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Building New Or Renovating Old: Which is Best?

15 January 2020

If you’re someone who has just purchased an established home, you may be scratching your head wondering if you should knock it down and rebuild it, or simply renovate the current structure. This is a dilemma that many new homeowners face, and one that can oftentimes be confusing to say the least. When making the decision on whether to renovate or detonate, there area few factors to consider. In today’s article, we have a look at some of these deciding factors to help you make the right choice for your individual needs. Read on to find out more!

Consider The Costs

According to project home builders in Sydney, one of the biggest determining factors to take into account when trying to make your decision is the costs involved. If the existing house is bad structurally, chances are demolishing and rebuilding will be the most cost-friendly option. In many cases, fixing poor structure, sourcing the right materials for it and modernising can prove to be a very costly endeavour. However, if you’re satisfied with the current home’s structure and don’t think there are too many serious issues to fix, a simple renovation may be the best option for your bank account. If all that needs to be fixed are some cosmetic issues, then renovating is the ideal option and will save you both time and money.

Pay Attention To Boundary Regulations

In certain instances, regulations state that you cannot knock a home down and rebuild it in the exact same position. This is why paying attention to boundary regulations is so important. These regulations determine how far from the boundary of a property you can build. Regulations can change over time, and checking whether they differ from when the house was initially built is key. If this is the case, then working with your existing structure and performing renovations is your best bet. A great option is to retain the facade and certain elements of your subfloor from the existing structured to ensure that your home makeover is considered a major renovation as opposed to a complete rebuild. Always check with your local council before embarking on any renovations to ensure that you are compliant at all times.

Consider How Old The House Is

Renovations are no longer what they used to be. This is why homeowners should consider renovating a home if it is a character-building with beautiful, high-quality timber floors and decorative ceilings. Chances are you won’t come across such attention to detail with modern renovations, which is why it is always recommended that people preserve heritage homes and simply make amendments to the existing design. However, if you find that fixtures, fittings and flooring have deteriorated considerably over time, you might want to consider rebuilding from scratch. Each home is unique, so the choice is up to you.

Consider The Block

Taking the block into consideration is a key factor when deciding to rebuild or renovate. Generally, it is cheaper and easier to rebuild on a flat block than it is on a sloping one. Local planning laws must also be taken into consideration, so always remember to contact your council before making too many plans. Explain to your architect and builder the goals of your project and show them the block you are working with. Based on their observations, they will be able to let you know if rebuilding or renovating is the best option to fulfil your goals.

Think About Logistics

Last but not least, it is important that you take all the logistics into consideration when making the decision to rebuild or renovate. Generally, a rebuild is going to take a longer time to complete than a standard renovation. On the flip side, renovations could prove to be a hassle and some may not want to deal with builders in their home every single day. Depending on your individual needs and timeframe, the decision you make will vary. Always make sure to list out the pros and cons of each option before committing to any plans.

We hope that this article has given you some insight into whether you should build from scratch or renovate your newly acquired home. Whichever choice you make, we are certain you will be rewarded with the home of your dreams at the end of the process.

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