What a new-estate house needs
Homes in a new estate usually have sound structure and a builder's-standard fit-out, so walls rarely need to move. The common jobs are a second living area, an outdoor room, a reworked kitchen, or a granny flat where the lot is large enough.
Calderwood lies north-west of Albion Park, close to Tullimbar and Dapto. The Calderwood Urban Development Project spans about 593 hectares in the Shellharbour council area and 107 hectares in Wollongong's. The part declared a State Significant Site sits outside the Shellharbour LEP, under a state planning policy and its own development control strategy, so the controls for your lot depend on where it falls.
Reworking the fit-out
A builder-standard kitchen is a good example. The layout tends to be adequate, and what lets it down is the joinery, the benchtop and the storage. Replacing those without moving walls or services is the cheaper end of renovation. Our kitchen renovation cost guide explains the price drivers, and the kitchen renovations service shows the process.
Laundries, ensuites and bathrooms follow the same pattern. They were sized for a standard family and rarely suit a larger or older household. The laundry renovations page has ideas for fitting more into the same footprint.
Outdoor rooms and extensions
Estate lots often have a good yard but a modest connection to it. A roofed outdoor room, a deck or a patio extension turns that yard into a usable space. Compare the options in our guide to a pergola, patio roof or verandah, and see how a deck ties in on the decking service page.
If more internal space is needed, extensions go out at ground level where the rear setback allows. Otherwise a second storey is an option on some lots, subject to an engineer's check of the existing footings. The home extensions service covers the choices.
Granny flats, subject to the title
Estate lots can carry a restriction on title or developer design guidelines that sit on top of council rules. These can cover materials, setbacks and second structures. We ask to see your contract of sale before the design starts, because a design that meets the state rules can still conflict with a covenant or developer guideline.
After that, the state test is lot size. A secondary dwelling is complying development on a lot of at least 450 square metres with a floor area of up to 60 square metres (measured to the outer face of the external walls). We lay out the process on our granny flat builders in Shellharbour page, which covers estate lots in the council area, and the granny flats service page describes a full build.
Knockdown rebuilds and duplexes
Where a lot allows it, we also take on a knockdown rebuild or a duplex. Whether a lot qualifies depends on its zone and size under the local environmental plan. A newer house is rarely worth demolishing, so these suit an older house on a larger parcel better than a recent estate home. See is your block right for a duplex before you start.
Calderwood is a short drive from our Unanderra base. If your house is in the older streets to the south-east, our Albion Park page covers older streets and village blocks.
Questions from Calderwood
Can I build a granny flat on my Calderwood estate lot?
Possibly, and lot size is the first thing we check. Complying development needs a lot of at least 450 square metres, and some estate lots are close to that line. Restrictions on title can also apply, so we read your contract of sale before design starts.
What is a restriction on title?
A restriction on title is a rule attached to the land, often set by the estate developer. It can limit materials, setbacks, second structures or outbuildings. Your contract of sale or title documents will show whether one applies to your lot.
Is a duplex possible on a Calderwood lot?
It depends on the zone, the lot size and the controls in the local environmental plan. We check those before quoting. Whether the two dwellings stay on one title or are subdivided changes the approval path and the cost.
What does an outdoor room involve?
An outdoor room is a roofed, usually partly enclosed area attached to the house, built for year-round use. It needs a roof that ties into the existing structure, and depending on size and height may need approval. Our post on pergola, patio roof or verandah compares the options.
Do you rework builder-standard kitchens without changing the layout?
Yes. A builder-standard kitchen in a newer home is usually structurally sound and badly specified. It can be reworked with new joinery, benchtops and appliances without moving walls, which keeps cost down.