Knock it down, then build again!

What should you do if you live in a great location but your house is far-from-ideal? 

Welcome to the idea of knockdown rebuild! 

Whether you’ve outgrown your current home or whether your house has seen better days, starting from scratch can save you time, energy and money. Knockdown rebuild is an ideal way to get a home you love where you already live.

What is a knockdown rebuild?

A knockdown rebuild is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin: the owner of an existing house chooses to knock it down and then build a new home on the same block of land. It might even be that someone buys a house knowing from the outset that they’ll demolish what’s already there in order to build their ideal home in that location.

For someone wanting to live in a different home than they are currently, knockdown rebuild is an alternative to either moving to an entirely different house in a different location, or doing extensive renovations. 

Knockdown rebuilds are popular especially in established suburbs, where the chances of finding an empty block to build on are almost zero. And for people who are established within their community so don’t want to lose those connections by moving further afield. 

It’s not only homeowners who choose to knockdown and rebuild. Investors can add equity to their portfolio and save on the costs associated with maintaining older properties.  

What are the steps involved?

Let’s step our way through what to expect when you knockdown, then rebuild your home: 

1. New home design: Before a wrecking-ball gets anywhere near your current house, it’s wishlist time! You start by focussing firmly on the end. Yes, that’s right, the first step of a knockdown rebuild process is you spending time choosing your home’s overall design - think floorplan, facade, materials and colours. Then, focus on the fixtures and fittings. This is the time to dream big and focus on both creating and future-proofing your dream home.

2. Knockdown: It’s demolition time! But the knockdown only commences once all the paperwork is complete, experts are consulted about important elements like trees and service disconnections. Safety is the number one priority, including consideration of asbestos or other hazardous materials.

3. Rebuild: You’ve already done the decision-making work so now it’s time to sit back and watch your new home come to life. If you’ve trusted Rawson Homes with your knockdown rebuild process, you’ll have a Site Manager to keep you updated on progress as it happens.

4. Move day: This is the moment where your plans come together as you put the key in your new front door and start to enjoy the fruition of your knockdown rebuild!

Is knockdown rebuild worth it?

What are the pros and cons of knocking down and rebuilding your home? Let’s go…

Pros of knockdown rebuild:

• Get the best of new: Out with the old and in with the new! By knocking down and rebuilding, you’ll start your life afresh with a brand new home. New is great for having a fresh and contemporary look and feel of your home. And, possibly even more importantly, it’s also a bonus for behind-the-scenes systems like plumbing and electricals. 
  
  
• No need to uproot your life: If you’ve lived in your current home for more than a short while, you’ll likely have built local connections that you’ll lose if you move away. You might have gotten to know your neighbours, discovered the best local coffee spot and developed a relationship with a GP. If you have kids, this element is even more significant so, by choosing knockdown rebuild, you can avoid the disruption of changing school or childcare, or moving away from friendships.
  
  
• Avoid the renovation trap: Renovations can be an effective way of updating an older home but be aware of ‘renovation creep’, where changing one area of the home, say the kitchen, has the effect of making the next room, say the lounge room, look shabby by comparison. Next, the bathrooms look very dated, and so on. Before you know it, you might find yourself stuck in a seemingly-endless parade of renos.
  
  
• Big picture planning: A knockdown rebuild allows you to consider every element of your family and lifestyle in your planning. From selecting the ideal number of bedrooms through to considering how much indoor-outdoor living you’d like to enjoy, starting afresh means you can create a fabulous home that’s just right for you.
  
  
• Increase your sustainability: Rather than retro-fitting environmentally friendly options for your home, building from scratch means sustainable elements can be considered as part of the overall design. 

Cons of knockdown rebuild

• Temporary accommodation: Unlike renovating, where you can potentially remain in the home while work is done (though you may need to head to a friend’s to shower or embrace a love of cooking outdoors), there’s no option to stay put during a knockdown rebuild process. Once it’s time to start demolishing, you’ll need to move elsewhere until your new home is built. Some people see this as a great chance to declutter so that you’ll have less to store and can then make a fresh minimalist approach to your new home!
  
  
• Different payment schedules: Though knocking down and rebuilding your home can be cost-effective in the long-term, you’ll need more funds upfront than if you choose to undertake a gradual renovation. 

Knockdown and rebuild v renovate v buying new

If your current home isn’t meeting you and your family’s needs, you essentially have four options:

• You can renovate
• You can buy an existing home elsewhere
• You can buy land in a greenfield area and build a new home
• You can knock down the house and rebuild.

At first glance, renovating might seem like the easiest and lower stress option of the three. However, it’s well known that it’s very common that renovation costs and timelines blow out significantly.

Moving to a completely different house might be appealing as timelines are shorter, even factoring in the time spent house-hunting and then the settlement period. However, if you can’t find an ideal home within the same suburb, your move will be followed by a loss of connection to your previous community and changes to everything from schools to your favourite local cafe. 

Buying land in a greenfield area (where there were no existing houses) and building can be an exciting journey to embark on, as long as you’re prepared to move to a new area and wait for your new home to be ready.

So, it’s well worth considering undertaking a knockdown rebuild. You might be heartened to know that you’re far from alone, as almost a third of all newly built homes in Australia result from knocking down the old before building the new.

Knockdown rebuild costs

You might assume that demolishing a house and then building from scratch might be far more expensive than simply buying a different existing home, or doing big renovations. However, that’s not always the case. 

One big financial bonus of choosing a knockdown rebuild over buying a home elsewhere is that you’ll not pay any stamp duty, saving you tens of thousands of dollars!

As each knockdown rebuild is an individual project, it’s not really possible to offer an ‘average cost’ of a knockdown rebuild, as costs can vary significantly at each stage of the process. 

Demolition costs vary depending on the size of the existing home, the number of other buildings, like sheds or garages, the complexity of services, the complexity of the block of land and the need for safety elements like temporary fencing and traffic management. 

Local council and other approvals will vary in cost depending on where you live. And then, of course, there’s the construction costs, which will be vastly different depending on the size you choose for your home and whether you go with a pre-planned design or prefer a more tailored floorplan. 

Another important cost factor is what your chosen builder includes in a standard knockdown rebuild contract (or tender). Make sure you’re clear on whether costs like soil testing, stormwater drains, sewer connections and driveways are included. These are all included in Rawson’s knockdown rebuild tenders so, if another builder doesn’t factor these in, you’ll need to add some big numbers onto your quoted price. 

How long does a knockdown process take?

We outlined above how costs will change depending on the scope of the knockdown rebuild process. Similarly, it’s not possible to give a general estimate of how long a knockdown rebuild process will take. Timings depend on how long you need to make your design decisions, how long council approvals take and the availability of materials.

As a guide though, from initial design through to completion, most people move into their newly built home in 1-2 years of getting started.

Other things to consider

Choosing the right builder is a vitally important step. We suggest you speak with a few builders to find out how they work and ask important questions, including how experienced they are with knockdown rebuilds, whether they offer a fixed-price tender, what eco-friendly elements are available, how much say you can have in the design and choices of fixtures and fittings.

Rawson Homes are knockdown rebuild specialists, with over 45 years of experience. We combine this experience with a focus on better design, price and quality. We know that building a house is the first step in the lifelong process of you creating your haven and home.

What are the best next steps?

Whether you’re almost ready to go or just in the early stages of considering whether knockdown rebuild might be the best move for you, download our Knockdown Rebuild Ultimate Guide and we’ll be in contact to answer any questions or get the knockdown rebuild ball rolling!

FAQs

Is it cheaper to knock a house down and rebuild or renovate?

Given the number of variables involved, it’s not possible to give an absolute answer about whether it’s cheaper to renovate a home, buy elsewhere, or to knockdown and rebuild on your existing land. However, with a fixed-price tender, the cost of a knockdown rebuild can be agreed to from the outset, providing certainty compared with renovations, which are notoriously hard to cost proactively. 

How much does it cost to knockdown and rebuild?

A knockdown rebuild project includes multiple stages: new home design, approvals, demolition and building. You’ll also need to factor in alternative accommodation for during the build. A good knockdown rebuild specialist builder will work with you to calculate all the costs of your particular project, giving you a sense of certainty. 

Can you knockdown and rebuild a house with a mortgage?

A conversation with your bank will be needed to determine whether you have access to funds to cover both your existing mortgage and the costs of a knockdown rebuild. 

How much equity do you need for a knockdown rebuild?

To determine whether you can undertake a knockdown rebuild, your bank will look at the equity you have in your home and your personal financial situation, as well as the costs of demolition and construction.