Design for Renovations and Extensions of Queenslander style homes
We are currently renovating this web site!
If you want to know more about our services please email us or call and we'll be very happy to chat.
The Design and Drafting Process
The design and drafting process contains three main stages with us.
You only move on to each next stage when you are ready and confident to proceed with exploring further into your renovation or building possibilities.
Concept Consultation
Concept Plans
Working Drawings
Our history
Colonial Concepts was started in 1993 by Brisbane designer Jeff Topping.
Jeff had already been in his own drafting business for about two years under the name of Orion Building Design, a business still owned by him to this day.
In the early 90's there had been a massive trend of people buying old Queenslander style houses or "Colonials" as they were so often vaguely referred to as by people.
Brisbane was really growing despite having been through a massive recession with the rest of the nation. World Expo 88 prior to that and then the opening of Southbank Parklands had made people relish inner suburban living, and realised living close to the action was what they wanted.
Now that most of the work coming in was for old homes, Colonial Concepts launched, and before long was recognised as the specialist design and drafting business for working on old homes, and now as the children of original clients call for home renovations, they get the decades of knowledge that Jeff has experienced, with the same personal service their parents got.
Jeff was awarded Life Membership in 2023 of H.I.A. (Housing Industry Association) at the Queensland Housing Awards, for which he has been on the judging panel since 2014 for the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers, Brisbane and overall state winners.
Having worked on some of Australia's largest timber building projects such as Twin Waters Resort while still employed by architects, he gained extensive training in detailing of timber. He has also been hands on with carpentry, plastering, plumbing and other building skills while labouring for tradesmen in his younger days.
Jeff was mentored by the olden day builders and taught skills long forgotten by many now, and sadly never known by others.
He is also a member of Timber Queensland which is the peak industry organisation for everything timber related in Queensland and therefore has access to the best of the best when it comes to selection, fixing and detailing of timber in your home.
Colonial Concepts since 1993
J.W. Topping
QBCC Lic No 66031
Building Design Medium Rise