Home Renovations Meadow Heights

A rear extension generally needs a building permit, issued by a registered building surveyor. Whether a planning permit is also needed depends on the zone and any overlays on your lot, such as airport environs or flood controls in parts of Hume. We check your property report and confirm the position with Hume City Council before drawings are finalised.

It can be, but a single storey brick veneer house on reactive clay was not designed to carry a second floor, so the existing footings, frame and roof need an engineer’s assessment. Often a ground floor rear extension gives the same extra space more simply. We look at both options and explain what each would involve for your block.

With a rear extension, families often keep using the front of the house while the new section is framed and roofed. The days when the old and new parts are joined, and any time the kitchen or bathroom is out of action, are usually the hardest. We plan those stages with you and keep the work area contained and cleaned up.

Units and townhouses on a shared lot usually have an owners corporation, and changes to the outside, the roof or shared drainage generally need its approval. Interior work may still need notice to neighbours, especially for noise and access. We prepare the drawings and information the owners corporation asks for and coordinate approvals before work starts.

Buyers in Meadow Heights are often comparing similar brick veneer homes from the same era, so the condition of yours tends to stand out more than an extension would. Fixing cracks and leaks, refreshing paint and floor coverings and tidying the garden are quick to complete. Larger changes such as an extension involve design, permits and months of building, so they are better suited to owners planning to stay.