Guides
Cost & feasibility guides
Plain-English answers to the questions Australians actually ask before they build — written by Struqt's architects.
Written and verified by Struqt’s registered architects · Last verified June 2026
How much does it cost to build a house?
Volume vs custom builder rates, the factors that move the price, and a city-by-city breakdown.
Read the guideHow much does a granny flat cost?
Typical build cost, how big you can go in each state, and where the money actually goes.
Read the guideCDC vs DA: what's the difference?
Fast-track complying development vs a merit-assessed DA: timeframes, cost, refusal risk, and what each state calls them.
Read the guideDo I need council approval for a shed?
Every state's exempt shed threshold, cited to the instrument that sets it, and the traps that catch sheds under the size limit.
Read the guideDo I need council approval for a carport?
State-by-state carport rules, the two kinds of approval, and why placement matters more than size.
Read the guideHow to run a development feasibility study
The 7-step method — planning controls, yield, the cost stack and residual land value — with a full worked example and a one-page checklist.
Read the guideHeritage overlays: what you can and cannot do
The two heritage layers, what triggers approval in each state, the free register to search, and an architect on timelines and the real cost premium.
Read the guideFlood overlays: what they mean for what you can build
The three things a flood overlay actually does, every state's control and free checker, and where the money goes on a flood-affected build.
Read the guideExempt development in NSW: what needs no approval
The size, height and setback limits for sheds, carports, decks, fences and tanks, and the heritage, flood and zone conditions that void the exemption.
Read the guideCost to build a house in Adelaide
Local $/m² ranges and the cost drivers specific to Adelaide.
Read the guideCost to build a house in Sydney
Local $/m² ranges and the cost drivers specific to Sydney.
Read the guideCost to build a house in Melbourne
Local $/m² ranges and the cost drivers specific to Melbourne.
Read the guideHow subdivision approval works in Australia
Three separate gates, not one approval: the planning decision, the compliance certificate, then registration. What each is called in every state, and which body holds it.
Read the guideMinimum frontage and lot size for subdivision
Who actually sets the number in each state, the few genuine state-made figures and what kind of number each one is, and how to measure usable frontage on an awkward block.
Read the guidePlanning glossary
Plain-English definitions of the planning terms you'll meet on a property report.
Read the guideGet the exact cost for your block
These are typical ranges. Run any Australian address through Struqt to see what’s actually possible on your specific property — architect-authored, government-data-backed.