We are Melbourne knockdown-rebuild experts

A knockdown-rebuild is the process of demolishing of an existing home and constructing a new one in its place.

A knockdown-rebuild is an ideal alternative when you love your location but you’ve outgrown your existing home.

• A knockdown-rebuild is the solution when renovating is not a viable solution.
• Many families don’t want to uproot themselves, moving their children to new schools, giving up their favourite local haunts, losing connection with their local friends and community – and finding new ways to get to work.
• For those who don’t want to uproot themselves, a knockdown-rebuild is an ideal solution as opposed to moving or embarking on a major renovation.

There are many other factors that make a knockdown-rebuild a desirable option.

• When you need to retain sentimental aspects of your existing home.
• When renovating an existing home is so extensive that it poses too much risk, a drain on time and revenue, and where unanticipated challenges with such things as old wiring or plumbing often cause delays and additional costs.
• When it is cheaper to do a knockdown-rebuild than it is to do an extensive renovation.
• When vacant land in your sought-after area is scarce and where there is little risk of over capitalising on your existing property.
• Let’s face it. New is new. New homes are easier to maintain than older homes, they’re more energy-efficient which saves on heating and cooling bills.
• And new means more sustainable with energy efficient solar panels, windows and insulation.
• New homes also come with the peace of mind in the form of a construction warranty and guarantee of quality.
• Saving on stamp duty fees, or buying/selling costs, can make your money work better for you with a knockdown-rebuild.

A knockdown-rebuild is often more affordable than one may think. Budgeting for a knockdown-rebuild is influenced by two primary factors, the knockdown or demolition cost and the cost of a rebuild.

• The cost of demolishing a home is influenced by factors such as the size of the house, what the house is made from, as well as accessibility for machinery.
• The demolition cost can substantially increase when, for example, there are underground pipes, tree roots or asbestos that need to be removed.
• As with building any new home, the cost of building a new home is influenced by the size of the home, the finishes selected, the access to the property and supply chain issues caused by global economic conditions.
• One also needs to take into account the cost of accommodation as you will need a place to stay during the knockdown-rebuild project.
• The final cost of building can be influenced by many more factors.
• IDEA Constructions can guide you to insure you stay within your budget.

Firstly, discuss your mortgage requirements with your lender, and have a clear understanding on how much you can borrow for your new home.

IDEA Constructions can do as much or as little of what you need:

• All town planning requirements, council approval requirements. IDEA Constructions can help with this.
• Existing trees – obtaining arborist reports and tree root barriers.
• How close you are planning to build on the boundary with a neighbour.
• Obtaining pre-excavation information about any infrastructure networks at your planned project site without needing to contact utility organisations individually.
• Electricity and gas disconnection, meter removal and replacement.
• Storm water discharge.
• Crossover and Council assets.
• Hidden surprises such as septic tanks, pools, pipes, etc.
• Busy roads which may require traffic management during the knockdown-rebuild process.
• Fire authority requirements for homes to be built in bush fire zones (BAL area).
• Meeting and, whenever possible, exceeding energy efficiency requirements.
• You need to consider if there are any easements on your site, and whether there are location and Council or Water authority restrictions.
• If your site is a sloping site, the cost of building is usually higher due to the retaining wall requirements and foundation/subfloor design.

When considering a knockdown-rebuild, it is imperative to evaluate the reasons why your current home no longer meets your requirements. The determination between renovation and knockdown-rebuild is contingent upon several factors, such as:

• Consider why your existing home is failing to meet your needs. If the structure is good and all you need are refurbishments, then a renovation may be the way to go. But remember, the scope of a renovation project often creeps as you go along, as do costs, time and inconvenience. And with a renovation you often end up compromising on some important features.
• If your home is heritage-listed, generally you may renovate back rooms of a heritage property such as the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, but you must preserve the original style and structure of the front façade. Additional permits may be required from Council’s heritage department or Heritage Victoria. So if your home is heritage-listed, a knockdown-rebuild may not be an option.

A Bill of Quantities (BoQ) is a comprehensive document utilised in construction projects that presents a detailed inventory of all the materials, components, and labour necessary to accomplish the project. It essentially quantifies every aspect of the project, outlining quantities and measurements for items such as bricks, concrete, steel, fixtures, and labour hours.