customised home extension designs
let's plan your dream home extension together
Do you love where you live, but you’re finding your current home a little cramped?
Perhaps the kids enjoyed sharing a room when they were little, but now they’re headed towards the tween years and need more personal space – for everyone’s sanity!
Whether it’s an extra bathroom, more bedrooms, or just additional living space, extending your home could be the solution you need.
That’s where I come in! At Three Stems, I specialise in designing beautiful and livable home extensions, renovations, and raise and build under plans to turn your space into your ideal home.
About Three Stems
Hi there, I’m Stella! I’m an experienced residential building designer with a passion for helping Brisbane families make the most of their homes.
If you’re considering a house extension, I’m here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring the residential building design process is smooth, enjoyable, and tailored to your needs.
You have options to increase your living space without completely redesigning your house. My residential building design services can help you with everything from redesigning your living space to an open plan for improved flow, to creating that extra bathroom, laundry and carport, to raising and building under to suit your growing family.
I’ll collaborate with you to craft a tailored floor plan layout that not only adds square footage but truly enhances how you live. The end result of your house extension will be a home you and your family will love for years.
comprehensive extension planning services
Small House extensions
For Brisbane’s pre-war and post-war homes, where space is often limited, even a small extension can make a big difference.
I offer creative solutions to maximise your existing area, ensuring both style and practicality.
Expert Guidance on Building Codes and Approvals
Extending your home may involve navigating various building codes and restrictions.
As your building designer, I’ll guide you through these requirements and liaise with relevant Brisbane or Ipswich City Council representatives. My expertise streamlines the process, eliminating the typical delays and headaches of design and approvals.
inclusive and transparent design packages
I offer transparent pricing packages without hidden fees and work with you to develop home extension plans that fit your budget.
My pre-site extension packages also include a FREE 90-minute consultation with an experienced interior designer!
Three Stems Projects
completed brisbane home extensions
Check out the end result of some beautiful home extensions I have completed for my clients. You may find inspiration for your own home!
I have successfully transformed homes across the Brisbane and Ipswish areas, including Moorooka, Salisbury, Yeronga, Holland Park, Greenslopes, East Brisbane, Paddington, Wooloowin, Sadliers Crossing, and Woodend, to name a few.
Sadliers Crossing
Part of history
Yeronga
Raise and build under currently under construction
Toowong
When your home is your castle
East Brisbane
Combining the charms of a workers cottage with city requirements
acacia ridge
The ugly duckling, that grew into a swan.
faqs
have questions about your home extension?
When should I hire a building designer for my project?
Once you have decided to proceed with your project it’s time to start talking to a building designer. Speaking it out with a professional can help confirm that your ideas are feasible. As a building designer, I will take note of your ideas and offer suggestions to help you achieve your goals given your site conditions, council requirements, and available budget.
Do I need to get certification to add an additional bathroom – if I am not increasing my floor area?
Generally, no. You can add an additional bathroom or ensuite within the existing footprint of your house without the need for certification, only a plumbing permit is required. However there are exceptions to this based on site specifications. You will need to discuss these with your plumber. If you are moving any walls you will need to confirm with your builder that those walls are not load bearing. If they are load bearing and an engineer is required, that will be what triggers certification.
How far from boundary can you build a pool?
A pool is required to be a minimum 1.0m from the boundary.
How far from boundary can you build a deck?
The same setbacks for your house are applicable for a deck. The setbacks as per a house are height-dependent, lot size- and street boundary-dependant.
Generally on a 450m² + block, a roofed deck on the first floor level is required to be 2.0m from the Outer Most Projection (OMP). The OMP is usually the eave, as it is the closest point to the boundary. If you have a block smaller than 450m², it falls within the rules of Brisbane City Council’s Small Lot Code, which provides a sliding scale, the smaller and narrower the lot, the closer you can build to the boundary.
Do I need council approval for renovations or extensions to my Brisbane or Ipswich home?
If you are doing any structural modifications to your house you will need approval. A structural modification is any change that will require an engineer. Internal renovations can be tricky to confirm as a homeowner. Some walls can be removed without an engineer as they are not load bearing. But other walls are ‘load bearing’ which means that the roof is supported by that wall. If you remove the wall, the roof has potential to fall in. An engineer will specify a beam to support the roof without the need for a wall. A builder can often confirm whether the wall is load bearing or not, this could mean a trip up into the ceiling cavity to check out the structure inside. The roof structure of Queenslanders also offers clues to which walls are load bearing. But if you are suspicious of past modifications it might be worth confirming with an engineer.
Who can draw house plans?
A drafter is capable of drawing house plans. However, they are not insured or licensed. This means that the plans are unable to receive council approval. Often drafters work for larger companies and their work is then licensed under that company.
Building designers can draw up your plans, and have a design background, so are capable of providing great ideas for extending, renovating, building under, adding a level on top, or a combination of the above. Building designers are required to be licenced and insured. By engaging a building designer, you benefit from having professionally prepared plans that can be used for obtaining council approval and by your builder during construction.
Architects can provide the highest level of design, however this means they often over-qualified (and a pricier option) for a simple extension to a residential home.
