Tradies in the inner north
Oldest houses in the city sitting next to the newest apartments in it. A twenties cottage in Reid on one street, a Braddo tower on the next.
Two completely different jobs, same postcode
The old cottages
Ainslie, Reid, what's left of the houses in Braddon, bits of Turner and O'Connor. Small original footprints that have nearly all been extended at least once, sometimes three times, not always well. Expect old wiring, three eras of plumbing in one house, timber windows that want work, and at least one previous reno to undo before the new one starts. Some streets sit in a heritage precinct, which changes what you're allowed to do out the front.
The apartments
Braddo, Dicko, Lyneham along the light rail, and Campbell. Fit-out repairs, bathroom refreshes inside a lot, intercoms, water getting from one unit into the one below, and common property work that goes through a manager rather than whoever called you. Nearly all strata — so approval, access and who's paying come before the trade does.
What makes inner north jobs a pain to quote
- Parking. Braddo or Dicko in the middle of the day with a ute and a trailer is a genuine cost. If you've got off-street parking, say so on the job post — it's a real selling point round here.
- Getting out the back. Narrow side setbacks and terraces mean everything gets carried through the house.
- Nobody knows what's behind the wall. In a house that's been renovated three times since 1935, nobody can promise you what the wiring, the framing or the drains look like until it's open. Anyone who does promise is guessing.
- Lift bookings and building rules on apartment work. Some buildings restrict trade hours, some want the manager told in advance.
- Heritage rules on some streets. Ask before you assume you can change a facade, a window or a front fence.
Tradies: EPIC and the old Natex grounds sit right on the northern edge, and event weekends turn Flemington Road and Northbourne into a car park. Worth knowing before you promise a 9am start in Dicko.
Suburbs we cover
Acton · Ainslie · Braddon · Campbell · City (Civic) · Dickson · Downer · Hackett · Lyneham · O'Connor · Reid · Russell · Turner · Watson