Handyman Elwood

Elwood sits on Port Phillip Bay south-east of the CBD, in the City of Port Phillip, between St Kilda, Balaclava, Ripponlea, Elsternwick and Brighton. Its streets mix Victorian mansions, Edwardian cottages and a large number of interwar apartment buildings, many built in the 1920s and 1930s, some in the Art Deco style.

Much of the suburb was built on drained swampland, with the Elwood Canal carrying Elster Creek out to the bay. In older homes, that is a good reason to check subfloor ventilation and stumps when timber floors feel soft, cracks open above doorways or doors start to bind. We look for the cause before patching the symptom.

Period details

Edwardian and interwar homes often keep their original cornices, picture rails, timber sash windows and panelled doors. We repair these where we can rather than replacing them, so the character of the house stays intact.

Apartments and owners corporations

Elwood’s walk-up flats bring their own considerations. Work inside your unit is usually straightforward, but exterior and common-area work generally needs the owners corporation’s approval first. We work within the building’s access arrangements and keep stairwells and shared areas clean.

Near the beach

Homes close to Elwood Beach, Point Ormond and the foreshore face salt air and strong sea breezes. Exposed paintwork, fixings and gate hardware wear faster there, so we use exterior-grade paint systems and corrosion-resistant fixings on seaward walls.