How do I get started with a renovation?

Tell us what you are planning, what matters most to you and roughly where you are up to — a short description is plenty. We will arrange an initial conversation to talk through your ideas and work out whether our approach suits the project. If it does, the next step is an on-site assessment. There is no cost or obligation for that first conversation.

Do I need to have plans or drawings already?

Not necessarily. Plenty of clients come to us with an idea of how they want the home to work and nothing on paper. We can review your ideas and the existing space first, then advise what drawings, engineering or approvals are likely to be required. If you already have plans, include them with your enquiry — they help us understand the scope and give more informed guidance early on.

What happens at the site assessment?

We look at the existing space, take measurements, and talk through your priorities and how you want the home to work. We also review the factors likely to influence design, scope and cost — structure, services, drainage and site access. Any applicable site assessment or proposal fee is confirmed with you before the appointment. If you decide to proceed, we then set out the documentation, pricing and next steps.

Which areas do you work in?

We complete renovations and extensions across Brisbane's inner north and north-west — including Paddington, Ashgrove, Bardon, Red Hill, Newmarket, Wilston and Windsor — and across Brisbane North from our base at Eatons Hill, including Albany Creek, Everton Park, Aspley, Chermside and the surrounding suburbs. If your property sits outside those areas, send us an enquiry and we will confirm whether the location and the project suit.

How long does a renovation take?

A complete bathroom is usually 3 to 5 weeks on site and a kitchen 4 to 8 weeks, depending on structural work and selections. Whole-home renovations and extensions are project-specific and commonly run several months, with approvals and structural work adding to that. You receive an indicative program with your proposal, and prompt notice if anything shifts it.

What are the stages of the project?

Three before any work starts. First an initial project review, where we discuss what you are planning and whether our approach suits it. Then a site assessment, where we look at the existing home and the conditions that influence design, scope and cost. Then a detailed proposal setting out the scope, inclusions, allowances, indicative program and payment stages. Once the details are agreed, we confirm the next steps and schedule your project.

Who manages the trades?

We do. Every trade on your job is licensed and insured, and coordinating them is our responsibility rather than yours. You deal with one point of contact from the first conversation through to handover — someone who knows the project and can answer for it.

Can I stay in the house while you work?

Usually yes, and most clients do. For a single bathroom or kitchen we stage the work to keep the disruption contained. For a whole-home renovation it is worth discussing — moving out can shorten the program noticeably, and we will explain the trade-off before you decide.

What happens if you find a problem once the walls are open?

In older homes it happens — old waterproofing, termite damage, wiring that no longer complies. We stop, show you what we have found, and give you the options and the cost in writing before we proceed. No surprise items ever appear on an invoice.

How much will my renovation cost?

Honestly, nobody can tell you that from a phone call, and a builder who does is quoting a marketing number rather than a price. What decides it is knowable, though, and it is mostly four things: whether the layout moves, the condition of the drainage and what is behind the walls, the standard of finish, and how much of the house is in scope at once. We will tell you which of those apply to your project once we have seen it, then give you a detailed written proposal — so the number you get is one you can actually rely on.

Do you charge for a site assessment or proposal?

The initial conversation about your project is free and carries no obligation. Detailed work beyond that — an on-site assessment and a fully documented proposal — may attract a fee, depending on the size and complexity of the project. If a fee applies to yours, we confirm it with you before the appointment, so nothing is ever charged that you have not agreed to first.

How do payments work?

Renovations are run under a written contract with a progress payment schedule tied to stages of the work, as required for licensed building work in Queensland. You will see the full schedule in your proposal before you sign anything.

Can I pay for the renovation over time?

Finance options may be available through the broker we work with, and for a lot of people that is the difference between starting this year and putting it off. They work with renovations, so the introduction goes across with the scope of your project and they are not starting from a blank page. We do not arrange the finance ourselves or give financial advice — we make the introduction and the broker works out what is available to you — and we are not paid for it. All applications are subject to lender approval, lending criteria, and terms and conditions.

Do I have to choose all the fittings and finishes up front?

No. For anything not settled when the contract is signed — tapware, tiles, appliances, lighting — we set an allowance in the contract, usually called a prime cost item, based on the standard you are after. You choose the actual items during the build, and the contract price adjusts to what they cost: down if you spend less, up if you spend more. It means selections never hold up the start, and you can see exactly what has been allowed for rather than guessing what "quality fittings" means.

Can I supply my own materials?

Yes, and we encourage it where it suits you. We supply everything ourselves as a matter of course, so nothing is left to you unless you want it — but plenty of clients enjoy choosing their own tiles, tapware, appliances or feature pieces, and some have access to trade pricing worth using. Tell us early so we can allow for it in the program and set out what needs to be on site and when. Two things to know: an item you supply is covered by whoever sold it to you rather than by us, and if something arrives late, damaged or the wrong size it can hold up the trades booked around it. Our workmanship warranty covers our installation either way.

Can you work to a set budget?

Yes, provided the budget and the scope are compatible — and if they are not, we will tell you early rather than partway through. Where there is room to move we will show you where the money is best spent and what can be staged for later.

What types of renovation do you take on?

Whole-home renovations and extensions, complete kitchens and bathrooms, and outdoor living areas such as decks and covered alfresco spaces. Extensions can add floor area at ground level, as a second storey, or by building in underneath a highset home. Laundries we build as part of a larger project rather than on their own. Substantial renovations and extensions are where our approach adds the most value.

What should we think about before adding an extension?

Three things decide most of it: where the new floor area goes, what it does to the house you already have, and what your block will allow. Adding at ground level, adding a second storey and building in underneath a highset home are very different jobs. Expect design drawings and a building approval, and expect the join back into the existing home — roofline, floor levels, services — to take more thought than the new part.

What size projects do you take on?

Our focus is substantial work — whole-home renovations, extensions, and complete kitchens and bathrooms, usually involving several rooms, structural change or added floor area. There is no upper limit; the larger and more involved the project, the better our approach suits it. If you are weighing up whether yours is the right scale, describe it and we will tell you honestly.

Do you do small jobs and cosmetic touch-ups?

Generally no. We are set up for complete renovations and extensions rather than small repairs or cosmetic updates, which is what lets us manage the whole process and keep the quality consistent. For a small job you will be better served by a smaller operator. If you are unsure which category yours falls into, just ask.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes. AHO Renovations is a trading name of All Hands On Pty Ltd, QBCC licence 15332765, and every trade we engage is licensed and insured for the work they carry out.

Do you help with design and material selections?

Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. We work with you on layout, cabinetry, surfaces, tiles, tapware, hardware and lighting so the selections work together as one cohesive home rather than a set of separate decisions. We also bring practical building knowledge to the design conversation, which is what turns an idea into something buildable. You are never left standing in a showroom on your own.

FAQs

Renovation questions, answered straight

Name: AHO Renovations
Address: Eatons Hill, QLD, 4037, AU
Telephone: 0468 764 064

The things people actually ask us before they get in touch. If yours is not here, call and ask.

Getting started

Process & timeframes

Budget & payments

Services & licensing

Questions that need more than a paragraph

Council approvals, contracts and deposits, what drives a renovation price, and what the character rules mean for a pre-war house — those are written up properly in Renovation Advice & Insights, with links to the Queensland sources behind each rule.

Read the guides

Still got a question?

Give us a call, or send it through with your enquiry — we would rather answer it now than have you guess.

Discuss your project 0468 764 064

Not ready to talk yet? Plan it out first — a few minutes, and we will have something to work from.