The Process

Our Planning Assessment Report will let you know if you can build your desired house extension based on your project needs and objectives. We will use our expert planning tools and professional experience in planning, approvals and building housing extensions in the ACT while formulating your written report. 

Fixed Price Extensions provides a complimentary preliminary report of your property which includes a comprehensive planning assessment report.

• If you would like to obtain a planning assessment report to help you decide on a prospective property purchase, we provide this at an investment of $200
• If you are considering multiple properties, we can offer a bundle of 5 planning assessment reports for an investment of $900

If you decide to purchase the assessed property and proceed to enter into a design agreement with Fixed Price Extensions, your investment will be fully refunded to you and can be used towards the design agreement.

The Planning Assessment Report is created exclusively by Fixed Price Extensions to assist you to better understand and fast-track the development process. The report is not required when building or seeking approval with the government, but we created it with the purpose of protecting you from an expensive mistake down the road in planning and development costs. 

The Planning Assessment Report was created when our team noticed that many customers received incorrect initial advice which ended up costing them thousands of dollars down the track. They were not made fully aware of the limitations of their properties by their companies before committing to their designs. 

Fixed Price Extensions aims to resolve these types of issues by focusing on and understanding your wants and needs, and quickly determining if the proposed project is feasible and what factors might possibly impact the approvals process. 

We can provide a ballpark price for some of our 50 customer-inspired designs. However, each property is unique and there are different planning requirements applying to each unit. The price that our team provides for a concept is susceptible to change based on the unique requirements of building on your block. 

Our primary objective with our price, time and quality written guarantees is to deliver what we promise. Our comprehensive fixed-price Housing Industry Association (HIA) agreement ensures that there are no hidden surprises, unlike other companies who fail to account for the planning and approvals, site works and landscaping - or quality inclusions! 

If you contact us with your needs and budget; our Fixed Price Extensions team will quickly help you assess, plan, and build your desired extension with confidence!

The appointment generally takes 45 minutes and will provide you with the opportunity to better understand the next few stages.

During the appointment, we will:

• Find out where you can legally build the extension in conjunction with our Planning Assessment Report
• Discuss the assessment of the probability and factors in obtaining approvals for a house extension on your ACT property
• Provide an overview of the relevant legislation that impacts on the design, planning, approval and construction of your house extension
• Advise on the 'Question and Answers' section of the Planning Assessment Report which addresses relevant elements related to your property
• Discover how Fixed Price Extensions can fulfil what is missing from your home, and elevate your lifestyle at the same time

The process usually takes approximately four weeks from start to finish.  There are no time caps on the design process and we are prepared to spend as much time as it takes to get the right design concept for you.

There is no charge if you choose to select an existing Fixed Price Extensions design with no modifications at all. However, if you wish to modify one of our existing designs or create a custom design of your own, the prices are as follows:

• Modifying an existing design: $1750 incl. GST
• Building a custom design: $2850 incl. GST

At the initial meeting with the designer or the builder, we try to determine specifically what is it you would like to create. Using the Planning Assessment Report as a reference, our team will work with you to resolve the best positioning of the new project while taking into account factors like solar orientation, planning requirements and interaction with the existing residence. 

In the first meeting, we may also use several existing concept designs or reference plans of your preference to provide a starting point for a concept floor-plan. 

Over the next weeks, we will meet with you onsite or in our offices to refine and review the floor plan, snapshot and elevations, until you are completely happy with the created layout and design. 

The initial meeting is best held at the property where you are hoping to build the project. If you are based interstate, we can schedule a meeting on Skype. 

If the property is tenanted or you would prefer the initial meeting not be onsite, we also have the option of meeting in our head office (located at 6/80 Emu Bank, Belconnen ACT 2617). 

Future collaboration meetings where we review and refine the design can either be held in our office or at your property. 

1. Dimensional Floorplan
2. Furniture Floorplan
3. Snapshot or External render 
4. Elevations Plans
5. Commencement Plans
6. Project proposal with full inclusion list, timelines, process and itemised prices. (This proposal is accepted as sufficient planning documentation by most banks if you are seeking finance)

You will receive the entire suite of documents outlined above.

Our professional team is very flexible, and can make changes to an existing concept design for a small investment.

If this is something that you would like to explore, please speak with our friendly team once you have a preferred reference design as basis and the details of the changes you would like to make. 

The indicative investment in modifying and existing Fixed Price Extensions design is $1750.

Fixed Price Extensions subsidises approximately 50% of the direct costs incurred during the design process.

If you would like to take our design to an alternate builder, a recovery fee (3.75% of the project's building cost) will apply. 

This happens, and we are more than happy to accommodate your needs and concerns to get the right design. No additional fees will apply as long as the changes are reasonable.

If a substantial or entirely different design is chosen, our team will discuss with you to reach agreement on the costs associated to achieve your revised design.  

A house extension may be subject to the requirement of a Development Approval and a Building Approval, which would also affect the timeline for this stage. If your extension project is an additional living area or a garage and not a secondary residence (such as a Granny Flat), a Building Approval alone may suffice to have the project approved. 

Common factors that affect the outcome of being able to legally build additions are:

• Access to and building clear of easements
• Complying with the rules for plot ratio and private open space
• Encroachment into setbacks
• Building within your property’s building envelope and solar building envelope

A Planning Assessment Report will highlight the considerations that need to be planned for and will save you time and money by providing an understanding of the obstacles from the very beginning of the project.

Once you have agreed on your design’s position on the block, floor plan, elevations and exterior finishes and colours, Fixed Price Extensions will submit the application for Building and/or Development Approval. 

While the approvals are being assessed, decisions on the interior inclusions can be made. Inclusions cover the interior colours, tapware, floor coverings, interior doors and door handles, curtains and blinds and lighting options.

After submission of the plans and documents, it may be difficult to change the position of the proposed building, windows, doors or the style of the roof. If you would like to make a change to the Development or Building Approval after it is submitted, an amendment will be required.

The majority of delays occur when a utility company that controls an asset within an easement on your property does not approve the development when it is referred to them for approval.

For example, if the positioning of your project needs to be adjusted to meet the criteria of the planning legislation or to provide easement access, or an important service is deeper than usual.

Representations from the public may also delay approvals.

The Fixed Price Extensions operations team manages and takes responsibility for the approvals for your project.

Along with our partners we will create the documents required to submit an application for Development and or Building Approval.

Partners include surveyors, building designers, architects, building energy assessors, engineers, and building certifiers.

Option 1: We work with you to overcome the planning objections until it gets approval. if there is a redesign, there will be minimal costs, which we will share with you.
Option 2: You discontinue the entire process, and incur a minimal cost to cover the planning costs. There will be no further hidden costs.

Fixed Price Extensions Guarantees include:

1. Quality Assurance Guarantee - Ensuring you are totally satisfied with your project before the final payment is required.  We will walk through the project with you and sign off on your satisfaction of the completed work.
2. Completion Time Guarantee - Completing the project on an agreed timeline. Otherwise, we refund you $1750 for every week the project is late. Our team works hard to give you the keys on time so you can move in as soon as possible. 
3. Structural Guarantee – A 7 year warranty provided on the structural elements of the building’s foundations, footings, floor structure, wall frames and roof frames.
4. Communication Guarantee – We will communicate regularly and effectively about the progress of your project. A calendar for the onsite components will be provided to keep you updated with our progress and to help you understand who will be on site and when. You will be invited to all building inspection stages to provide transparency and a chance to ask any questions to the building certifier and builder.

Work can legally begin only after a commencement notice is provided by the building certifier.

A period of 1 to 2 weeks is required from the time a commencement notice is issued to book the initial inspections for drainage (sewer) work. We will provide a drainage plan detailing the amendments to the drainage system on your property.

Windows, wall frame and roof frame suppliers also take take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to deliver these components from the time of order. We will order these products as soon as a commencement notice is issued and continually plan around their delivery.

One of the benefits of a house extension is that it increases the overall value of the property, and we feel this is best achieved by completing our designing, planning and building processes to the unit on site. Having the extension built on site means you have total control over the design, style and products used to best suit your needs; while supporting our local qualified tradesperson.

Building on a concrete slab engineered for your block also provides excellent energy efficiency over the life of the building, reducing heating and cooling bills.

We can also design and build with an insulated timber or steel floor frame to suit individual customer and block requirements.

You will be provided with a calendar to keep you updated with dates-specific activities which will occur on the building site. These include stages such as excavation and services being dug, wall and roof frames being installed, painting and floor coverings being installed to name just a few.

We will meet with you before the onsite components take place to discuss site fencing and skip waste bin positions, parking requirements and any building work signage that may be required.

You are invited to every building inspection stage to stay informed of progress and any complications that arise during the project.

If you would like to meet the project management team onsite or at an alternative location at another stage, we can arrange a time to meet that suits everyone involved.

We will do our best to accommodate minor changes during the building stage. If you would like to add a component such as additional concreting, a deck or a pergola we may be able to include them as a variation. A variation includes a written description and agreed price to complete the work. 

Adjustments to inclusions such as appliances, floor coverings, paint colours, door handles, power and light point positions and kitchen joinery cabinets will depend on the stage of the building work completed. 

During the building stage, changes to major components such as windows and doors, wall positions or ceiling heights will not be possible.

Your Certificate of Occupancy is provided by the ACT government. The certificate will be issued after all of the plans, forms and certificates are completed and signed by the owners, builder and the building certifier.

Fixed Price Extensions will manage all of the documents required to be lodged for the release of the Certificate of Occupancy. The Certificate will be sent via electronic mail and by post. 

If you are unhappy with the progress, or a particular component/item during any stage of the project, our team will work to rectify any work or services that are either not compliant, do not meet building codes/standards, or differ significantly from your expectations. 

If you are still unsatisfied while the work meets our high standards, our team will work with you to reach a mutually positive outcome.

We will walk through the completed project together once all stages are complete. The final progress payment invoice is not issued until you are fully satisfied.

The building will have a seven year structural guarantee. The guarantee is provided on the structural elements of the building’s foundations, footings, floor structure, wall frames and roof frames.

The building will also have a two year non-structural guarantee. This guarantee is provided on components including, painting, interior and exterior doors and windows, tilling, flooring, kitchen cabinets, exterior wall options and heating and cooling. 

No. Fixed Price Extensions (and our trading company Turnkey Creations Pty Ltd) have a clean record with the ORS (Office of Regulatory Services) Fair Trading in relations to our building works.