RenovatingaQueenslander:whateveryownerneedstoknowfirst
Lifting, building under, reworking the back — what's actually involved in a major Queenslander renovation, and the four traps that catch most owners.
A Queenslander is one of the best homes you can own — and one of the trickiest to renovate well. The good ones blend the character of the original timber home at the front with a confident, contemporary rebuild at the back. The bad ones look like two houses bolted together.
After more than a decade of renovating Queenslanders across Bardon, Ashgrove, Graceville and Paddington, here's what we tell every client at the first site walk.
1. Start with what you're keeping, not what you're adding
Most renovation briefs start with a wish list — five bedrooms, an open kitchen, a pool, a media room. We always start the other way: what's worth keeping? The VJ walls, the casement windows, the front verandah, the timber floors. Those are the things that make the home a Queenslander. Everything else is just a building.
2. Lifting and building under is rarely 'cheap extra space'
Building under an existing Queenslander is one of the most cost-effective ways to add a master suite, media room and second bathroom — but only if the existing structure, stumps and roof are sound. We've seen too many quotes that assume a clean build-in and double in price the moment the structural engineer arrives.
- Structural engineer's report on stumps, bearers and joists
- Underpinning or re-stumping allowance
- New slab, drainage and waterproofing under the existing footprint
- Ceiling height — many Queenslanders need raising to achieve 2.4m below
3. The rear addition is where most renos succeed or fail
The contemporary rear addition is the part everyone sees in magazines. It's also where most renovations either soar or fall flat. The trick is restraint: a clean material palette, generous openings, and a roof line that resolves cleanly against the original.
4. Council, character overlays and the slow approval problem
If your Queenslander sits in a Traditional Building Character overlay (most of Bardon, Paddington, Ashgrove, Graceville), expect 6 to 12 weeks of additional design and approvals. The earlier this starts, the smoother the build runs.
“Chris and his team renovated our Bardon home. We were blown away at how quickly they got everything moving — and the finish at the end was just superb.”
— Marco, Bardon renovation
If you'd like us to walk your block and talk through what's possible, book a free consultation. We'll be honest about what's worth doing, what's not, and what it actually costs.
