Tips and Advice

Why a Knock Down & Rebuild could be the answer to your dream home

Article by Homes to Love

Buying and renovating aren’t your only options when it comes to realising your dream home. We discuss the benefits of a Knock Down & Rebuild, plus all you need to know

When you’re on the hunt for your dream home, buying or renovating often seem like the only options. But, whether you’re just embarking on your home journey or you’re a seasoned owner, it’s worth thinking outside the box to get what you want.

A Knock Down & Rebuild is currently an under-the-radar option, but it’s growing in popularity – especially with those who love their location but not their home.

The process is fairly self-explanatory; knock down the existing home and rebuild exactly what you want on the same site. This can be an appealing idea if you’re a current homeowner wanting to upgrade your house. Plus, it opens up interesting possibilities if you’re looking to buy.

To help get you started on your dream home journey, we’ve rounded up the benefits of a Knock Down & Rebuild, plus all you need to know.

Stay in the same location

A major hand-brake for most when weighing up the pros and cons of moving is not actually wanting to move from an already great location. No matter how long you look for, if you love the spot you’re in, it’s always going to be tough to beat.

With a Knock Down & Rebuild there’s no need to compromise your lifestyle. It gives you the option to stay close to friends, family, a great school, your favourite coffee shop and in a neighbourhood you already love.

Cost comparative

Budget and cost are, most likely, always going to be at the top of your list of concerns when considering a new home or renovating.

Renovations and re-clads can often cost as much as building new but come without the benefits of a new modern home. Renovations are also associated with financial uncertainty. Unforeseen problems such as leaky pipes, dodgy foundations or undetected asbestos can turn a renovation into a costly nightmare.

A Knock Down & Rebuild also offers the opportunity for cost certainty (a reputable building company will give you a price guarantee) and the opportunity to go greener and increase your home’s sustainability, which could be more cost effective down the line. The biggest efficiency gain when building new is that new builds have to be built to the new building code, which provides drier, warmer homes through better insulation, for example, double glazing.

Plus, with a new home, you’ll have the opportunity to build to any zoning changes made since your existing home was built, such as the Auckland Unitary Plan. This means you could fit more home on your section, which will benefit you know, and then when you go to sell your home in the future it also gives you a more valuable asset.

Signature Homes has been designing and building homes since 1985. Owner Gavin Hunt says Knock Down and Rebuilds have become an ever-increasing part of their business “As urbanisation has increased and with it the increase in land values over the last 10 we have worked with a lot of clients designing and building new homes on their existing sections after seeing the quotes for a renovation or reclad.”

Recladding and leaky homes

New Zealand has an unfortunate reputation for old, damp houses. Coupled with the leaky homes saga, the options for good quality homes that are warm and dry can be slim (and expensive). The best way to ensure your home is warm, dry and healthy is to build new.

Designed to suit you and your lifestyle

A major benefit of Knock Down & Rebuild is that you’ve already lived on the site, ergo, you know exactly what should be where in your new home.

It’s true that the same could be said for renovating, but in that situation, you’re working within and around an existing structure, which could pose limitations to your design. By building new, you can make greater use of the land without having to compromise on design.

It’s your chance to construct your home according to the needs and wants of your family, whether it’s by adding a walk-in-wardrobe to match Carrie Bradshaw’s, or the ultimate chef’s scullery. Or, be it smaller structural changes that would make life easier at home; perhaps moving your bedroom closer to or further from the kids’ bedrooms, or simply making sure your new home has all the storage you need.

You’ll have more control over the fixture and fittings and be able to customise the home to your needs, ensuring you have everything you need to suit your lifestyle and look.

Get expert guidance through the process

If all of this sounds great, but a little overwhelming, the last benefit of a Knock Down & Rebuild is that there is expert guidance to steer you through all aspects of your project, with Signature Homes.

They offer obligation free meetings and site visits to talk you through your options. And once you’ve decided if Knock Down & Rebuild is the right choice for you, they will manage the whole process including the use of their in-house architects and designers, consents and your own Project manager for the build, and provide you with a guaranteed completion date so that you can plan ahead. As Hunt says “We try and take the hassle out of designing and building a new home, and we are with our clients every step of the way”.

Their experts will help you realise the potential of your site, which could be particularly helpful in Auckland, where under the Unitary Plan some areas actually allow you to use more of your section. They can take the confusion out of the process. Plus, there will be no architect fees.

Watch this quick case study on a recently completed Knock Down and Rebuild project.

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