Kitchen renovations in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo

Dwellix renovates kitchens in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, from a new kitchen within the existing room to one opened up to your living area. A non-structural kitchen renovation may not need a building permit, but the plumbing, gas and electrical work is still regulated. Here is what applies in Victoria.

Key facts

Building permit: a non-structural kitchen renovation may not need one, but only if every Schedule 3 condition is met. (Building Regulations 2018)

Opening up: removing a load-bearing wall needs a building permit and a registered builder. (Building Regulations 2018; Consumer Affairs Victoria)

Asbestos: in homes built before 1990, walls, splashbacks and vinyl flooring may contain asbestos. (WorkSafe Victoria)

Licensed trades: plumbing, gas and electrical work is done by licensed tradespeople, who provide compliance certificates. (BPC; Energy Safe Victoria)

Sources: Building Regulations 2018; Consumer Affairs Victoria; Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC); WorkSafe Victoria. All checked 8 October 2026.

Do you need a building permit for a kitchen renovation?

Not necessarily. A non-structural kitchen renovation may not need a building permit under Schedule 3 of the Building Regulations 2018, but only if every condition is met:

no adverse effect on structural soundness or safety;
no change to floor area or height;
no footing or underpinning work;
no removing or altering of elements that support other parts of the building;
nothing projecting beyond the street alignment;
no effect on essential safety measures; and
the building isn’t on the Victorian Heritage Register.

If your renovation meets them all and your building surveyor confirms, it may not need a building permit. See building permits for renovations.

If your project needs a building permit, we handle the permit process for you. You formally appoint the building surveyor, and we can recommend one and manage everything with them.

Sources: Building Regulations 2018; BPC. Both checked 8 October 2026.

What if you open the kitchen to the living area?

Then you’re removing or altering a wall. If it’s load-bearing, the work needs a building permit and a registered builder, whatever it costs. Moving walls can also change whether the rest of the kitchen work needs a permit. See wall removal and layout reconfiguration.

Where structural design is needed, we coordinate a suitably qualified external engineer. Engineering scope, costs and responsibilities are confirmed for each project.

Sources: Building Regulations 2018; Consumer Affairs Victoria. Both checked 8 October 2026.

Which certificates will you receive?

That depends on the plumbing, gas and electrical work involved.

Plumbing, gas and electrical work is done by licensed tradespeople, who provide compliance certificates.

Sources: BPC; Energy Safe Victoria. Both checked 8 October 2026.

Could your kitchen contain asbestos?

Homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos. WorkSafe Victoria lists walls, splashbacks and vinyl flooring among the common locations, all of which a kitchen renovation can disturb. Only testing by an accredited laboratory confirms asbestos. We engage licensed asbestos removalists where required.

Sources: WorkSafe Victoria; Victorian Government (asbestos.vic.gov.au). Both checked 8 October 2026.

What are the rules for renovating an apartment kitchen?

Tell your owners corporation and check its rules before you renovate an apartment. For CBD apartments, see Melbourne CBD.

Source: Consumer Affairs Victoria, checked 8 October 2026.

What does a rental kitchen need?

If you rent the home out, the kitchen must meet Victoria’s rental minimum standards: a food preparation area, a working sink with hot and cold water, and a stovetop with two or more burners. See investment property renovations.

Source: Consumer Affairs Victoria, checked 8 October 2026.

How a Dwellix renovation runs

Initial enquiry and consultation.
Site inspection and assessment.
Detailed scope preparation.
Quotation and client approval.
Contracts, approvals and permits where required. For work worth more than $10,000, we set out the scope and price in a written major domestic building contract.
Trade scheduling and procurement.
Construction and project supervision. Licensed plumbers, gasfitters and electricians do the regulated work and issue the certificates.
Relevant inspections and quality checks.
Practical completion and handover. You receive the keys, the compliance certificates for any plumbing and electrical work, the certificate of final inspection where the work has a building permit, and the manufacturer warranties and manuals for what we install.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a building permit for a kitchen renovation in Victoria?

Not necessarily. A non-structural kitchen renovation may not need a building permit if it meets every Schedule 3 condition, such as no change to floor area or height, and your building surveyor confirms. Removing a load-bearing wall to open up the kitchen needs a building permit and a registered builder.

Do you do kitchen renovations in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo?

Yes. We renovate kitchens in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo as well as across Melbourne. Send us your address and we’ll confirm whether we can take on your project. The same Victorian rules on building permits, licensed trades and certificates apply in each area, while planning controls such as heritage overlays depend on your property and council.

Can I renovate my apartment kitchen in Melbourne?

Yes. Tell your owners corporation and check its rules before you renovate an apartment.

What does a rental property kitchen need in Victoria?

Victoria’s rental minimum standards require a food preparation area, a working sink with hot and cold water, and a stovetop with two or more burners. From 25 November 2025, a rental property must meet the minimum standards before it is advertised, and before the renter moves in.

Start your kitchen renovation

We are registered with the BPC: CDB-U 102264. Enquire about your kitchen, or email sales@dwellix.com.au.

General information only, checked 8 October 2026. Rules change; confirm requirements for your property with your building surveyor or council.