We design and build the next chapter of
Brisbane’s great homes.
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Stark Builders raises, extends and restores Queenslanders for the way Brisbane lives now.
Stark Builders is a Brisbane design and build studio. The people who draw your house are the people who build it, so every decision is made with the whole project in view, from the first sketch to the last coat of paint. We design better because we build, and we build better because we design.
Our work is Queenslanders and character homes: raising them, extending them, opening them up and restoring what is worth keeping. We have been doing it since 1989, when Philip raised the Fairfield house that is now our studio. You will find our work in Paddington, Coorparoo, Hawthorne, Balmoral and St Lucia.
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Recent renovation projects across Brisbane
Design and Build
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Design and build, from one studio
We design, and we build what we design.
One studio takes your house from the first sketch to the finished home. The people who draw it price it as they draw, and the people who price it build it, so nothing is lost in the handover between a designer and a builder. Most clients come to us for both. Some arrive with an architect and we build to their drawings. Some come for the design work alone.
We build
Queenslanders and character homes raised, extended and restored by our own crew. Knockdown and rebuild where the house has nothing left to give.
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We design
Concept to approval, drawn and costed in our Fairfield studio. Interior design, planning and engineering coordination under the same roof.
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Major Renovations
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Major renovations of Queenslander and character homes in Brisbane
LIFT
Raise and build under
Lifting the house and building a new level beneath it, doubling the floor area on the same footprint.
EXTEND
Home extensions
New rooms, living areas and outdoor space that read as part of the original house rather than an addition to it.
REWORK
Queenslander renovations
Reworking timber-and-tin homes for the way you live now, without losing the character that made you buy them.
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Architectural design for major home renovations in Brisbane
AS DRAWN
Drawn by the people who will build it.
Our designers work in the same studio as our builders. The concept you select is documented for approval and built by the people who drew it, so what you see on the page is what gets built on the site.
DRAW
Architectural design
Concept to construction drawings, by architectural designers who also build.
FINISH
Interior design
Kitchens, joinery, materials and finishes, resolved with the plans rather than bolted on afterwards.
APPROVE
Planning and approvals
Town planning, building approval and the certifier, handled by us so the project starts on solid ground.
History
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Renovating and building Brisbane homes since 1989
1989 · The Stark Studio, Brisbane
1989
Building Begins
Philip’s first major renovation, a raise and build under, completed on his own.
1992
Founded
Philip is licensed as an open builder and starts working on other people's homes.
2006
Incorporated
Sole trader becomes company: FSX Developments Pty Ltd, named for Fletcher, Sebastian and Xanthe.
2018
Second Generation
Fletcher joins full time after graduating in engineering.
2019
Stark Builders
FSX Developments begins trading as Stark Builders, the name the work had become known by.
2026
The Studio
The Fairfield house is renovated a second time and becomes the Stark studio.
Our approach
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How we design and build a renovation in Brisbane
01
Consult
The first meeting is at our studio in Fairfield, and it costs nothing. Bring photos, plans or just the address. You leave with a view on what is possible and roughly what it costs.
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Design
Concept, then developed drawings, priced as they are drawn. If the budget moves, you know at the drawing board, not at tender.
03
Plan
Town planning, engineering, certification and a fixed price contract, all in place before anyone picks up a hammer.
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Build
Our own carpenters build the house, managed by the studio that drew it. Design and build under one roof means no gap between the drawings and the site.
Our Team
Stark Builders is a studio of designers, builders and a site team, run by the second generation of the family that started it. The people you meet in the studio are the people who run your job, and the carpenters on site wear the same shirt as the person who drew the house.
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The team behind your renovation
Fletcher
Managing Director
Kylie O'Loughlin
Architectural Designer
Xanthe Fraser
Project & Interior Coordinator
Michael Welsby
Site Supervisor
Kind words
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What homeowners say about renovating with Stark Builders
Haidi & John
Extend & Dig Out,
Camp Hill
“We had an absolutely seamless and enjoyable experience with Stark Builders from start to finish. From the very beginning, their professionalism, honesty, and commitment to quality were clear. The entire project ran smoothly and was completed on time, exactly as promised.”
Sam & Charmaine
Character Renovation,
Coorparoo
“Just moved back into our renovated home and every time I walk through the door I’m blown away. Huge thanks to the Stark Builders team for pulling off an incredible renovation and putting in the hard work to make the process as smooth as possible.”
Max Johnson
Home Extension,
Hendra
“We decided to pull the trigger and have our home renovated with Stark Builders this January. We have just moved back in and are thrilled with our freshly renovated home. Especially the new kitchen that leads onto our back deck. Absolutely amazing and can’t wait to host a few dinners with family and friends.”
Chevy Black
Raise and Build,
Holland Park
Journal
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Renovation and building advice for homeowners
Outside
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21 Jan 2025
Alfresco designs for Brisbane: getting the outdoor room right
An alfresco is a room without walls, and it fails for the same reasons rooms do: wrong orientation, wrong floor level, no roof where you need one.
Design
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28 Nov 2024
Open plan kitchen, dining and living in a Queenslander
Taking the walls out of an old house is the most common renovation in Brisbane and the most often done badly. What holds the roof up and where the kitchen goes.
Design
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15 Jan 2024
Bay windows: what they do for a room, and for a Queenslander
A bay window brings light from three sides, adds a seat and makes a small room feel deliberate. What it involves structurally and how it sits on a Queenslander.
Common questions
What does Stark Builders do?
Stark Builders is a Brisbane design and build studio for major renovations to Queenslanders and character homes. We design the house, get it approved and build it from one studio in Fairfield. Our work includes raise and build under, home extensions, heritage renovations and knockdown and rebuild.
Do we need an architect before contacting you?
No. Plenty of clients come to us at sketch stage, or with nothing but a site and an idea. We can work alongside an architect you have already engaged, recommend practices we know well, or resolve smaller projects on our own documentation.
How much does a major renovation cost in Brisbane?
Most of our projects fall between $500k and $3m. A raise and build under typically starts around $500k, and a whole home renovation with an extension around $1m. We are open and honest about pricing and provide estimates throughout the entire process so you are never caught off guard. The first meeting includes a view on cost for your house.
How long does a major renovation take?
Design and approvals take 4 to 6 months and construction takes 6 to 12 months for most of our projects. Extensions and restorations are usually shorter. We agree a program before we start and provide regular updates and site inspections as the build progresses.
Do you work on heritage listed and character homes?
Yes, this is most of our work. We renovate homes under Brisbane City Council character and heritage overlays, and homes on the Queensland Heritage Register. We handle the research, the town planning application and the detailing these houses require, and we have been doing it since 1989.
Where in Brisbane do you work?
Across Brisbane, with most of our work in the suburbs around Graceville, Paddington, Coorparoo, Hawthorne and Camp Hill. If the house is a Queenslander or a character home and the project is a major renovation, distance is rarely the deciding factor.
STILL HAVE A QUESTION?
Ask us directly.
The quickest way to find out whether a project suits us is a short call. The next is an hour at the studio.
ONE STUDIO
We design, and we build what we design. The same people draw the house, get it approved and build it.
9 FORSYTH ST,
FAIRFIELD QLD 4103,
AUSTRALIA
QBCC 22698 · QBCC 15229232
MEMBER — MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA
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