A Coorparoo case study

We raised a 1920s Queenslander in Coorparoo and built underneath it. Here is what we learned.

A first-hand record of one Brisbane owner-builder project: costs, approvals, trade sequencing and the things that did not go to plan. Historical figures, not current rates.

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The completed Coorparoo Queenslander after raising and build-under

💰 The numbers

What our Coorparoo project actually cost

Built across 2018-2020 under owner-builder procurement, this project added 112.5 m² of habitable build-under beneath a 1920s Queenslander on Coorparoo shale. These are the historical figures, not current Brisbane market rates.

$331,510

Total build-under

2018-2020 dollars, 8 cost categories

$2,947

Per habitable m²

Owner-builder procurement

112.5 m²

Habitable build-under

New enclosed lower level

18 mo

From engineer to sign-off

Approvals + build window

Scope context

Included

  • Raise, temporary works, subfloor framing
  • Raft slab on shale (112.5 m²)
  • External and internal frame, cladding, roof
  • Services rough-in and fit-off
  • Insulation, plasterboard, paint
  • Bathroom, kitchen, laundry, polished concrete
  • Permits, certifier inspections, owner-builder course

Excluded

  • Upstairs renovation beyond existing
  • Upstairs bathroom rebuild
  • Fencing, landscaping, garden works
  • Furniture, curtains, blinds
  • Solar or battery systems
See the full line-item breakdown

📚 Read the whole project

Hundreds of pages of free, first-hand renovation writing

Two libraries came out of the Coorparoo build. The articles cover the decisions, costs and approvals in depth, and the DIY guides walk step by step through the work you'll do yourself.

31 articles · free

The articles library

Planning, raising, build-under, costs, approvals and project management - the full case study written up in depth, one decision at a time.

Browse all articles 13 guides · free

DIY advice

Practical, step-by-step technique for the jobs owner-builders take on themselves: wall prep and painting, flooring, retaining walls, paving and drainage.

See the DIY guides

📷 See it for yourself

The Coorparoo project in pictures

From the raise through to fit-out - galleries covering each stage of the build, before-and-after.

See all photo galleries

🏗️ If you want the working files

Optional tools, built from the same project records

Everything above is free. If you'd rather work from the real spreadsheets and templates than build your own, these are the budget model, control checklists and readiness checks from the Coorparoo build. From $79, one-time, instant download.

$79

Renovation Budget System

74 real Coorparoo line items in a project-cost model. Overlay your own quotes, find the gaps before they cost you.

Get the budget system
$149

Project Control System

8-stage inspection checklist plus trade contract, defects, risk and decision templates. The admin layer that keeps a build honest.

Get the control system
$99

Renovation Readiness Framework

Site feasibility, engineer brief, contractor questions and eligibility checks. Test your readiness before you commit a cent.

Get the readiness pack
Browse all tools and templates

One-time payment · instant download · secure checkout via Lemon Squeezy

📖 Recent writing

From the project records

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Free for subscribers

Get the free Owner-Builder Readiness Checklist

The owner-builder readiness checklist (PDF), free for subscribers: eligibility, the QBCC course, the documents to have ready and how to check a licence. Plus short, irregular notes from the project records: a specific mistake, a sequencing call, a budget surprise. No marketing, no posting cadence, unsubscribe anytime.

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