Most Melbourne homeowners choose to go up for one of two reasons. The block won't give them enough room at the rear, or they're not willing to lose the backyard to get it. Craft Built Homes builds double-storey extensions that add real space without disrupting how the rest of your home works.
Craft Built Homes builds double storey extensions across Melbourne's north-eastern and inner-east suburbs, covering Manningham, Boroondara, Nillumbik, and Whitehorse council areas. Our site managers work and live locally, which means real knowledge of council overlays, permit processes, and site conditions in each area.
Manningham Council
Manningham Council applies consistent ResCode requirements. Most extensions in this area are assessed under Victoria's standard residential provisions, though Heritage Overlay applies to some pockets near Doncaster Road. We know the process well.
Park Orchards is a smaller suburb but one of the more active for construction relative to its size. Large blocks, high property values, and homes at the age where an upper storey extension makes strong financial sense. We've quoted in Park Orchards and we understand what these projects involve.
Wonga Park shares a similar profile. We've completed upper storey extensions in Wonga Park and have direct experience with the block sizes, setback conditions, and construction requirements typical in this area.
Nillumbik Council
Nillumbik's bushfire overlay affects construction specifications in these areas. If your property is in a designated BAL zone, we identify this in the initial site review and spec accordingly.
Boroondara & Whitehorse Councils
This part of Melbourne has a mix of period homes and contemporary builds. Extensions here typically need to address neighbourhood character guidelines from Boroondara and Whitehorse councils.
Most projects start with a straightforward site assessment. We check your structure, your council overlays, and what's possible on your block before any design work or money is committed.
In most cases yes. A building permit is required for every double storey extension. A planning permit is also required in many inner-east councils, particularly where Heritage Overlay or neighbourhood character guidelines apply. Boroondara applies strict requirements to second storey additions regardless of size. Craft Built Homes manages the full approvals process and identifies what's required for your specific property before design begins.
Subject to your block, existing structure, and council requirements. We assess your slab, frame, and council overlays before any design work begins. If your home needs structural work to support a second storey, you'll know before any money is committed.
A full second storey addition builds an upper level across most of the existing footprint. Siting requirements mean upper storey walls need to be set back from the lower storey external walls, so a fully matching footprint is only achievable on larger blocks. A partial addition extends above only part of the ground floor, which suits homeowners who need a few extra rooms without the scope of a full upper level. The right choice depends on your household, your block, and your council requirements.
Yes. Adding a bedroom moves a 3-bed to a 4-bed, one of the most significant price bracket shifts in Melbourne residential property. A well-built double storey extension in suburbs like Kew, Balwyn, and Doncaster typically returns strong resale value because demand for 4-bedroom homes in those areas consistently outstrips supply.
For most Melbourne homeowners in the inner east, extending is significantly cheaper than selling, paying stamp duty, and buying a larger property in the same suburb. A well-scoped double storey extension also adds measurable resale value to the home you already own.
In most cases, yes. Upper storey extensions involve significant structural work, roof removal, and extended periods where the home is not weathertight. Unless your home is large enough that a completely separate living area exists well away from the construction zone, staying on site during an upper storey extension is not practical. We work through this during the planning phase so you can make accommodation arrangements well in advance.
Most home styles across Melbourne's inner east are suited to a second storey addition, including period homes, brick veneers, and contemporary builds. The key factors are your existing structure, your council's neighbourhood character requirements, and how the new storey is designed to sit with what's already there.
We identify structural requirements during the initial site assessment, before design begins and before any money is committed. Structural alterations are a standard part of most upper storey extensions. If your slab, frame, or footings need significant additional work to carry a second storey, that scope is included in your quote from the start.
Craft Built Homes manages the entire project from initial site assessment through to handover. That includes structural review, design coordination, planning and building permits, construction, and final walkthrough. You have one point of contact throughout.
