Two kinds of Kiama house
The heritage cottages near the harbour usually need a sympathetic renovation, one that keeps the street-facing character and sorts out what is tired behind it. Council pays close attention to how a change reads from the road on these, so we plan what the street sees before anything else.
The rural-residential blocks out toward Jamberoo are a different job. They are usually bigger sites on tank water or an on-site wastewater system, where services drive the planning as much as the design does. We run both on the same fixed-price proposal with one point of contact, and Ovas Build holds NSW licence 496279C.
Renovating older cottages
Kiama weatherboard and brick cottages often have good bones and a closed-in layout. The usual work is opening the rear, rebuilding the kitchen and bathroom, and bringing wiring and plumbing up to standard. Our home renovations service explains how we run a whole-house job, and kitchen renovations covers that room as a stand-alone project.
Older homes need checking behind the walls. Asbestos-containing material, damp and old framing are all possible, and our guide to asbestos in older Illawarra homes explains what we look for and why.
Alterations and extensions that suit the street
Extensions on older Kiama houses follow a simple logic. The back of the house is the place to build, because a change to the street-facing side attracts far more attention than one that cannot be seen from the road. A rear extension or a sensitively detailed addition is also an easier approval conversation.
For layouts and trade-offs, see our post on ground-floor extension ideas, and the home extensions service for the process.
Granny flats and the 450 square metre rule
The deciding rule is lot size. A secondary dwelling can be approved as complying development only on a lot of at least 450 square metres, and below that it goes through a development application. A cottage close to the harbour on a small lot is the likeliest to fall short, and the larger blocks toward Jamberoo are the likeliest to clear it.
Heritage can change the path as well. Our guide on council approval for a granny flat in NSW explains the difference between the two routes, and the granny flats service describes the build.
Knockdown rebuilds
Some Kiama houses are better replaced than renovated, particularly where the structure is poor and the lot is good. The question to settle first is whether the house or the area is covered by heritage controls. Our comparison of renovating versus a knockdown rebuild sets out the costs, and the knockdown rebuild service explains the process.
If you are further south, our Gerringong page covers the village and the coastal rural blocks beyond it.
Questions from Kiama
How far is Kiama from your base?
Kiama is about 30 minutes from our base at Unanderra, a short run south along the coast. Gerringong is about 35 minutes and Jamberoo is close by.
Can I build a granny flat on a small harbour-side lot?
Possibly, but lot size decides the path. A secondary dwelling is complying development only on a lot of at least 450 square metres. Below that it goes through a development application with council.
What if my Kiama cottage is in a heritage conservation area?
Complying development generally cannot be used on land in a heritage conservation area, with some exceptions. Your cottage would go through council as a development application. We check the address against the council's maps before we draw anything.
Do you do knockdown rebuilds in Kiama?
Yes. Heritage listing or a conservation area changes what is allowed, so we check that first. If the house is clear of heritage controls, the job follows design, engineering and approval, then a fixed price.
Can you renovate a kitchen in Kiama?
Yes. A kitchen can be a stand-alone job or part of a larger renovation, and we price it once the room has been measured. Older cottages sometimes need services and framing checked before the cabinets go in.