Knock down rebuild - country Victoria

[Tim - Stratford]

As it says, we're exploring the idea of a knock down rebuild. Reasons are the house has lived its life, having been moved to the site quite a few years before we purchased it. We like the town and especially the location....and might even save a few $$$ by avoiding stamp duties etc..and looks like we may have secured free accomodation while the whole process is underway.

Question is, has anyone done this in, specifically in Victoria, and what dramas, hidden costs, surprises did you encounter?

TIA,

Tim

[Bird]

House demolishing party at Stratford!!!!!! 

[Tim - Stratford]

Got it covered! 

[Bird]

Got it covered! 

[GGV8Cruza]

The time it takes to get approval from the council. This is the hardest bit I find, have done it to my own places and to any places in 25 years of building.

GG

[lino6]

When we looked into doing ours the thing that we would have to contend with is our dodgy council. The building department have their own view about the demolition. If we wanted to pull the old down ourselves they were going to make it hard and would likely end up in a VCAT type fight. They were adamant that and owner couldn't demo their own house and would have to be a registered demo contractor (despite their own website saying something different). The guys issuing the permits are tools and are prepared to make life hard.

I hope your council have reasonable employees, coz ours don't.... 

And yes, if you need a hand to pull it down, make it a myswag event! I'm sure there will be 1000's of people wanting to smash up a house (I've had heaps of offers for ours!!). I even know a bloke with a crane truck!!

[Tim - Stratford]

It's almost impossible to get a demo permit for a DIY knock down in our Shir too. The Shire now requires documented experience, risk assessments, plans and step by step details for the job. I'll be getting a demo company in to do the knock down, cleanup and level. I've also been told that I'll probably need a piered slab due to the soil bring disturbed by the demo.

Hopefully the demo is less than the stamp duty and fees etc on buying a new place....

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Tim, 
Easy as, Let the Local CFA have a Practice at controlling a house fire.
You only have to clean up the remains then.

[MDS69]

Tim, 
Easy as, Let the Local CFA have a Practice at controlling a house fire.
You only have to clean up the remains then.

Is the house weatherboard or fibro. If fibro a massive chance it is asbestos so burning would be a no go but like your sentiment to let the CFA have some training.

Again if asbestos fibro self demolishing would be impossible. Or at least very difficult and not worth the hassle.

[Nomad]

Can you leave one wall standing and classify it as a renovation, thats what happens up here anyway, then when the council tard isn't looking you demo the remaining wall and rebuild it again, or accidently back a truck or bobcat into it.
 

[Tim - Stratford]

Easy as, Let the Local CFA have a Practice at controlling a house fire.

I did think of this! The local CFA just put an ad in the local paper for rural properties to be set on fire for practice...but, yep, probably asbestos and within a few metres of the neighbours - may not have gone over very well 

[Tim - Stratford]

Can you leave one wall standing and classify it as a renovation,

With my luck - the remaining wall would fall on me!

[Bird]

I did think of this! The local CFA just put an ad in the local paper for rural properties to be set on fire for practice...but, yep, probably asbestos and within a few metres of the neighbours - may not have gone over very well 

Good practice on exposures though... not often you get to run a live drill with external protections required

[Footy Shorts Shane]

Facebook party. That'll take care of the demo.

[Bird]

Facebook party. That'll take care of the demo.

We had a house demolishing party in the late 80's... all pissed and stoned as...
anyway Baz being in the state he was thought he was Bruce Lee, tried a sidekick through wall.. managed to break through, but then his foot twisted once it was through the wall..... and he was stuck hung up...
Minutes later the cops turned up and the look on the cops face as he walked past Bazza was priceless.. he just said 'well looks like your not going anywhere, lets see what else we can find... '. and just kept walking...
We all took off after that.. ****in classic memories!

[Beachman]

We moved house about 4 years ago and was originally thinking of giving the house to a house moving company for free so we could build a new one. Problem for us is our house is on a hill with a very steep driveway so they weren’t able to take it, so that then meant we would have been out of pocket $20 000+ for demolition and removal.

Spoke to a couple of builder and decided to keep the existing house. First thing was to gut the house which made putting extra support beams in the roof easy and cost effective to make way for major changes to moving walls etc.

As the builder said the existing house was solid with no structural problems, so with the council I live in the building laws are more relaxed on renovations that new houses, so not as many hoops to jump through.

End of the day we are happy with our decision as while it’s a still a wooden house with a semi modern look, inside is completely new which we are happy about.

Last month a house in our street was demolished and my neighbour spoke to the workmen who advised they are so busy they are assigned 24 hours per house and doing one per day Monday to Friday. Big excavator gets dropped off in the morning and with 3 well placed moments of the bucked the house was on the ground and straight into waiting trucks.

[Nifty1]

Well, how bad is the house? We gutted a 1880 red gum cottage and rebuilt much of the interior, easy DIY, including professional restumping. OB permit for stumps and a couple of windows. Still looks like an old shack from the outside, with warped red gum weather boards but a delight to live in. Mind you, if you have a 1960s fibro house it will be a different matter. Friends have built $1m and $3m mansions here but I think they envy our simple home, though we'd like a bit more room. Total cost about $30k, not too far from you.

[Nomad]

If you really like the position no matter what you do your going to have to jump through a few hoops. If the house really has a zero value then you may as well fully investigate demolishing and rebuilding, because the cost of demolishing is going to be similar to stamp duty on any reasonable size purchase.

So go and talk to a builder who will look after the whole process and give you estimates on:
Timeframes
Costs to demo
Costs to build, probably from say $1200 to $2500 per square metre depending on size, quality, fixtures etc.

My business partner has finally finished a reno on a 1960's highset weatherboard over the top of a splitface concrete block dwelling that he thought he would get done for about $275k - $300k, well $450 later he has nearly finished renoing the old pool, which is the last part.
The house looks mint but has taken him 4 years and tears to end up with something with the design limitations governed by the old shell.

Nothing beats starting from fresh if you can, unless its a classic home with exceptional bones.......which by sounds of what you say isn't the case here.

I have always bought my properties in older established streets as opposed to new estates for the reason that most of the older stock have better positioning relative to a number of factors including proximity to town, elevation and aspect etc etc etc.......and have had to knock over, or as mentioned before renovate extensively, and because I am a glutten for punishment am about to do the same to a commercial building

So if you do have what you consider a good block of dirt keep it and demo the house. If your not sure on the value of what you have pick up the phone and speak to the best local agent / principal in your area and back it up with a conversation with a good local valuer. If you need help finding either please let me know and I will find out for you.

If you want to discuss with me the elements of what you want to do I am more than happy to do so. Feel free to give me a call on
0418 780 333, I am more than happy to have a confidential chat. Do the same with GG, even to double check what the local guys tell you.

It will be worth it in the end and its not as big and as daunting a job as you think, and you know that old saying that nothing worthwhile is easy.

Cheers.

[Tim - Stratford]

Thanks all for the comments - good advice that I'm taking onboard. I'm still researching and checking plans....the fun!

[lino6]

Agreeing on a plan..... now there is a challenge in itself!!!

[Tim - Stratford]

Agreeing on a plan..... now there is a challenge in itself!!!

I'm hearing you brother! 

[Beachman]

We were extremely lucky as by fluke we got a fantastic draftsman who listened to what we wanted and what budget we had to work with.

With our first meeting both myself & my Wife felt comfortable with him and we were able to have a productive conversation which resulted in a realistic outcome for both parties. Some things we wanted he gave a valid reason why we couldn’t or gave alternatives. Same with him as some things he suggested wasn’t want we wanted or too expensive. But overall he suggested lots of things we didn’t even think about.

End of the day both sides were happy with the end result.

Talking with my builder during the reno he was saying how if you don’t have a good draftsman or you didn’t stipulate what you wanted upfront, then things turn pear-shaped half way during the reno and by then it’s normally going to cost to have it changed.

[Mace]

Is this scenario an option?

http://www.domain.com.au/news/from-1-to-220000-home-shifted-from-auckland-to-hastings-on-sale-again-20160613-gpidap/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=link-newsfeed&utm_campaign=c-all-autopromo

Buy a block, move it and then sell it on? It's been done before with the same house as you say.

[Tim - Stratford]

Thanks Beachman and Mace for your comments. If we didn't get along with the draftsman/builders I think we'd walk away.

I don't think our little shack would survive another move Mace...but it was a good idea!


Tim