Renovating a Queenslander in Brisbane
Updated: 9 hours ago
What Should You Consider Before You Start?
Queenslanders are particularly well suited to renovation. High ceilings, lightweight construction, generous verandahs and raised floor levels can provide opportunities to extend, build underneath and create the indoor–outdoor living that suits Brisbane's climate.
But they can also be more complicated to renovate than they first appear.
Planning controls, existing structure, floor levels, access and the condition of the original house can all influence what is practical—and what it is likely to cost.
Before starting design, there are several things worth understanding.
What can you change?
The first question is not simply “How much space do we need?” but “What does the existing house and site allow us to do?”
Common approaches to Queenslander renovations include:
raising the existing house and building underneath;
extending to the rear or side;
reconfiguring the existing internal layout;
improving connections between internal living areas and the garden, deck or pool; and
combinations of these approaches.
There is rarely one obvious solution. The right approach depends on the existing house, the site and what you're trying to achieve.
Is your house affected by character controls?
Many older Brisbane homes are affected by Brisbane City Council's Traditional Building Character Overlay (TBCO).
These controls can affect demolition, alterations and additions to an existing house. They can also influence where additions are located and how they relate to the original building and streetscape.
This doesn't mean a character house can't be substantially altered or extended. It means the planning requirements need to be understood early so you're not developing a design around an option that may be difficult—or impossible—to approve.
Should you raise, extend or reconfigure?
This is one of the biggest early decisions.
Raising can provide a substantial amount of additional floor area without increasing the building footprint. On other sites, a rear extension may provide a simpler and more economical solution.
Sometimes the existing house already contains enough floor area and the real problem is how that space is organised.
Before deciding, it's worth comparing the alternatives against:
the accommodation you actually need;
orientation and natural light;
connection to outdoor areas;
privacy and neighbouring properties;
existing structure and floor levels;
planning requirements; and
construction cost.
A larger renovation isn't necessarily a better renovation.
What will it cost?
Queenslander renovation costs can vary considerably.
Two projects providing a similar amount of additional floor area can have very different costs depending on the amount of existing building being altered, structural work required, access, site conditions and level of finish.
Raising a house, excavating underneath it, retaining, replacing services or substantially modifying existing structure can add costs that aren't apparent from floor area alone.
This is why we prefer to consider design and budget together from the beginning, rather than completing a design and only then discovering what it is likely to cost.
How do you make the old and new work together?
A successful Queenslander renovation doesn't necessarily mean reproducing the original architecture.
Contemporary additions can work very well with traditional houses. What matters is that the relationship between old and new is considered—the proportions, scale, materials, roof forms, openings and transition between spaces.
The objective should be a home that feels coherent rather than added-on, while allowing the new work to respond to contemporary living.
Should you renovate, rebuild or move?
Sometimes the early investigation reveals a more fundamental question.
If achieving the required accommodation involves extensive structural work, compromises to the existing house or a construction cost approaching that of a new home, it is worth asking whether renovation is still the best investment.
For some properties, renovation clearly makes sense. For others, rebuilding or even moving may deserve consideration.
That decision is much easier to make before significant money has been spent on detailed design and documentation.
Planning a Queenslander Renovation?
Our Project Definition process starts by understanding your existing home, property, objectives and budget before progressing into detailed design.
For a Queenslander, this can mean considering what is worth retaining, what needs to change, and whether the best approach is to reconfigure, extend, raise or build underneath.
The aim is to establish the right direction for your renovation while your options are still open and changes are inexpensive to make.
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