So, you’ve recently bought a new (old) home or decided that your current one is in need of some improvements. But should you demolish the existing home and rebuild a new one or renovate what’s already there? This is a very common question to which the answer is very project specific. Let’s look at what you need to consider to make an educated decision.
THE AGE OF THE HOME
The first thing to consider when choosing between renovating and rebuilding is the age of the existing home. With this, you can usually determine how close the services and structure are to reaching the end of their lifespans. The older the home, the more extensive repairs you’ll likely need to make. Ideally, though, repairs and renovations should add another full lifespan onto the home; the last thing you want is to invest in renovations, only to pull it all back up for extensive repairs a few years later. It’s also worth noting that even if the existing structure has ‘good bones’, it still won’t last as long as a new home.
So, how can you work out the condition of the existing home? Your best option is to get a renovation assessment, in which someone will inspect the home to evaluate its condition and identify any damage. If your home is approaching the 50-year mark, a renovation assessment is crucial. Ideally, this should be conducted once you’ve engaged your builder, as they will ultimately be responsible for the project if renovations proceed. Keep in mind, however, that your assessor can’t pull the home apart to uncover every issue, so it’s always best to prepare for unexpected problems to arise during the renovation process.
Take our Railway Street project as an example. It had good bones and, originally built in 1931, the clients were keen to maintain its old charm. There were, however, some significant issues that required a lot of man hours to resolve. One of the biggest was that the internal rooms had to be removed by hand, with extra reinforcements bolted to the external walls to ensure they didn’t collapse during this process. On top of this, while we were aware that some of the old brick ties had eroded, we ended up needing to re-tie the entire house.
Thankfully, the clients were aware of this possibility and had prepared accordingly. The project—albeit more extensive—could continue and we were still able to give them a stunning renovation.
MAINTAINING CHARACTER
The one situation where the age of the home isn’t so important, though, is if it’s heritage listed or has unique character that’s worth preserving. If it is heritage listed, there’s a good chance your council won’t let you demolish the home, and they’ll have made this entire decision a very easy one for you.
If your home isn’t heritage listed, though, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth preserving. We love working with old character homes and think they look especially fabulous when they blend the old and the new. Retaining character will also help it stay in keeping with the neighbourhood and usually boosts resale value if you ever choose to sell it.
Our Scott Street project is the perfect example of a modern renovation that respects the home’s heritage history.
PLANNING PROVISIONS
In Australia, there are regulations that restrict what can and cannot be done on residential land. In WA, these are called R-Codes (or Residential Design Codes), and they can dictate a wide range of choices including the size of the home and how far it’s set back from the street. Over time, though, these regulations can change, and any new builds will need to adhere to the current rules. Always be sure to check your property’s R-Codes, and if they’re too restrictive you may be better off renovating the existing structure.
THE COST-BENEFITS
The cost-benefit comparison between building new and renovating will largely depend on the amount of work that needs to be done to the old home. If it only needs cosmetic improvements, a renovation should be relatively affordable. If the works are more extensive, though, it may come as a surprise that renovations may no longer be the most affordable option. This is because demolishing a home and rebuild a new one is very efficient. With only $25,000 (or up to $50,000 if you need site works), your block can be transformed into a blank canvas on which you can build a new home with very few restrictions. Repairing an old home, on the other hand, will often involve extensive labour which can quickly drive up costs. The total costs can also be unpredictable if damage is found in the existing structure later in the build.
SUSTAINABILITY
Most people assume that renovating will be more sustainable than building new, but whether this is true depends on the specific project. In the long-term, demolishing and building new can be more sustainable if the home is designed for energy efficiency and is built with eco-friendly materials (even better if they recycle materials from the demolition). Renovating can help save even more materials from the existing home, but the design or orientation may restrict how energy-efficient it can be.
It’s also worth noting that thermal assessments can complicate matters more. In Australia, all new homes must be built to a 7-star minimum. When it comes to renovations, however, the energy efficiency requirements will differ depending on what percentage of the home will be renovated and what the standards were at the time the original structure was built. These rules are complicated and always changing, though, so always consult with your builder before making any major decisions.
THE MIDDLE GROUND
After all this talk about one or the other, we should also note that it is possible to choose an option that’s somewhere in between, like an extension or partial renovation. In our Arundel Street project, for example, we worked on a heritage home with a limited budget. The kitchen and bathrooms (including all the old plumbing) were demolished and replaced with new modern facilities, while the front rooms and heritage façade received only minor touch-ups. A second storey extension was also added to provide some extra space. The result is a gorgeous blend of 100-year-old heritage and modern contemporary design—and because these are clearly defined, the clients can reconsider updating the old a few years down the line.
The facade needed little more than a re-paint - which the clients did themselves.
The new, modern extension.
Deciding whether to renovate the existing home or demolish it and rebuild a new one isn’t always simple. We hope this blog has helped you find some clarity but, as always, remember that your designer and builder are there to help you make these decisions. If you’d like that builder to be us, don’t hesitate to get in touch.