Should we extend or knockdown and rebuild?
So, your current home no longer suits your needs, but you love the area you live in and don't want to move away? This leaves you with two options and you can’t choose which is best. You can knockdown-rebuild or you can extend. The obvious conundrum is; at what point is it not worth working with your existing home?When you're deciding whether to knockdown-rebuild or extend, a set of essential issues must be addressed. The following are factors that we consider when giving advice on this subject. If the answer to many of these questions is “no” or “maybe not”, then it is possible that you’d be better off demolishing and building from scratch.
Extensions however generally leave the smallest carbon footprint depending on the size and complexity of the extension, and to what extent you will need to alter the current home.
IS YOUR CURRENT HOME STRUCTURALLY SOUND?
This is generally a question for a structural engineer or a builder. Luckily for you, we have a licensed builder on the team, so we can help with this.
Don’t get tied up with the appearance of your home, there are many things we can do to improve the aesthetics, as long as the structure is sound. Cracking in the structure is an obvious sign that the footings are not adequate, however the recent drought and Canberra’s clay soils have really put our old housing stock to test lately, so cracks are common. Large cracks that you can get your little finger into are generally cause for concern.
Are you walls straight and plumb? If not, this can add cost during construction.
Is your home structurally sound?
Yes No Maybe Not
IS YOUR CURRENT HOME WELL ORIENTED?
If you are looking at improving your living environment, one of the best places to start is to consider how you orient your home to obtain maximum benefits from the sun.
Are there evergreen trees that block out your winter sun? Does your neighbour’s house block out some of your winter sun?
Click for more information on orientation, and solar passive design.
Is your home oriented well, or could you extend in a way that would achieve good orientation?
Yes No Maybe Not
DO THE DOLLARS STACK UP?
It's usually more expensive per square meter to extend or renovate than to build a new home. This is due to a number of issues addressed in the following questions.
This doesn't mean that a knockdown/rebuild is always more financially feasible than an extension. It's all in the ratios - the more work that needs to be done, the more likely it will be that you'll save money on a knockdown/rebuild.
There are also costs associated with knockdown-rebuild that you won't face with a renovation. These include:
Demolition of existing house (typically $10,000-$15,000);
Connection and reconnection of services;
Temporary accommodation costs.
CAN YOU JUST EXTEND YOUR HOME IN ONE LOCATION?
Joining the addition to the existing structure takes a lot of time and is quite expensive. It involves fiddly workmanship to demolish small components, then match in with the appearance and alignment of your current home. For this reason it is desirable to minimise the amount of occurances of “breaking into” the cuurent home to extend.
Can you just extend you home in one location?
Yes No Maybe Not
IS THERE GOOD CONSTRUCTION ACCESS TO WHERE YOU WANT TO EXTEND?
Access to the building area is often restricted by established gardens or existing buildings. This means that equipment and materials may need to be brought around sound entrances manually. Equipment may even need to be winched into your backyard - an extremely expensive operation.
Can you just extend you home in one location?
Yes No Maybe Not
IN COMPARISON TO THE SIZE OF YOUR CURRENT HOME, DO YOU NEED A SMALL EXTENSION?
If you renovate, will you need to upgrade your home? Depending on the ratio of renovation to new building, current building regulations may require that your entire home is upgraded to comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) - which obviously adds to the cost.
Compare the size of your existing home to the size of any planned extension. If you're planning a 200m2 addition to a 100m2 home it'll probably be cheaper to knock the existing structure down and build new. On the other hand, a 25m2 extension to a 250m2 home is most likely financially feasible. But other factors may also add to your costs…
Do you only need a small extenstion?
Yes No Maybe Not
DO YOU HAVE CHEAP ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION AND CHEAP FINANCE?
Additions and renovations usually take longer to build, so temporary accommodation and the holding costs of finance may be an issue.
Are you planning on engaging the services of a builder? No matter whether you are renovating or building, this will usually speed up the work.
Do you have cheap alternative accommodation?
Yes No Maybe Not
THEREFORE, ARE THERE ADVANTAGES IN COMPLETING THE WORK IN STAGES?
Extensions can often be coordinated in stages to enable you to occupy the home whilst the work is carried out. However if the extent of your additions means that this would be too disruptive you may be better off moving out. The emotional drain of the disruption to your home should not be underestimated.
Are there advantages in completing the work in stages?
Yes No Maybe Not
IS YOUR CURRENT HOME'S INFRASTRUCTURE IN GOOD CONDITION?
Many building components in existing homes (such as water pipes, electrical cables, insulation and structure) are hidden in areas which are not accessible. This means that it's not always possible to clearly determine the amount of work necessary to achieve compliance or a satisfactory end product. If you can't clearly determine the scope of works, it's often not possible to clearly identify the associated cost of the work. This can lead to issues with lending authorities, valuations for progress payments and budget overruns. So when you're budgeting to extend your home include a contingency sum for unforeseen work.The upgrade of electrical wiring is a common requirement.
Is your current home’s infrastructure in good condition?
Yes No Maybe Not
THE WORK CAN BE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL?
Don't be convinced by unscrupulous operators who suggest that you go ahead with any work, including demolition. In most cases you will need to obtain formal development approval from your local council. You also need compliance approval by a certifying authority before commencing work.
Carrying out unapproved building work is illegal. It will also make your home more difficult to sell and significantly reduce its market value.
The work can be carried out without council approval?
Yes No Maybe Not
IF YOU RENOVATE, CAN YOU FIND MATERIALS TO MATCH YOUR EXISTING HOME?
Often it is cheaper to design your extension using materials and styling that matches your current home. This is generally because to achieve a completely new aesthetic with your extension requires cosmetic work to the existing structure to successfully integrate the new style and materials.
If you want to “fit in” with the current home, can you match your materials?
Yes No Maybe Not
THE WORK CAN BE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT DEMOLITION?
In most states demolition can only be carried out by a licensed demolisher. It is likely that your licensed builder can also carry out this work.
The method by which the demolition will be carried out depends upon many issues, including:
Whether the demolition is total or partial.
Whether your home is close to other buildings.
Whether the demolition is internal or external.
You will be required to engage a specialist if you are demolishing a home that contains asbestos.
Disposing of waste is expensive, so consider recycling of as much of the demolished materials as possible. This will save you a few dollars. It is also very environmentally friendly. It can also be socially responsible as other people can take advantage of your pre-loved materials.
You may be able to sell some of the materials while they are still in place, on the basis that the purchaser removes them. If you choose this option talk to your insurance company regarding associated occupational health and safety and other insurance issues.
And don't forget that homes are a bit like icebergs - a lot of the structure is in the ground. If your concrete footings are large it may be cost-effective to leave them in place. This decision will need to be made on site.
The work can be carried out without demolition?
Yes No Maybe Not
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
Last updated 11 October 2009