Home Renovations Blackburn

No, but it can mean you need a planning permit and that the design has to respect the trees and landscape. Requirements depend on which schedule covers your street. We check the controls with the City of Whitehorse and design the extension so it works with existing trees rather than relying on removing them.

If your extension, deck or driveway is close to a large tree, an arborist report is often requested, either by council or to guide the footing design. It sets out how close work can safely go to the tree. In Blackburn, where many blocks have big canopy trees, it is common to arrange one early in the design.

Sometimes. It depends on the structure, the roof form and the planning controls for your address. Many owners find a single-storey rear extension suits the low mid-century style and the tree-filled block better. We look at both options at your property and explain what each would involve.

Most homes in Blackburn are not, but the City of Whitehorse does list a number of individual heritage places in the suburb. A Heritage Overlay mostly controls external changes and demolition. We check your address in the planning scheme before design starts so you know what applies.

It depends on the scope. For a rear extension, many families stay while the new section is built, then move out for a short period when it is joined to the house. For whole-house work, moving out is often easier. We plan the stages with you before work begins.

Buyers come to Blackburn for the trees, the large blocks and the mid-century houses, so keep what gives the home its character, such as exposed beams, timber ceilings and big windows. Focus on the things that put people off: worn floors, dated wet areas, poor insulation and draughty windows. Avoid starting an extension you can’t finish before a sale, and remember that work near trees may need a permit under the overlays covering parts of Blackburn.