How much does a home renovation in Runcorn typically cost?

Renovation costs depend on scope, structural complexity, finish level and whether council approvals and engineering input are involved. A standalone bathroom renovation sits in a very different budget bracket from a full home transformation with a rear extension. Alps operates on a cost-plus model, which means clients see the actual costs as they are incurred rather than receiving a fixed lump-sum figure with contingency folded in. The most useful first step is always a conversation about scope: realistic budget ranges for your specific project can be discussed from that initial call, without any obligation to proceed.

Do I need council approval for a renovation or extension in Runcorn?

It depends on the scope of work. Brisbane City Council requires building approval before extensions, house raising and most significant structural renovations can begin in Runcorn. Some internal work that does not affect the structure or footprint may not require formal approval. Additional considerations, including flood overlays and setback requirements, can come into play depending on the specific block. Alps advises on exactly what applies to your project before any money is committed to plans, which is one of the main reasons we recommend an early site visit as a practical first step.

Can you help with a home extension in Runcorn if I do not have plans yet?

Yes, and most clients come to Alps Constructions without a finished set of plans. Many come with little more than a sense of what is not working about their current home. Alps can assist with early feasibility discussions, design direction, certifier advice and drafting referrals as required. Starting the structural conversation before committing money to plans means the design is buildable and council-approvable from the outset, which saves time and cost further down the track. Home extensions in Runcorn benefit significantly from that early structural input, particularly on constrained blocks where the options are not always immediately obvious.

What is cost-plus pricing and how does it work for a Runcorn renovation?

Under a cost-plus arrangement, you pay the actual cost of materials and labour plus a construction margin, rather than a fixed lump-sum figure. For renovation and extension work, this model is fairer than a fixed price because scope frequently evolves once a project is underway. Cost-plus means full visibility of where your money is going at all times: weekly itemised invoices, copies of all trade and materials costs and no guesswork about what you are actually paying for. There is no contingency hidden inside a fixed figure, because there is no fixed figure. What you see on the invoice is what the job actually costs.

What types of renovations do Alps Constructions carry out in Runcorn?

Alps handles full home renovations, kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, rear extensions, second storey additions, garage conversions, house raising and build-under projects across Runcorn and the surrounding southern Brisbane suburbs. The business also takes on structural and complex renovation work on older homes, including post-war cottages and brick veneer properties that other builders sometimes prefer to avoid. If the job requires a licensed builder with genuine structural experience and direct owner involvement, Alps is set up for it.

How long does a home renovation or extension in Runcorn typically take?

Timelines vary considerably depending on scope. A bathroom renovation without council approval can be completed within weeks. A full home renovation with a rear extension, council approval and structural engineering input can take several months from design sign-off to handover, with the pre-construction phase covering design, certifier, engineering and approvals adding time before the build itself begins. Alps gives every client an honest picture of realistic timelines from the first conversation, including what the approvals process typically involves for a project of that size and complexity.

Are you familiar with older brick veneer homes common in Runcorn?

Yes. Runcorn's 1970s and 1980s brick veneer homes and post-war cottages are well-known territory for Alps. These homes carry renovation considerations that newer builds simply do not: plumbing and electrical that may need to be upgraded before renovation work can proceed, subfloor conditions that differ from what the plans suggest, and materials that need to be sourced carefully to match or complement what is already there. Paul's experience with this kind of work means these challenges are identified before they become expensive, not after the walls are already open and the options are limited.

Can you renovate a house in Runcorn with a $100,000 budget?

Yes, depending on what the scope involves. A $100,000 budget is workable for a focused renovation: a single-room transformation, a combined kitchen and bathroom update, or a targeted structural improvement. It does not typically cover a full-home renovation with an extension and council approval process. Alps discusses realistic scope for every budget honestly from the first conversation. There is no value in quoting work that cannot be delivered within what the client can actually spend, and no client leaves an early conversation without a clear understanding of what their budget can and cannot achieve.

Do you handle house raising or build-under projects in Runcorn?

Yes. Certain Runcorn properties, particularly older elevated high-sets, are well-suited to being raised with living space built underneath, adding substantial floor area without expanding the footprint on the block. This approach works particularly well for families who want more space but do not want to lose their yard. Alps has also completed work under the Queensland Resilient Homes Funding scheme for eligible properties and can advise on whether your project may qualify for government assistance during the initial consultation.

Renovation Builders Runcorn

Bespoke renovations, extensions and house raising for Runcorn homeowners, from a family team building across Brisbane's south since 2008.

0423 955 267

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Master Builders Member since 2008
HIA Member since 2019

Licensed and Fully Insured
20+ Years Experience

QBCC Licensed

Alps Constructions has been working asrenovation builders in Runcorn and across Brisbane's south since 2008. Paul and Kristie run the business directly, and when you call, you reach the people who will be responsible for your project from first conversation through to final handover. They take on the jobs that require genuine structural thinking: older homes with surprises inside the walls, constrained blocks that need imagination, and renovation briefs that cannot be answered with a standard package. If that is the kind of builder you have been looking for, you have found them.

Runcorn is a well-established, family-oriented suburb about 15 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD, with a housing mix that spans post-war cottages, 1970s and 1980s brick veneer homes and older elevated high-sets. It is the kind of place people choose deliberately and stay in for decades, and when a home stops keeping up with the family, a well-executed renovation is almost always the better answer.

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Alps takes on a limited number of projects each quarter so every renovation gets the time and attention it deserves. Reach out now and we will get the conversation started.

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Why Runcorn Homeowners Choose Alps Constructions

Family-Owned, Directly Accessible Paul and Kristie built Alps from the ground up, and they are still the people who answer the phone. For Runcorn homeowners investing in a significant renovation, that direct line matters from the very first conversation: you always know who is responsible for your project, because it is the same people you spoke to on day one. There are no coordinators, no go-betweens and no one reading off a script.

Custom From the Ground Up

No two Runcorn homes are the same, and no two Alps projects are either. Every brief starts with your home, your block and how your family actually uses the space. We do not apply a renovation formula and present it as bespoke work: the brief we write with you is shaped around what is genuinely in front of us, not what worked for the last six clients.

Transparent Cost-Plus Pricing

Alps operates on a cost-plus model for the majority of renovation and extension work. You pay the actual cost of materials and labour plus a construction margin, with itemised weekly invoices showing every dollar spent. There is no lump-sum padding, no contingency folded invisibly into a fixed price, and no surprises waiting at the end of the job.

20+ Years of Renovation Experience

Paul has been building since 2005 and holds both low-rise and medium-rise builder's licences. Alps has been transforming homes across Brisbane since 2008, with projects that have appeared on Selling Houses Australia and House Rules. Complex, structural and character-heavy jobs are what Alps has built its reputation on.This is not a business that avoids the hard work.

Difficult Jobs Welcome

Where other builders step back, Alps steps forward. Older brick veneer homes, elevated high-sets, constrained suburban blocks and structural unknowns inside the walls: this is familiar ground. Paul's background in structural problem-solving means challenges are worked through before money goes into plans, not after the walls are already open. That depth of experience is the difference between a QBCC licensed builder who can handle complexity and one who discovers its limits mid-build.

Home Renovations Runcorn: What Alps Constructions Delivers

Runcorn's mix of housing ages and construction types creates real demand for renovation work done properly. Post-war homes and brick veneer builds from the 1970s and 1980s are common across the suburb, and many are held by families who have no interest in leaving but have outgrown what the original layout offers. What those homes need is a builder who understands their construction, thinks carefully before anything is opened up, and delivers a result that actually fits the brief. That is what Alps brings to every house renovation project in Runcorn.

Full Home Renovations

For Runcorn homeowners who love their suburb but whose house no longer suits how the family has grown, a full renovation changes everything. Alps handles layout redesigns, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, structural renovation work, indoor-outdoor connections and everything in between, all shaped around your specific brief rather than a catalogue of options. Clients come with detailed scopes or rough senses of what is not working, and Alps meet them wherever they are in that process.

Kitchen Renovations Runcorn

Kitchen Renovations are among the most impactful changes a Runcorn home can undergo. Kitchens in older brick veneer homes are often undersized relative to how families use them today: closed off from living areas, short on storage, and not designed for the way people actually cook, gather and move through the space. Alps approaches every kitchen renovation from the brief outward, not the brochure inward, working through layout, connection and functionality before a single material choice is made.

Bathroom Renovations Runcorn

A well-executed bathroom renovation in Runcorn goes well beyond new tiles and fixtures. Alps handles full scope: demolition, waterproofing, plumbing coordination, tiling, fixtures and finishing, with every trade managed through the build rather than left to the client to coordinate. Older homes in the suburb regularly present waterproofing and plumbing conditions that differ from what the original plans suggest, and identifying those early is where experience makes the difference. For standalone bathroom renovation work that does not require council approval, the process is considerably simpler and Alps walks every client through exactly what applies.

Home Extensions Runcorn and Additions

Additions and extensions are a practical and increasingly popular choice for Runcorn homeowners whose blocks offer genuine room to work with. Rear extensions that open older floor plans to natural light and outdoor living are among the most common projects Alps handles in the area, alongside second storey additions that add floor space without touching the yard. Brisbane City Council requires building approval before any home extensions in Runcorn can begin, and Alps guides every client through that pathway from the outset so nothing is left to chance. Council approvals, certifier input and engineer reviews are part of the process Alps walks clients through before money goes into drafting.

House Raising and Build Unders in Runcorn

Certain Runcorn properties, particularly older elevated high-sets, are well-suited to house raising and building underneath. This approach adds substantial liveable floor area without expanding the footprint on the block, making it one of the most efficient ways to transform an established home. A full raise-and-build-under frequently incorporates renovation of the upper level as well, giving clients a whole-home result from a single builder and a single project. For properties eligible under the Queensland Resilient Homes Funding scheme, Alps has experience completing work under that programme and can advise on eligibility from the first conversation. Second storey additions are another option Alps handles for Runcorn properties where the footprint is constrained but the block lends itself to going up.

Cost-Plus Pricing: What It Means for Your Runcorn Renovation

Renovation and extension work involves unknowns. Scope shifts once walls are opened, council feedback changes design direction, and clients make real decisions as the project takes shape. A fixed-price lump sum tries to account for all of that in advance, which means either the builder prices in a significant contingency or takes on the risk themselves.

Alps uses a cost-plus model for the majority of its renovation and extension work. You pay the actual cost of materials and labour plus a construction margin. Once work begins on site, you receive a weekly invoice breaking down carpenter and builder hours, all expenses outlaid for materials and other trades, and copies of non-carpentry trade invoices. There is no contingency padded into a fixed figure and no guessing where your money has gone. You have full visibility of every dollar as it is spent, and you can make real decisions as the project evolves rather than being locked into choices made before a single wall was opened.

What Our Runcorn and Southern Brisbane Clients Say

Real renovations. Real results. Real clients.

Renovating in Runcorn: What You Need to Know

Runcorn sits roughly 15 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD, tucked between Sunnybank Hills to the north, Eight Mile Plains to the east, Calamvale to the south and Kuraby to the west. It is a well-established, family-oriented suburb with a multicultural community, strong local schools and the kind of settled residential character that keeps families here long after the practical reasons to move have passed. The housing stock is diverse: post-war cottages, brick veneer homes from the 1970s and 1980s, older high-sets and more recent builds share the same streets, and that mix creates renovation work that calls for genuine experience rather than a formula. Alps Constructions works regularly across Brisbane's south, and the housing conditions in Runcorn and surrounding suburbs are well-known ground.

Older brick veneer homes in Runcorn frequently contain plumbing, electrical and subfloor conditions that differ from what original plans suggest. Alps identifies these early in the process, before they become expensive mid-build decisions.
Some Runcorn properties in proximity to Oxley Creek and its tributaries carry flood overlay designations under Brisbane City Council planning rules. These affect design parameters and materials choices for any extension or structural alteration.

Brisbane City Council requires building approval for extensions, second storey additions and most structural renovations across the Runcorn area. Alps advises on exactly what applies to each project from the first conversation, before any money is committed to plans or drafting.
Block sizes in Runcorn vary considerably. Some lots have the footprint for a rear extension without touching setbacks; others are better served by a second storey approach. Alps assesses the options specific to each property before any design direction is locked in.
The suburb's multicultural community includes many families who have owned their homes for decades and are renovating to stay, not to sell. Alps' cost-plus model and direct-owner communication make the renovation process straightforward for clients who want to be genuinely informed throughout, not managed at arm's length.

Alps Constructions serves as builders in Runcorn who know this housing stock, understand what renovation here actually involves in practice, and bring a genuinely personal approach to every project from the first phone call through to handover.

Our Process, Your Journey

Get in Touch

Reach out by phone or through the contact page. The first conversation is about your home, your goals and your rough sense of what needs to change. You do not need plans, a locked-in budget or a complete brief to begin, and there is no pressure to have everything figured out before you call.

Inquiry Form

We send a short project inquiry form to understand the scope before committing anyone's time. It helps us make sure the conversation that follows is grounded in the right detail, and it confirms we are a genuine fit for your project before things go any further.

Initial Consultation

Once we have reviewed your form, Kristie will be in touch to discuss next steps. If the project looks like a strong fit, we arrange a paid site visit with Paul and Kristie to walk through the property, assess what is possible on this specific block and home, and talk through the brief on the ground.

Preliminary Advice, Design and Approvals

We assess the feasibility of your project, discuss design direction and advise on the approval pathway, including certifier input where needed. Alps recommends working through this stage before significant money goes into drafting, so the design is structurally sound and council-approvable before it becomes a set of plans.

Estimating and Contract

Once design direction is settled, we prepare a cost-plus estimate and contract documentation. You have full visibility of costs before construction begins, with nothing hidden in the figures and no lump-sum contingency folded into the price.

Build and Handover

Construction proceeds to the agreed schedule with regular updates throughout. A final walkthrough ensures everything is resolved and the project meets the brief before it is handed over to you.

For simpler work like a bathroom renovation that does not require council approval, the process is considerably more straightforward. Alps walks every client through exactly what applies to their specific job from the very first conversation.

Ready to Transform Your Runcorn Home?

Runcorn homes deserve a builder who has actually thought about them. Whether you are planning a full-home transformation or looking for luxury renovation builders in Runcorn who can handle the complex end of the brief, Alps is up to the task. Alps takes on a limited number of projects each quarter, which means every client gets direct access to Paul and Kristie and the kind of consistent, considered attention that a high-volume operation cannot offer. Get in touch now, with or without plans, and we will help you work out the right next step for your property.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Renovation Builders in Runcorn

How much does a home renovation in Runcorn typically cost?
Renovation costs depend on scope, structural complexity, finish level and whether council approvals and engineering input are involved. A standalone bathroom renovation sits in a very different budget bracket from a full home transformation with a rear extension. Alps operates on a cost-plus model, which means clients see the actual costs as they are incurred rather than receiving a fixed lump-sum figure with contingency folded in. The most useful first step is always a conversation about scope: realistic budget ranges for your specific project can be discussed from that initial call, without any obligation to proceed.
Do I need council approval for a renovation or extension in Runcorn?
It depends on the scope of work. Brisbane City Council requires building approval before extensions, house raising and most significant structural renovations can begin in Runcorn. Some internal work that does not affect the structure or footprint may not require formal approval. Additional considerations, including flood overlays and setback requirements, can come into play depending on the specific block. Alps advises on exactly what applies to your project before any money is committed to plans, which is one of the main reasons we recommend an early site visit as a practical first step.
Can you help with a home extension in Runcorn if I do not have plans yet?
Yes, and most clients come to Alps Constructions without a finished set of plans. Many come with little more than a sense of what is not working about their current home. Alps can assist with early feasibility discussions, design direction, certifier advice and drafting referrals as required. Starting the structural conversation before committing money to plans means the design is buildable and council-approvable from the outset, which saves time and cost further down the track. Home extensions in Runcorn benefit significantly from that early structural input, particularly on constrained blocks where the options are not always immediately obvious.
What is cost-plus pricing and how does it work for a Runcorn renovation?
Under a cost-plus arrangement, you pay the actual cost of materials and labour plus a construction margin, rather than a fixed lump-sum figure. For renovation and extension work, this model is fairer than a fixed price because scope frequently evolves once a project is underway. Cost-plus means full visibility of where your money is going at all times: weekly itemised invoices, copies of all trade and materials costs and no guesswork about what you are actually paying for. There is no contingency hidden inside a fixed figure, because there is no fixed figure. What you see on the invoice is what the job actually costs.
What types of renovations do Alps Constructions carry out in Runcorn?
Alps handles full home renovations, kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, rear extensions, second storey additions, garage conversions, house raising and build-under projects across Runcorn and the surrounding southern Brisbane suburbs. The business also takes on structural and complex renovation work on older homes, including post-war cottages and brick veneer properties that other builders sometimes prefer to avoid. If the job requires a licensed builder with genuine structural experience and direct owner involvement, Alps is set up for it.
How long does a home renovation or extension in Runcorn typically take?
Timelines vary considerably depending on scope. A bathroom renovation without council approval can be completed within weeks. A full home renovation with a rear extension, council approval and structural engineering input can take several months from design sign-off to handover, with the pre-construction phase covering design, certifier, engineering and approvals adding time before the build itself begins. Alps gives every client an honest picture of realistic timelines from the first conversation, including what the approvals process typically involves for a project of that size and complexity.
Are you familiar with older brick veneer homes common in Runcorn?
Yes. Runcorn's 1970s and 1980s brick veneer homes and post-war cottages are well-known territory for Alps. These homes carry renovation considerations that newer builds simply do not: plumbing and electrical that may need to be upgraded before renovation work can proceed, subfloor conditions that differ from what the plans suggest, and materials that need to be sourced carefully to match or complement what is already there. Paul's experience with this kind of work means these challenges are identified before they become expensive, not after the walls are already open and the options are limited.
Can you renovate a house in Runcorn with a $100,000 budget?
Yes, depending on what the scope involves. A $100,000 budget is workable for a focused renovation: a single-room transformation, a combined kitchen and bathroom update, or a targeted structural improvement. It does not typically cover a full-home renovation with an extension and council approval process. Alps discusses realistic scope for every budget honestly from the first conversation. There is no value in quoting work that cannot be delivered within what the client can actually spend, and no client leaves an early conversation without a clear understanding of what their budget can and cannot achieve.
Do you handle house raising or build-under projects in Runcorn?
Yes. Certain Runcorn properties, particularly older elevated high-sets, are well-suited to being raised with living space built underneath, adding substantial floor area without expanding the footprint on the block. This approach works particularly well for families who want more space but do not want to lose their yard. Alps has also completed work under the Queensland Resilient Homes Funding scheme for eligible properties and can advise on whether your project may qualify for government assistance during the initial consultation.