Home Renovations · Hills District
Home Renovations Hills District
Home renovations Hills District wide — extensions, second-storey additions, granny flats and full renovations across Castle Hill, Kellyville, Bella Vista, Baulkham Hills, Dural and the wider Hills District — one licensed builder, one contract, one point of contact.
Licensed NSW builder 357576C · Fully insured · 10-year workmanship guarantee
Home Renovations Hills District: a licensed builder for the whole job
The Hills is a big-block part of Sydney, and that changes what a renovation can be. A four-bedroom project home in Kellyville or Beaumont Hills that felt generous in 1996 now has a poky galley kitchen walled off from a formal lounge nobody uses, builder-grade laminate everywhere, and an ensuite the size of a phone box. You rarely have to move house to fix that. There is almost always room to take out the walls, push the living space to the rear, add a storey, or put a secondary dwelling in the back yard — the sort of thing that simply isn’t on the table on a 4-metre Inner West frontage. That’s builder’s work: structural beams, footings, a The Hills Shire Council DA or a complying development certificate, and five or six trades turning up in the right order. We take it on as a single builder — carpentry, plumbing, electrical, tiling and painting coordinated under one contract, with one person you call about the whole job.
The other half of the Hills is the acreage. Out through Dural, Kenthurst, Glenorie, Annangrove and Galston the constraints are completely different: a BAL rating on bushfire-prone land dictates the glazing, decking, screening and cladding you’re allowed to build with, and plenty of rural-fringe lots are still on septic rather than town sewer, which limits where a new footprint can sit and changes how council assesses it. Mature trees on those blocks often carry vegetation controls too. None of it stops the job — it just needs to be in the quote on day one instead of arriving as a variation in week six. You get a fixed itemised price before we start and a realistic program, not an open-ended day rate that drifts. Licensed in NSW (357576C), fully insured, and backed by a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Home renovations Hills District owners take on split along one line: whether the property is on sewer or not. Through Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Kellyville, Cherrybrook and Rouse Hill you are generally on services and the job behaves like any other suburban renovation. Out at Dural, Glenorie, Annangrove and Kenthurst the lots run to acreage and a good number are on a septic or aerated wastewater system, and that single fact reorders the whole project.
On an unsewered block the site plan comes before the floor plan. The tank and the effluent disposal area have to stay where they are and stay clear of the new work, so the buildable footprint is set by the wastewater system rather than by the block boundary. Adding bathrooms or a secondary dwelling can mean the existing system has to be upgraded, and that needs to be in the budget from day one rather than discovered at approval.
Bushfire is the second factor. The bushland fringes through Glenorie, Annangrove, Dural and the Hornsby edge carry Bushfire Attack Level ratings that dictate glazing, external cladding, decking, screening and subfloor sealing. A BAL 29 or BAL 40 specification costs materially more than the same room on an unrated block. Tree preservation is the third — a mature tree near the proposed footprint may need an arborist report and may simply have to be designed around.
The housing stock is the youngest of any region we work in. Much of the Hills went up through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as large brick-veneer project homes on generous blocks. They are structurally sound and rarely need rescuing, which changes the brief: home renovations Hills District clients ask for are usually about bringing a well-built but dated house up to current standard — opening up the kitchen and living areas, rebuilding bathrooms properly, and adding space rather than fixing decay.
Block size means a lot of the work here is additive. Ground-floor extensions, new living wings, second storeys and granny flats are all viable where they would not be on a smaller lot closer to the city, and a secondary dwelling can often be approved as complying development through a private certifier if the lot meets the criteria.
One builder, one contract. On a Hills job the coordination that earns its keep is around the wastewater and bushfire assessments and the arborist, because on acreage those three between them decide where the building can physically go. Licensed in NSW under builder licence 357576C, fully insured, ABN 67 640 946 667, family owned, over 20 years renovating Sydney homes, 10-year workmanship guarantee.
On acreage the site investigations set the program: wastewater capacity, BAL rating and any arborist report have to be resolved before the footprint is fixed, and on an unsewered block that is the longest item in the schedule. On a serviced block through Castle Hill or Kellyville that step largely disappears and the job runs on conventional build time.
When you compare Hills quotes, check the wastewater line and the tree line. A quote that assumes the existing septic copes and no arborist report is needed will always look better than one that has priced an AWTS upgrade and a design change around a protected tree — and will always be the one that moves later.
A last practical note. Because most home renovations Hills District clients ask about add floor area rather than rearrange it, the first question worth answering is what the block will actually allow — setbacks, wastewater capacity, bushfire rating and any protected tree. We work that out at the site visit, free, before anyone pays for drawings.
Home Renovations Hills District: what they cost
Cost on home renovations hills district work is driven by scope and finishes more than anything else. Because Hills blocks are generous, more of our work here lands in the top band — extensions, second storeys and granny flats rather than reshuffling the inside of the existing walls. As a guide, Hills District projects usually sit in these bands:
| Scope of renovation | Typical Sydney range |
|---|---|
| Single-room or cosmetic refresh — kitchen or bathroom, new finishes | $15,000 – $40,000 |
| Multi-room renovation — several rooms, some layout and services changes | $40,000 – $120,000 |
| Full-home renovation, extension, second storey or granny flat — structural work, additions, whole-home finish | $120,000 – $400,000+ |
| Granny flat or secondary dwelling — on a qualifying lot | $120,000 – $180,000 |
| Ground-floor extension or new living wing — acreage and large lots | $180,000 – $400,000+ |
Ranges are indicative only and are not a quote for home renovations hills district work. Your figure depends on the factors below — you get a fixed itemised price after a free site visit.
Home Renovations Hills District: what moves the price
- Scope — new finishes inside the existing footprint versus removing structural walls and relocating plumbing and electrical
- Whether you’re adding a ground-floor or rear extension, a second storey, or a granny flat rather than renovating inside what’s already there — the Hills is one of the few parts of Sydney where all three are genuinely on the table
- Bushfire-prone land — a BAL rating out on the acreage and bush-fringe blocks at Dural, Kenthurst, Glenorie, Annangrove and Galston sets the windows, decking, screening and cladding you’re allowed to use, and those materials cost more than the standard equivalents
- Septic rather than town sewer on the rural-fringe lots — the position of the tank and its disposal area constrains where you can build and adds a layer to how The Hills Shire Council assesses the application
- Tree preservation and vegetation controls on the larger blocks — a mature tree near the proposed extension can move the footprint or bring an arborist report into the job
- The level of finishes and fittings you choose — the single biggest lever in a 1990s project-home kitchen, where the original builder-grade cabinetry is being replaced outright
- Whether the property is on sewer, or on a septic or aerated system that sets the buildable footprint
- Bushfire Attack Level rating on the bushland fringes at Glenorie, Annangrove, Dural and the Hornsby edge
- Tree preservation — a mature tree near the footprint may need an arborist report and may have to be designed around
- The approval path — exempt development, complying development through a private certifier, or a full Hills Shire Council DA
- Distance and access — home renovations Hills District jobs out on acreage carry real material-handling and concrete-delivery cost
- Finish level — home renovations Hills District budgets swing most on joinery, stone and tapware once the structure is settled
- Whether the work is additive or internal — most home renovations Hills District jobs add floor area, which brings setbacks and wastewater capacity into play
Home Renovations Hills District: the questions we get asked most
“Can I get a second storey or a granny flat on my block?”
In the Hills, far more often than not. The project-home estates through Kellyville, Beaumont Hills, Rouse Hill and Castle Hill sit on blocks deep enough to make a rear extension or a secondary dwelling genuinely viable, and the two-storey brick homes are usually built to carry an addition. What decides it is your lot size, setbacks, floor space ratio and the controls The Hills Shire Council applies to your street. We tell you what your block will actually carry at the site visit, before you spend a dollar on drawings.
“My place is bushfire-prone and on septic — is it too hard?”
No, but both need to be dealt with up front rather than discovered. A BAL rating on the Dural, Kenthurst, Glenorie or Galston fringe sets the construction standard — ember screening, the glazing you can use, the decking timber, how eaves and subfloors are sealed. Septic sets where the new footprint can go, because the tank and its disposal area have to be kept clear and council will look at it. We price both into the quote from day one.
“Do you handle The Hills Shire Council approvals?”
Yes. Some renovations go through as complying development, others need a DA — and bushfire, vegetation or on-site wastewater controls can add requirements on top. We work with your architect or certifier and manage the build side of it so the approval doesn’t stall the program.
“How do you handle variations and blowouts?”
With a fixed itemised quote up front, and written variations if the scope changes — you approve any cost before it’s incurred. Nineties project homes throw up their own surprises: a load-bearing wall where the plans said stud, a slab that isn’t level, waffle-crete that complicates a rear opening. When that happens you hear about it in writing with a price attached, not at the end on the final bill.
“We are not on sewer — is that a problem?”
No, but it constrains where you can build. On a septic or aerated wastewater system the tank and the effluent disposal area have to stay clear of the new work, so the site plan comes before the floor plan. Adding bathrooms or a second dwelling can mean the system needs upgrading, and that belongs in the budget from day one.
“Our block is bushfire-prone — what does that change?”
The construction specification. A Bushfire Attack Level rating sets requirements for glazing, cladding, decking, screening, subfloor and roof sealing, and the higher the BAL the more the materials cost. We establish the rating before quoting so the number you get is the real one.
“Can we put a granny flat on our block?”
Often yes — Hills lots are generally large enough, and a secondary dwelling can be approved as complying development through a private certifier where the lot meets the criteria. On an unsewered property allow for the wastewater system on top of the build cost. We check the lot against the criteria at the site visit rather than guessing.
“Why do quotes for the same job vary so much?”
On Hills acreage the gap is usually wastewater and trees. A quote priced without an AWTS upgrade or without allowing for a protected tree near the footprint will look cheaper than one that has accounted for both, and it is the second that survives contact with the certifier.
“What happens if you find something behind the wall?”
On 1980s and 1990s brick veneer it is less common than in older stock, but it happens — an unventilated wet area, a leaking shower base that has rotted the frame, or undersized electrical. We show you what we found, what it costs to fix and what happens if it is left, as a written variation you approve first.
“How disruptive is it if we stay in the house?”
It depends on scope, and Hills homes often have the advantage of a second bathroom to fall back on. A kitchen or a whole floor generally cannot be worked around, because water and power get isolated. We tell you at quoting stage which weeks are liveable and which are not, so you can plan rather than find out mid-job.
“Do you give a fixed price?”
Yes. After a free site visit you get a fixed itemised quote for your home renovations Hills District project, broken down by trade and stage. If scope changes once work is under way it is written up as a variation with a cost and you approve it first.
Home Renovations Hills District: how we run the job
The same five steps on every Hills District renovation, so you always know where the project and the budget stand.
Free site visit & scope
We walk the whole project with you, measure up, look at what the block will carry and where the setbacks, trees and any bushfire or septic constraints sit, and talk through what you actually want changed.
Fixed itemised quote
A detailed written quote broken down by trade and stage — including BAL-rated materials, structural steel or wastewater work if your site needs them — so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.
Design & approvals
We coordinate with your architect or certifier and manage the build side of The Hills Shire Council sign-off, whether that’s complying development or a full DA.
Build with one point of contact
Every trade is scheduled and supervised by us under the one contract, and you have one person to call about progress at any time.
Handover & 10-year guarantee
A final walk-through with you, a clean site, all certificates and warranties handed over, and a 10-year workmanship guarantee on the build. Every one of our home renovations hills district projects finishes this way, and if something needs attention later you call the same person who ran the job.
Frequently asked questions
Which Hills District suburbs do you cover?
We renovate right across the Hills — Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Kellyville, North Kellyville, Bella Vista, Norwest, Beaumont Hills, Rouse Hill, Winston Hills, West Pennant Hills, Cherrybrook, Glenhaven, Dural, Kenthurst, Annangrove, Glenorie, Galston, Box Hill and the surrounding areas.
Can you open up a closed-off 1990s project home?
That is the most common job we are asked for in the Hills. Those floor plans separated the kitchen, meals and family areas into small walled rooms with a formal lounge and dining nobody has used in fifteen years. Opening them up means identifying what is load-bearing, putting a beam in, relocating the plumbing and power, and levelling floors where the old walls came out — then a new kitchen replacing the original builder-grade cabinetry, which is usually what prompted the call in the first place.
Do you build extensions, second storeys and granny flats in the Hills District?
Yes, and they make up a large share of our Hills work, because the blocks are big enough to support them. Ground-floor and rear extensions, second-storey additions, granny flats and secondary dwellings on qualifying lots, and alfresco and outdoor-living additions — all under one contract with the same fixed itemised quote and 10-year guarantee.
My property is on bushfire-prone land. Can you still renovate it?
Yes. A BAL rating doesn’t block the renovation — it sets the construction standard for glazing, ember screening, decking, cladding and how the roof and subfloor are sealed. It matters most on the acreage and bush-fringe blocks around Dural, Kenthurst, Glenorie, Annangrove and Galston. We build to the BAL your bushfire assessment specifies and price those materials into the quote up front.
How much does a home renovation cost in the Hills District?
A cosmetic single-room refresh is typically $15,000–$40,000, a multi-room renovation $40,000–$120,000, and a full-home renovation, extension or second storey $120,000–$400,000+. BAL-rated bushfire materials and on-site wastewater constraints push an acreage job toward the upper end of its band. You get a fixed itemised quote after a free site visit.
Are you a licensed builder?
Yes — Lux Property Maintenance holds NSW builder licence 357576C and carries full insurance. We’re family owned, we’ve been renovating Sydney homes for over 20 years and hundreds of Sydney homes, and every renovation is backed by a 10-year workmanship guarantee. You can check the licence on the NSW Fair Trading register before you sign anything.
Suburbs we cover
We renovate right across the region. Pick your suburb for what a renovation looks like there.
Plan your home renovations hills district project
Tell us about your home and what you want to change. We have been running home renovations Hills District wide for over 20 years, and the first conversation costs nothing. We’ll arrange a free site visit and give you a fixed itemised quote — no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0452 530 716 — we answer during business hours.
