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A classic Queenslander home flying down Brisbane’s M1 toward Tallebudgera isn’t something you see every day, but for two Blue Dog apprentices, it’s just another part of the job. Carpentry apprentices Alex Powell and Aaron Logan have become pretty familiar with taking on unexpected challenges while working on a massive project to be featured on the ABC’s Grand Designs Australia. Alex said the project, undertaken by his employer, Rory Butson of Homely Homes Building, was one of the most demanding he’d worked on throughout his apprenticeship.

“A Queenslander was trucked in from the north side of Brisbane. And that was put on columns prior to us getting there. We’ve since built a pavilion with two bridges that come off the old Queenslander sort of blending the two,” he said.

The sheer scale of the nine bedroom project meant that there were plenty of different aspects to take into account.

“The Queenslander was put on steel columns to allow for a separate building underneath. So we’ve put a gym, quite a large garage, a small kitchenette, a couple of bedrooms and a study underneath the original house.”

Blending the old with the new is something that Alex has found especially interesting, as he noted the evolution of construction over time.

“This project is definitely unique. The new pavilion itself is standard building practice, but the old house is completely out of this world. It’s a real case of contemporary with the old. They’re distinctly different, but in some ways the same. It’s like doing everything you could possibly do in carpentry; renovations, extensions, and new builds all in one job. It’s been a real eye opener in terms of some of the old building techniques that were used inside of that old Queenslander.”

While the pressure of the Grand Designs crew visiting the site adds an extra element to the job, Alex said it didn’t concern him.

“To be honest, having the camera there makes you think about better carpentry techniques, so you look yourself, more professional and what not. Obviously even when the film crew isn’t on you, you’ve got a system down pat so there’s no smoke and mirrors, it’s all legit.”

Alex’s fellow apprentice, Aaron, said while he was a bit camera shy, when it was his turn to step up, he wasn’t worried. He said having a more experienced apprentice in Alex on site was a big help. 

“As with Rory, I can come to Alex and ask him a few questions, and he’ll point me in the right direction. He’s helped me a lot, with mentoring, technique, and just understanding the game.”

Aaron was also happy with how his apprenticeship training was progressing with Blue Dog Training. He said the training suited him, as he could jump on the computer and access it when he needed to. 

“The trainers are right there when I need them; I can just give them a bell. I can also review things. I can go back into my training and watch a video and then put it into play the next day at work for example. It’s definitely good to do that, so it’s fresh in my memory.”