Second storey: does it need approval
Adding a floor on top of the house. This is not really a renovation and it does not belong to this door.
This one is not really a renovation. Anything that makes the house bigger or taller is assessed like new building work, and the land report is the page that answers it for your own block.
Open the land reportState by state
The position on an ordinary residential lot with no overlay. An overlay on your own lot can change it.
| State | Where it lands | Building approval | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | CDC | Required | Codes SEPP 2008 Housing Code cl 3.1(1)(b), 3.8, 3.9, 3.1(3)read 2026-09-15 |
| VIC | Building approval only | Required | VPP cl 32.08-5; VicSmart cl 59.03 on a lot under 300 m²read 2026-09-15 |
| QLD | Building approval | Required | Building Regulation 2021 (Qld) Sch 1 s 7 requires no change of floor area or heightread 2026-09-15 |
| WA | Building approval only | Required | R-Codes Vol 1 (10 Apr 2026) Table 3 Category B, cl 5.1.6 C6, cl 5.4.1 C1.1 and cl 5.4.2; LPS Regulations 2015 (WA) Sch 2 cl 61(1) item 6read 2026-09-15 |
| SA | Needs checking | Required | No published clause |
| TAS | Permitted | Required | Tasmanian Planning Scheme SPP cl 6.6.1 and GRZ cl 8.4; Directors Determination cl 3.0.1read 2026-09-15 |
| ACT | Building approval only | Required | Planning (Exempt Development) Regulation 2023 (ACT) s 1.130 and s 1.131read 2026-09-15 |
| NT | Building approval only | Required | NT Planning Scheme 2020 cl 1.8(1)(a); Building Act 1993 (NT) s 55read 2026-09-15 |
Each row is read from the instrument named against it, on the date shown. Council controls sit on top of all of them.
What the job usually involves
A structural assessment of what is already there, new footings or not, a staircase, and the house being unusable for months. Because it changes the height and the shape of the building it is assessed like new building work.
What it costs
Read off published projects that carry a price. There is no estimator on this page.
Fewer than 8 published projects carry a price for this, so there is no band worth printing. There are 3 so far.
Published projects in Alterations and additions, most recent first.
Alterations and additionsHaberfield NSWHaberfield Federation House Attic Renovation and Extension
A$650,000 · From public sourcesGST not included · 35 weeks
Alterations and additionsGladesville NSWGladesville Full Renovation and Extension Project
A$350,000 · From public sourcesGST not included · 17 weeks
Alterations and additionsLismore NSWSummerland Bank Lismore Renovation Project
A$2,000,000 · From public sourcesGST not included
Check your own address
The overlays on your lot are what decide whether the row above actually applies to you.