and post-renovation look, he added.
“Everybody can’t believe the transformation, it’s amazing,” he said.
One of the three bedrooms.
And a bedroom before its makeover.
Mr Johnson said that now his sons have grown up, he and Michelle were looking to downsize.
But they have plenty of happy memories of Mr Wilson, which was named after their street.
Entertaining in the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, including the kitchen featuring plywood bench tops, an island bench and built-in wine rack, is a favourite past time.
Mr Johnson, who formerly worked as a chef at Grossi Florentino, Stokehouse, Glo Glo and the Grand Hyatt, said he was well-known for his Kingfish pancetta recipe.
The house is set on 584sq m.
The roof was replaced during the reno.
“People say the best place to eat in Inverloch is Paul and Michelle’s,” he laughed.
Mr Johnson said the home is located a short walk to Inverloch’s main street and the beach.
The house is for sale with a $950,000 asking price.
Stockdale & Leggo Inverloch director Adam Leys has the listing.
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