Starting with the slope
Figtree backs onto the escarpment, and a good share of its blocks fall to the street or away from it. A slope brings views and more privacy, and it also changes how every job is built. Before design starts, we look at how much the ground falls, where the water runs and what the soil is doing under the house.
The structure comes from that survey. Our guide to building on a sloping block compares cut and fill, split-level and pole construction. For a house that is already there, the question is which of those the original builder used, because it limits how far an extension can reach.
Extensions that suit the fall
On a sloping lot, an extension often goes sideways or downhill instead of straight back, because that is where the ground can carry it. Adding a level below the existing floor can turn the fall into extra rooms. The designs are close to split-level homes, which our post on the topic explains in plain terms.
Footings do the unseen work. We bring an engineer in at the start, so the foundation is designed around the real soil and the real fall, and so the certifier has what it needs. Our home extensions page covers how the job runs from there.
Decks and outdoor areas
Slopes make good decks and tricky ones. A stepped layout follows the ground and breaks a large area into usable zones. A raised deck on posts gives level space at the cost of height, and the balustrade and approval rules shift as the height goes up. See deck ideas for a sloping Illawarra block for the layouts, and the decking page for materials.
Granny flats on hillside lots
A secondary dwelling still has to meet the NSW size and setback rules. On a slope, the buildable zone is usually smaller than the lot suggests, because of the fall and because setbacks are measured from the boundary. A granny flat that follows the land can also give the tenant a separate entry at a different level. Read the granny flat size and setback rules first, then contact us with the address.
Drainage and retaining
Water behaves differently on a fall. Stormwater from the roof and from the uphill neighbour has to be directed away from the footings, and a retaining wall has to be designed to carry the soil behind it and let that water out. These items add to the price and are easy to underestimate when a block is viewed from the street. We list them as separate lines in the proposal so you can see where the money goes.
Access also matters on a slope. A steep driveway limits the size of delivery trucks, and a block with no flat area near the street makes concrete pumping and crane lifts harder. We check how materials will reach the site at the first visit and plan around it.
Nearby suburbs
Figtree is close to Unanderra and the city centre, and it sits inside Wollongong City Council. Our Wollongong page covers the rest of the city, and the gallery shows finished work.
Questions from Figtree
Can you build a granny flat on a sloping block in Figtree?
Yes, as long as the block meets the NSW rules for a secondary dwelling. A slope changes the footings and sometimes the floor level, but it does not rule a granny flat out. We assess the fall at the first visit and say what it adds to the build.
What does a sloping block do to the cost of an extension?
It adds work below the floor, such as deeper or stepped footings, retaining and sometimes an engineered slab or piers. You do not see that work when it is finished, but it sets the safe load path. The size of the addition then matters less than how much the ground falls under it.
Do I need an engineer for building on a slope?
Yes. The footing design on any sloping site is an engineering job, and the certifier will require it. We bring the engineer in early so the design is based on real soil and fall rather than guesses.
How do builders approach a deck on a sloping Figtree block?
The usual choices are a stepped deck that follows the fall, a raised deck on posts or a deck laid over an existing slab. Height above ground affects balustrade rules and sometimes approval. Our deck ideas post for sloping Illawarra blocks shows how each layout looks.
Do you also do kitchens in Figtree?
We do. Kitchen renovations are handled the same way as the rest of our work, with one builder coordinating plumbing, electrical, joinery and tiling. We quote after seeing the room.