Glen Waverley in a few facts
Built in the 1950s to 1970s
Major development came from the 1950s to the 1970s, with rapid growth in the 1960s. Houses went up on large blocks, typically 800m2, built to a generally high standard.
Estates by well-known builders
Much of the housing was on private estates. A.V. Jennings was prominent, and there were estates to Robin Boyd designs and a Merchant Builders project.
Townhouses and towers
Renewal often means subdividing a big block into townhouses. Near the station, the 10-storey IKON complex opened in 2011, and the Sky Garden apartments at The Glen in 2019.
Long-term owners
At the 2021 Census, 79.1% of occupied homes were separate houses and 41.0% were owned outright. 10.2% were flats and 27.1% were rented.
Replacing heating in a big older house
The ACT Government guide says split systems suit houses under about 180sqm, while ducted or multi-head systems suit larger ones. A big family home on one of those 800 square metre blocks may well be on the ducted side of that line, and if it already has gas ducted heating, that's the system you're replacing.
If you're moving to ducted reverse cycle, two things come up. The same guide says old gas ducts can't be reused, and a large house may need an upgrade to three-phase power, which your installer can confirm. Zoning lets you heat the living areas by day and the bedrooms at night.
If the house is in a Heritage Overlay, the City of Monash says a permit is needed for extensions and external structural changes. Check before an outdoor unit or ducting changes the outside.
Building townhouses on the block?
From 1 January 2027 new Victorian homes are built all electric, so new Glen Waverley townhouses will heat and cool with reverse cycle or another electric system. Plan outdoor unit spots at design stage, away from bedrooms in the next dwelling, because EPA Victoria limits how late a unit can be heard there.
Licence-checked installers in and around Glen Waverley who do that kind of work will see your job, and only the one who takes it gets your details. If no one around Glen Waverley takes it within 48 hours, installers elsewhere in Victoria may see it too.
What we'd do
If it were our Glen Waverley house
In a big 1960s or 1970s home, we'd get a ducted heating specialist to check the ducts and the switchboard before comparing quotes. If both need work anyway, ducted reverse cycle with zoning starts to make sense. If the ducts are fine and you only want heat, a new gas heater is still a reasonable call.
