Kingsford 2032 · Randwick City Council
Custom Home Builder in Kingsford: How Big Can You Build?
Before choosing tiles, find out how many square metres you're allowed.
Most people come to a custom home with a list: four bedrooms, a study, two living areas, a double garage. On a Kingsford block of 350 to 650m², the planning controls decide how much of that list fits. The number that matters most is the floor space ratio. Get it early and the design goes quickly. Ignore it and you'll redraw the house twice.
Short answer
How big can I build a custom home in Kingsford?
Your floor space ratio sets the limit. The Randwick LEP 2012 maps give each lot an FSR, and multiplying it by the site area gives the maximum gross floor area, with some spaces such as required parking excluded. At about $2,310 to $2,780 per m² mid-spec, a 225m² home costs roughly $520,000 to $625,000 before site costs.
Written and reviewed by Oliver Alameri
Licensed builder, NSW Contractor Licence 487805C · Founder, Buildana
Fact-checked
What FSR actually means
Floor space ratio is the gross floor area of the building divided by the site area. An FSR of 0.5:1 on a 450m² lot allows 225m² of gross floor area. On a 600m² lot, 300m².
Across much of Randwick's low density zone, the mapped FSR sits around that 0.5:1 mark, but it varies by lot and precinct. Check the FSR map in the Randwick LEP for your address, or read it off the planning certificate. Never assume the neighbour's number applies to you.
Height is the other headline control. The LEP height map sets a maximum in metres, and the DCP adds wall heights, setbacks and landscaped area. A design can comply with FSR and still fail on bulk.
- FSR = gross floor area ÷ site area
- 0.5:1 on 450m² = 225m² of GFA
- Check your lot's own number on the LEP map
- Height and DCP controls apply as well
Two houses on the same street can have different FSRs. Check your lot, not your neighbour's.
What counts, and what doesn't
Gross floor area is measured to the inside face of the external walls, over every storey. Habitable rooms in an attic or basement usually count. So do internal stairs on each level.
Several things are generally left out under the standard definition. Car parking up to the required number of spaces. Open balconies and terraces. Voids over double-height spaces. Plant rooms and some basement storage. That's why good designers put effort into the garage, the terraces and the voids: they add living quality without eating the floor area budget.
Definitions have fine print, and certifiers and council planners read it closely. We measure GFA properly from the first sketch.
How much house fits on your Kingsford block?
Send the address and lot size. I'll confirm the FSR and height controls, work out your gross floor area, and sketch how your room list could fit.
0476 300 300Fitting your brief to the number
Say you're on 450m² with 225m² to play with. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a powder room, laundry, kitchen, living and dining fit comfortably. A second living area might mean smaller bedrooms, or a clever upstairs retreat that doubles as a study.
Costs follow floor area. Take the Rawlinsons Sydney base, add Kingsford's 1.05 loading, and a mid-spec custom home lands near $2,310 to $2,780 per metre of floor. For 225m², that's roughly $520,000 to $625,000 before site costs, demolition and upgrades. Every room you add or trim moves the number in a predictable way.
Floor area checklist
Settle the numbers before the design brief.
- 01
Get the FSR and height limit for your exact lot
- 02
Calculate your maximum gross floor area
- 03
List rooms by size, not just by name
- 04
Use garage, voids and terraces wisely
- 05
Check setbacks and landscaped area in the DCP
- 06
Price the house by floor area early
Floor space in Kingsford
What is floor space ratio?
The ratio of a building's gross floor area to its site area. An FSR of 0.5:1 on a 500m² lot allows 250m² of gross floor area.
Does the garage count toward FSR?
Generally, car parking up to the required number of spaces is excluded from gross floor area. Extra spaces may count.
Can I exceed the FSR limit?
Only with a strong justification under the LEP's variation clause, and approval is not guaranteed. Designing within the limit is far safer.
Where do I find my lot's FSR?
On the Randwick LEP maps, available through the NSW Planning Portal, or in the Section 10.7 planning certificate.
Sources and references
Costs are from the Rawlinsons handbook with the local cost index applied; rules and timeframes are checked against the sources below.
Know your number. Then design the house.
Custom homes in Kingsford, 2032, planned around the floor area you're actually allowed, so the design gets approved first time.