Heritage Home Builder Melbourne

Heritage Home Builders, Renovations, and Restoration in Melbourne

For over 30 years, Sherbrooke Design and Construction has specialised in managing heritage home builds in Melbourne, from new heritage-inspired home builds to performing renovations, restorations, and extensions for homes with heritage status. By listening to your needs and ideas and ensuring they align with the unique requirements that apply to heritage properties, we can craft the perfect space that matches your lifestyle.

Previous Heritage Home Projects

Heritage Home Builders

At Sherbrooke, we specialise in creating and enhancing some of Melbourne’s most iconic and character-filled homes, whether that’s building a new heritage-inspired home from the ground up or working within the charm of an existing period property.

Our team has decades of experience in renovating, restoring, and extending Victorian, Edwardian, Federation and other heritage homes that define Melbourne’s rich history. We honour the design motifs, craftsmanship and proportions that defined the era while navigating any heritage overlays and planning requirements that come with these works.

Whether you’re preserving the original features of a heritage home or introducing modern comforts through a sympathetic extension, we bring together heritage authenticity and contemporary liveability in a way that feels seamless and true to your home’s story.

Call Now

WORKING WITH SHERBROOKE GIVES YOU

TAILORED DESIGNS

We work with you step by step to custom design a unique and functional home to suit your needs and lifestyle.

PEACE OF MIND

You have peace of mind knowing that Sherbrooke Design and Construction is a registered building practitioner.

24/7 ONLINE PORTAL

Our Project Management Portal provides you with 24/7 access to your project information via your devices.

AFTER BUILD SUPPORT

We guarantee we will return long after your project is complete with 6-week, 3-month & 12-month warranty reviews.

Our Heritage Home Building Process

Heritage Home Builds Made Easy

Whether you’re looking to build a home with heritage-inspired motifs or are looking to renovate, restore, or extend a heritage home, we’ll look after you every step of the way by providing a complete architectural design and construction service for your heritage home. Here’s a brief overview of the step-by-step design and building process we’ll work through together in realising your vision.

Meet

You’ll sit down with a member of our Design Team to discuss your vision. We take the time to understand your priorities, lifestyle and budget range, so we can shape a proposed scope of work tailored to your needs.

Concept Design

After our meeting, our Design Team will then prepare a draft Concept Design based on our discussions with you. We review this with you in detail to ensure the layout, functionality and architectural style align perfectly with your expectations and are possible in regards to any established heritage overlays or related considerations. If required, changes can be made to accommodate your needs.

Budget Estimate

Once you have approved the design for your heritage home build, renovation, restoration, or extension, our Design Team will prepare a Budget Estimate and preliminary specifications. Our industry experience helps keep your project aligned with your chosen budget. We guarantee our budget estimates to be within 5% of a fixed price* quote/contract based on the information we have from our initial meetings with you.

Preliminary Building Agreement

When you are completely comfortable with the information provided, we prepare your project documents. These will be presented to you in the form of a Preliminary Building Agreement which includes Structural Drawings, Town Planning and Heritage Overlay requirements, Soil Reports and final contract specifications.

Contract

Once you’re happy with all your relevant documentation, you will receive a Fixed Price Building Contract along with a comprehensive specification list for your heritage build. These documents outline your completion date, inclusions, warranties, insurances and permits, giving you complete clarity and confidence.

Construction

Our Construction Manager will ensure your heritage home is built, renovated, or restored in line with the plans. A dedicated Project Manager coordinates trades and materials, while your Contracts Administrator will support you through the selections process and help you with all the administrative detail through Buildertrend. To help bring your vision to life, you’ll also have access to our Interior Design Consultant and trusted supplier network.

After Build Support

We guarantee we will return long after your build is complete. On top of the regulation 3-month warranty review, we provide you with a complimentary 6-week and 12-month warranty review through our Sherbrooke For Life Membership Program. Your Online Client Portal remains active so you can simply log in and place any warranty or maintenance requests which are sent through to our dedicated Maintenance and Warranty Team.

FAQs about Heritage Home Extensions

What does a heritage home builder in Melbourne do differently from a standard home builder?

Heritage home builders bring a wealth of invaluable knowledge and experience to the process of renovating, restoring, or extending a heritage home. Unlike standard home builders, companies such as Sherbrooke have a deep understanding of the unique constraints and requirements that apply to heritage properties, such as heritage overlays and what can or cannot be altered.

We work with heritage homeowners to design renovations and extensions that blend seamlessly with the home’s period architecture. Or, conversely, we can implement changes that provide striking contrast while still honouring the home’s history and related heritage requirements. This also includes managing council approvals, town-planning and heritage-permit documentation. By taking care of the heavy lifting, Sherbrooke produces results that cater to your needs, respect heritage constraints, and add even more character and functionality to your home.

Do I need to check if my home is heritage-listed before starting a renovation or restoration?

Yes. If you believe your home is heritage-listed, you’ll need to confirm this is the case before any renovations or restoration occur. That’s because any home with a heritage overlay will have specific constraints on what modifications are permitted and will require the appropriate planning permits before any external changes can be made.

If you engage with Sherbrooke, we can help you. We’ll review heritage overlays and manage any town or council approvals early on in the process. Understanding these restrictions from the start will prevent issues such as costly redesigns or needless construction delays down the road.

How can I preserve my home’s original Victorian or Edwardian character while upgrading for modern living?

There are several approaches that can be taken when you want to preserve the character of your home while introducing improvements for the needs of modern life. One common approach is to maintain the façade and street-visible elements of the home while modernising its internal layout.

Sympathetic materials (those that harmonise with the look and design of the property) can be used to maintain the architectural style of the home while introducing functional improvements, such as more resistant materials or those that can better insulate your home from Melbourne’s varied climate.

Contemporary living features, such as open-plan layouts, as well as updated kitchen and bathroom designs without altering defining period features is also another approach that can be taken.

There are many ways to modernise a heritage home for contemporary living, and the team at Sherbrooke Design and Construction can help you land on a design that respects your home’s history and any heritage-specific considerations.

What are the typical costs and timelines for renovating a heritage-listed home in Melbourne?

The simple truth is that costs and timelines for renovating a heritage home will vary from property to property. Heritage renovations require specialised expertise and additional approvals, so it’s best to speak with a specialist custom home builder such as Sherbrooke about the types of renovation works you’re looking for.

When you directly engage with us to discuss your project, we’ll be able to provide you with a more accurate estimate in terms of timelines and costs. We’ll provide early cost estimates that sit within a ~5% window of the final fixed-price quote. That way, you’ll know what price range to expect. This also applies to the timeline of completing renovations. Once we know what you’re looking for and account for any heritage-specific constraints, we can provide a more refined timeline of when we expect to complete works.

How does the heritage approval process affect my renovation, and how can a builder help manage it?

Most heritage homes can undergo renovations and extensions, but naturally there will be some restrictions and an extended timeline for approval compared to a standard home build. We appreciate that this process can be overwhelming, which is why we handle it for you.

Typically, homes with heritage overlays will require town-planning approval before any construction begins. The process itself can involve the work of heritage advisors, council reviews, and the necessity for a detailed design documentation related to the home and scope of works you want to undertake.

At Sherbrooke, we provide guidance through this process and will also submit the necessary documentation and paperwork that’s required for approval. And because we’re familiar with council expectations when it comes to heritage planning, we help ensure your renovation project will not be needlessly delayed or rejected.

Can I add a modern rear extension to my heritage home without compromising its character?

Yes, it’s possible to have a modernised rear extension added to a heritage home while still honouring the character of the home itself. Rear extensions are a common option for heritage home extensions as they preserve the front façade of the house while offering a modernised living space out the back. A good approach is to utilise sympathetic materials but still touch on contemporary architectural stylings.

To maintain the heritage character of your home, it’s important that the extension’s design does not overshadow the heritage stylings that are visible from the street. For inspiration, check out the Richmond heritage renovation and extension we did.

What sustainable upgrades can be made to a heritage home without losing its period charm?

There’s a significant number of sustainable upgrades that can be worked into a heritage home without impacting its historic charm. Below are just a few examples of what can be done:

– Improvements such as additional insulation, glazing, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can all be introduced without altering the house’s façades.
– We can make use of sustainable materials that effortlessly replicate or complement your home’s original finishes – something as simple as sustainably sourced timber or recycled bricks are two such examples.
– Other facets of the home, including lighting, ventilation and water efficiency can all be improved upon in a minimally invasive way.

Whatever sustainability objectives you have, we’ll coordinate with you to work them into your renovation efforts.

What’s the best first step if I own a heritage home in Melbourne and want to begin a renovation or restoration project?

If you’re looking to renovate or restore your heritage home and are ready to get started, the best place to begin is by booking an initial consultation with us to plan your build. We’re happy to help you get things started, even if you don’t have specific plans or designs fleshed out as of yet. Of course, if you have any documentation or preliminary floorplans, you can share these with us.

For general initial enquiries, feel free to get in touch online or give us a call at (03) 9594 8400. Once you’ve engaged with us, we can begin work on concept designs, account for heritage considerations, and provide you with a detailed estimate and what to expect from your building project.

When engaging with Sherbrooke, you can rest assured you’re working with a team that’s experienced, passionate, and committed to delivering a heritage project that you’ll love for years to come – that’s why we offer ongoing after-build support and assurance through our Sherbrooke for Life Membership Program.

what our clients love aboUT sherbrooke

Sherbrooke Design and Construction gutted our old house and turned it into a modern luxury home. The very experienced team has done a fantastic job from design, renovation to handover and beyond. They took away the construction stress and delivered the highest quality end results. Not only that, they look after you like family even after the completion of your project.

Hui CToorak

We engaged Sherbrooke’s design team in 2022 and we had a specific brief in mind. From the very beginning their professionalism, care and listening to our brief was second to none. The team from the top down, are highly professional and experienced and they have built the luxury home we always wanted. Highly recommend the team for your next project!

Melanie NSt Kilda

The team at Sherbrooke were extremely accommodating and professional prior to, throughout and after our build. We were extremely impressed by the attention to detail and quality of finishes, and the desire to get things right. In particular, intelligent and harmonious resolution of any issues through the process removed so much potential stress. I would recommend Sherbrooke to anyone considering a new build or renovation.

Robert RMalvern East