alextoo

We've seen lots of nice houses with 3 beds but this is not enough for us.
Just wondered how difficult it is to extend a house from say 3 beds, to 4 or 5 and an office?
Is this kind of planning application straightforward or something of a nightmare?

Thanks

Alex

Kiwipaul

Their are plenty of larger houses around, I'd say the proportion is the same as in the UK, but with more grounds.

Ceri

You'd probably be better off building a new home than buying a small 3 bed to make into a 4 or 5 bed house (most building companies - the norm new house which they build here is 4 and 5 bedroom ,office, rumpus (games room), dining room, living room, two baths etc, you can go bigger if you want.

For planning/renovating questions - go to the relevant councils website for your particular desired location.
It differs from council to council. If you want to literally renovate/build yourself, this is where it gets a bit weird. My council if you build something which is worth over a certain amount of value - say an extension/sun room - and it's worth about $30,000 - you need to go on a building course for a certificate (which is around two days). If you put a roof on to something (even a roof on a barbeque) - you need planning permission (different councils have different rules - so check things out from your council first) - there's lots of rules. Plumbing - you're actually not allowed to fit a bath to the plumbing yourself (in a lot of council districts)- unless you are a licensed plumber. You need to ask your council for the answers you want as it differs from council to council, some things do not need planning permission - others do.

I personally think you'll find it easier, less of a headache building a new home with one of the many building companies here than making an existing small 3 bed house bigger. Or, you could just buy an existing house which has 4 or 5 bedrooms - there are plenty of houses here which are 4 and 5 bed, new and old.

Cheers

Kiwipaul

I agree with most of your post except the bit about the typical new house is 4 or 5 bedrooms.

The most common sized house is 3 bedrooms, you might on a few estates get larger sized houses as the average, but overall 3 bedrooms far outweigh 4 or 5 bedroom homes.

Ceri

Without being rude, I do not care "two hoots" if you disagree with me or not to be honest with you, I'm just telling the guy/Girl as it is from my personal experience, because you seem to know very little about this subject and it is showing! (including double cavity bricks, and no it's not due to the heat that we do not have them ( that is false thinking - originally low density was to not soak the heat and let fresh breeze's through - but if you have cool air within it needs insulating from the heat outside - try the flask theroy if you do not understand) - double cavity - despite density physics (the more density - the more soak up of heat) actually keeps in the cool air in the house too from the exterior heat of the summer - insulation works both ways) > it comes down to building costs here - get double you pay more - and yes there are double in Brisbane , but not many, due to "cheap building"

I'm building - almost finished my house. For the past year have gone through designing my own home (hence the year, unlike most people who just buy "off the plan"and don't really think about anything) , and have lost count of how many companies and display homes I have gone around. Prior to that I was looking at buying an existing home.

Anyway- New homes, 4 bed are the norm - you actually need to downgrade with most builders to want a three bed. Nearly all new homes being built now, and in the last few years are 4 bed, or what some people do is is make the fourth into an office.

Cheers

P.S.

To the original poster - most NEW homes being built here are 4 (and 5 /6 if you want) bed and it is really the norm here in Brisbane at the moment (you can build a three if you want - but most people don't!), wait until you get here - walk around a display village - and you'll see what I mean . Old homes do tend to be three bed. But who am I to comment ?

Cheers

PPs
for anyone who doesn't think it's cold here - should try the temps last night