EXTENSIONS & RENOVATIONS

Designed From What's Already Standing

An extension or renovation starts with a walk through your existing home, not a blank page. Before any new design decision gets made, we assess what’s actually there — footings, framing, roof form, services — because that’s what decides whether a rear extension ties in cleanly, whether your existing footings can carry a second storey, or whether a smaller job is actually a bigger one once the structure’s properly looked at.
Your reasons for the project carry equal weight, whether that’s a kitchen that’s stopped working, a family that needs a second storey instead of a move, or a carport and fencing job that’s been put off too long. Those conversations set the scope; the existing structure sets what’s possible within it.
From there, the same design carries through unchanged, from concept sketches to construction-ready working drawings, so what council approves is what actually gets built.
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More Than a New Room

  • Existing structure assessment. Footings, framing, roof form and services checked before any new design decision gets made.
  • R-Codes and council requirements. Setbacks, boundary wall provisions, overshadowing and privacy rules checked against where your home already sits on the block.
  • Design matching. Roof pitch, materials and proportions worked out against what's already built, so new work reads as part of the house, not bolted onto it.
  • Structural coordination. Liaison with a structural engineer on tie-ins, underpinning or any load-bearing changes the existing structure needs to carry new work.
  • Heritage and streetscape handling. Where a home sits in a heritage or character protection area, new work's materials, roofline and street presence matched to the existing streetscape from design stage.
  • Budget-realistic staging. Plans costed against your budget, and staged where useful, so you know what's happening to your home and when.

Our Process

1

Site & Existing Structure Assessment

A site visit to assess your home's existing footings, framing, roof form and services, alongside a brief- gathering conversation — what needs to change, what stays fixed, and your budget.

2

Concept Design

Initial concept plans developed against your brief and the existing structure together, working out how new space, room changes or a carport and fencing job fit against what's already built.

3

Design Development

Concept refined through review rounds with you, with R-Codes setbacks, boundary wall provisions, overshadowing rules and any structural tie-ins checked and built in before the design moves to documentation.

4

Working Drawings & Council Documentation

Construction-ready working drawings and DA or deemed-to-comply documentation prepared for council submission, then handed to your builder for pricing.

What's Included

EXTENSIONS & RENOVATIONS

Design & Documentation

  • Existing structure assessment — footings, framing, roof form and services
  • Concept design built around your brief and your existing home
  • Design matching to roofline, materials and proportions
  • Design development through to construction-ready working drawings
  • Staged design options, where useful for budget or livability during construction

Approvals & Coordination

  • R-Codes and council requirement checks (setbacks, boundary wall provisions, overshadowing and privacy)
  • DA application and deemed-to-comply guidance
  • Structural engineer coordination for tie-ins, underpinning or load-bearing changes
  • Liaison with your builder through documentation and pricing
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Questions? You’re covered.
How long does an extension or renovation design take?
It depends on the project's size and complexity, and on how quickly your council processes the application. Concept through to construction-ready drawings moves through the four stages above, each reviewed with you before the next begins.
It depends on scope. Many single-storey rear extensions that stay within setbacks and floor space limits can qualify as deemed-to-comply and skip a full DA. Second-storey additions, and anything close to a boundary, usually need one. We check this against your specific site before designing anything.
Often, yes, though it depends on your existing footings and structure being able to carry the extra load, plus R-Codes overshadowing and privacy provisions once you're building upward. A structural assessment early on tells you whether your footprint can take a second storey as-is or needs strengthening first.
An alteration changes what's already there — reconfiguring a kitchen, opening up a wall, converting a 
room — without adding floor space. An addition adds new floor space: a rear extension, a second storey, 
a new wing. Most projects involve some of both, which is why we handle them as one service. 
R-Codes sets minimum setbacks from side and rear boundaries, and they tighten as an extension gets taller. Some smaller single-storey extensions can sit closer to a boundary under boundary wall provisions, subject to conditions. We check your block's specific setback allowance before concept design starts.
Design matching is built into the process from concept stage — roof pitch, materials and proportions are worked out against your existing home, not treated as a separate design exercise.
For almost any addition, or a wall removal that affects load-bearing structure, yes. We coordinate directly with a structural engineer on tie-ins, underpinning or beam sizing wherever the existing structure needs a new load path.
Yes. Carports and fencing are often handled alongside a bigger extension or renovation, or as a standalone project on their own.
Usually not, particularly with a staged extension. We can plan a design and construction sequence with your builder that keeps part of the home livable through the build, though a full second-storey or major structural job may need you out for part of the process.
Existing structure assessment, concept and design development matched to your home, construction- ready working drawings, and DA or deemed-to-comply documentation for council. We coordinate with structural engineers where needed and hand documentation to your builder for pricing.

Ready to Start Your Extension or Renovation?

Start with a conversation about your home, your brief and your budget.

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