Looking to buy and renovate in Sydney’s Inner West?

Here are some top tips
on the dos and don’ts of renovating a small inner-city home.

Life in Sydney’s Inner West has many attractions – from convenience and ample public transport options
to a vibrant cafe culture and buzzing nightlife scene. Buying and renovating an inner city home, however,
can be daunting. Not only are most original inner-city dwellings small workers’ cottages and terrace
homes on tight blocks but there can be heritage issues to navigate as well.
Here are a few clues to guide you when buying and planning renovations to an inner city home to create a
beautiful and functional space for 21st

Century living.

Dos

• If you are looking for a place to buy in the Inner West look for a home with a north-facing
backyard. This will allow you more chance of adding a second storey without overshadowing
from neighbours and get northern light into your living spaces.
• Before you buy, have an architect or builder do a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection. Older
inner-city homes can hold some nasty surprises once you start pulling them apart! Be sure to have
the plumbing, electrical wiring and existing structure thoroughly checked by a professional to
ensure you are aware of any issues upfront so you can plan and budget around those issues.
• Look up and down the street and see which properties have been renovated recently. Search the
local council website to look at the development approval (DA) documents for these properties to
find out what the council will allow you to do in the way of extending and renovating.
• Figure out your priorities and how you want to live in the home, then discuss your ideas with your
chosen architect and builder.
• Many small inner-city homes can be dark, and even damp, so focus on bringing in more natural
light and improving ventilation.
• With older inner-city homes, there can be many hidden costs when renovating and extending.
Make sure you discuss all the possibilities with your architect and builder and allow at least a 10%
contingency amount on top of your budget.
• Start looking for a builder very early in the process to make sure you have one lined up for when
you want to begin the renovation and to collaborate with your architect in the early planning stage
to ensure you get maximum results for your budget.
• Think about lighting early in the process. Lighting design is its own separate field that should be
well thought out before building begins.
• We believe the landscape design should also be incorporated into the overall design of any
renovation or new build.

• Plan with the environment in mind and utilise passive solar design principles to create a more
sustainable building that will also save money on energy costs.

Don’ts

• Don’t just think about adding extra rooms but about improving the quality of the existing spaces.
It’s important to focus not just on additional space but light and volume as well.
• Don’t try and cram too much into your property. Aim for the best possible layout and a good flow
of spaces.
• Don’t rush the design process. This initial stage is the most important of the whole project. You
need to be 100 per cent happy with your space planning to get the best results.
• Don’t necessarily mimic the existing style or period of the house. Aim to add a contrasting new
layer to the house with a thoroughly modern extension.
• Don’t use materials that require a lot of maintenance, such as exposed timber, on the exterior. Use
robust, hardwearing materials for the exterior and softer, more textural materials for the interior.

• Above all, don’t expect the whole renovation process to be quick or easy! It won’t be. The results,
however, will be a joy for years to come.