Underground Utilities in the Way – Carport Build Drama in East Brisbane

Hey everyone,

Trying to put in a Colorbond double carport at my property off Lytton Road in East Brisbane, but we’ve hit a snag—turns out there are underground water and NBN lines right where two of the posts were supposed to go. Classic.

Now the builder’s telling me we either redesign it (which adds cost) or start talking about service relocations. Sounds like a logistical nightmare.

Has anyone here faced the same issue with underground utilities during a carport install in Brisbane? Any builders who know how to handle this without blowing the budget or giving up entirely?

Also, I noticed some companies charge extra for custom design changes. Do any offer that as part of the package?

Any tips would be massively appreciated!

Yeah, I’m in New Farm and ran into a similar headache last year. We were trying to put in a double Colorbond carport, and of course, the spot we planned for two of the posts sat right over a water pipe and NBN line. One builder wanted us to redesign the whole thing and pay extra just to even look at alternatives.

We ended up going with Smart Carports Brisbane, and they honestly made the whole process way less stressful. They came out, assessed the site properly, and worked the design around the utilities—no relocation needed. Custom design was included in the job cost, which was a big plus considering how many others wanted to charge extra for that.

If you're still stuck, I’d definitely give them a call: +61 7 3130 0110. They weren’t the cheapest, but they were transparent and knew how to handle a tricky block without blowing the budget.

Yep, common headache. Worth finding a builder who includes custom design in the price, some charge extra for every tweak. Smart Carports sounds like a solid bet if you want it done without drama or relocations.

Oof, that sounds like a classic East Brisbane curveball. Underground utilities can really throw a wrench into even the simplest builds. Have you looked into whether your builder uses ground-penetrating radar (GPR) before finalising footings? Some do, and it might’ve helped flag this earlier.

Also curious did your builder give you a firm quote upfront or is this stuff being added on as they go? I’ve heard of a few carport companies who include basic design tweaks in their pricing, especially for tricky blocks. Maybe worth asking around before you commit to paying extra for a redesign.