Elegant Simplicity

Martin Kolarik  Home Design
Creating Simply Elegant Home Designs For Your Family
0407 900 068
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    • First Floor Additions in Sydney
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    • Renovating in Bushfire Prone Areas
    • Renovation of Heritage Homes
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FAQ

Martin Kolarik - Home Designer for first floor additions in Sydney

You have questions. Find out my answers to the questions I am asked most frequently by prospective clients right on this page.

What do you do?

I design major renovations of homes, obtain development approvals and coordinate construction of our designs.

Who should I talk to first?

As a designer, talk to me first, so I can advise on all items affecting your property. For instance, your local council’s rules including heritage, bushfire, biodiversity and riparian rules and construction feasibility.

Make sure to get the right professional advice. This means asking your designer first, not a builder or council, whether you are considering an extension or a knock-down rebuild. 

Can I find out if my vision is feasible?

I can advise whether your ideas will meet with Council and/or State regulations and discuss design options that are likely to lead to approval.

Moreover, I can also advise whether your budget is realistic for what you are considering, and then discuss typical timings for design, approvals and construction.

What type of projects do you specialise in?

All of my projects are custom designed because your particular home, property, wants, budget and priorities are all unique. 

My focus is on major extensions, additions and a redesign and renovation of the house to ensure good light penetration, ventilation, and flow.

What will a designer want to know?

Tell me about your long-term plans for your home. For example, whether you are creating a quality ‘Forever’ family home or a home that improves how you live now but will be sold within a few years.  

Then consider what is not working and what you would like to work better. For example, “People do not flow logically from room to room, and we need to improve the lighting and ventilation. We need spaces with separation for noise or privacy, for example, the kids need their own room, or our teenagers need to play music or socialise without disturbing the rest of the family.”

You can take an active role in the design process of your renovation project.

What is a “Brief”?

A “Brief” starts with the above information that I will need to know, then expands with specific details about how your family live in your home and how you expect this may change over time. How your family likes to interact, your hobbies, and whether you expect guests regularly and how you like to socialise.

A description of how you want your new home to look and feel is very helpful in achieving your dream. There is no need to specify the dimensions of a new extension or how to rearrange the floor plan as there are many factors to consider first that will impact the design. 

Call me early in your research phase as it will save you time, effort and confusion.

How much will it cost?

It depends on what you are planning on doing, what condition your house is in and the types of finishes you want. 

At an early stage, I can provide you with a guide as to what your project will cost to build and the fees it will incur for consultants and council. Then you can make informed decisions regarding the project.

This article may help, too: What can I achieve if my home renovation budget is $350k?

Do I need a DA or Complying Approval?

The D.A. process through Council may allow you the opportunity to discuss modifications of some rules if the proposal that you are presenting is reasonable and generally meets the Council’s objectives. 

The Complying Development process is completely non-negotiable. You must comply with all requirements for a C.D.C., otherwise, your application will not be approved.

I consider many other criteria to decide the approval process that will give you the best outcome for your project.

What is required for Heritage and Bushfire areas?

If your property is on Bushfire Prone Land, or in a Heritage Conservation Area, then you need a designer and builder that have specialised skills and experience with these types of designs. The regulations, building products and building techniques are constantly being updated, so staying on top of the latest is a specialist’s domain.

The DA process is the only option for Heritage and certain Bushfire areas, not the Complying Development process.

Can I stage the construction?

Generally, a DA approval will enable the construction to be staged, but there are some restrictions. Complying Development cannot be staged.

Kitchen and bathroom renovations – now or later?

I strongly advise you not to renovate your kitchen, bathrooms or laundry if you are planning a future major renovation, as the future design may be severely limited if rooms have been renovated in a location that is unsuitable and cannot be moved to their ideal position, as you will not want to demolish these renovated rooms.

The best you can do for your home whilst waiting to undertake a major extension or renovation is to keep up with the maintenance, to prevent adding dollars to your renovation budget.

Is a renovation worth it?

We all want to provide the best for our family, especially for our children. My modern, elegant designs elevate your home to a place you will love living in. You will be able to take pride in welcoming your family and friends, because it feels great to call a beautiful home your own.

If you love where you live, renovation can be the best way to achieve a design that suits you personally.

Which areas of Sydney do you specialise in?

I cover the Northern suburbs of Sydney. This means I specialise in the styles of homes and the construction specific to our area. 

I also specialise in the typical restrictions such as all BAL levels of Bushfire, (especially BAL Flame Zone) and Heritage Conservation areas.

I know the Local Council and State regulations so I can advise you on the best possible outcomes for your project. The Councils I work in are Ku-ring-gai, Willoughby, North Sydney, Hornsby, Lane Cove, Ryde and Northern Beaches (Warringah).

What are the best forms of sustainable design?

The most impact you can have on sustainability is to make the best use of the existing structure by re-purposing and extending. 

Creating spaces with good natural light, cross-ventilation and sufficient insulation are all aspects of responsible and sustainable design.

About Us

Accredited Building Designer

Martin Kolarik Home Design your Sydney North Shore specialist home designer. We live here, work here and have done so for decades.

We design extensions and renovations of houses to deliver beautiful, functional homes that complement your lifestyle and budget.

Martin Kolarik’s central design philosophy is modernism for its elegant simplicity.

He appreciates and employs the use of architecture to introduce natural light and ventilation as significant components of the design. This in turn has a positive effect on the sustainability of your home.

Martin creates spaces which are designed to be aesthetically elegant, comfortable and functional which will stand the test of time. He challenges the design solutions to ensure your design maximises every opportunity and the investment you are making to achieve a home that you will be excited to live in.

Welcome

home designer in Sydney

Welcome to my website. My purpose is to help you create a wonderful place you and your family can call home.

It is about listening and understanding your needs and what you would like to achieve. I have spent the better part of my life learning how to create warm and welcoming spaces rather than simply designing houses.

Please have a look around. View the galleries of some recent projects and read the testimonials from past clients.

I have also written many articles on my blog to help you on your journey to creating your dream home. I look forward to assisting you,

Martin Kolarik Home Designer Signature

0407 900 068

Testimonials

A few words from our clients. Read them all in full here

Extremely Happy

The conversion of our 2 bedroom 1950’s bungalow to a modern 4 bedroom house has been an enjoyable journey that completed on time, on budget and with results that far exceeded our expectations.

Jon and Lindley Randle

Lane Cove

Invaluable Expertise

You can see quality in every design detail. During the construction process, Martin's expertise proved invaluable when dealing with council and a somewhat recalcitrant builder.

Dolien and Peter Nicolsen

Berowra NSW 2081

Innovative, highly professional and sympathetic

We wanted to suit the needs of our young family but Martin advised us on how to future proof our house design and meet our needs as our family grows up. We now have a stunning home and we couldn’t be happier with the architectural design.

David & Pauline

St Ives Chase

Fantastic

Martin Kolarik was instrumental in the design and documentation of our family home renovations a few years ago and I have pleasure in recommending his professional services.

Warwick J. Higgs

Chartered Accountant, Wahroonga

Far Exceeded Our Vision

At the completion of the building works, the end result is fantastic and far exceeds the vision we had all those years ago. Martin was able to take our scattered ideas for what we needed in a major extension/ renovation, at all times patiently working with our changing requirements, and deliver an end result that we are extremely pleased with.

Graeme Bradford

Turramurra

Very Happy

Martin's capable oversight of the builders and other contractors ensured we had a trouble free building experience. We continue to be very happy with the result of his efforts.

Patrick and Laura Mooney

A Joy To Work With Martin

Martin is very knowledgeable, organised and professional and it is a joy working with him. He gives every request due consideration, no matter how challenging the request.

Anja & Perry Poehlmann,

St Ives Chase.

Seven years on and still really happy

Seven years on and still really happy I am sitting here typing this testimonial for Martin, 7 years later, and really appreciating this amazing home we live in that is part of the bush environment, as well as providing my family with a very comfortable and modern home.

Mateki and Liam Payne

Hornsby Heights

Exceeded Our Expectations

Martin's ability to understand our core requirements and present answers and new ideas for our project exceeded our expectations. Several design features that Martin presented to us regularly get positive comments from visitors to our home, these comments have come from builders, designers and engineers.

James Douglass J.P.

Lane Cove

Invaluable

Martin has exceeded our expectations during a lengthy design and approval process. His attention to detail and flexibility in being able to interpret our ideas into a new functional space has been outstanding. His assistance during the quotation phase of the project was invaluable and resulted in us engaging a first class builder to complete the works.

Teresa and Peter Gray

Very Attentive

Martin listened very attentively to our requirements and very cooperatively finalised the plan, with careful discussion back and forth. We felt he always took on board our thinking, while respectfully putting his own suggestions.

James and Irene Franklin

Lane Cove

Very Happy

Now that we have lived in the finished product we can categorically state that we wouldn't change any part of the design. Indeed, the only parts of the renovation that we would change are those you weren't involved with!

Michael and Quyen

I Cannot Begin To Thank Martin Enough

One of our main concerns was getting the design through council as we were in a conservation area. Again Martin handled it with ease, going through first time with no amendments! Practically unheard of in our area.

Joe and Sonya La Rosa

The Ultimate Professional

On each occasion I have dealt with Martin and his business I have always found him to be the ultimate professional. One of Martin's strong points, which I particularly admire, is his ability to design to a budget and his understanding of building costs. I feel this is an area of design which many designers are particularly weak.

Mark Newman, Director, Newmark Constructions

www.newmark.com.au

Excellent All the Way

Martin Kolarik was the first person to provide a solution that specifically addressed our requirements. His additional suggestions very much enhanced our living and the value of our home. His unwavering commitment continued until the last paperwork was done, long after the final fee was paid.

Ross & Daphne Bishop

West Pymble

Gallery

where to focus spending during major home renovation
where to focus spending during major home renovation

Contact Us

If you are considering undertaking a major renovation project, use the form below to get in touch with us:

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Service Area

We service the following area in Sydney’s north:


Home Designers Sydney | Home Extensions & Renovation | House Additions & First Floor Additions Sydney

3 Valley Park Crescent, North Turramurra NSW 2074

Phone: (02) 9449 1109

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