Educate by Alkira Constructions

Educate

Expert Insights and Resources

Welcome to Alkira Constructions’ Educate page, where we provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions about building and extending your home. Access our expert white papers covering key aspects of second dwellings and home design in Cairns’s unique environment.

10 Design Tips for External Abodes

10 Design Tips for Second Dwellings and Studios in Cairns

Discover essential design strategies for creating functional and stylish second dwellings or studios in Cairns. This guide covers climate-friendly construction, passive cooling, smart space-saving solutions and compliance with local regulations.

Whether you’re planning a granny flat, home office, or artist’s studios, these expert tips will help you build a comfortable and efficient space.

Alkira Abodes - 5 Benefits of adding a second dwelling

5 Benefits of Adding a Second Dwelling to Your Property

Thinking about expanding your living space? Learn how a second dwelling or studio can enhance your lifestyle, increase property value, and even generate rental income.

This guide explores the flexibility, financial benefits, and outdoor living advantages of adding an external abode to your Cairns home.

5 Key considerations for garage conversions in Cairns

5 Key Considerations for Garage Conversions in Cairns

Thinking about converting your garage into a usable living space? This guide walks you through the five most important factors to consider – from council approvals to insulation, electrical setup, and seamless design integration.

Whether it’s a home office, gym, or rental studio, get expert tips to turn your garage into a valuable extension of your home.

5 Most common mistakes to avoid when renovating

5 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Renovating

Renovations can be exciting, but costly missteps can derail your plans. This guide highlights five common renovation mistakes, including skipping permits, underestimating your budget, and selecting the wrong builder.

Avoid the pitfalls and set your project up for success with practical, real-world advice from renovation experts.

5 Ways to prepare your finances for your renovation

5 Ways to Prepare Your Finances for Your Renovation

Proper financial planning can make or break your renovation. This guide helps you understand how to prioritise spending, plan for contingencies, and secure the right kind of funding, whether you’re self-financing or applying for a loan.

Get smarter about your renovation budget and avoid hidden costs with these five essential tips.

7 Questions to ask before engaging a builder

7 Questions to Ask Before Engaging a Builder

Choosing the right builder starts with asking the right questions. This guide covers key topics like licensing, experience, communication, and cost transparency, so you can make an informed decision with confidence.

If you’re planning a build or renovation in Cairns, this checklist is a must-read before signing a contract.

10 Reasons to choose Alkira Constructions

10 Reasons to Choose Alkira Constructions

Why do Cairns homeowners choose Alkira? This guide outlines ten reasons – from our award-winning builds and personalised service to our deep community ties and sustainable practices.

Discover what sets us apart and learn how we bring your renovation dreams to life.

Your vision, our mission.

Get started with Alkira Constructions.

Testimonials

John and Claire were absolutely great to deal with when adding extra bedrooms to my house and completely renovating downstairs. John went the extra mile to make sure we were happy. John’s team were always great to deal with and always kept my house looking clean and tidy – not looking like a construction site. I highly recommend Alkira Constructions and I’m looking forward to have John over for the next project.

Michael Chenoweth

Thanks John! Helen and I are extremely happy with our new home, and it’s an absolute pleasure to live in. The Alkira team and contractors were an absolute pleasure to liaise with and all had a high-quality standard in their field of trade. We highly recommend Alkira Construction to anyone looking to build or renovate on any size or scale.

Rick and Helen MacGregor

We have worked with John and the Alkira team with the renovation of an investment property and a full renovation/fit-out of the downstairs area of our home to include an extra bedroom, office, lounge room and bar. On both occasions, the workmanship was high quality, and we wouldn’t hesitate to use Alkira again for future projects.

Phoebe Walsh

Thank you John for a job well done. Thank you for promptly responding to our initial query. Your team of workers were excellent and showed impressive workmanship. Their friendly and courteous manner did not go unnoticed. We sincerely appreciate everything that has been done.

Derek and Sarina

John and Claire were professional, responsive and helpful – they were able to provide us with ideas and insight into the renovation process and plans for our home. They were easy to communicate with and always able to get back to us with an answer or next step. They were also flexible when our plans changed, and we would have no hesitation in using them for our next renovation project!

Sophie and Denis

We are extremely pleased with the granny flat conversion Alkira completed for us; it has added valuable space and significantly enhanced our property. Their commitment to quality and pride in their work is evident in the excellent results they deliver. John overcame challenges and kept us informed and ensured final product met high-quality standards. We chose Alkira based on the positive reviews and are delighted with our decision. Alkira were consistently professional and courteous throughout the process.

Leissa & Christian

We called Alkira because you are a local builder.
The planning process was well organised and professional.
We would recommend Alkira, we found you were reliable and easy to communicate with.

Dave & Dianne

Thanks for bringing my Pinterest dreams to life! John and his team went above and beyond and were an absolute pleasure to work with. I cannot fault a single thing about our whole renovation experience. From planning to completion, the entire project was a dream! If you need a builder, look no further than Alkira Constructions!
Absolute legends and a dream to work with! Thank you so much Alkira, you’ve made our dreams a reality.

Charlotte Matthews

Alkira Constructions came recommended for an extension for my unit. Throughout the building process, John maintained excellent contact and nothing was too much hassle. Alkira’s tradesmen and sub-contactors were all friendly, obliging and safety conscious. I ended up with a beautiful extension that I am now enjoying. Thank you! Will happily recommend Alkira Constructions.

Judy Turton

We had our pool deck replaced by Alkira Constructions in September 2019, and it was an easy, stress-free experience! We manage our Cairns house from Sydney, so knowing the renovations were in good hands put my mind at ease. The finished job was exceptional craftsmanship – aesthetically and structurally, all to a tight timeline before our next guests. A great job, highly recommend Alkira!

Isabeau Piskorz

I would 100% recommend Alkira Constructions for any job. They’ve built bars, back bars, bench seating and much more for our Cairns bars, and all the work is top quality. Alkira Constructions always go above and beyond to make sure our bars are looking perfect. Thanks guys!

Andrew Pare | Flamingo’s Tiki Bar & Three Wolves

I reached out to Alkira after a recommendation from a friend. John made the whole process of home renovations to easy, explaining all the concepts and answering all my questions. More importantly, he stuck to his word with price and timelines. Everything ran smoothly and I’m hoping to get John and the Alkira team back for more renovations in the future. Highly recommend Alkira Constructions.

Belinda Lees