Second Storey Extensions in Adelaide
Second storey extensions, upper floor additions and double storey extensions across Adelaide. More bedrooms, a parents' retreat or a rumpus upstairs, without giving up the backyard. One licensed team manages the engineering, approvals, structure, staircase and finish.
More room, same block
A second storey extension adds a whole new level to your home: bedrooms and a bathroom for the kids, a parents' retreat away from the living areas, or a rumpus and a study. It's the answer when the block is tight, or when building out would take the yard you want to keep.
Going up is a bigger job than building out. The existing footings and walls were designed for one storey, so an engineer checks them first, and much of northern Adelaide is on reactive clay. Part or all of the roof comes off, the staircase needs a home downstairs, and services such as plumbing for an upstairs bathroom are routed through the house. We manage all of it as one project, with electrical done in-house by ASP Electrical Installations.
We know upper floors. Our three custom homes at Riverlea Park are all two storeys, with upstairs living rooms, bedrooms, landings and balconies, and the same team brings that finish to adding a level to an existing home.
See the full range on our building & renovation services page, or browse our completed work.
Is going up right for your home?
A second storey makes most sense on smaller lots and in newer estates where there's little yard to give up, or when you want to separate the household, with a retreat or the kids' rooms upstairs. Building out is usually simpler and cheaper per square metre if you have the space. Our guide to ground-floor vs second-storey extensions compares cost, structure, staircase and approvals side by side.
A second storey extension almost always needs development approval, made up of planning consent and building consent. Planning assessment looks at things like height, overlooking and overshadowing, so upstairs windows and balconies are designed with the neighbours in mind. Our guide to council approval for extensions in SA explains the process, and we manage it for you. If you'd rather extend at ground level, see home extensions, and if the house isn't worth adding to, we can build new instead.
What your second storey extension includes
Engineering & Design
A structural check of the existing footings and walls, then a design that suits the house, the block, the zone rules and the way you want to live upstairs.
Discuss your projectApprovals & Structure
Planning and building consent managed for you, then the roof work, new floor, frame and roof, with the house weather-protected while it's open.
Discuss your projectStairs, Services & Fit-out
A staircase planned into the existing layout, plumbing and electrical extended upstairs, and the new level finished to match the rest of the home.
Discuss your projectHow a second storey extension runs
Going up has more moving parts than building out. This is the order we work through them.
- Step 1
Site visit and feasibility
Anthony looks at the house, the block and what you need upstairs, and talks honestly about whether going up suits it.
- Step 2
Engineering check
An engineer assesses the existing footings and walls, and the soil, before anything is designed.
- Step 3
Design
The new level, the staircase position and the roofline are designed with you, with privacy and overshadowing in mind.
- Step 4
Approvals and quote
Planning and building consent are managed for you, and you get a detailed, itemised quote and a timeframe.
- Step 5
Structure
The roof comes off in stages, the house is weather-protected, and the new floor, frame and roof go on.
- Step 6
Fit-out and handover
Stairs, plumbing, electrical in-house, linings and finishes, then a final walkthrough.
Two-storey homes we've built
These three homes at Riverlea Park are new builds, not extensions, but they show the upstairs work we do: stairs, landings, upstairs living, bedrooms and balconies, finished to the same standard as the ground floor.
Upstairs spaces we've built
Upstairs living rooms, landings, bedrooms and balconies from our two-storey Riverlea Park homes.
Why go up with ASP
A second storey is structural work on a home you're living in. We're a licensed SA builder (BLD 360698) who builds new homes and renovates existing ones, which is exactly the mix this job needs.
Want to know more about the team behind the work? Read about ASP Build & Co.
Structure first
Engineering on the existing house before design, so the plan is built on facts.
Approvals handled
Planning and building consent managed as part of the job.
Electrical in-house
Wiring for the new level by ASP Electrical Installations.
One point of contact
Anthony runs the job from the first visit to the final walkthrough.
Second Storey Extensions: your questions
Can my house take a second storey?
Not every house can without extra work. An engineer checks the existing footings, walls and soil first. Some homes need the footings or walls strengthened, and some are better suited to building out or a knock down rebuild. We'll tell you honestly which applies after a site visit and the engineering check.
Do I need council approval for a second storey extension?
Almost always. A second storey extension needs development approval, made up of planning consent and building consent. Planning assessment looks at height, overlooking and overshadowing, so upstairs windows and balconies are designed with the neighbours in mind. We manage the approvals as part of the job.
Is a second storey extension more expensive than building out?
Usually, per square metre, because of the engineering, the roof work and the staircase. It can still be the better choice if it saves your yard or a move. Our ground-floor vs second-storey guide compares published costs, and we give you an itemised quote after a site visit.
Can we live at home during a second storey extension?
It depends on the job. It's harder while the roof is open, so some families move out for part of the build. We talk it through and plan the stages with you before work starts.
Where does the staircase go?
It needs real floor space downstairs, often taken from a bedroom, hallway or living area, so we plan its position early in the design.
Is ASP Build & Co a licensed builder?
Yes. ASP Build & Co holds South Australian Builder's Licence BLD 360698, issued by Consumer and Business Services SA. All work is performed in compliance with South Australian building regulations and the National Construction Code.
Thinking about going up?
Tell us about your home and what you need upstairs. We'll come out, look at the house and the block, talk through whether going up suits it, and put together a clear, detailed quote.