Renovating Victorian homes

Homes built in the peak Victorian era — 1850 to 1901 — will most definitely have a heritage overlay. For homeowners, this means that if you want to renovate or extend, you will be required to preserve the iconic heritage modifiers of the home, and to retain the character of the neighbourhood.

Councils, and your neighbours, are keen to retain streetscape character as well as the individuality of many Victorian homes. At Supa Group, we also strive to retain the unique character of your home. Our clients love these old homes and want to preserve them for future generations.

If you aren’t sure about the heritage status of your home, get in touch with Supa Group. Our in-house design consultants will investigate your heritage overlay. We will then advise of what you can and can’t do when renovating.

Older homes, including Victorian houses, often suffer a range of issues. These can often go unnoticed, so it pays to have someone inspect the home and grade its liveability.

This is especially the case with Victorian brick homes. The foundations are often bluestone blocks, laid on redgum sleepers. If water pools around the base of the home, the foundation can be negatively affected.

Other issues can include:

• Rotting and damp timber around foundations and in the roof
• Faulty electrical and gas connections
• Termites, white ants, and other pests
• Irreparably damaged brickwork
• Black mould and rising damp
• Damaged timber flooring

These buildings are often (at least) 120 years old. But the materials that they were built with have stood the test of time.

At Supa Group, we follow a simple, three-step process when approaching all home extensions:

1. The Design Phase gives you the chance to work with our in-house designers and architects to bring your Victorian renovation to life.
2. The Contract Preparation Phase gives us time to prepare all paperwork required to form a business relationship between us, yourself, and the local council.
3. The Build Phase is where we execute your designs to the highest standard. Following this, our work is guaranteed for 10 years.

You may live at home during the Build Phase, provided that you have access to basic amenities like bathrooms, bedrooms, and at least one kitchen. If these are affected by the build, you may need to find other accommodation while they are unavailable.