House Extensions in Prospect
Five kilometres north
Prospect is an inner northern suburb about 5 kilometres north of the Adelaide centre, in the City of Prospect, which takes its name. It covers about five-sevenths of the council area. Main North Road marks the east, the Gawler railway line the west, and Regency Road runs through the north. Kilburn, Fitzroy, Medindie and Devon Park are neighbours.
A beautiful prospect
John Bradford received a land grant on 25 July 1838 and divided it into eight-acre allotments. Settlers described the district as well timbered, with waving gum and shady trees, and a beautiful prospect over the Adelaide Plains. Colonel William Light is said to have named it Prospect Village. The council was established in 1872 and the suburb adopted the name in 1944.
Seven localities in the 1940s
In the 1940s the suburb was split into seven localities, including Prospect Estate, Highbury, Dudley Park, Blair Athol, Prospect Hill and St Johns Wood. Older maps show Little Adelaide and Claraville. Streets that were once separate villages can hold different types of houses, so ask your builder to read the block as it stands, not just the suburb average.
Rail and roads
The Gawler railway line forms the west boundary, and Main North Road forms the east. Road and rail noise can matter for bedrooms. Ask a designer whether a new bedroom or living area on a busy side of the block should have extra insulation, and how that would change the price.
Parks and gardens
Soldier's Memorial Gardens is the largest park, St Helens Park has rose gardens and climbing trees, and Barker Garden is popular for weddings. Close parks help families, but they also mean neighbours. Ask each builder how they will manage deliveries, noise and shared fences, and ask them to tell your neighbours before the digger arrives.
Schools and the Oval
Prospect Primary School, Prospect North Primary School and Rosary School serve local children, and Blackfriars Priory School is nearby. Prospect Oval is on Menzies Crescent. An extension that adds a bedroom or a living room for a growing family should be planned around how the household will use it, so ask a designer to test the layout with your routine.
Costs in context
A builder's guide gives $2,800 to $4,500 per square metre all-in for a single-storey rear extension, including design, engineering, approvals, construction and standard finishes, while another guide gives $2,500 to $3,700 for construction only. Neither is a Prospect price. Ask each business to say exactly which items its rate covers.
Before you sign
Ask for the contractor licence details and check it on the SA register. If the job needs council approval and costs $20,000 or more, building indemnity insurance is required under SA rules, and the builder arranges it. Ask to see the certificate, and ask who is responsible for the plans and engineering.
Prospect Village
John Bradford received a land grant of section 373 in the Hundred of Yatala on 25 July 1838 and subdivided it into eight acre allotments. Colonel William Light is said to have called the early township Prospect Village for its views over the Adelaide Plains. The City of Prospect was established in 1872. The suburb sits 5 kilometres north of Adelaide's centre, with the Gawler railway line on its western edge.
Why is it called Prospect?
Settlers described a beautiful prospect over the Adelaide Plains, and Colonel Light is said to have named the village.
When was the City of Prospect established?
In 1872.
What is the largest park?
Soldier's Memorial Gardens.
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