For some reason my photos didnt load in the original post! Heres our existing floor plan.

If you have a deck to the rear the size and location will largely be governed by the relationship to your neighbours privacy and access to sunshine. Most councils in Australia will restrict how much you overlook and overshadow your neighbours back garden. Your first step should be to get a survey showing the slope, the heights and the relationship to your neighbours windows and backyards before anything else. Otherwise you are planning a deck that can never get approved and built.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

Hi Ai C,

I had a similar problem for one of my clients whose neighbour built a first floor extension that had obscure bathroom windows facing onto my client's backyard. This was my solution for my client whose block is level, and whose house is very different to yours. A new alfresco area with a skillion roof that echoed the original roof line largely conceals the first floor addition next door.

I wouldn't even consider suggesting a layout for your situation without a survey and a visit to the site to understand the slope, overlooking and overshadowing issues. Without a clear understanding and accurate heights measured any suggestions are a waste of time. Any suggestions may be right, but more likely to be wrong. You should consider engaging a local design professional to visit you and to create an informed design solution based on your individual circumstances.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

Hi AIC, Hasn't your extension and deck been designed by a Brisbane architect based at Ashgrove. I have seen the picture above before and have admired it. I won't mention the name of the architect, but I was pondering whether to ask them to give advice on an extension + deck that I am considering. Are you happy with what has been done so far? Would you engage them again? What aspect is the back of your house ? Did you end up finding any info about neighbours building extensions that overlook your backyard? My new neighours have built a massive house that should have been built on a bigger block. The house has only just been completed. They don't have a deck on the top storey, but it is all glass doors. They got many relaxations - built on fence line, house closer to front of block than all other houses, etc, for the initial build. I can only imagine that they were advised by the certifier that they wouldn't get approval for a massive deck overlooking my yard (as the house extends back 11m further into their yard than mine (on the east side of my place). That is, if it was part of the original house approval. I am not sure how the house was certified with the sliding doors 3.5 metres of the ground going to nowhere - to a massive void.