Renovation architects for New South Wales
Renovations and additions
Renovation architects for New South Wales
A growing part of the practice's work is substantial renovation: additions, alterations and restoration of established and heritage properties across New South Wales. Source Architects is led by David Sutherland (Registered Architect NSW 7572) and Sally Sutherland (Registered Architect NSW 7587), who take each renovation personally from first inspection through to the final site visit, with interiors and joinery designed in-house.
Work out what the house already has
The first job in any renovation is understanding what is worth keeping. Older houses often have better proportions, better materials and better light than people realise, buried under later additions. Opening that up is usually cheaper and always better than bolting extra floor area onto the back.
Old and new, clearly separated
Where new space is genuinely needed, we prefer a clear distinction between what is original and what is added, rather than imitation period detailing. It reads better, it ages better and heritage authorities consistently prefer it. Our project archive shows the approach across a range of houses.
Approvals handled properly
Renovations run into planning controls, heritage listings, neighbour amenity and existing structure. Getting the planning pathway right early saves months. Our services cover feasibility, development application, construction documentation and contract administration.
Someone on your side during the build
Renovations turn up surprises once walls come off. Having the architect who designed the work administer the contract means those decisions get made quickly and in your interest, not resolved on the spot by whoever is holding the tools. Get in touch to talk through your house.
Knowing what's worth keeping
A good renovation starts with an honest read of the existing building, not a default to strip everything back and start again. Original proportions, materials and details are often worth retaining and designing around, and identifying which parts of a house deserve that treatment, before a single wall comes down, is where the value of an architect shows up earliest in the process.
At Jewel House in Central Orange, only the front two rooms of a very modest workers cottage were worth keeping, but retaining them kept the historic streetscape intact, while the new spaces were planned around a private walled courtyard for northern light and privacy.
Extensions that read as one building, not two
The clearest sign of a poorly handled extension is a house that visibly has an old part and a new part, with the join obvious from the street or the backyard. The approach here is the opposite: new work is designed to sit with the existing building's proportions, materials and roofline, so the finished result reads as a single considered house rather than an original home with something bolted on.
Extending a Federation or Victorian home? See our page on heritage home extensions.
Sampson House is a good example: an extension to a 1920s bungalow on a compact site, where the existing house was largely kept but strategically altered to improve circulation, zoning and environmental performance. A new wing adds north facing living, dining and kitchen spaces and a main bedroom suite around a fine scale landscaped courtyard.
Common questions about renovating with an architect
Is it worth using an architect for a renovation?
Renovations are usually harder than new builds because you are working with what is already there. An architect finds the space and light that already exist in a house before you spend money adding more.
Can you renovate a heritage listed house?
Yes. Heritage restoration and sensitive additions are a core part of the practice's work, including preparing the documentation councils require for listed properties.
Do I need council approval for my renovation?
Most substantial additions do. We assess the planning pathway early, prepare the application and manage it through to determination.
Can you work with my existing builder?
Yes. We document the work properly, tender it or issue it to your preferred builder, and administer the contract on site.
How do we get started?
Get in touch through the contact page to arrange an initial conversation about the house, what is not working and your budget.
Are you a renovation architect in Orange NSW?
Yes. Our studio is at 146 Lords Place, Orange, and we work as a renovation architect across Orange, the Central West and wider NSW, on everything from careful additions to substantial renovations of whole houses.
Do you design home extensions?
Yes. As a home extension architect in NSW, we design additions that sit comfortably with the original house, often at the rear, with new living spaces that open to the garden.
Do you take on substantial renovations?
Yes. Most of our renovation work is substantial: reworking layouts, adding new wings and upgrading services, often in older or heritage homes. As a heritage renovation architect, we also look after the approvals those homes need.
