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    Davies Design & Construction

    Home Extensions in Hobart

    Single-storey rear extensions, second storey additions, and heritage-sensitive alterations across Greater Hobart — connecting you with the right design and build team.

    A Note on Our Service Area

    Davies Design & Construction is based in Sheffield, north-west Tasmania — approximately 270 km from Hobart. We build and renovate across northern Tasmania but Greater Hobart is outside our regular construction footprint. For extension projects in Hobart and surrounds, we connect clients with Align Architecture & Interiors, a Hobart-based practice with proven experience in the Hobart residential market, including heritage suburbs, inner-city alterations, and Greater Hobart extensions. Get in touch via our enquiry page and we'll make the introduction.

    The Market

    Why Hobart Homeowners Are Extending Instead of Moving

    Hobart's property market has changed dramatically since 2020. Land values across Greater Hobart — particularly in established suburbs within 10 km of the CBD — have risen to a point where buying a larger home often costs more than extending the one you already own. For families in Battery Point, Sandy Bay, North Hobart, Lindisfarne, or Kingston who love where they live but have outgrown their floor plan, a well-designed extension is increasingly the most financially sound decision.

    Greater Hobart's housing stock is also unusually well-suited to extension. The city's concentration of Federation cottages, brick inter-war bungalows, and 1960s–70s brick veneer homes presents genuine opportunity — these are structurally sound, well-positioned on their blocks, and respond beautifully to thoughtful contemporary additions. A heritage cottage in West Hobart or a north-facing brick home in Bellerive, extended with care and precision, can become something genuinely exceptional.

    The critical variable is the right design team. Hobart's planning environment — with heritage overlays in significant parts of the inner city, coastal hazard provisions on the Eastern Shore, and the nuances of four separate council jurisdictions — requires local expertise from day one. That's why we refer Hobart enquiries to Align Architecture & Interiors, a practice with deep familiarity with the Hobart market and the same design-led, performance-focused ethos that drives Davies' northern Tasmania work.

    Paradise Renovation — Davies award-winning Tasmanian renovation and extension projectStone's Throw — established neighbourhood home by Davies Design & Construction, Tasmania
    Types of Extension

    Common Extension Types in Greater Hobart

    Single-Storey Rear Extensions

    Expanding the ground floor — new open-plan kitchen and living, a larger family room, a home office, or a utility and laundry extension. The most common extension type in Hobart, and typically the most cost-effective per square metre of new floor area added.

    Second Storey Additions

    Adding a full upper level dramatically increases floor area without reducing the garden — the preferred option for Hobart's narrower inner-suburban lots where the outdoor space is a priority. A second storey addition in Greater Hobart typically adds 80–140m² of living space.

    Heritage Alterations & Conversions

    Converting roof voids, outbuildings, garages, and service spaces into habitable rooms — common in Hobart's Federation and inter-war housing stock. Heritage alterations require careful handling: materials, detailing, and Heritage Council consent all affect outcome and timeline.

    Deck, Alfresco & Outdoor Living

    Covered decks and alfresco additions that extend the living space into the garden. Particularly popular in the Huon Valley and Kingston areas where blocks are larger. South-facing properties benefit from covered outdoor rooms that capture sun without overheating in summer.

    Whole-Home Performance Upgrades

    Super-insulation, airtightness, and double or triple glazing improvements that transform existing Hobart homes — often delivered in combination with a structural extension. Hobart's cold winters make the performance premium on insulation and glazing particularly worthwhile.

    Design-Build (Architecture + Construction)

    The most effective extension approach: architecture and construction under one roof, integrated from brief to handover. Align Architecture & Interiors brings this model to Hobart — the same design-led, performance-first ethos that Davies applies in northern Tasmania.

    Planning & Approvals

    What to Know Before Extending in Greater Hobart

    Greater Hobart sits across four separate local government areas — City of Hobart, City of Clarence, City of Glenorchy, and Kingborough Council — each with its own Local Provisions Schedule (LPS) under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme. The planning controls that apply to your extension depend on which council area your property falls in.

    • City of Hobart: the City of Hobart LPS commenced on 22 October 2025. Planning and building applications can be submitted through the PlanBuild Tasmania portal, which has been live for City of Hobart since August 2024. Inner-city suburbs and Battery Point have additional heritage precinct overlays that affect extension design.
    • City of Clarence (Eastern Shore): the Clarence LPS commenced 13 October 2021. Applications are lodged with City of Clarence. Reserve-adjacent properties in suburbs like Geilston Bay or Rokeby may be subject to Bushfire Hazard overlay provisions.
    • City of Glenorchy: the Glenorchy Local Provisions Schedule (LPS) commenced on 18 August 2021. Applications are lodged with Glenorchy City Council. The Brooker Highway corridor has specific urban-renewal provisions that affect extensions near main roads.
    • Kingborough Council: the Kingborough Interim Planning Scheme 2015 remains in effect as of mid-2026. Applications are lodged directly with Kingborough Council. Coastal hazard overlays apply to waterfront suburbs including Blackmans Bay, Kingston Beach, and Margate.
    • Heritage: properties on the Tasmanian Heritage Register require Heritage Tasmania consent in addition to council planning permits. Use the Heritage Tasmania online database (heritage.tas.gov.au) to check whether your property is listed. Even non-listed properties in heritage precincts may have design controls.
    • Permitted development: extensions within the Permitted thresholds of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme — generally smaller rear extensions that meet the relevant setback, height, and site coverage standards — may not require a planning permit, only a building permit. Your architect or council's planning staff can confirm the applicable category for your project.

    For more on the planning framework across Tasmania, see our Hobart area guide and Renovations & Extensions service page.

    Common Questions

    Hobart Extensions FAQ

    Does Davies Construction build home extensions in Hobart?+
    Davies Design & Construction is based in Sheffield, north-west Tasmania — approximately 270 km from Hobart. We build across northern Tasmania but Hobart and Greater Hobart are beyond our regular construction service area. For home extension projects in Hobart, we refer clients to Align Architecture & Interiors, an award-winning Tasmanian design studio with deep experience in Hobart's residential market — including heritage suburbs, Eastern Shore, and inner-city extensions. Get in touch and we'll connect you with the right team.
    How much does a home extension cost in Hobart?+
    Home extensions in Greater Hobart typically cost between $3,500 and $6,500 per square metre of new floor area in 2026, depending on structural complexity, site access, heritage constraints, and finish level. Heritage-sensitive extensions in suburbs like Battery Point, Sandy Bay, or West Hobart — where Heritage Council approvals are required — sit toward the upper end of that range due to the additional design, documentation, and review process. A 40m² ground-floor extension at the mid-range specification would typically be $160,000–$220,000 before site-specific costs. Any honest builder will tell you the actual cost requires a detailed site assessment and your specific brief.
    Do I need council approval for a home extension in Hobart?+
    Yes, in most cases. Structural extensions in the City of Hobart LGA are assessed under the City of Hobart Local Provisions Schedule (LPS), which commenced on 22 October 2025. Extensions within the Tasmanian Planning Scheme's Permitted development standards — covering setbacks, height, and site coverage — may not require a planning permit. Most rear and upper-storey extensions do require a planning permit and building permit, both lodged with and assessed by the relevant council. City of Hobart applicants can submit through the PlanBuild Tasmania application portal (live for City of Hobart since August 2024). Surrounding councils — Clarence, Kingborough, and Glenorchy — each operate under their own Local Provisions Schedule; applications are lodged directly with those councils.
    What types of home extensions are most common in Hobart?+
    Rear single-storey extensions are the most common in Hobart — expanding the kitchen and living area into the garden — particularly on the long narrow lots typical of inner-suburban Hobart. Second storey additions are increasingly popular as land values have risen and homeowners find adding a level more cost-effective than buying a larger block. Heritage conversions — adapting roof spaces, rear outbuildings, and garages into living space — are another distinct category in Hobart's older housing stock. Alfresco and deck additions are popular in the Huon and Derwent Valley satellite towns where blocks are larger. The type that makes economic sense for your home depends on the block, the existing structure, and the planning controls that apply.
    What is a heritage overlay and how does it affect my Hobart extension?+
    Hobart has one of Australia's most significant concentrations of colonial and Federation-era housing stock. Heritage overlays — administered through Heritage Tasmania and the relevant council's LPS — apply to individual heritage-listed properties and to heritage precincts (areas where the collective character is protected). Extensions to heritage-listed buildings require consent from the Tasmanian Heritage Council in addition to council planning and building permits. Heritage controls affect the design of any new addition — materials, form, visibility from the street, and the treatment of existing fabric all receive scrutiny. A Hobart-based architect with heritage experience is essential for any extension to a heritage-listed property. Check whether your property is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register using the Heritage Tasmania online search at heritage.tas.gov.au.
    Related Reading
    Renovations & Extensions →Custom Homes Hobart →Building in Hobart →2026 Cost Guide →

    Planning a Hobart Extension?

    Davies works in northern Tasmania, but we can connect you with the right design and build team for your Hobart project. Get in touch — we'll point you in the right direction.

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