Guides for Sydney renovations and commercial fitouts

Practical answers to the questions people ask us before they spend money on a home or a commercial fitout in Sydney. Our team writes every guide, and each one shows the month it was last updated.

Guide · CommercialBefore you sign the lease: a checklist for café, restaurant and shop owners in Sydney A 25-point checklist for Sydney café, restaurant and shop owners before signing a commercial lease: zoning, change of use, services and rent-free time.11 min read Guide · CommercialCan this shop become a café? Change of use in NSW, explained Turning a shop into a café in NSW? How change of use works, when a CDC can replace a DA, what council asks for, how long approval takes and the 2026 fees.11 min read Guide · CommercialHow long does a café fit-out take? A realistic timeline from lease to opening day How long a café fit-out takes in Sydney, stage by stage: lease, design, DA or CDC, building, sign-off and registration, with 2026 approval times for Sydney councils.9 min read Guide · CommercialWhat a café or restaurant fit-out really costs in Sydney, and what's not in the quote Café and restaurant fit-out costs in Sydney: 2026 cost ranges, where the money goes, council fees, and the costs a builder's quote leaves out.12 min read Guide · Commercial"The fit-out company designs for free": what free design does and doesn't include Free design from a fit-out company, explained fairly: where the design cost sits, who owns the drawings, whose side the designer is on, and when it suits.10 min read Guide · CommercialOpening a salon or skin clinic in NSW: the rules your fit-out has to meet What NSW requires of a salon or skin clinic fit-out: skin penetration rules, hand basins, sterilising areas, laser and IPL, change of use and access.10 min read Guide · HomesArchitect, building designer, drafter or builder: who should you call first? Architect, building designer, drafter or builder? What each may legally do in NSW, what you get, what homeowners pay, and who to call first to renovate.11 min read Guide · HomesWhat does an architect cost in NSW? Fees stage by stage, and the total before you build Architect fees in Sydney and NSW explained: percentage, fixed and hourly fees, what each stage buys, and the council and consultant costs before you build.10 min read Guide · HomesRenovation over budget? How to avoid paying for a design you can't afford to build Why renovations go over budget before a brick is laid, what Sydney building costs per m², and a budget-first design process with cost checks at each stage.10 min read Guide · HomesKnock down and rebuild, or renovate? How to decide Knock down and rebuild, or renovate your Sydney home? Compare structure, heritage, today's planning rules, approvals, cost, tax and where you'll live.11 min read Guide · HomesRenovating in an Inner West heritage conservation area: what you can and can't change For Inner West homeowners: what a heritage conservation area means for your renovation, why a CDC rarely applies, and what council looks for in a DA.11 min read Guide · HomesCDC or DA? Which approval does your renovation need? CDC or DA for your NSW renovation? Who approves each, typical timeframes and fees, Housing Code basics and the common reasons a CDC is not possible.10 min read Guide · HomesBuilding a duplex in Sydney: block size, CDC or DA, and what to check first Planning a duplex in Sydney? Zoning, block size and width, CDC or DA, subdivision, and what to check before you buy.10 min read Guide · HomesWhat a Section 10.7 planning certificate tells you (and how to read one) What a Section 10.7 planning certificate shows, how to order one in NSW and what it costs, and how to read the zoning, heritage, flood and CDC sections.10 min read

CDC Checker · coming soon

Could your project qualify for CDC instead of a DA?

Choose your project type, enter your property address and upload your Section 10.7 Planning Certificate. Our online CDC Checker reviews your property's planning information to help identify whether:

CDC may be available for your proposed project.
A DA may be required instead.
Further investigation is needed due to constraints such as heritage, flooding, bushfire, etc.

Get a clearer understanding of your potential approval pathway before committing to detailed design.

Renovate inside
Extend my home
Knock down and rebuild
Build a duplex
Build a granny flat

Preliminary NSW residential planning assessment. Not a CDC approval or substitute for professional advice. 1 free check per new user.

How we write these guides

Each guide starts with the short answer, then explains it. Rules and fees come from NSW government and council pages, which are linked at the end of each guide. Planning rules change, so every guide shows the month it was last updated.

Every guide is reviewed by our team and checked against the sources cited. The guides are general information, not advice for your property; for project-specific advice, start with a free 15-minute call.

Tell us what you are planning. In a free 15-minute call we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit, what the approval route looks like and what the sensible next step is.

Book a free 15-minute call

An OIC architect going over plans with three builders on a construction site