Full home renovations in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo

A full home renovation brings several kinds of work into one project: kitchen, bathroom and laundry, structural changes, restumping and new finishes. Dwellix carries out complete residential renovations in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo as a builder registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC), CDB-U 102264. This page explains the permits, contracts, payments and checks involved.

Key facts

Building permit: needed unless the Building Regulations 2018 exempt the work, and structural work isn’t exempt. (BPC; Building Regulations 2018)

Home Warranty: applies to eligible work valued at more than $20,000 under contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026, subject to eligibility, limits and exclusions. (BPC)

Asbestos: homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos. (WorkSafe Victoria)

Sources: BPC; Building Regulations 2018; WorkSafe Victoria. All checked 8 October 2026.

What does a full home renovation include?

It can combine any of our renovation services: kitchen, bathroom and ensuite and laundry renovations, structural alterations, wall removal, plastering, painting and flooring, and restumping. Because it combines several trades, a full home renovation worth more than $10,000 needs a registered builder and a written major domestic building contract.

Sources: BPC; Consumer Affairs Victoria. Both checked 8 October 2026.

When does a full home renovation need a building permit?

If it changes the structure, it does. All building work needs a building permit unless the Building Regulations 2018 exempt it, and the exemptions don’t cover work that affects structural soundness, or removes or alters an element supporting other parts of the building. Removing a load-bearing wall needs a building permit and a registered builder. Restumping must be done by a registered builder and generally needs a building permit; your building surveyor confirms.

Non-structural kitchen, bathroom or laundry work on its own may not need a building permit if it meets every Schedule 3 condition and your building surveyor confirms. 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. Where structural design is needed, we coordinate a suitably qualified external engineer. Engineering scope, costs and responsibilities are confirmed for each project.

Sources: Building Act 1993; Building Regulations 2018; BPC; Consumer Affairs Victoria. All checked 8 October 2026.

What happens at the end?

Where a building permit applies, the work usually finishes with a certificate of final inspection rather than an occupancy permit.

Sources: BPC; Building Act 1993. Both checked 8 October 2026.

How do contracts and payments work?

Most domestic building work worth more than $10,000 needs a written major domestic building contract. Rules on deposits and cooling-off apply to domestic building contracts. Ask us, or see Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Sources: Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995; Consumer Affairs Victoria; Victorian Government. All checked 8 October 2026.

Does Home Warranty cover a full home renovation?

It can. For contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026, Home Warranty may apply to eligible domestic building work valued at more than $20,000, subject to eligibility, limits and exclusions.

Source: BPC, checked 8 October 2026.

What else should you check before you start?

Asbestos. Homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos, in places such as walls, vinyl flooring, eaves and switchboards. We engage licensed asbestos removalists where required.

Heritage. In a Heritage Overlay, a planning permit is generally needed for demolition, external alterations and works that change your home’s appearance, and the council must issue it before the building permit. Internal alterations generally need one only where internal alteration controls apply.

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

Sources: WorkSafe Victoria; Victoria Planning Provisions, clause 43.01; Victorian Government; BPC; Energy Safe Victoria. All checked 8 October 2026.

Planning a staged renovation

Renovating in stages? Plan the whole house first.

Settle the final layout first, so early stages don’t need undoing.
Start with structure and subfloor. Restumping and wall removal affect the floors, walls and finishes that follow.
Run shared services once. Whole-house plumbing, drainage and switchboard upgrades are simpler in one stage.
Check permits for each stage with your building surveyor.
Check for asbestos early if your home was built before 1990.

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. We set out the scope and price in a written major domestic building contract.
Trade scheduling and procurement.
Construction and project supervision. Licensed plumbers and electricians do the regulated work and issue their 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

What do full home renovation services include?

At Dwellix, any mix of kitchen, bathroom, ensuite and laundry renovations, structural alterations, wall removal, plastering, painting and flooring, and restumping. We set the agreed scope out in a written contract, which the law requires for most domestic building work worth more than $10,000.

Do I need a building permit for a full home renovation?

If it includes structural work, yes: removing a load-bearing wall needs a building permit and a registered builder. Non-structural kitchen, bathroom or laundry work may not need a building permit if it meets every Schedule 3 condition. Your registered building surveyor confirms whether a permit is needed.

How long does a full home renovation take?

It depends on the scope, the permits involved and what’s found once walls and floors are opened up. You receive a timeline with your quote, and the completion date is set in your contract.

What should be on a full home renovation checklist?

Before you sign: check the builder on the BPC register; get a written contract for work worth more than $10,000; ask whether Home Warranty applies to eligible work valued at more than $20,000; confirm permits with your building surveyor; and plan for asbestos in a home built before 1990.

Plan your renovation with us

We take on projects across Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Send us your address and we’ll confirm whether we can take on your project. Enquire about your renovation, 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.