The Ultimate Guide to Knock Down Rebuild Process

Everyone has a dream home they want to live in; however, location and other factors can get in the way. Do you settle or knock down the building and build a new home? Knock down rebuild involves demolishing a building to erect a new one over the block of land.

Some people consider a knock down rebuild when they don’t want to renovate their house but desire to change it to their taste. Others consider a knockdown rebuild when they have grown to love an area and don’t want to leave there. Is knocking down and rebuilding worth it? Why don’t you find out? 

This article breaks down the importance and the whole process involved. Let’s jump right into it!

Benefits of a Knock Down Rebuild Home

It is a big decision to choose whether to demolish and build a house again or refurbish it. But, of course, this depends on different factors. However, you should consider knocking down your old home and building it again for a few reasons. 

Here is why:

Customisation

You may be unable to build a home with full potential by renovating it due to space restrictions of the current floor plan; if you tear the house down and reconstruct it, you can design and customise the space to suit your lifestyle without compromise. 

Knock down rebuild offer homeowners control over what they want their houses to look like. You can create your dream home by deciding what structure to erect over the land, preferable materials, asbestos, interior decorations, the house design, and more. Furthermore, you will get a beautiful, new modern house in place of the old building with outdated designs.

Demolishing your home and building another allows you to choose the customisable features of your new house to fit your taste, lifestyle, and family. You can decide which floor plans, layouts, finishes, fixtures, and insulation match your dream home. 

Cost and time effective

Another reason to consider demolishing and building your existing home again is that it is economical and efficient in time. You are more likely to spend less on a reconstruction than a renovation. At the start of the project, you have your budget from the house foundation to the finishing. 

That way, there won’t be any surprise expenses when building. On the other hand, renovating can be time-consuming, with chances of delays and uncalculated expenses due to unforeseen circumstances when you open up unstable old structures and the risk of discovering hazardous materials used behind walls. 

You should leave your home to knockdown specialists to save time. You can raise your family, work, and maintain your lifestyle throughout the process with little disruptions. Furthermore, you can expect a value increase on your property if you knockdown and rebuild.

A new house in the area will surely be worth more than the other old houses. Demolishing and building again is a good option, as property can be expensive during a rising market. You may not know it, but renovating costs can be more expensive than demolishing and rebuilding. It’s also easier, and your new house will be ready before you know it.

Stay in the area you love

Changing homes is unnecessary when your current one is not a liability. You want to find a new house but are attached to the area or you are located in a competitive school zone area, or you can’t find a new house you love in the same location. But there is a solution. Demolishing and rebuilding your house allows you to stay in the area you love.

You don’t have to relocate to a new environment and start your life again. Just hit up a knock down rebuild specialist close to you and build your desired home at the same location. You can eat your cake and have it, after all!

Improved functionality

While old houses are good, new houses are even better because you can improve their functionality. You can build a modern and structurally sound house in place of your old hut. Furthermore, since you’re building from scratch, you can ensure the size of the home and its features can cater to all your needs and are brought up to date with the current lifestyle. Don’t you hate that shower over bath you always have to climb over, or that you always have to wait outside the toilet when your sister has a shower in the morning, or that squeegee door at the back that howls like a willow in the winter?

This and more functionality is what you can achieve with a knock down rebuild in Melbourne. You get to build more functional and efficient rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, garages, and other areas of the house. You can even consider incorporating smart home technology into your brand-new home. Demolishing and reconstructing your house allows you to be creative with your lifestyle.

Better resale value

Beyond being cost-efficient, new homes have a high resale value. Home buyers will be willing to pay more for a new house than a refurbished one. The price of a home that’s newly finished is higher than older similar houses. The value will increase with your house being the newest one on the block.

Furthermore, you can incorporate modern and newer architectural designs into your home, drawing more prospective buyers to your home. Therefore, ensure you hire competent architectural services and design consultants for your project. Architecturally designed homes usually have the edge over others not designed by an architect.

Knock Down and Rebuild Vs. Renovation

You have a property, and a choice to either renovate or knockdown and rebuild; what do you do? Whether to refurbish or demolish and reconstruct is a dilemma that many homeowners face. They can’t decide whether to remodel their current home or tear down the whole house and reconstruct it without compromising their location or the lovely neighbour they’ve grown attached to. 

Choosing to knock down and rebuild or renovate your home depends on different factors, as both have their benefits. It’s hard to tear down a character home on a heritage-listed street. You might fall in love with your home’s history, style, and story, and your current home may have a market demand for its style. Also, there may be planning regulations that prohibit demolishing a home building, thereby altering the heritage value of the house and neighbourhood characteristics.

In that case, you may want to consider refurbishing the house rather than demolishing and building a new house. Also, if the house is in overall good condition with a strong structure, you might want to stick with remodelling it. However, there is more to it than that.

Here are some factors in determining which of the two is the best option:

Your desired change

Choosing between renovating or demolishing and rebuilding depends on your needs. For example, if the house is in good condition and you just need to improve the home with new kitchens or bathrooms, you can remodel it instead of tearing down the whole building. 

However, if the changes require structural changes to multiple areas of the house, demolishing and rebuilding are more appropriate options. The benefit knock down rebuild has over renovating is that you can start from scratch and build a home that matches your lifestyle.

Cost for both

Another way to determine which option is best for you is to check the cost for both options. Often, people think remodelling is cheap. However, you may get lost in the list of changes to make in the house that you spend more than budgeted.

Write down the budget for both options and the actual cost to effect each change. You can then decide which matches your pocket, whether refurbishing or demolishing and rebuilding. Consider consulting knock down rebuild specialists or renovation specialists and compare the cost of a knock down rebuild to a remodel.

Council planning restrictions

Sometimes, the choice depends on the planning regulations in your area. In some states in Australia, some statutory listings and regulations may impact your new home design. Therefore, you must consult your local council’s building and planning department.

While you may be excited about a new building or multiunits over your property, the council may have a different idea.  Then, you might have to consider remodelling. If you want to make your home in Melbourne, ensure you get your permit requirement right before starting the knock down rebuild process.

Width, depth, and slope of the block

You might have an idea of what you want your new house to look like but might be disappointed to know that the block’s width, depth, and slope may prevent that. Executing the design of the house may require filling, which may cost extra. Or you may have to consider another design different from what you pictured.

Thoughtful orientation is important when considering demolishing and rebuilding before starting. Speaking to some knock down rebuild experts will give you more insights into what compromises you can make to build your new home. Otherwise, you may have to settle with renovating it.

Your ideal building journey

Another thing to consider is the responsibility you’re willing to bear for the two options. Renovating your home can be stressful, especially if it’s DIY and you live onsite throughout the project. It is time-consuming and feels quite intrusive with trades walking in and out of your house. Remodelling can take months or years, depending on the latent conditions on site, and you may finish later than planned.

On the other hand, you can leave your new home project to specialists and relax while they take care of the project for you. Of course, you can also leave your remodelling projects to specialists. It all depends on the responsibilities you want to bear and which building journey seems more convenient.

Marketing conditions

You should also consider the marketing conditions and decide whether renovating is more favourable or demolishing and rebuilding. Consider whether rebuilding your house won’t put it at risk of overcapitalising.

You don’t want to spend too much money on erecting a new structure on your land only for the new house to outweigh the market value. Consider speaking to an advisor before making a decision.

Time factor

Refurbishing a house can take four to eight months or more, depending on different factors; however, you can expect to spend more time on it if it’s DIY. On the other hand, knocking down and building can take between eight to twelve months if you engage professionals.

Unlike when refurbishing, you can’t live in the house when the building process is ongoing. You should consider all these factors before deciding which is convenient for you.

The Knock Down Rebuild Process

The question, “can I knock down my house and rebuild,” is one many homeowners have asked, especially when they don’t want to renovate or leave their current area. Of course, you can demolish and rebuild your home, but it’s easier said than done.

You must go through some processes to demolish and reconstruct your home. Here is a breakdown of the knock down rebuild journey:

Site analysis

Site analysis is the first step to consider for your knock down and rebuild project. A professional will inspect your land to ensure your new home complies with your state’s regulations. Of course, you should get in touch with a professional and credible architect at the beginning of your project to design your dream home. 

Then, the professional will check the property and conduct a feasibility study to determine the chance of success of building your new house, depending on the size and other factors. They will check the features of the land and the challenges of the land to determine whether they can erect your desired building on it. 

Furthermore, the professional will comply with the building standard and develop plans in response to your local council’s requirements. Hiring competent professionals is key to your project’s success, and ensure you interview architects, knock down rebuild home builders and other consultants early.

Design and concept development

After hiring an architect, you can discuss your idea and desired concept with them. This is one of the benefits of demolishing and rebuilding: you get to decide what your house looks like. The architect will provide architectural drawings of your new home or display home and prepare a contract and contract tender. You can also visit a display centre for design inspiration.

During the process, you can make variations which the architect will factor into the design, contract, and expense.

Planning and approval process

Your project won’t be successful without appropriate approval. You need to obtain stamp duty from the council. You must check with your government authority or local council whether you can demolish and rebuild your home. If you intend to knock down and rebuild in a heritage-listed suburb, there is a high chance that your project will be rejected. 

Check the local council’s website for requirements and prepare them. It may include proof of land ownership, demolition plan, waste management plan, and architectural plans showing the new home’s layout. If your application scales through, you’ll get approval.

Demolish the old building

After getting planning and building approval for your new building, you can start your project. You can find a demolition contractor who will tear down the house and get an estimate of the cost to demolish it from them. Before demolishing, they will tell you to inform your utility companies for disconnection and removal.

After demolishing the house, they will remove all the waste materials and maybe offer to recycle or salvage some.

Site preparation and new home rebuild

After the demolition is over, work can start. The contractors will prepare the site and start building. The whole project can take a couple of months, between eight to twelve months. Eventually, your brand new home will be ready. Then the team of knock down rebuild will hand you the keys to your new home. 

Hidden Costs of Knock Down Rebuild Project

The cost of building a new home that’s efficient isn’t little. Many homeowners focus more on major costs and how to get rid of the old home, making them ignore the hidden rebuild cost. Ultimately, they’ll realise they spent beyond their initial budget after calculating the cost at the end of the project. This may stem from them approaching builders directly before consulting architects at the start of the project. 

Generally, the cost to knock down and rebuild from start to finish covers demolition, reconstruction, and administration costs. However, without proper planning or meeting the right consultants, you might miss the hidden costs involved like:

• Alternative living arrangements
  
• Tricky site access
  
• Disconnection services
  
• Holding costs from weather delays
  
• Extra council fees
  
• Water services contribution fees
  
• Contamination
  
• Overruns and other unforeseen circumstances
  

You shouldn’t just glaze over the house plans and home design contractors present to you. Ask the right questions to avoid spending more than budgeted for your project. You can even research some rebuild FAQs before your meeting with the contractor.

Here are some helpful tips to avoid making mistakes:

• Engage the right professionals from the beginning
  
• Hire the right architect and builder
  
• Encourage transparency between you and your contractor every step of the way
  
• Ask the contractor about their experience and proof of client testimonials
  
• Ask what happens if the scope of work changes during the project
  
• Inquire whether they provide alternative living conditions during the project
  
• Ask about their scope of services
  

Inquire about what happens if something goes wrong

Knock Down Rebuild Duplex or Multi-Units

Instead of restricting your new house in Victoria to a single unit or bungalow, you can consider building a duplex or multi-units. Building a multiple-unit townhouse or a duplex on your land has many benefits.

However, you must check with your architect whether your land can accommodate a duplex or multi-units based on the land’s measurement per square meter. One of the benefits of having a duplex or multi-units is that you and your family can live separately on the same block while having enough room and privacy to live with peace of mind.

Another benefit is living in a unit with your family and leasing out or reselling the other units for profit or cash flow. Ensure you hire an architect for assistance to make the most of your land and make a profit.

What’s Next

The knock down rebuild process is a remarkable opportunity to transform your existing property into the dream home you’ve always envisioned. With careful planning, the right team, and a clear understanding of the steps involved, you can successfully navigate this exciting journey. Remember, it’s essential to keep communication open with your architect, builder, and other professionals involved in the project to ensure a smooth and efficient process.

If you have more questions or need expert guidance on your knock down rebuild project, don’t hesitate to reach out to SQM Architects. Our experienced team is here to help you every step of the way, from conceptualisation to completion. Contact us today to discuss how we can make your dream home a reality.