Ballast Point Architects + Builders

15/06/2026

Are you buying a property to renovate?

Most people find out what's actually possible after they've already signed the contract. By then, the budget is set, the excitement is high, and the hard questions feel harder to ask.

A few things worth knowing before you make an offer. Not after.

We put together a guide on exactly this. Link in comments.

11/06/2026

You could clear heritage. Sit comfortably under your floor space ratio. Have a design you love.

And still get knocked back.

There's a third planning rule that most Inner West homeowners don't find out about until it's already cost them months and a design they can't keep. It's called overshadowing. And on tight inner-city blocks, it decides more outcomes than almost anything else.

We wrote about it because we see it catch people off guard all the time. What it actually is, what people get wrong, and how we test for it now before any design work starts.

If you're thinking about a renovation, worth a read before you spend anything.

Most Sydney homeowners planning a renovation know about heritage and FSR. The rule that quietly refuses projects is overshadowing. Here's what it means and how to test it early.

09/06/2026

Everyone's favourite part of the project: selecting finishes.

This is when a home finally starts to feel like the client's own. It's also when our architects quietly become skilled mediators.

The client's taste always leads. But it's our job to weigh what they love against how they actually live. The light in their home. How a material ages. What it might cost down the track. All while keeping their vision firmly alive.

So we get hands on every colour and texture together. Turning each one over. Looking at it in the right light. Thinking about it five, ten years from now.

Tricky? Absolutely. But so rewarding when it all just comes together.

04/06/2026

We're excited to share that Ballast Point Architects + Builders has been named a finalist in the Proptech Awards 2026 in the Open Awards: Planning & Design category!

What makes our 3D consultation different? We don't just render a design. We start by scanning your existing home and building the model from reality. That means when you see your future renovation in 3D, you're seeing your actual space, not an approximation.

It's one of the things we're most proud of, and it's wonderful to see it recognised at a national level.

Thank you to our clients and team for making this possible. We'll share more details about the awards night soon.

ballastpoint.com.au

01/06/2026

This means a lot to the whole team. Thank you to our clients who trust us with their home.

29/05/2026

Buildipedia began as a Ballast Point podcast created to help Australians better understand the journey of buying, designing, building and improving property.

Now, Buildipedia is evolving into a marketplace for property professionals.

In this episode, James Yang interviews our Director, Mat Wilk, about what’s next for Buildipedia, and how it could make professional property services easier to find, book and trust.

Worth a listen.

26/05/2026

Your property might be worth more than you think, and the new planning laws could be why.

Upzonings, Transport-Oriented Development, subdivision potential. A lot has changed in Sydney's planning environment and most property owners in the Inner West and Eastern Suburbs haven't had a chance to look at what it means for their specific site.

We've partnered with Sky Planning to offer expert feasibility and planning advice, so you get the full picture, from what's possible to what it would actually cost to build.

Not sure if it applies to you? Reach out at ballastpoint.com.au

22/05/2026

Zoning tells you what's allowed. It doesn't tell you what's viable. Here's six site constraints that don't show up in any listing and how to spot them before they cost you.

Planning in 2026 is more complex than ever. From TOD corridors to LMR up-zoning, here’s why development sites that look good on paper often don’t stack up — and how to assess them before you spend more.

20/05/2026

Nothing really beats seeing marble in person.

We visited WK Stone and Skheme's Stone Pavilion to walk the slabs ourselves. The scale, the veining, the variation between slabs - you just can't get that from a sample or a screen.

This is how we choose materials for our clients. The legwork happens long before anything gets installed.