Home extensions
Extra living space, bedrooms and open-plan kitchens added to existing homes, joined carefully to the original house.
Service area
Builders servicing Adelaide's southern suburbs
Adelaide's southern suburbs are mostly family housing built from the post-war years onwards, set across flat suburban streets, coastal clifftops and steep foothill blocks. Marion, Edwardstown and Seacombe Gardens sit closest to the city, Hallett Cove and Sheidow Park overlook the gulf, Aberfoyle Park, Happy Valley and Flagstaff Hill climb into the southern foothills, and Reynella and Morphett Vale lie further south.
- Builder's Licence BLD 45463
- 45 years of building experience
- Insured & warranty-backed
Design conceptPlenty of homes here were built for young families decades ago and now need to work for a different stage of life. Common projects include adding a family room or extra bedroom at the rear, updating a dated bathroom with a walk-in shower, opening an enclosed kitchen to the living area and making better use of split-level layouts on sloping land. Closer to the city, some owners knock down and rebuild on larger post-war lots.
Bright works across the City of Marion and the City of Onkaparinga. We're a licensed builder (BLD 45463), and before any work is priced we'll go through the site-specific issues that southern blocks bring, from slope and soil to coastal exposure.
What homes are common in Adelaide's southern suburbs?
Quick answer
Many southern homes date from the 1950s to the 1990s: post-war brick houses around Marion and Edwardstown, 1970s–90s family homes through Morphett Vale, Sheidow Park and Aberfoyle Park, and split-level or elevated houses on sloping foothill and coastal sites at Flagstaff Hill, Happy Valley and Hallett Cove.
The suburbs nearest the city, including Marion, Edwardstown and Seacombe Gardens, are mainly post-war, with brick and brick-veneer homes on reasonably wide blocks. Many of those blocks have since been subdivided, so original houses now sit beside newer townhouses and units, and the remaining large lots are popular for rebuilding.
Morphett Vale, Sheidow Park, Aberfoyle Park and Happy Valley grew rapidly from the 1970s. Their homes typically have brick-veneer walls, tiled roofs and separate formal and family rooms, a layout many owners now want to open up. Reynella is a little different, with an older historic core surrounded by later housing estates.
Topography is the big variable in the south. Hallett Cove spreads over coastal cliffs and hillsides with views across Gulf St Vincent, while Flagstaff Hill, Happy Valley and Aberfoyle Park include steep streets and split-level houses. Sloping land means thinking about stepped footings, the condition of existing retaining walls and where stormwater ends up.
- Post-war brick homes and infill in Marion, Edwardstown and Seacombe Gardens
- 1970s–90s family homes in Morphett Vale, Sheidow Park and Aberfoyle Park
- Split-level and sloping-site homes in Flagstaff Hill and Happy Valley
- Coastal hillside homes at Hallett Cove
Site conditions
Things to plan for in the southern suburbs
Every property is different. These are the planning and site conditions worth checking early for building work in this area, and we look at them with you from the first site visit.
Split levels and steep blocks
Extending a split-level home usually means matching floor heights, stepping footings down the slope and managing water that runs towards the house. Steep driveways can make deliveries and skip bins awkward too. These factors affect cost, so they belong in the very first discussion about your project.
Weather exposure at Hallett Cove
Homes on the cliffs and hillsides above the coast take the brunt of southerly and westerly weather. Exposed coastal sites can call for fixings, ties and framing with higher corrosion protection, and some are given a higher wind classification, which flows through to windows, cladding and roof fixing.
Bushfire planning in the foothills
Some properties around Flagstaff Hill, Happy Valley and Aberfoyle Park may sit in a Hazards (Bushfire) overlay. Where that applies, a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment may be needed, and new homes and many additions would need to be built to the BAL set under AS 3959.
Homes built before 1990
Many southern houses were built or renovated before 1990, and a home of that age is likely to contain asbestos, for example in fibro eaves, older bathroom wall linings or vinyl floor tiles. Suspect materials should be checked before any demolition, and where the law calls for a licensed removalist, the work must be done by a SafeWork SA–licensed asbestos removalist.
Services
Our services in the southern suburbs
Each service page explains what's involved, what affects cost and what to check in South Australia before you start.
Bathroom renovations
Main bathrooms, ensuites and powder rooms, with waterproofing, licensed trades and finishes coordinated by one builder from strip-out to handover.
Kitchen renovations
New kitchens, islands and butler's pantries, plus the work around them: walls, lighting, flooring, and plumbing and electrical by licensed trades.
Home renovations
Reworked layouts, opened-up living areas and updated character homes, planned around how your household lives now.
FAQs
Questions about building in the southern suburbs
Can’t see your question? Call Has on 0400 028 777 and talk it through with a director.
Do you work in Hallett Cove and Flagstaff Hill?
Yes. Bright works across Adelaide's southern suburbs in the City of Marion and the City of Onkaparinga, including Hallett Cove, Sheidow Park, Flagstaff Hill, Aberfoyle Park, Happy Valley, Reynella and Morphett Vale, as well as Marion, Edwardstown and Seacombe Gardens closer to the city.
Can I extend a split-level home on a sloping block?
In many cases, yes, though it takes more planning than a flat site. The new floor level, footings, drainage and construction access all need to be resolved, and footings must be designed by an engineer for the site's soil and slope. We can review your plans and flag buildability and cost factors early, so there are fewer surprises once the ground is opened up.
What affects the cost of a bathroom renovation in an older southern home?
The main factors are the size of the room, whether the shower, toilet or vanity move, what turns up once old tiles and linings come off, the fittings and finishes you choose, and whether suspect materials need testing, or removal by a licensed removalist. Access and the number of trades involved matter too. We explain how each one affects the price when we quote.
Other areas we cover
- Eastern Suburbs
- Unley, Mitcham & Inner South
- Western & Beachside Suburbs
- Northern Suburbs
- Adelaide Hills
- Victor Harbor & Fleurieu
Sources
Planning rules change. Check the current requirements for your property before you start.
Your project starts here
Planning a project in the southern suburbs?
Tell us what you're planning and where. You'll deal directly with a director from the first conversation.