Is it worth rebuilding your home? Or could a renovation project do the job? To rebuild or renovate is the question!
When you want to improve your home, you have two main options; rebuild or renovate. Depending on the improvements you want to achieve, one of these options will usually make the most sense to you and your property.
In this article, we’re sharing insider knowledge to help you decide which of these routes will help you achieve your ideal home.
We’ll weigh up both options and explain what’s involved in renovation and rebuilding projects to make the decision easier for you.
Table of Contents
The Dilemma: To Rebuild or to Renovate?
If you’re planning a major renovation, sometimes knocking everything down and starting from scratch is the best course of action; this would be a rebuilding project.
If you don’t want to take on the mammoth task of knocking some of your house down, or don’t want to get rid of the property’s architectural integrity, you can still achieve a fantastic finish by simply renovating your existing space.
Rebuilding projects will normally be more intensive and time-consuming, but can result in significant value being added to the price of your house.
So, how do you know when to call in the builders in Brisbane to knock and rebuild your property?
When To Knock and Rebuild…
If you feel like the current position of your house is completely wrong, a simple renovation project is not going to fix this. By knocking everything down and starting again you can take full advantage of your plot and have far more flexibility.
It’s also better to knock and rebuild when you want to improve the thermal performance and sustainability of your house. If there are problems with the current building fabric of your property, this could cause long-term energy losses over time – it could even result in more energy than what it would take to rebuild your property.
Another thing to consider is that modifications to existing buildings are subject to full VAT, unlike new-build projects that are zero-rated. This difference in VAT could make your rebuild project more financially efficient.
…and when to renovate
When it comes to renovating your house, this will normally be the preferred option if you’ve got a tight budget. Renovation projects are typically significantly cheaper than rebuilds – even if you plan to change your property drastically.
If your property has architectural value, you could lose all of its character and charm by knocking it down. It might also be that your home is listed, meaning any work you do is subject to approval.
Finally, you may find planning approval to be an obstacle in your rebuild plans. If this is the case, it’s best to renovate instead. It’s a lot easier to get planning permission for renovations than permission for building a brand-new house.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we helped you decide whether to rebuild or renovate and when each option is more appropriate.
No matter what route you decide to take, starting a new home improvement project is always an extremely exciting time, especially when you’re working towards creating the home of your dreams.