4. Planning a Sydney Terrace Renovation
In terms of planning your terrace renovation, follow these steps to ensure you think of everything and tick all the right boxes:
- Contact the relevant council or authority to find out if there are any restrictions in place. If your house is heritage listed it will impact what you can do with your home in terms of altering it structurally.
- Work with a local architect who specialises in heritage works, and gets their advice and input on the best design for your home
- Make a list of all the reports and professionals you will need to consult, including engineers, and how much this will cost
- Because of all the hoops to jump through, a terrace renovation of a period home – like a terrace or Federation – is going to take longer, so allow more time for your project to happen.
Now let’s take a look at some key rooms that will get a makeover in your terrace, and what you need to think about.
5. Renovating a terrace room by room
That means taking the time to chat to you and understand what you want from this space. The effort you put into planning your layout and getting the design details right will help to create a finished product that suits your lifestyle and the way you use your home.
Terrace renovation: Kitchen – Think function, design & clever storage
Many terraces and period homes have small kitchens, often a galley style layout which does not have enough storage or workspace. One way of improving on this is to extend your kitchen all the way to the boundary, to get the full benefit of the width of the lot.
You also need to plan for plenty of storage, with overhead cabinets, base/floor cabinets, deep drawers, and wall cabinets/pantry space. The type of storage you choose can also impact your budget – so if you want lots of drawers, which are very practical, keep in mind that these cost approximately $300 each.
We can also help you with advice like taking your cabinets to the top of the ceiling to maximise storage space, or by installing a larger bulkhead where the existing room cornice can wrap around seamlessly. You also need to choose a finish and colour for your cabinetry – with laminate ($$) and polyurethane or poly ($$$) the two we recommend you consider.
Kitchen benchtops also need to be chosen – and here, laminate ($), engineered stone like Caesarstone ($$) and natural stone ($$$) are all popular and have their pros and cons.
Other elements you need to think about include kitchen lighting, flooring, and materials for a splashback – with tiles, glass, and Laminex all a possibility.
Terrace renovation: Bathroom – Think comfort, easy cleaning, & style
The other space you also want to get right is your bathroom. Renovating a bathroom is a similar project to overhauling a kitchen, and they normally need the same trades and contractors. Start by researching materials, fittings, and fixtures and to get an understanding of what your budget will look like.
We can then start helping you design a layout that is practical and luxurious. Some trends to think about include wet rooms with walk-in showers, frameless glass shower screens, freestanding bathtubs and back to wall-mounted toilets. Wall-hung vanities with plenty of storage are also popular. Bathroom fixtures and fittings should all coordinate with each other, and you need to also think about bathroom lighting, heating, ventilation, towel rails, and shelving. We recommend tiles (ceramic $ or porcelain $$) for bathroom flooring and walls as they are water-resistant, easy to clean and durable.
For more information on bathroom and kitchen renovations costs, please click on this link.
Terrace renovation: Opening up the rear of the house
Moving the living area to the rear of the house can help to create a large open plan area that combines the kitchen/living/dining rooms. This can be achieved by removing the walls between the rooms in the middle of the house. This is not only great for socialising but helps to bring in more natural light to the home. You will be surprised what can be achieved by knocking down a wall – and this is one of the most popular renovation projects for the rear of a terrace.
We can help you decide what makes sense, and which walls can easily be moved. If walls are load bearing you could be limited with how much you can alter these – and we will need our structural engineer to help us work this out.
Other ways of adding more natural light to a terrace include installing skylights, light wells, and large windows or bi-fold doors to the rear of the house.
6. How much will my terrace renovation cost?
This is most probably the first question on your mind, and rightly so. Cost can make or break any terrace renovation project – so you need to have a clear idea of how much you have to spend before we get going.
The easiest way to get an idea of how much your project is going to cost is to do your research and decide what work you want to be done. We then work with you to develop a design and budget. In terms of the big picture your budget is going to be affected by:
- The size of your home
- How extensive the works are
- The type of materials you choose
- The appliances and fittings you choose
- The cost of permits and external professional advice
Contact us on +61 412 191 592 to get the conversation started.
Working with us – how the process works
It’s important you understand every step of the process so you know what to expect from day one. Here are the steps in our renovation journey together:
- We start with an initial chat to explore what you want to get out your terrace renovation. We then book a consultation and send you a calendar invite.
- An onsite consult is next, which gives us a chance to meet, greet and talk through your renovation ideas. This is when we discuss the pros and cons of the different options and designs – and begin to move to a more refined solution.
- We then go away and develop a draft solution for you to review. This gives you the opportunity to feedback, and decide what you want in and out.
- Together we fine tune and revise until you are completely satisfied with your project.
- We can then price your job, remembering that we manage all the works and trades, saving you cash and headaches.
- You then get a presentation – face-to-face or via email. Only when you are completely satisfied we will proceed to the next step.
- This is when you sign paperwork and get a start date for your job.
- We then project manage all the trades and works with minimal fuss.
Suppliers we recommend
Ready to start getting ideas and looking at products and materials for your project?
We are based in Alexandria, so we are lucky to have access to a huge range of suppliers in the local area, including:
Appliances Online
Bunnings
Heritage Building Centre
Reece
Alternatively view our other suppliers list page here.
Terrace renovation specialists Sydney
Why hire us for your terrace renovation?
The main thing we do is take the stress off your shoulders.
How?
By working with you in the planning phase to help work out a detailed budget that takes everything into account. We then project manage your reno from start to finish and deliver your project on time and to budget. And you get to deal directly with us, which mean no sales reps or chasing tradies – we coordinate everything and make it happen. We are also fully licensed (NSW Contractor Licence: 239324C, NSW Company Licence: 286234C), and insured, and hold public liability insurance and all the necessary warranties to work on your job. All the tradies and contractors we use are also top shelf professionals, who have all the necessary qualifications and licenses.
To get an idea of the renovation fee options we offer please click here.
Alternately, contact me – Jarn Elias – directly on +61 412 191 592 to discuss your terrace renovation, or put your details in the contact form for a free phone consultation to get the conversation started.