THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
CUSTOM BUILD SPECIALISTS
Against the Grain are custom build specialists. We craft new homes, renovations, extensions and heritage restorations in the upper Blue Mountains.
Our reliable team of skilled trades deliver homes that don’t compromise on character. With decades of local experience operating in the Blue Mountains City Council area, you can build with confidence.
Established in 2009, Against the Grain is family-owned and led by Director and master builder David Spees. David brings 20+ years construction experience – and a lifetime as a Blue Mountains local. He and his team strive to build houses that last for generations, adding to the streetscapes of our local villages.
David has established Against the Grain’s reputation for attentive service and exceptional workmanship. Past clients speak of reliability, professional communication, and the ability to guide them through the building process.
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Against the Grain hear what our clients want and turn it into reality. Let us craft your Blue Mountains home.
Our success lies in listening to our clients and surrounding ourselves with a trusted team of trades. We take pride in our work, starting with an organised, safe and well managed building site, all the way to the end of the build. The result is a quality job that the client is thrilled with and our whole team can be proud of.
— David Spees
WE'RE RECOGNISED FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND WORKMANSHIP
CLIENT SERVICE
Against the Grain build in the upper Blue Mountains villages, committing to only a small number of projects at any one time. This ensures we maintain dedicated client service from commencement through to handover and beyond.
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Against the Grain clients receive professional, personalised service. We work with transparency and integrity to provide a solution that best meets your needs. Using the latest tools and finest materials, we achieve a premium result with minimum fuss.
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Most importantly, clients are assured the outcome is exactly what was hoped for when first dreaming of their building project.
20+ YEARS CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE –
WE HAVE THE KNOW HOW YOU NEED.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Against the Grain is a proven architectural builder, delivering complex projects within the Blue Mountains City Council area for over 15 years.
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We respect the historic character of our Blue Mountains villages, with its mix of Victorian, Federation, Edwardian, Inter-War and Post-War houses. Our new builds are sympathetic to their surrounds, and our heritage work celebrates the historic fabric and setting of existing properties.
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Achieving a great architectural design only goes so far; we integrate design with construction considering buildability, material selection and budget throughout the process. Our expertise in building extends to custom joinery, including timber windows, doors and gates manufactured by hand in our Katoomba factory.
CAPACITY
Against the Grain is an established, professional business. As a full-service construction firm, we have proven knowledge of local planning, permits and certification, through to the provision of quality sub-trades. We have the know-how you need.
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Against the Grain has been a member of the HIA (Australia’s largest residential building organisation) for over a decade, and a Finalist in both the HIA NSW Housing Awards and the Australian Timber Design Awards. Clients receive the highest standard of workmanship and full conformity with all building codes and safety standards.
COMFORTABLE, EFFICIENT HOMES
THAT SUIT THE BLUE MOUNTAINS CLIMATE
SUSTAINABILITY
Against the Grain build for place, addressing all applicable regulations including NatHERS, BASIX and BAL requirements. Specifying reclaimed brick; double glazing; underfloor or hydronic heating are examples of how we create comfortable, efficient homes that suit the Blue Mountains’ climate.
The love of timber underpins Against the Grain’s entire business. A natural insulator, timber is a carbon positive, biodegradable resource. We source our timber from independently accredited suppliers, ensuring your build incorporates one the most sustainable and renewable building materials available.
Preserving or conserving an existing building is the ultimate recycling. Against the Grain’s expertise in heritage works helps clients avoid the carbon footprint of demolition, redevelopment, and new construction. We retrofit period homes to provide the comforts of modern homes with improved environmental and energy cost benefits.
David Spees from Against the Grain recently undertook a large renovation job for me on a budget and a tight time schedule,and managed to achieve both with a minimum of fuss and disruption. I found David listened well to what I was trying to achieve, and was willing to make suggestions which suited my needs better than the options I had chosen.
If I insisted on an idea he was not sure about, he was more than willing to follow up with suppliers until we found a practical solution within our price range. David’s team of tradesmen were all polite and proficient, and he had the ability to get them on the job in a timely fashion so work could flow.
He was careful and considerate in the way he treated the owner's property, and insisted on quality materials and workmanship for the whole job. David’s special skill of being able to visualise the finished job meant that he could make suggestions which changed a good renovation into one with a touch of flair and class not always achieved by others.
I am happy to discuss the work David completed for me with any potential client.
NANETTE BLAIR // LEURA
David Spees and his team at Against the Grain are the holy grail of builders! They were highly professional and produced a result exceeding our expectations. All the tradesmen were highly skilled, a pleasure to deal with, courteous and always left the property tidy every day.
The entire team worked as if the house were their own. David made invaluable suggestions in regards to layout and fittings, and nothing was ever too much trouble. Communication was excellent throughout the process.
We would highly recommend Against the Grain for anyone building or renovating who wants the very best. This is our forever home, and we could not be more pleased with the standard of work. Thank you!!!
LOUISE KNOX // WENTWORTH FALLS
