Home Renovations Brunswick

Sometimes. In a Heritage Overlay, Merri-bek’s heritage policy usually expects an upper addition to be set well back so it is hard to see from the street, which some narrow sites can’t achieve. Outside heritage areas there is more flexibility, though overshadowing and overlooking rules still apply. We check the controls for your address before any design work.

Merri-bek’s heritage studies grade houses in a precinct as contributory or non-contributory. A contributory house helps make up the character of the street, so changes to its front, roof and visible parts are looked at closely, and demolition is generally not supported. Work at the rear is usually treated more flexibly. We check your property’s grading early.

In a Heritage Overlay, demolishing a contributory house generally needs a planning permit and is often refused, so renovating and extending is usually the practical path in much of Brunswick. Outside those areas both are possible, and it comes down to the condition of the house and what you need. We can give you a detailed fixed-price quote for the renovation option.

It depends on the scope. With a rear extension, the front rooms of a terrace can often stay liveable while the back is closed off, though there will be stages without a kitchen or bathroom. We contain the work area, clean up daily and give you a schedule so you can plan any time away.

Start with the things a building inspection will pick up in an older terrace or cottage: rising damp, cracked render, rotten weatherboards, old wiring and leaking roofs. Then look at the rooms people use every day. Buyers drawn to Brunswick often value original features such as fireplaces and baltic pine floors, so restoring them can suit the house better than covering them up. Skip major structural changes unless you plan to stay.