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The 10 best renovation builders in Sydney

Sydney builders who do extensions, second storeys, terrace renovations and alterations to older homes. We checked every builder's contractor licence on the NSW register.

Updated October 2026.

Builders listed
10
Licences confirmed on the register
10 of 10
Average Google rating
4.6
Google reviews, combined
187
Builders paying to be here
None
  • LicenceA current Building Commission NSW builder licence, matched to the business.
  • ReputationIndependent reviews, awards and years trading.
  • Right kind of workAlterations and additions, second storeys and terrace or heritage work shown on their own site.
  • No paid placesNobody pays to be listed or to move up.

Renovation builders in Sydney, ranked

These builders show alterations and additions on their own sites, including work on terraces, semis and homes in heritage areas. They're ranked on fit, reputation and track record.

  1. 1

    Bradstreet Building

    Terrey Hills. Sydney's Northern Beaches

    4.7 from 14 Google reviews

    Best for High-end Northern Beaches renovations and additions

    • Named 2025 HIA NSW Renovation/Addition Project of the Year.
    • Won HIA NSW renovation categories in 2022 and 2025.
    • Offers trades such as carpentry, plumbing, roofing and tiling alongside its building work, according to its website.
    NSW builder licence
    196624C Checked
    Building since
    2000
    Builds
    Renovations, Extensions, Heritage, Custom homes
    Member of
    HIA
    More about Bradstreet Building

    Brothers Darren and Shawn Bradstreet started the business on the Northern Beaches in 2000. The firm says it now has more than 25 staff, including a range of building trades, and works alongside architects and interior designers on high-end new builds and renovations.

    Its renovation work runs from heritage homes to full modernisations, and it also offers design and drafting, Class 2 building work and landscaping. Its 2025 HIA NSW Renovation/Addition Project of the Year winner was a 1980s cliffside home.

    Awards: 2025 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project of the Year, winner; 2025 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project $1.5m to $3m, winner; 2026 HIA Australian Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project, winner (according to the firm); 2022 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project $1.2m to $1.5m, winner

    02 9450 2527Visit website
  2. 2

    Hatch Constructions

    Annandale. Sydney's eastern suburbs and Northern Beaches

    4.6 from 10 Google reviews

    Best for Architect-led renovations in the east and Northern Beaches

    • Won the 2025 HIA NSW Renovation/Addition Project over $3m category.
    • Works closely with clients' architects and designers on high-spec homes.
    • Names its project managers and foremen on its website.
    NSW builder licence
    310389C Checked
    Builds
    Renovations, Extensions, Architect-designed homes
    More about Hatch Constructions

    Hatch is a residential builder founded by Robert Palazzi and Will Crutchley, working across Sydney's eastern suburbs and Northern Beaches. It takes on new architect-designed homes as well as major renovations and extensions, often working directly with the client's architect.

    The firm calls its method the Three Cs Framework, which it says combines firm systems with close collaboration. Its Double Bay Forma project won an HIA NSW renovation award in 2025, and the firm says its Bondi Unda project won an MBA NSW alterations and additions award the same year.

    Awards: 2025 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project over $3m, winner; 2025 Master Builders NSW Excellence in Housing Awards: House Alterations and Additions $1.6m to $1.8m, winner (according to the firm); 2024 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Outdoor Project of the Year (according to the firm)

    02 9555 2032Visit website
  3. 3

    TASS Architects + Builders

    Gymea Bay. Sydney, with recent projects in Gymea Bay, Balmain, Randwick and Crows Nest

    5.0 from 29 Google reviews

    Best for Design and build renovations with a fixed completion date

    • Architects, interior designers and licensed builders in one in-house team.
    • Offers an all-inclusive fixed price and a guaranteed completion date, according to its website.
    • Won two MBA NSW housing awards in 2026, the firm says.
    NSW builder licence
    291636C Checked
    Building since
    2015
    Builds
    Renovations, Extensions, Custom homes, Design and build
    More about TASS Architects + Builders

    Brothers Ben and Aaron Tass, a builder and a structural engineer, started TASS in 2015. Its in-house team includes architects, interior designers, estimators and builders, and it offers design and build, build only, or design only.

    The firm says it guarantees a completion date and pays liquidated damages for each day it runs over, gives an all-inclusive fixed price, and extends its cosmetic warranty beyond the legal minimum. It says it has built close to 100 homes and takes on only a handful of projects each year.

    Awards: 2026 Master Builders NSW Excellence in Housing Awards: winner, Gymea Bay project (according to the firm); 2026 Master Builders NSW Excellence in Housing Awards: winner, Balmain (according to the firm); 2025 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Emerging Builder (Ben Tass), winner; 2023 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Custom Built Home $1.2m to $1.5m, winner

    02 9937 2999Visit website

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  5. 4

    Sydney Extensions & Designs

    Roseville. Sydney metro, with recent projects on the North Shore and in the eastern suburbs

    4.5 from 26 Google reviews

    Best for Second storeys and extensions with a long track record

    • Trading since 1979, according to its website.
    • Offers fixed price contracts on the HIA standard form.
    • Gives an extended 10 year structural warranty, the firm says.
    NSW builder licence
    119641C Checked
    Building since
    1979
    Builds
    Extensions, Second storeys, Renovations, Knockdown rebuild
    More about Sydney Extensions & Designs

    Sydney Extensions & Designs has been extending and rebuilding Sydney homes since 1979 and says it has completed more than 8,000 home transformations. It handles ground floor and second storey extensions, complex renovations and knockdown rebuilds, with a showroom in Roseville open by appointment.

    Its process starts with a home assessment, then design, approvals and a signed HIA standard contract. The firm says its homes are built at a fixed price, overseen by a project manager, and backed by an extended 10 year structural warranty and a maintenance check after handover.

    02 9882 2448Visit website
  6. 5

    32 Degrees Building

    Smeaton Grange. Sydney and surrounds, from Penrith to the Southern Highlands, Illawarra and Nowra

    4.3 from 61 Google reviews

    Best for Second storey additions in south west Sydney

    • Specialises in additions and extensions rather than new homes.
    • Uses the HIA Residential Fixed Price Building Contract.
    • Publishes a step-by-step process, from consultation to warranty handover.
    NSW builder licence
    233843C Checked
    Building since
    2011
    Builds
    Second storeys, Extensions, Renovations
    Member of
    HIA
    More about 32 Degrees Building

    32 Degrees Building has specialised in first floor additions, ground floor extensions and large renovations since 2011. It is based in Smeaton Grange and works from Penrith to the Southern Highlands, Illawarra and Nowra, and it offers a range of second storey addition designs that clients can adapt.

    The process starts with a paid consultation and a build cost estimate, which the firm says it sends within 3 to 5 business days. Work then proceeds under an HIA Residential Fixed Price Building Contract, with warranties and certificates issued at the final payment.

    02 4647 2324Visit website
  7. 6

    Benja Build

    Banksmeadow. Sydney's eastern suburbs

    5.0 from 1 Google reviews

    Best for Terrace and heritage renovations in the eastern suburbs

    • Won HIA NSW renovation categories in 2022 and 2024.
    • Director Benjamin Peat runs every build personally, according to its website.
    • Three decades of work in the eastern suburbs, the firm says.
    NSW builder licence
    241961C Checked
    Building since
    1996
    Builds
    Renovations, Heritage, Terraces, Custom homes
    More about Benja Build

    Benja Build has worked on high-end homes in Sydney's eastern suburbs since 1996, under the direction of licensed builder Benjamin Peat. Its portfolio includes terrace renovations in Surry Hills and Paddington, a converted 1909 factory in Annandale, and new homes in Vaucluse and Clovelly.

    The firm says the director is involved in every build, from first concept to completion. Its Bourke Street terrace in Surry Hills won an HIA NSW renovation award in 2024.

    Awards: 2024 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project up to $600,000, winner; 2022 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project up to $400,000, winner

    0407 278 762Visit website
  8. 7

    Riverside Building & Design

    Woronora. Sydney, with recent award-winning work in the inner west

    5.0 from 1 Google reviews

    Best for Character home extensions in the inner west

    • Won a 2025 HIA NSW renovation award for a 1904 inner west home.
    • Owner Christopher Peat has more than 20 years in building, the firm says.
    • Manages council approvals for clients, according to its website.
    NSW builder licence
    197233C Checked
    Builds
    Extensions, Second storeys, Renovations, New homes
    More about Riverside Building & Design

    Riverside Building & Design is owned and directed by Christopher Peat, who the firm says has more than 20 years in the building industry. It works with a small team of trades on home additions, extensions and new homes.

    The firm offers a full service to owners, including advice at each stage and handling of council requirements. Its alterations to a 1904 inner west home won the HIA NSW Renovation/Addition $1m to $1.5m category in 2025.

    Awards: 2025 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project $1m to $1.5m, winner

    0410 319 844Visit website
  9. 8

    Sydney Beach Homes

    Brookvale. Sydney's Northern Beaches and eastern suburbs

    5.0 from 26 Google reviews

    Best for Coastal renovations on the Northern Beaches

    • Named 2023 HIA NSW Renovation/Addition Project of the Year.
    • Publishes a 7 step process and uses a Master Builders contract.
    • Member of both Master Builders NSW and HIA.
    NSW builder licence
    98065C Checked
    Builds
    Renovations, Extensions, Coastal homes, New homes
    Member of
    Master Builders NSW, HIA
    More about Sydney Beach Homes

    Sydney Beach Homes, the trading name of Oxley & Campbell, designs and builds homes with a focus on coastal construction. Its projects include alterations and new homes in Manly, Freshwater, North Curl Curl, Bondi and Woollahra, and it also takes on small works.

    The firm sets out a 7 step process that starts with a discovery call and runs to a home owner's manual at handover, and it uses a Master Builders Association contract. It says every project comes with a 6 year structural warranty.

    Awards: 2023 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project of the Year, winner; 2023 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project over $1.5m, winner

    02 9939 2592Visit website
  10. 9

    JL Building

    Northern Beaches. Sydney's Northern Beaches

    4.0 from 3 Google reviews

    Best for Second storeys and additions on the Northern Beaches

    • Won the 2024 HIA NSW Renovation/Addition $600,000 to $900,000 category.
    • Handles design, drafting and DA or CDC approvals in-house, the firm says.
    • Shows its licence number on every page of its website.
    NSW builder licence
    299936C Checked
    Builds
    Second storeys, Extensions, Renovations, Knockdown rebuild
    More about JL Building

    JL Building is a Northern Beaches builder working on renovations, alterations and additions, second storeys and new homes, with recent projects in Allambie Heights, Seaforth, Balgowlah, Collaroy and Fairlight. The firm says it has more than 15 years in the industry.

    It offers design and drafting and manages the DA or CDC process, or can build from a client's approved plans. Work is carried out by supervised trades and a network of local subcontractors, according to its website.

    Awards: 2024 HIA NSW Housing Awards: Renovation/Addition Project $600,000 to $900,000, winner

    0425 226 373Visit website
  11. 10

    Taste Living

    Willoughby. Sydney

    4.1 from 16 Google reviews

    Best for Whole-home renovations on the North Shore

    • Design and build under one roof, from concept to handover.
    • Shows its licence and HIA and Master Builders member numbers on its website.
    • More than 15 years in home renovations, the firm says.
    NSW builder licence
    280538C Checked
    Builds
    Renovations, Home rebuilds, Design and build
    Member of
    Master Builders NSW, HIA
    More about Taste Living

    Taste Living is a design and build renovation firm with a showroom on Penshurst Street, Willoughby, open by appointment. The firm says it has spent more than 15 years renovating Sydney homes, and its work covers whole-home renovations and rebuilds as well as kitchens and bathrooms.

    Its three-stage approach covers the brief, design by its in-house designers, and construction. It is a member of Master Builders NSW and HIA, according to its website.

    1300 388 888Visit website

What a renovation costs in Sydney

Sydney sits at the top of the national range. Use these as a starting point, then get quotes on your plans.

WorkTypical cost
Ground floor extension (national guide)$2,000 to $4,000 per sqm
Ground floor extension (Sydney guide, incl. GST)$2,500 to $5,000 per sqm
Second storey addition$1,850 to $3,500 per sqm, often $200,000 to $450,000
Kitchen renovation, mid-range$28,750 to $51,750
Bathroom renovation, mid-range$23,000 to $40,250
Demolition, house (QS rate, Sydney)$170 to $280 per sqm

Extension and second storey figures are national hipages ranges (January 2026), with What's The Damage's Sydney builder guide (October 2026) for comparison. Kitchen and bathroom figures are Sydney totals from What's The Damage, including GST. The demolition rate is from RLB Riders Digest 2026 for Sydney, excludes GST and asbestos removal. All exclude land.

Approvals for a Sydney renovation

Most extensions take one of two paths: a DA to council, or a complying development certificate.

An extension in NSW needs either:

  • Development consent from council (a development application, or DA), followed by a construction certificate that confirms the building plans match the consent and the Building Code of Australia; or
  • A complying development certificate (CDC), the fast track path for work that meets set state standards. With a CDC you don't need a separate construction certificate.

Councils and registered private certifiers can both issue construction certificates and CDCs. Before work starts you must appoint a principal certifier, and they must notify council at least two days before work begins. A construction certificate issued after work starts is invalid.

Terraces and heritage areas

If your home is a heritage item or sits in a heritage conservation area, as many inner Sydney terraces do, your options narrow. The NSW Planning Portal says external alterations to a house in a heritage conservation area can only go through as complying development if they aren't to a wall facing the main road (or one connected to it) and don't raise the height of the house. Randwick City Council, for one, says most alterations to a heritage item need a DA. So in a conservation area a modest rear extension might still qualify for a CDC, but a second storey, which raises the height, won't. Check your property's zoning and heritage status with your council before you brief a designer.

NSW rules that protect you

NSW sets its key protections at $5,000 and $20,000. Most renovations clear both.

  • Licence: residential building work over $5,000 (including GST) needs a contractor licence for general building work. Electrical, plumbing, drainage, gasfitting and air conditioning work needs a licence at any value. How to check a licence.
  • Contract: work over $5,000 needs a written contract. From $5,000 to $20,000 that's a small job contract; over $20,000 it's a large job contract with a checklist and a progress payment schedule. The licence holder's name on a large job contract must match the licence.
  • Deposit: no more than 10% of the contract price. Where insurance is required, the builder can't take any deposit until the cover is in place and you have the certificate.
  • Cooling-off: 5 clear business days after you're given the contract, for contracts over $20,000.
  • Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF): required for residential work over $20,000. The builder buys it from icare and must give you the certificate before starting work or taking money. It's last resort cover, up to $340,000 per dwelling, if the builder becomes insolvent, dies, disappears or has their licence suspended for not complying with a money order. How home warranty cover works.

For a renovation, the progress payment schedule and how variations are priced matter as much as the headline number. Fixed price or cost plus explains the trade-off.

If something goes wrong, raise it with the builder in writing, then ask Building Commission NSW for dispute resolution. NCAT is next. Statutory warranties run 6 years for major defects and 2 years for other defects.

Renovating a Sydney terrace or older home

Narrow lots, shared walls and old fabric push up cost and risk. Choose a builder who has done it before.

Terraces and semis share a party wall with the neighbour, often have rear lane access only, and leave little room to store materials. Older brick and timber homes also hold surprises once they're opened up. Demolition rates in Sydney run higher than most cities, at $170 to $280 per square metre in RLB's 2026 figures, and that's before any asbestos removal.

When you talk to builders:

  • Ask for finished alterations and additions on similar homes, ideally in your council area, and whether you can speak to those owners.
  • Ask whether they've worked to a DA with heritage conditions, and how they handle a principal certifier's inspections.
  • Ask how they'll protect the neighbour's side of a shared wall, and whether they'll arrange a dilapidation report before work starts.
  • Ask how access, skips and deliveries will work on your street, and who pays for any council permits for them.
  • Make sure the HBCF certificate is in your hands before you pay any deposit.

More in questions to ask a builder.

Checking a NSW builder's licence

It takes a couple of minutes, and it's the same check we ran for every builder above.

  1. Search the NSW licence check

    Search by the builder's name or licence number on the NSW Government's licence check. NSW home building licence check

  2. Check status and expiry

    The licence should be current. Note the expiry date, especially on a long job.

  3. Check the category covers the work

    For an extension or a new home you want general building work. A licence in one trade, such as carpentry or waterproofing, doesn't cover the whole job.

  4. Look for warnings and match the contract

    The record shows conditions, cancellations, suspensions, public warnings and penalty notices. The name and licence number on your contract must match the licence holder exactly. NSW Government: checking your contractor

How we chose these builders

We started from builders working across Sydney, then kept only those with a current Building Commission NSW licence, a clear record of renovation work on their own site, and a solid independent reputation. Order weighs fit for this kind of project, reviews and awards, years trading, and how openly each builder explains its process, licence and warranty. Size and advertising spend don't count.

No builder pays to be listed or ranked. If you request quotes through this page, we pass your project to builders that suit it. Read the full method.

Renovation builders in Sydney: common questions

How much does a second storey addition cost in Sydney?

National guide figures put a second storey addition at about $1,850 to $3,500 per square metre, typically $200,000 to $450,000 in total, with large high end additions costing far more. Sydney jobs tend to sit toward the upper end, especially on terraces and heritage homes.

Do I need a DA for an extension in Sydney?

Not always. If the extension meets the state standards for complying development, a council or registered certifier can issue a complying development certificate instead. If it doesn't, or the house is a heritage item, you'll need a DA and then a construction certificate.

Can I use a CDC in a heritage conservation area?

Only for some work. External alterations to a house in a heritage conservation area can be complying development only if they're not to a wall facing the main road and don't increase the height of the house. A second storey or an addition at the street front will need a DA.

How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Sydney?

A mid-range bathroom renovation in Sydney costs about $23,000 to $40,250 including GST, with $31,050 typical. Budget jobs start around $11,500, and luxury bathrooms reach $63,250 or more.

How much deposit can a builder take in NSW?

No more than 10% of the contract price. If the job is over $20,000, the builder can't take any deposit until HBCF cover is in place and you've been given the certificate.

When is home warranty insurance needed in NSW?

For residential building work over $20,000 including GST. It's called the Home Building Compensation Fund and is run by icare. The builder pays for it and must give you the certificate before starting work. More on HBCF.

This list is a guide only. Check the builder's licence, insurance and contract yourself before you sign.