How much ceiling clearance do I need for over bonnet storage?

A minimum of 2.1 metres from the car park floor to the lowest obstruction above the bonnet. The Kookaburra's legs adjust between 2.05m and 2.35m. With less than 2.1m of clearance, the vehicle bonnet needs to sit lower.

Does ceiling height mean the concrete slab?

No. It means the lowest obstruction, which is usually a sprinkler head, water pipe, air conditioning duct, cable tray or light fitting hanging below the slab. Measure to whichever of these sits lowest within the front 2.4m of your bay.

How much floor space does an over bonnet storage unit take up?

The Kookaburra is 2.35m long and 1.0m wide, standing on its own adjustable legs over the front of the vehicle. It does not take up a second parking bay and nothing rests on the car.

Can I still open my car bonnet with a unit installed?

Yes. The unit is positioned to retain normal vehicle access, including opening the bonnet.

Car Park Ceiling Height for Over Bonnet Storage

Q: What if my car park floor slopes?

Sloped slabs are normal in basement car parks for drainage. Each leg on the Kookaburra adjusts independently, so the unit sits level even when the floor beneath it does not.

The Short Answer

You need a minimum of 2.1 metres of clearance from the car park floor to the lowest obstruction above your bonnet. The Kookaburra's legs adjust between 2.05m and 2.35m, so it fits under most residential car park ceilings without modification. If you have less than 2.1m, the unit can still work — but your vehicle's bonnet needs to sit lower.

"Lowest obstruction" is the part people get wrong. It is rarely the ceiling slab itself. Pipes, sprinkler heads, ducting, conduit and lighting all hang below the slab, and any one of them sets your real ceiling height.

A Kookaburra over bonnet storage unit standing open in a basement car park, with white water pipes running horizontally below the concrete slab above it — The pipework below the slab — not the slab itself — is what sets the usable height in this bay.

How To Measure Your Car Park

1. Measure Floor To Slab

Stand where the front of your car parks. Run a tape measure from the floor straight up to the concrete above. Write this number down — it is your best case.

2. Find The Lowest Obstruction

Now look for anything hanging below that slab within the front 2.4m of your bay: sprinkler heads, water pipes, air conditioning ducting, cable trays, downlights. Measure floor to the lowest one.

3. Measure Your Bonnet Height

Measure from the floor to the highest point of your closed bonnet. A hatchback is typically well under a metre; a dual-cab ute or large SUV is considerably higher.

4. Do The Sum

Subtract your bonnet height from your lowest obstruction height. The gap that remains is the space the storage unit has to live in. The Kookaburra's storage compartment is 1.0m deep, and it sits on adjustable legs that straddle the car rather than resting on it.

Clearance At A Glance

2.1m or more

Standard fit. The unit installs at a height that clears almost any passenger vehicle, and the adjustable legs absorb sloped or uneven car park floors.

2.05m – 2.1m

Usually workable. The legs drop to 2.05m at their lowest setting, which suits lower-bonnet vehicles like sedans and hatchbacks.

Under 2.05m

Too tight for a standard install. Send us your measurements anyway — car parks vary bay to bay and there may be a better position nearby.

The Full Footprint You Need

Height is the constraint most people hit first, but it is not the only measurement that matters. The Kookaburra occupies:

2.35m

Length, running the same direction as your car.

1.0m

Width. Standard Australian residential bays comfortably accommodate this.

2.05–2.35m

Overall height, adjustable via the legs.

A white ute parked directly underneath an installed Kookaburra storage unit in an apartment basement car park, with red fire sprinkler pipes running along the ceiling — A dual-cab ute parked under an installed unit. Note the red fire services overhead — those set the working height, and must never be obstructed.

Because it stands on its own legs, nothing touches or rests on your vehicle, and the unit does not need to be drilled or bolted into the building. That is what makes it straightforward to get past a body corporate — see our body corporate approval guide.

Common Questions

What if my car park floor slopes?

Most do — drainage falls are normal in basement car parks. Each leg adjusts independently, so the unit sits level even when the slab underneath it does not.

Does a sprinkler head above my bay rule it out?

Not automatically, but it does set your working height, and fire services must never be obstructed. Measure to the sprinkler head, not the ceiling, and give us that figure.

Can I still open my bonnet?

Yes. The unit is positioned so normal vehicle access is retained. If you have a particularly tall bonnet opening arc, mention your make and model when you send measurements.

Do I need to measure it myself?

It helps, but it is not essential. Our free compatibility check walks through it with you, and installers confirm on site before anything is fitted. You can also read how the whole process works.

Car Park Ceiling Height Guide