Homes in Ryde and the Northern Districts
Ryde, Gladesville and Eastwood have a core of Federation and interwar brick homes on good-sized blocks, surrounded by 1950s to 70s brick-veneer and fibro houses. Epping has grand old homes near the station and leafy 1960s streets further out. Over the past 15 years Macquarie Park, Meadowbank, Epping and the Ryde town centre have added thousands of new apartments, so strata living is now a big part of the area. Many older houses are being knocked down for duplexes, and a lot of the remaining homes still have original bathrooms, kitchens and roofs.
Councils and approvals
The City of Ryde covers Ryde, Gladesville, Macquarie Park, Eastwood's southern side and Meadowbank. The City of Parramatta covers Epping and parts of Eastwood after boundary changes in 2016, while North Epping stays with Hornsby Shire Council. Hunters Hill Council covers part of Gladesville and the peninsula. Ryde and Epping both have heritage conservation areas, with Epping's heritage controls among the tighter ones in the district. Low-lying land near the Parramatta River, Terrys Creek and Shrimptons Creek can be flood-affected. Check your Section 10.7 certificate for what applies.
Jobs Ryde homeowners ask for most
Bathroom renovations are the most common request, in both older houses and 2000s apartments where original fittings are wearing out. Timber floor installation is unusually popular around Ryde, where many homes have original boards or want to replace tired carpet. Kitchen renovations, home extensions and custom joinery follow. Roof restoration and gutter replacement are frequent on interwar tiled roofs, and retaining walls and concrete driveways are common on sloping blocks around Gladesville and Ryde.
Councils and suburbs
Councils: City of Ryde, City of Parramatta, Hornsby Shire Council, Hunters Hill Council.
Suburbs include: Ryde, Epping, Eastwood, Macquarie Park, Gladesville and surrounds. If your postcode is nearby, we’ll still look for crew members who cover it.
Common questions
Which council do I deal with in Epping?
It depends on which side of the suburb you're on. Since 2016 most of Epping is covered by the City of Parramatta, while North Epping remains with Hornsby Shire Council. Your rates notice will say which. Both councils apply heritage controls in parts of Epping, so check before changing anything visible from the street.
Do I need approval to replace timber floors?
In a house, replacing floorboards or laying new timber over an existing floor is internal work and doesn't need council approval. In a strata apartment, installing hard flooring counts as a minor renovation under NSW strata law and needs owners corporation approval, often with an acoustic underlay requirement. Check your by-laws first.
Can I build a duplex on my Ryde block?
Dual occupancies are allowed on many lots in the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta if the block meets the size, frontage and zoning rules. Heritage conservation areas and flood-affected land can change that. Check the NSW Planning Portal, then talk to a builder or planner about the likely approval pathway.
My Federation home has an old roof. Restore or replace?
Start with a condition report. If the tiles are sound and the problem is broken pieces, pointing and rusted valleys, a roof restoration can be the sensible option. If tiles are crumbling or the battens and sarking are shot, replacement makes more sense. Ask for an itemised scope so you can compare like with like.