What people actually build
Every one of 423,148 development applications lodged in NSW since 2019, broken down by type of work — 274 distinct kinds, from a new dwelling to a farm shed. Each row is what that work typically costs and how many homes it delivers. Sort any column.
| Type of work | Applications ▾ | Median cost | New dwellings | Busiest councils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erection of a new structure most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
92,417 | $450,000 88,558 costed |
303,589 | Lake Macquarie 3,636 · The Hills 3,268 · Central Coast Council 3,163 |
| Dwelling house most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
72,596 | $470,260 69,381 costed |
74,428 | Northern Beaches Council 3,367 · The Hills 2,967 · Central Coast Council 2,831 |
| Dwelling most recent 27 Mar 2026 |
62,131 | $464,200 58,667 costed |
87,083 | Blacktown 4,680 · The Hills 3,821 · Camden Council 2,358 |
| Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
62,078 | $195,000 57,887 costed |
90,734 | Council of the City of Sydney 3,620 · Inner West Council 3,467 · Northern Beaches Council 3,397 |
| Alterations and additions to residential development most recent 19 Nov 2025 |
47,941 | $200,000 44,928 costed |
53,658 | Inner West Council 3,899 · Northern Beaches Council 3,775 · Central Coast Council 2,852 |
| Demolition most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
42,759 | $700,700 41,020 costed |
176,324 | Northern Beaches Council 1,999 · Inner West Council 1,973 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,896 |
| Shed most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
31,540 | $41,250 30,592 costed |
11,197 | Wollondilly 1,376 · Cessnock 1,262 · Albury 1,048 |
| Pools / decks / fencing most recent 27 Mar 2026 |
28,019 | $95,000 26,932 costed |
34,638 | Central Coast Council 1,855 · Northern Beaches Council 1,626 · Sutherland 1,556 |
| Residential Accommodation most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
23,502 | $460,800 22,149 costed |
60,363 | Northern Beaches Council 954 · Central Coast Council 905 · The Hills 850 |
| Garages, carports and car parking spaces most recent 7 Nov 2024 |
19,377 | $72,000 18,605 costed |
24,284 | Lake Macquarie 980 · Northern Beaches Council 961 · Central Coast Council 939 |
| Subdivision most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
18,428 | $610,530 14,098 costed |
49,981 | Maitland 676 · Lake Macquarie 661 · Blacktown 564 |
| Other most recent 5 Nov 2025 |
18,399 | $95,700 13,076 costed |
73,153 | Council of the City of Sydney 1,020 · Central Coast Council 620 · Inner West Council 607 |
| Secondary dwelling most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
18,136 | $200,000 17,333 costed |
25,079 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,048 · Central Coast Council 1,044 · Cumberland Council 818 |
| Subdivision of land most recent 18 Feb 2026 |
18,116 | $575,040 12,894 costed |
82,217 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 746 · Liverpool 738 · The Hills 690 |
| Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs most recent 9 Feb 2024 |
16,179 | $85,000 15,605 costed |
15,487 | Northern Beaches Council 1,209 · Central Coast Council 1,021 · Lake Macquarie 830 |
| Dual occupancy most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
15,507 | $730,000 14,240 costed |
30,516 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 1,238 · Sutherland 1,059 · City of Parramatta Council 821 |
| Swimming pool most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
11,993 | $82,310 11,734 costed |
4,735 | Tweed 757 · Central Coast Council 701 · Lake Macquarie 701 |
| Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
9,392 | $70,000 7,359 costed |
20,249 | Council of the City of Sydney 560 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 326 · City of Parramatta Council 276 |
| Retaining walls, protection of trees most recent 5 Feb 2025 |
8,691 | $192,800 8,285 costed |
15,682 | Lake Macquarie 738 · The Hills 668 · Central Coast Council 460 |
| Alterations and additions to commercial development most recent 15 Nov 2024 |
7,126 | $180,145 6,240 costed |
12,520 | Council of the City of Sydney 1,387 · Inner West Council 278 · City of Parramatta Council 209 |
| Signage most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,518 | $52,412 6,034 costed |
7,802 | Council of the City of Sydney 807 · Camden Council 220 · Inner West Council 209 |
| Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,477 | $245,850 6,281 costed |
8,736 | Lake Macquarie 470 · Wollondilly 404 · Tweed 313 |
| Residential flat building most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
6,361 | $6,235,342 4,806 costed |
335,602 | Woollahra 575 · Council of the City of Sydney 566 · Waverley Council 398 |
| Change of use most recent 17 Apr 2025 |
6,167 | $50,000 4,589 costed |
6,194 | Council of the City of Sydney 466 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 252 · Inner West Council 227 |
| Garage, carport or carparking space most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
5,729 | $146,280 5,549 costed |
3,537 | Lake Macquarie 339 · Newcastle 239 · Central Coast Council 210 |
| Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
5,552 | $86,500 5,425 costed |
2,040 | Lake Macquarie 323 · Tweed 312 · Central Coast Council 266 |
| Multi-dwelling housing most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
5,200 | $1,559,313 4,468 costed |
58,933 | Shellharbour 409 · Sutherland 293 · Newcastle 291 |
| Dual occupancy (attached) most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
5,167 | $935,000 4,870 costed |
10,738 | Cumberland Council 330 · City of Parramatta Council 288 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 273 |
| Advertising and signage most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
4,473 | $82,500 4,105 costed |
5,623 | Council of the City of Sydney 541 · City of Parramatta Council 160 · Inner West Council 128 |
| Hours of operation and trading most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
4,081 | $89,100 1,935 costed |
4,677 | Council of the City of Sydney 1,027 · Inner West Council 170 · City of Parramatta Council 128 |
| Earthworks / change in levels most recent 27 Jun 2025 |
4,079 | $493,281 3,800 costed |
22,434 | Ballina 240 · Northern Beaches Council 216 · The Hills 177 |
| Carport most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
4,065 | $34,194 3,971 costed |
1,059 | Tweed 313 · Lake Macquarie 184 · Mid-Coast Council 172 |
| Dual occupancy (detached) most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
3,727 | $688,837 3,519 costed |
6,284 | Byron 196 · Newcastle 159 · Lake Macquarie 141 |
| Industrial development most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
3,516 | $976,250 2,923 costed |
6,884 | Central Coast Council 164 · Penrith 148 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 140 |
| Commercial development most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
3,222 | $286,000 2,631 costed |
12,193 | Council of the City of Sydney 655 · City of Parramatta Council 108 · Sutherland 87 |
| Supporting Development most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,950 | $80,000 2,752 costed |
1,413 | Tweed 189 · Albury 177 · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council 113 |
| Restaurant or cafe most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,903 | $140,000 1,978 costed |
11,703 | Council of the City of Sydney 777 · Inner West Council 115 · City of Parramatta Council 88 |
| Driveways and hard stand spaces most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
2,729 | $403,700 2,644 costed |
3,314 | Northern Beaches Council 141 · Lake Macquarie 112 · Central Coast Council 87 |
| Minor building alterations (external) most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
2,599 | $154,000 2,485 costed |
659 | Tweed 283 · Northern Beaches Council 146 · Central Coast Council 103 |
| Attached dwelling most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,525 | $429,000 2,367 costed |
8,891 | Council of the City of Sydney 342 · Inner West Council 232 · Woollahra 163 |
| Fences most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
2,442 | $140,000 2,365 costed |
2,027 | Tweed 186 · Ballina 94 · Newcastle 86 |
| Food and drink premise most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
2,372 | $124,139 1,682 costed |
9,697 | Council of the City of Sydney 605 · City of Parramatta Council 68 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 66 |
| Business premises most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,186 | $100,000 1,719 costed |
6,615 | Council of the City of Sydney 175 · Inner West Council 80 · Camden Council 69 |
| Retail Premise most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,166 | $269,500 1,700 costed |
34,459 | Council of the City of Sydney 534 · Woollahra 61 · Bayside Council 59 |
| Shop top housing most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,055 | $5,676,394 1,635 costed |
95,190 | Council of the City of Sydney 234 · Inner West Council 153 · Waverley Council 140 |
| Farm buildings most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,053 | $104,289 1,964 costed |
932 | Wingecarribee 84 · Wollondilly 76 · Tweed 72 |
| Minor building alterations (internal) most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
2,036 | $180,000 1,959 costed |
483 | Tweed 251 · Northern Beaches Council 103 · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council 98 |
| Mixed use development most recent 1 Dec 2025 |
2,020 | $10,210,539 1,395 costed |
151,769 | Council of the City of Sydney 262 · Inner West Council 167 · City of Parramatta Council 150 |
| Office Premise most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
1,904 | $387,183 1,646 costed |
7,070 | Council of the City of Sydney 599 · City of Parramatta Council 54 · Inner West Council 54 |
| Semi-attached dwelling most recent 15 Jan 2024 |
1,892 | $593,256 1,789 costed |
4,916 | Inner West Council 356 · Waverley Council 189 · Liverpool 181 |
| Temporary building, structure or use most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,852 | $45,000 1,396 costed |
1,413 | Council of the City of Sydney 109 · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council 80 · Central Coast Council 59 |
| Semi-detached dwelling most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,646 | $553,000 1,565 costed |
2,380 | Inner West Council 289 · Randwick 262 · Waverley Council 239 |
| Centre-based child care most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,601 | $2,320,120 1,381 costed |
5,966 | Blacktown 110 · Cumberland Council 87 · Canterbury-Bankstown Council 84 |
| Home business most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,590 | $8,500 873 costed |
863 | Penrith 115 · The Hills 111 · Blacktown 110 |
| Alterations and additions to industrial development most recent 26 Mar 2024 |
1,586 | $209,500 1,340 costed |
989 | Canterbury-Bankstown Council 77 · Cumberland Council 77 · City of Parramatta Council 69 |
| Centre based childcare most recent 23 Sep 2024 |
1,525 | $2,000,000 1,236 costed |
7,390 | Cumberland Council 126 · Blacktown 125 · Liverpool 97 |
| Retail premises most recent 1 Dec 2025 |
1,482 | $552,750 1,176 costed |
22,555 | Council of the City of Sydney 280 · Inner West Council 74 · Camden Council 44 |
| General industry most recent 21 Aug 2026 |
1,383 | $441,023 1,188 costed |
50 | Fairfield 63 · Penrith 52 · Albury 50 |
| Educational establishment most recent 20 Aug 2026 |
1,338 | $1,236,907 1,034 costed |
2,550 | Council of the City of Sydney 111 · City of Parramatta Council 70 · Central Coast Council 49 |
| Stratum / community title subdivision most recent 7 Nov 2024 |
1,317 | $828,873 844 costed |
20,546 | Central Coast Council 59 · Newcastle 47 · Northern Beaches Council 47 |
Cost of works is the applicant's own estimate as lodged, so this reports the median rather than a total: the feed contains keying errors large enough to make sums meaningless — the biggest is $1,111,111,111,111 against alterations to a house, and 22 applications state a cost above $1,000,000,000 and are excluded here. Types with fewer than 20 applications are left out, because a median of a handful is noise. Source: NSW Planning Portal — Online DA open API, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.