Survey first
We read the site, design the levels and the house and then build it. ALTURA and FORMA are both designed by SHORE around the fall of their land.
Sloping, steep and split level sites / Sydney
Sloping block builders in Sydney
We design and build homes that step with the land, so the fall of a Sydney site shapes the plan, the light and the view.
ALTURA / Avoca Beach · Planted Terraces
01 / The proposition
Work with the fall of the land.
As sloping block builders in Sydney, we treat the change in level as the starting point of the design rather than a problem to flatten. A slope can give a home its best rooms, its privacy and its outlook, although it also asks more of the structure, the drainage and the site itself.
We start with the contour survey and the geotechnical report, reading the levels, rock, water and access before the plan is drawn. The house is then shaped to meet the slope in steps, so less of the site needs to be cut away and held back by retaining walls.
Architects, interior designers, engineers and builders work in one studio at SHORE, which means the people who plan the levels are the people who build them. Because we price the design as it develops, excavation and retaining are part of the conversation from the first sketch.
Choosing a builder
What should a sloping block builder test first?
A builder for a steep or sloping site should read the ground before pricing the house. Ask how they will use the survey and the geotechnical report and where the excavated soil and rock will go. Ask too how the retaining walls will be built and where the stormwater will drain.
A single level floor plate usually means more excavation and taller retaining walls, while a split level plan follows the contour and can bring light into every floor. We test both against the ground, the council's controls and your brief before recommending a direction. Our guide to building on a sloping block explains the investigations and the cost drivers in more detail.
A sloping site sequence
From the contour survey to the finished levels.
Much of the work on a sloping site happens below ground, so these are the stages we work through, confirmed around your site and brief.
Survey and ground
Commission the contour survey and the geotechnical investigation of the ground, so the rock, soil and water are understood before any levels are set.
Set the levels
Arrange the rooms across the fall so each floor meets the ground, the garden and the street as it should.
Structure and drainage
Coordinate the engineers on footings, retaining and stormwater, especially where the site falls away from the street.
Approval
Test height, setbacks and excavation against the council's controls, which are measured from the existing ground.
Below ground
Excavate, shore up and retain the ground in sequence, then build the footings and walls the rest of the house depends on.
Above ground
Carry the structure, glazing and finishes through each level to handover and the first year in the home.
Ways to work with us
Begin with the survey or bring a design forward.
On a steep block, early construction input saves the most. We can carry both the design and the build or join once an architect has drawn the house.
Drawings first
If an architect has designed the home, we review the documentation with the engineering and raise anything that needs resolving before excavation starts.
Explore our work
Homes we have shaped around a slope.
SWELL
Dover Heights, NSW
Completed 2026
SWELL sits on a 431 sqm site in Dover Heights where the land falls about two metres from the front of the block to the rear. We designed and built the home, finishing it in natural Cristallos stone and travertine beneath an off-form concrete ceiling.
- Architecture
- SHORE
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
CLAY
Rozelle, NSW
Completed 2022
CLAY rises about two and a half metres from the front of its 148 sqm site in Rozelle to the back. We built the off-form concrete home to a design by Oikos, with arched concrete openings across its three storeys above the harbour.
- Architecture
- Oikos
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
TIDE
Connells Point, NSW
Under construction
TIDE presents a single storey to the street in Connells Point, then the land falls so steeply to the water that the rear reads almost as four storeys. We designed the home and are building it now, with an infinity pool, a cabana and a boathouse beside the jetty.
- Architecture
- SHORE
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
FERN
Balgowlah, NSW
Under construction
FERN climbs from the street towards the back of its site in Balgowlah. Its three levels begin with the garage at street level, while level one opens flush onto the ground at the rear. We are building it to a design by Doroch Architects.
- Architecture
- Doroch Architects
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
BELLA
Clovelly, NSW
Under Construction
BELLA reads as one and a half storeys from Coogee Road and three storeys from the rear lane, because its Clovelly site falls between the two. We designed this duplex and are building it now.
- Architecture
- SHORE
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
FORMA
Drummoyne, NSW
Completion 2028
FORMA in Drummoyne steps down towards the harbour behind raw concrete retaining walls. We designed the home and are building it for completion in 2028.
- Architecture
- SHORE
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
ALTURA
Avoca Beach, NSW
In Design
ALTURA at Avoca Beach is carved into a cliff face, with terraced gardens falling to the sand. We designed every level of the home to step with the land.
- Architecture
- SHORE
- Interiors & facade
- SHORE
Sydney
Sloping sites across Sydney.
Sydney's harbour, coast and ridgelines put many of its best sites on a fall. We take sloping block enquiries across the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, Lower North Shore and Northern Beaches. We assess every site against its own survey, ground and council controls before we recommend a direction.
Questions to bring early
Sloping block builders, before the drawings.
What should I look for in a sloping block builder?
Look for a builder who asks for the contour survey and the geotechnical report before giving a price, because on a slope much of the cost sits in the ground. They should explain how the excavation, retaining walls and stormwater will be handled and who coordinates the engineers. At SHORE that planning sits with the same team that designs and builds the home.
Why do some builders avoid sloping blocks?
Standard home designs are drawn for flat ground, so on a slope they need deep excavation and tall retaining walls to work. A house designed for the site itself can follow the contour instead.
Is a split level home the best answer for a steep block?
Often, though not always. Stepping the floors with the land reduces excavation and can bring light and outlook into more rooms. We compare a split level plan with a single level and a raised design against the ground, the controls and your brief.
Does building on a sloping block cost more?
The site works usually cost more than on a flat block, because excavation, retaining walls, rock removal, drainage and access come on top of the house itself. How much depends on the fall, the ground and the design, so we set those costs out as the design develops. Our guide to building on a sloping block covers the investigations and published cost references.
How is height measured on a sloping site?
Councils generally measure building height from the existing ground below each part of the building, which means the limit steps with the land on a slope. Your planner confirms the exact controls for your address.
What if the block falls away from the street?
Stormwater cannot always drain to the kerb. The options may include an easement to pipe it through a lower property, absorption where the ground allows or on-site detention, which holds the water back and releases it slowly. The engineer confirms which suits your site.
Which SHORE homes are designed around a slope?
We have completed two homes on sloping sites. SWELL in Dover Heights falls about two metres from front to rear, while CLAY in Rozelle rises about two and a half metres towards the back. TIDE in Connells Point, FERN in Balgowlah and BELLA in Clovelly are under construction on sites with a significant fall. FORMA in Drummoyne is due for completion in 2028 and ALTURA at Avoca Beach is in design.
Start with the ground
