Renovation & second-storey extension · Built through six weeks of rain
Dulwich Hill.
A renovation and second-storey extension in Dulwich Hill, carried out through the 2022 Sydney storms — six straight weeks of rain. Temporary structures, re-sequenced work and constant pumping kept the build moving.
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The engineering behind the design.
This project was carried out through the now-infamous Sydney storms of 2022, which brought six straight weeks of rain. The build didn’t stop.
The plan.
We developed temporary structures, adjusted sequencing, and kept the team moving forward despite flooded accessways and saturated grounds. Rain was managed with constant pumping and drainage efforts while we completed the renovation and second-storey extension.
Building in Dulwich Hill.
Inner West Council was formed in 2016 from the merger of Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield councils, and the Inner West LEP 2022 consolidated the three old LEPs into one planning instrument — though the DCP still carries legacy variation by precinct. Most of Dulwich Hill sits inside the Dulwich Hill Heritage Conservation Area, so a Heritage Impact Statement is standard for external work, and the council heritage advisors are responsive. Substantial residential DAs typically run 5–9 months.
The housing stock is Federation cottages, Edwardian semis and Inter-war workers' housing on small lots (150–350 m² is typical), often with party walls and shared driveways. The usual project — and this one — is a rear extension set behind the original ridge, with the street-facing fabric restored rather than replaced.
From the site record.
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