Campsie at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Council | City of Canterbury Bankstown |
| Postcode | 2194 |
| Typical homes | Federation and interwar brick houses, red-brick walk-up units, newer apartments near the station |
| Watch for | Strata approvals, damp in solid brick walls, overland flow toward the Cooks River, parking around Beamish Street |
| Access | Station closed since September 2024 for Sydney Metro conversion |
Renovating a walk-up unit in Campsie
Campsie has a large stock of red-brick walk-up unit blocks, many with original bathrooms, kitchens and floors. Renovating one means working within strata rules.
- Owners corporation approval is needed for most bathroom work, especially waterproofing and moving fixtures.
- Many walk-ups have no lift, so materials and rubbish go up and down stairs by hand, which adds labour. Ask trades to price access.
- Old bathrooms in these blocks can leak into the unit below. A bathroom waterproofing specialist can find the source before tiles go back on.
- Ask whether the bathroom floor is a concrete slab or timber; timber floors in older blocks need a different waterproofing and tile underlay system. See tilers.
- Many strata schemes ask for the waterproofer's certificate for the new membrane, so keep a copy for the strata file.
Interwar houses and the Cooks River
Campsie's houses are mostly Federation and interwar brick homes on modest blocks, many with original terracotta roofs and timber floors. The suburb falls north toward the Cooks River, and streets on that side drain toward it.
- Low-lying lots near the river can be affected by flooding or overland flow; check your Section 10.7 certificate.
- Original roofs may need roof restoration or re-roofing; see the roof replacement cost guide.
- Damp can show up low on solid brick walls in homes of this age. Read the rising damp guide before paying for injection treatment.
- Paint on original joinery and walls from before 1970 may contain lead, so sanding needs dust controls.
- Old clay sewer pipes in interwar gardens can crack from tree roots. A CCTV drain inspection before landscaping or an extension can avoid surprises.
Parking, shops and timing
Beamish Street runs north to south for about 1.6 kilometres as Campsie's main shopping strip, and parking around it is tight most days. Trade vehicles and skip bins may need a permit to use the street. The station has been closed for Sydney Metro conversion since September 2024, which has shifted bus and car traffic.
The most requested jobs are kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations and floor work. For costs, see the kitchen renovation cost guide.
- Walk-up kitchens are often small galley layouts; keeping the sink and cooktop where they are usually reduces plumbing and gas costs.
- New apartment buildings near the station may still be within statutory warranty periods, so check before paying for defect repairs.
Popular jobs in Campsie
Bathroom renovations
Plan a bathroom around layout, water management, ventilation and finishes before comparing prices.
Get quotesBathroom waterproofing
Define the wet-area scope and investigate water entry before choosing a repair.
Get quotesKitchen renovations
Resolve appliance locations, useful storage and circulation before selecting cabinet finishes.
Get quotesRoof restoration
Understand whether repairing and restoring your existing roof is a sensible alternative to replacement.
Get quotesRising damp assessment
Find the source of moisture before committing to a damp treatment.
Get quotesTilers
Plan tiling around the surface underneath, waterproofing in wet areas and the tile you choose, not just the price per square metre.
Get quotesCommon questions
Do I need strata approval to retile my Campsie unit bathroom?
In most cases, yes. Retiling usually means removing and redoing waterproofing, which affects common property and the unit below, so it is a renovation that needs owners corporation approval under NSW strata law. Your strata manager can tell you what to submit. Give trades your by-laws and any building rules on work hours and stair access.
My interwar Campsie house has damp walls. What should I do?
Find the cause first. Damp low on solid brick walls can come from a failed damp course, but also from high garden beds, blocked weep holes, leaking pipes or poor subfloor ventilation. A damp assessment should test and explain the source before recommending chemical injection or other treatment, and fixing drainage is often part of the answer.
Is Campsie flood-prone?
Some lower streets toward the Cooks River may be mapped as flood-affected or as overland flow paths. The City of Canterbury Bankstown has studied the Cooks River catchment, and your Section 10.7 certificate will say whether flood controls apply to your lot. Check before designing an extension, granny flat or new fence, because controls can set floor levels.