0%
High-end residential construction — Melbourne
How We Work
Every project starts with your brief. We take the time to grasp your priorities, budget and site conditions, so the decisions made early set the whole build up for success.
We work shoulder to shoulder with your architect, engineer and consultants — testing design against cost and buildability so the vision is achievable without compromise.
Construction run with discipline — tight control over detail, programme and quality at every stage, from the first set-out to the final coat.
Handover isn't the end. We stay involved after completion, backing our workmanship and making sure your home keeps performing the way it was built to.
Stages of Construction
0% COMPLETE
About Us
Est. on site — Joey & James, 2012
Directors Joey and James first worked side by side as carpenters in 2012, honing their craft and building a strong foundation in residential construction.
During those early years, Joey completed his carpentry apprenticeship under James' guidance — a professional partnership built on respect, shared standards, and a commitment to doing things properly. As time went on, so did our ambitions. With years of hands-on experience behind us, we naturally progressed into managing construction packages and taking on greater responsibility across multiple projects.
We are passionate about preserving character while delivering modern functionality. Heritage projects demand patience, precision, and a deep appreciation for detail — qualities that define our work. From intricate finishes to structural restoration, we take pride in respecting a home's history while carefully bringing it into the present.
Above all, we believe in delivering what our clients truly want. Every project is approached with open communication, transparency, and craftsmanship you can see in the finished product.
We've built strong relationships with architects, engineers and consultants across Melbourne — so whether it's a complex structural challenge, a heritage overlay or a fully architect-designed new build, there is no job we can't handle. FD Built is fully CDB-U licensed and insured, giving our clients complete confidence from contract to handover.
FD Built isn't just about construction — it's about detail, trust, and building spaces that stand the test of time.
Uncompromising workmanship and attention to detail.
Delivering projects within agreed schedules.
Disciplined cost management without sacrificing standards.
Contact
Tell us about your project — renovation, extension or new build — and we'll come back to you with next steps.
Studios, granny flats & small second dwellings — designed and built across metropolitan Melbourne.
Four resolved designs from 32 m² to 60 m²
No planning permit in most cases*
FD Built Pty Ltd — registered builder
Metropolitan Melbourne
* Subject to zoning, overlays, covenants and site conditions.
About FD Studio
FD Studio is the small-dwelling division of FD Built Pty Ltd. We design and build backyard studios, granny flats and small second dwellings across Melbourne: compact, self-contained homes that add space, flexibility and value to the property you already own.
Every FD Studio is delivered by the same team behind FD Built's heritage renovations and high-end residential projects. Directors Joey and James started on the tools together as carpenters in 2012, and that background still shapes how we build: properly framed, carefully detailed and finished to last.
Our range of resolved designs takes the guesswork out of building small. Each layout makes every square metre count, with natural light, smart storage and a full kitchen, bathroom and laundry — while leaving room to make the finishes your own. One clear process from site review to handover, with the warranty and accountability of a registered builder behind it.
Multigenerational living — close to home but independent.
A studio or office at the bottom of the garden.
A long-term rental on land you already own.
The Range
Studio · 1 bathroom & laundry · 7.6 × 4.2 m
Our most compact design. One open living and sleeping space opens to the garden through a full-height sliding door, with a galley kitchen along the rear wall and a combined bathroom and laundry tucked behind the entry. Small enough to fit most suburban backyards and big enough to live in properly.
1 bedroom · 1 bathroom & laundry · 9.0 × 5.0 m
The Courtyard separates living from sleeping. A generous kitchen with island bench and dining opens through a wide slider onto its own private courtyard, while the bedroom and bathroom sit quietly at the other end of the plan. A complete one-bedroom home in 45 square metres.
2 bedrooms · 1 bathroom & laundry · 10.0 × 6.0 m
The Garden uses the full 60 square metres allowed for a small second dwelling. Two bedrooms with built-in robes sit on one side, a central bathroom and laundry in the middle, and an open kitchen, living and dining room on the other — wrapped in glass on its garden side.
2 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms & laundry · 11.0 × 5.4 m
The Residence places a bedroom at each end of the plan, each with its own bathroom, either side of a central kitchen and living space. It gives two occupants real privacy, which suits shared living, a parent with a live-in carer, or a premium rental.
Know the Rules
Since December 2023, Victorians can build a small second dwelling of up to 60 m² on most residential lots without a planning permit. All four FD Studio designs are planned to fit within these rules.
Total floor area measured to the outside of external walls, including all roofed areas such as verandahs and decks.
In most cases a planning permit is not required. Some overlays, vegetation controls and covenants can change this.
A building permit is always required. FD Studio arranges the building surveyor as part of pre-construction.
The dwelling stays on the same title as the main home and cannot be sold separately.
Family, tenants or guests, short or long term. The owner does not need to live on the property.
Must include its own kitchen, bathroom, toilet and laundry. Every FD Studio design does.
One small second dwelling per lot. A second requires a planning permit.
Must sit behind the front wall of the existing home, with standard setbacks, its own private open space and a clear path from the street.
Cannot connect to reticulated gas. FD Studio homes are all-electric as standard. No car parking is required.
FD Studio also designs and builds larger second dwellings and garage or outbuilding conversions through the planning permit pathway. We review your site and advise on the right approach before you commit.
Summary only, current as at October 2026. Source: Building and Plumbing Commission (Vic), "Small second dwellings". Every site is assessed individually during pre-construction.
How It Works
Tell us about your property, the design you're considering, your timing and your budget. We check zoning, overlays, access and services, and let you know whether it makes sense to move to pre-construction.
Pre-construction runs across three milestones, each with its own payment, so you know exactly where the project stands before committing to build.
We inspect access, services, levels, trees and setbacks, then outline site requirements and indicative site-specific pricing.
We confirm the position of your home and arrange survey, soil test, engineering, energy rating and documentation, and you select your finishes.
We finalise the scope, fixed price and building contract, ready for the building permit.
The fixed-price domestic building contract is signed, Domestic Building Insurance is issued and the building permit is obtained before any work starts on site.
Joey or James meets you on your property to walk through set-out, access, protection of your existing home and garden, and the program. You have one point of contact from start to finish.
Your home is built on site by FD Built's own carpenters and trusted trades. Updates and photographs at base, frame, lock-up, fixing and completion stages keep you across what's done and what's next.
We walk through the finished home together and attend to anything that needs it. Once the final inspection and occupancy requirements are complete, you receive your keys, warranties and home information.
Make It Yours
We work with you to select finishes that suit your taste, budget and everyday life, from cladding and flooring to cabinetry and tapware. Our shortlist gives you a clear starting point and room to make the home your own.
The final palette is confirmed during pre-construction and depends on product availability. Swatches are indicative only.
Scope
The starting price covers the standard FD Studio home. Site-specific work is assessed separately, because every property is different.
These depend on your land: site preparation and excavation, additional footings or piers, service connections and any supply upgrade, retaining walls, bushfire (BAL) requirements, restricted access or crane hire, tree protection, and specialist reports or authority fees. We review them during pre-construction so you understand the likely total project cost before committing to build.
Get Started
Send us your address and the design you're interested in, and we'll come back to you with a first view of your site. Construction places are limited and allocated as projects become ready to build, so tell us early if your timing matters.
Start an enquiry