Browse Forums Renovation + Home Improvement 1 Jul 22, 2011 1:12 pm Hi I've been reading this forum for a while and decided to register in the hope you can answer my question before I think about engaging an architect as if I can't do this my high level plans may not be viable. Background I live in Sydneys inner west in a semi attached place, I'm one storey and want to expand to 2 storeys, next door (the attached property) has already been extended to two storeys, but the upper floor extension on next door does not extend out the full width of downstairs (it's about 1.5 metres in from the rear downstairs footprint). My Plans I'm thinking about building a second storey which would take over the full downstairs footprint so I can fit enough bedrooms in to accomodate my growing family. This would mean I would be required to build a wall on the first floor boundary that sticks out further than my neighbours upstairs extension (by the 1.5m they are set back). My concern is that my neighbours bedroom windows are full width which would mean my wall would be situated probably no more than a brick width away from their glass. My Question Given the houses direction I wouldn't be affecting their light/sun shadows but is building a full height wall this close to an upstairs bedroom window acceptable within building regulations? Any ideas? Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 2Jul 22, 2011 7:36 pm My 1st thought is that here in melbourne you cannot build a second storey extension like the one you propose. The second floor must be a minimum of 1 meter less in width from your downstairs footprint. Best to give your local council a call and go in and speak to a planner there, they actually like you doing this before you even start on your plans, saves a lot of angst later.....and its free. Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 3Jul 23, 2011 5:27 pm Thanks sceen, I've already phoned the council and as long as we don't build over the size of the ground floor we're generally OK (everything being 1m in wouldn't really work in our area as many of the blocks are only 4m wide anyway) but they have sad they can only given more specific details if we complete outline plans and pay for a pre-DA. I'm British and don't think building that close to an upstairs bedroom window is allowed there but my Aussie husband says it's fine here which is why I was trying to check before spending loads out on a DA Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 4Jul 25, 2011 9:13 am You can do whatever you want as long as the council ok's it. In Victoria, there is rescode, but this one size fits all set of rules cannot be applied across the state. Hence they have a dispensation process. Many suburbs have houses 4 to 6 metres wide...a minimum 1m all around would be stupid. The design of the house and what the council will approce is very different from house to house. Would be best to set up a meeting with the council and then engage a builder/draftsman to submit something you would like and see what comes out of the woodwork. Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 5Jul 25, 2011 12:28 pm Oh when I said 1 meter I was talking about building on the boundary, there are also wall height restrictions etc. Another thought, a planning permit is a whole different animal to a building permit. Believe it or not council will approve plans that cannot be built under the building code, it happened to us. We planned to have our extension built on stumps and 30 cms off the boundary. A, we didnt have the ground clearance for stumps and B, you cant build 30cms from the boundary (either on it or 1 meter back.... go figure) Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 6Jul 25, 2011 2:10 pm sceen7 Oh when I said 1 meter I was talking about building on the boundary, there are also wall height restrictions etc. Another thought, a planning permit is a whole different animal to a building permit. Believe it or not council will approve plans that cannot be built under the building code, it happened to us. We planned to have our extension built on stumps and 30 cms off the boundary. A, we didnt have the ground clearance for stumps and B, you cant build 30cms from the boundary (either on it or 1 meter back.... go figure) Dependant on council and which way the wind is blowing. You can build up to 150mm from the boundary. You can build to any height you want. You just have to apply for dispensation. Most times, if the dispensation fits with the nature of the area, it should be fine. Asking someone in Carlton to not build to the boundary is a bit ridiculous. Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 7Jul 25, 2011 7:31 pm Thanks everyone, I'm not to worried about the boundary as it seems to be standard to build to the boundary in our area (particularly when the house is already built to the boundary and attached to the neighbour). My real concern was whether there is any requirements around a minimum distance a wall must be from a window that it is perpendicular to or whether the wall can start where the window frame ends. Re: Any restrictions on building walls next to windows? 8Jul 26, 2011 8:39 am spottydog0 Thanks everyone, I'm not to worried about the boundary as it seems to be standard to build to the boundary in our area (particularly when the house is already built to the boundary and attached to the neighbour). My real concern was whether there is any requirements around a minimum distance a wall must be from a window that it is perpendicular to or whether the wall can start where the window frame ends. With regard to windows, as long as you cannot directly (directly being a a 45 degree angle from each edge of the window) look into private space, then you should be right. A competent designer should sort oyu out. I got around it in 1 instance by having my window at 3m high in the wall. i imagine you also have another contract with an architect? and yeah, whatever other's said about special conditions and appendices 16 15980 Hi all I am looking to run a water line under my concrete footpath which is directly next to my home, was seeing if this is possible without cutting the entire section… 0 20165 Did you know that you can get rugs made from carpet? So much cheaper than buying a shop rug. So many styles to choose from, but you won't get the highly patterned… 0 6264 |