Building projects you’ll love, and love building together – since 1989.
Project of the month
Manly Residence III
Our Horizon Special Works division have recently handed over a delightful renovation of one of Manly’s oldest terrace homes. The project entailed a great deal of investigative works in order to determine the cause of multiple damp and water ingress issues within the house, which had clearly been renovated many times in the last century or more.
Following on from the extensive remedial works that were ultimately required, a new floor structure and then brand new kitchen, laundry and bathroom were finished off, along with the refurbishment of a heritage timber balcony outside, requiring great attention to detail and care.
No job is too small for our Special Works team, particularly when we have to exercise attention to the finest details, and get to work with collaborative and supportive partners!
We are incredibly excited to launch an exclusive new media series called “Beautiful Homes by Horizon”, together with our new Brand Ambassador, renowned architect & presenter of Better Homes & Gardens, Peter COLQUOUN. More beautiful homes are to be featured in the coming months! #watchthisspace
It takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly takes a diverse team of people and skills to deliver the projects that we do, not just the guys hammering nails in on site!
Jo, or “Jojo” as she is affectionately known, is our trusty office administrator, and the grease between hundreds of Horizon wheels meshing together each and every day, keeping all of our office and site staff supported so they can do all the things that they do.
How long have you been at Horizon?
Many years (not saying how many), but the new challenges make it feel like not long at all.
What do you love about your job?
It allows me to maintain relationships with all Horizon employees and opens new pathways to help me always further my knowledge. What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment? I am doing a lot of things!
Where were you born?
Philippines
What has been your greatest professional achievement to date?
Completing studies in Computer Science, Business and Marketing which have allowed me to streamline processes and programmes currently used at Horizon.
What’s the most useful thing you’ve learned throughout your career?
Never stop learning. I’m always surrounded by people who have had different experiences or knowledge. Learning from them allows me constantly to grow both personally and professionally. Three people you’d have over for a BBQ?
I can’t invite only 3 people!!! I want to bring my whole family including the Moses family!
Favourite dessert?
Hmm…too hard to pick just one! I love anything sweet. What do you do outside of work?
Sleep! Watch TV with my daughter, or go out with friends!
Recent news
2021 Horizon Awards
Congratulations to Horizon Site Manager Simon MOORE, who was named our 2021 Employee of the Year at the end of last year. There were certainly no arguments on our choice, although there were a number of worthy contenders, as always. Simon is a popular member of the team, a highly skilled tradesman, is well-respected by our own staff, subbies, designers and clients, and has a fantastic work ethic.
Simon also celebrated TEN YEARS at Horizon, joining an elite group of employees still working with us for more than a decade!
Congratulations also goes to Joey TAOUK, who was a popular vote, despite plenty of competition, for 2021 Apprentice of the Year. We are very grateful to have had a lot of competition for this award, with a lot of great talent in our ranks coming through! We see our apprentices as future foremen, not just youngsters learning their trade, and invest heavily in their training and education to develop that talent. Half of our current foremen were once our apprentices! Joey is definitely on the right path to one day running a site of his own, assuming he doesn’t get drafted by his beloved Roosters beforehand!
Of course, We couldn’t achieve the things we do without the relationships we have built with our highly skilled, loyal and long-standing subcontractor and supplier partners!
Each year we recognise the outstanding efforts they go to to help make Horizon what it is, and maintain our reputation as one of the leading firms in our small industry.
This year we recognised Salken Engineering as out 2021 Subcontractor/Supplier of the Year. Our sincere gratitude and appreciation go out to Marq, Ivan and the team @ Salken for their great service, reliable advice, and professional execution! Looking forward to many more years working together as part of #teamhorizon!
Northbridge Residence II
Construction is about to commence on site at our new alterations and additions project on the harbourside in Northbridge, in collaboration with our long time partners Design King Company and Partridge Engineers. The project entails works spanning the entire length and breadth of the 1,000m2+ waterfront site, from a new jetty and boathouse on the water, to new landscaping, pool, and obviously major modifications to the existing house, all the way up to the dead-end street, with a new garage and travelator. Materials handling in and out will be the key to the successful delivery of this one of a kind project!
Community Defib Project
Horizon is proud to have made a contribution to an initiative that provides access to defibrulators in remote communities. It’s great to be able to make a small difference to the community of Mountain Lagoon, a short 10 minute drive from Bilpin, the apple capital of the Blue Mountains.
Horizon and our partners were recently asked to assist in the fitout of the new offices for the Lokahi Foundation – a not-for-profit organisation established to assist women who have endured domestic violence, and help get them back on their feet. Thanks to everyone who donated their time and materials to get this done!
Rugby season is back!
Summer is over, and autumn pre-season training has been completed. Rugby is back! Horizon are proud supporters and major sponsors of Easts Junior Beasties and Bays Easts Junior Rugby clubs, as well as the Maccabi Rugby Club. It is part of our company ethos to give back to the community whenever we can, and we are delighted to get the kids out and about, exercise and be healthy, make great lifelong friendships, and learn about winning and losing as part of a team environment.
Rugby is the ultimate team sport, with everyone relying on each other in their team to get a successful outcome. One missed tackle or dropped ball can cost the team a match! Building is the ultimate team business, and likewise any of us that drop the ball can have a dire result on the homes we build!
Horizon also was a sponsor of the recent St Catherine’s School Annual Golf Day. The school was able to raise $16,700 for the Indigenous Education Programme at the school. A great day out was had by all!
Cool Products
With the the recent hot temperatures over summer, combined with high humidty and lengthy heavy weather conditions in Sydney recently, we have received many calls about mould and dampness issues.
The irony is that modern homes are so well built, with concrete floors, rubber seals around doors and windows etc that they have difficulty in “breathing”… Older houses with gaps in floorboards, and ill-fitting draughty windows and doors actually allowed for great circulation arounf the house (and higher energy bills…).
This humidity meter can be purchased for less than $100, and gives a good indication of the humidity within a room. Mould can start growing in humidity levels as low as approx 65%.
A few tips to help you avoid mould growing in your home:
Introduce fresh air movement with natural ventilation, open windows & doors, or use a mechanical ventilation system like inline fans in voids or sub-floor areas. You may also consider installing an energy recovery system, which introduces fresh outside air into your home;
Perhaps get your house cleaner to open everything up, including wardrobes and cupboards, as part of their weekly routine, and air out the house on a regular basis;
Introduce natural light wherever possible;
Either run the air-conditioning in the room (if possible on a regular timer or smart home?), or perhaps even hire/buy a dehumidifier if you can get your hands on one! Some air-conditioners can have HALO filters fitted to them to help reduce airborne mould
Add mould inhibitors to paints before painting,
Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried right away.
Vaucluse Residence XV
This beachfront project is running at what feels like 100MPH, with 40-50 tradesmen on site every day (despite the recent rain), across the 5 or 6 different levels of this extraordinary home. Close collaboration with Tobias Partners and Partridge Engineers is helping make this home a delight for our clients and their three boys to live in once complete.
Vaucluse Residence XVI
A huge push over the last few months has brought another of our Vaucluse projects close to completion. After conducting an exhaustive investigation into water ingress on a house only 8 years old, we have rectified all issues, and then completely refurbished this magnificent home, to the delight of our fantastic clients and their young brood. A few more finishing touches (like a top rail to the stairs), and we will be there! Interior design byHare+Klein & Sophie Ellen Designs.
The Vault
Since we are making a return to Northbridge after several years, its the perfect time to bring out our Northbridge Residence I, undertaken in collaboration with Mark Hurcum Design Practice and Hare+Klein.
Yet another remedial project that allowed us to also update and refurbish the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen at the same time, we thoroughly enjoyed delivering this home that has amazing views over the water, Beauty Point, and The Spit Bridge.
Horizon – Building projects you’ll love, and love building together.
Since 1989.
We’d love to speak with you about your next project.
