3 Things You Must Know Before Building in Inner West Sydney

1. The dimensions and slope of your build lot.

While not considered a particularly hilly area, Sydney’s inner west does have low, rolling hills. These gradients can impact the slope of your building lot and may require more careful planning than other lots. A sloped lot could impact drainage, soil instability, access, foundation requirements and design options. Typical wall height restrictions in the inner west are 6 metres, but this can vary depending on the specific build, council regulations and location. The full dimensions of your lot may also require extra planning, especially if it’s irregular or narrow.

These considerations require extra planning, but they also offer opportunities. Sloped lots can lead to design changes that create split-level living to optimise views. Irregular lots mean thinking more creatively about maximising indoor and outdoor spaces, natural light and airflow.

2. How accessible your lot is.

The accessibility of your lot is vital to confirm for contractors and tradespeople. Lots with low or limited access will require additional solutions to get resources and materials onsite, which could mean extra costs and delays to your building time.

Irregular shaped lots reduce the space builders have access to in order to commence work. Low access may require vehicles to be parked on public streets for extended periods of time, which will require council permits. Again, this can increase costs and require extra approvals and project coordination time.

3. Any heritage restrictions or requirements.

Some lots within Sydney’s inner west may be situated within Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs). These areas exist to protect and maintain the area’s historical character and can limit design options for new builds, including facades and architectural styles. If you’re purchasing an existing home with plans to extend with a new build, there can be limitations to what materials can be used and what aspects of the old build need to be retained, such as rooflines, window frames or placement, and external finishes.

Some designs and builds in these areas typically require consent to start, so it’s worth checking if this applies to you early in the process to account for any revisions or unexpected delays.

Your Checklist to Start an Inner West Build

With a clear understanding of these considerations, you’re better prepared to move forward with your inner west home build. To help you get started, here’s our recommended checklist:

• Check local council requirements.
• Research heritage restrictions.
• Find a local builder for Sydney’s Inner West
• Book a free land assessment from IMSU
• Start your build.