_logo 1
The Harbour Build blog

Tips, trends & advice

Renovating or building is full of decisions, and good information makes every one of them easier. Our blog is where we share what we've learned over decades on the tools, practical advice on renovations, current design trends, honest material guides, and clear answers to the questions Brisbane and Sydney homeowners ask us most. We're a family-run, fully licensed builder, so everything here is written from real-world experience on real Queensland and New South Wales homes, not generic filler. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? [Get in touch](/contact), we're always happy to help.

Granny Flat or Portable Building? What Actually Costs Less in 2026Granny Flats
6 Jul 2026

Granny Flat or Portable Building? What Actually Costs Less in 2026

You've decided you want a second dwelling on the property.

Read more
Popular Interior Design Trends for 2026Design Trends
25 May 2026

Popular Interior Design Trends for 2026

One of the biggest decisions you'll make when renovating or building isn't structural at all, it's deciding what you want the finished home to feel like.

Read more
Renovating a Kitchen: Some Helpful InformationKitchens
14 May 2026

Renovating a Kitchen: Some Helpful Information

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and renovating it is one of the most rewarding upgrades you can make, but it's also one of the easiest to overspend on if

Read more
Flooring: What Types, and Their Pros & ConsMaterials & Advice
3 May 2026

Flooring: What Types, and Their Pros & Cons

The floor you choose for a room plays a huge part in how you experience the space, and because flooring covers one of the largest surface areas in any renovatio

Read more
Choosing a Shower Screen: Framed, Semi-Frameless or Frameless?Bathrooms
22 Apr 2026

Choosing a Shower Screen: Framed, Semi-Frameless or Frameless?

When you're planning a bathroom, the shower screen is one of those decisions that seems minor but has an outsized effect on how the finished room looks and feel

Read more
Raise and Build Under vs Second Storey: Which Is Right for Your Queenslander?Renovations & Extensions
11 Apr 2026

Raise and Build Under vs Second Storey: Which Is Right for Your Queenslander?

If you've outgrown your Brisbane home but love the house, the street and the neighbourhood, the good news is you probably don't have to move.

Read more
Do I Need Council Approval for My Renovation in Brisbane?Advice & Process
31 Mar 2026

Do I Need Council Approval for My Renovation in Brisbane?

One of the very first questions homeowners ask us is whether their renovation needs council approval.

Read more
What Does a Bathroom Renovation Actually Cost in Brisbane in 2026?Bathrooms
20 Mar 2026

What Does a Bathroom Renovation Actually Cost in Brisbane in 2026?

"How much will my bathroom cost?" is the question every homeowner wants answered first, and it's the hardest to answer honestly in one number, because a bathroo

Read more
What Is the QLD Home Warranty Scheme, and Why It Protects YouAdvice & Process
9 Mar 2026

What Is the QLD Home Warranty Scheme, and Why It Protects You

When you're choosing a builder, a lot of attention goes to price and design, but one of the most important things protecting you is something many homeowners ba

Read more
5 Signs Your Bathroom Waterproofing Has Failed (and What to Do)Bathrooms
26 Feb 2026

5 Signs Your Bathroom Waterproofing Has Failed (and What to Do)

Waterproofing is the most important part of any bathroom, and also the part you can't see, which is exactly why failures so often go unnoticed until they've cau

Read more
Renovate or Rebuild? How to DecideAdvice & Process
15 Feb 2026

Renovate or Rebuild? How to Decide

It's one of the biggest decisions a homeowner can face: do you renovate the home you have, or knock it down and build new? Both can be the right answer, it genu

Read more
How to Choose a Builder in Brisbane: Questions to Ask Before You SignAdvice & Process
4 Feb 2026

How to Choose a Builder in Brisbane: Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Choosing a builder is one of the most consequential decisions in any renovation or new build.

Read more
Termite Damage: How to Spot It and What Repair InvolvesRepairs & Maintenance
24 Jan 2026

Termite Damage: How to Spot It and What Repair Involves

Termites are one of the most serious threats to any Australian home, and Queensland is among the hardest-hit parts of the country.

Read more
Small Bathroom, Big Impact: Ideas That Make a Compact Bathroom Feel LargerBathrooms
13 Jan 2026

Small Bathroom, Big Impact: Ideas That Make a Compact Bathroom Feel Larger

A small bathroom isn't a problem to apologise for, it's a design challenge with some genuinely clever solutions.

Read more
Designing a Kitchen Around the Way You CookKitchens
2 Jan 2026

Designing a Kitchen Around the Way You Cook

The best kitchens aren't just beautiful, they're designed around how the people who use them actually cook and live.

Read more
Building Designer or Architect: What's the Difference, and Which Do You Need?Design & Process
22 Dec 2025

Building Designer or Architect: What's the Difference, and Which Do You Need?

When you start planning a new home, an extension or a major renovation, one of the first decisions is who designs it.

Read more
Preparing Your Home (and Yourself) for a RenovationAdvice & Process
11 Dec 2025

Preparing Your Home (and Yourself) for a Renovation

A renovation is exciting, but it's also disruptive, and the homeowners who sail through it are almost always the ones who prepared well, both practically and me

Read more