House Extensions in Norwood

The Parade and its neighbours

Norwood is about 4 kilometres east of the Adelaide city centre. The Parade runs east to west through its centre, with Beulah Road to the north and William Street to the south. The suburb is bounded by Kensington Road, Magill Road, Portrush Road and Fullarton Road. Wikipedia describes it as leafy, with streets lined with plane trees.

A gum forest and a village

Edward Stephens described the site in 1839 as a gum forest with kangaroo grass. The village was laid out in 1847 and named after Norwood near London. On 7 July 1853 Governor Sir Henry Young granted the town its charter, and the council that followed is the predecessor of today's City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters, which Wikipedia calls the oldest local government municipality in the state.

Sport and the Oval

Norwood Oval on The Parade is home to the Norwood Redlegs, a SANFL team, and also hosts some AFL Women's matches. The Norwood Cycling Club, founded in 1883, is the oldest club of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Event days mean crowded streets, so ask each builder how they would schedule deliveries around them.

Tram suburbs

Horse-drawn trams ran to Norwood in 1877 and 1878, the line was electrified to Kensington in 1909 and through-routed to Henley Beach in 1952, and the tramway closed in February 1957. We have no figures on when each house was built. Ask a builder to look at the structure of an older house before pricing anything, and to say what they found.

Creeks under the streets

First Creek and Second Creek once flowed through the suburb, but they now run mostly underground in concrete tunnels, and First Creek can be seen only between Edward Street and Birrell Street. Before digging footings, ask whether any drain, tunnel or easement is near your block, and ask each builder who would check the plans.

Landmarks and character

The Clayton Wesley Uniting Church spire dates from 1883, Norwood Town Hall stands at The Parade and George Street, and Osmond Terrace has a war memorial. Ask the council if your home is in a character area, and ask your builder how the design respects the street.

The cost of a second storey

A builder's guide says a second-storey addition commonly costs between $3,500 and $5,500 per square metre all-in, or $2,900 to $4,500 for construction only, and that a staircase adds $15,000 to $30,000. These are not Norwood quotes. Ask each builder to confirm whether the existing footings can carry a second level.

Licence and paperwork

South Australia requires a building work contractor's licence for people who do or organise building work for others. Check the licence details on the public register, and ask each builder who lodges the application, which consents are needed and whether the insurance certificate arrives before work starts.

Gum forest to first trams

Early settler Edward Stephens recalled that the Norwood site was a magnificent gum forest with kangaroo grass so tall that people lost their way between Adelaide and Kensington. The village, named for a village south of London, was laid out in 1847, and its council received its charter on 7 July 1853 from Governor Sir Henry Young. The first horse-drawn trams began running in June 1878.

When was Norwood laid out?

In 1847, with the council charter given on 7 July 1853.

Where is Norwood Oval?

On The Parade, home of the Norwood Redlegs.

Do I need approval for an extension?

It depends on the project. PlanSA has a tool to check, and each builder should confirm.