Heritage Overlays: What You Can and Cannot Change
14 August 2026
A heritage overlay is not a ban on renovating. It is a set of rules about what is visible from the street — and the rear of your house is usually fair game.
Wide blocks, deep backyards and houses built for a different way of living. In the north most of our work is adding room at the rear and reworking what is already inside.
House extensions
A standard northern-suburbs block usually has the depth for a proper ground-floor addition, which is the least disruptive way to add living space. We survey the existing house before pricing, so the new footings and the roofline tie into the old ones properly.
Permits, the structural engineer and the energy assessor are all coordinated by us, through to the final inspection.
Full renovations
Reconfiguring the plan, replacing the wiring, plumbing and roofing where they have reached their age, then the kitchen, the bathrooms and the finishes. On a house of this vintage most of the budget sits behind the walls.
Bathrooms, kitchens and laundries are done the same way whether they are part of a whole-house job or a single room on its own.
Send us the address. We check the zone, the overlays and the neighbourhood character controls, then come and measure the house itself before telling you what is possible and what it costs.
Yes. Building permits, the structural engineer and the energy assessor are coordinated alongside the build, and the inspections are booked by us.
Budget four to seven months on site for a ground-floor addition once permits are issued. We give you a realistic date, not a best case.
It can, though it is usually more expensive overall. We will show you both programmes and what each costs.
A heritage overlay is not a ban on renovating. It is a set of rules about what is visible from the street — and the rear of your house is usually fair game.
From first sketch to handover, a realistic programme for a Melbourne new build — including the approval months most timelines quietly leave out.
Slope is not the problem. Fighting the slope is. How split levels, suspended slabs and honest early engineering keep a difficult site affordable.
Like what you see?
We take on a limited number of jobs at a time so every site gets proper attention. Get in early to lock in your spot.
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