For Families Who Want Exceptional Craftsmanship Without The Chaos…

It depends.

Your requirements come down to three factors: your council area, whether your property sits in a heritage or conservation zone, and the specific scope of works you're planning. A straightforward extension or addition in one suburb might sail through under a Complying Development Certificate, while the exact same project two suburbs over could require a full Development Application.

For example, a new build or duplex in some council areas can proceed under CDC - but in areas like Marrickville or Lewisham, that same project would almost always require a DA.

This is precisely why the right advice matters before you fall in love with a design. During your complimentary consultation, we'll assess your property's specific location, zoning, and heritage status, and tell you exactly what pathway applies to you - so you're planning with facts, not guesswork.

Most homeowners imagine renovating starts with picking tiles. It doesn't - and that's often where things go wrong.

Here's how it works with Lumiere:

• Initial consultation - We sit down with you to understand your vision, priorities, and budget. We walk the space, assess feasibility, and give you honest guidance on what’s achievable before a single design decision is made.
• Planning & Design - Our team develops the full scope of works - layout, materials, finishes, and every structural or engineering requirement - supported by a comprehensive site and structural assessment. This is where the details that make or break a renovation get worked out, long before construction starts..
• Fixed-price contract - With the scope locked in, you receive one clear, comprehensive agreement - every cost accounted for, no vague allowances, no hidden extras.
• Scheduling - We build a realistic project timeline, sequencing trades, material deliveries, and inspections so there are no surprise delays. You know exactly what’s happening and when, from day one.
• Construction - Our team manages the entire build - trades, materials, quality control, and site management - so you’re never chasing updates or filling gaps yourself. Once building begins, you're not required to manage a thing.
• Handover & beyond - A full quality inspection, a home operations manual for your new space, and activation of your lifetime structural warranty, so support continues well after we’ve finished building.

You'll have full visibility at every stage through our online portal and direct WhatsApp access to Chantelle and Michal - so "what's happening with my renovation?" is never a question you have to ask.

We work across Sydney's Inner West through to the Eastern Suburbs, and up to the Lower North Shore - including Newtown, Marrickville, Leichhardt, Neutral Bay, Lane Cove, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Elizabeth Bay, and Mosman, with select projects as far as Roseville and West Pymble.

If you're unsure whether your suburb falls within our service area, just ask during your consultation - we're happy to let you know.

This trips up more homeowners than you'd think - and it matters, because it changes what council approvals you'll need.

An extension increases your property's footprint - the physical size of your home - and will always require council approval.

A renovation transforms the existing footprint of your home. You might remove walls, reconfigure a bathroom, or completely redesign your kitchen and living spaces - even changing the facade - but the overall size of your home stays the same.

Many of our most dramatic transformations are renovations, not extensions. Opening up the right walls and rethinking flow can often deliver more liveable space than adding four new ones.

Three things - and skipping any one of them is how homeowners end up with an ugly beam through the middle of their new kitchen, or worse, a structural problem they didn't know they were signing up for.

First, know why you're removing the wall. What effect are you trying to create - more light, better flow, a bigger room? The "why" should shape which wall you remove, not the other way around.

Second, understand your home's structure. Every wall is different. One wall might be brick, another timber frame, another brick veneer - and each transfers structural loads differently. The same wall dividing a kitchen and bathroom in two different homes can require completely different engineering solutions, because what's hidden inside - and underneath - that wall is never the same twice.

Third, understand the true cost. Because every wall is structurally unique, costs can vary significantly between what looks like a "simple" wall removal and one that requires more extensive engineering.

This is exactly why we conduct a thorough structural assessment before any demolition begins - so there are no surprises, no unsightly compromises, and no cracks reappearing years later.