Knockdown rebuild
Knockdown rebuild builders, selected properly.
Rebuilding on an established block is a different job from building on a clear lot, and the builders who do it well are a smaller group than the builders who will quote for it.
What we do
Staying put, building new.
You have the suburb, the street and often the block. What you don't have is a straightforward site: neighbours on both sides, services already in the ground, an older house to remove, and frequently an irregular or sloping lot that a standard floor plan was never drawn for.
We look at what the planning scheme allows there before anyone quotes — demolition requirements, overlays that can restrict or refuse a demolition, access for machinery, and what the site work is likely to cost. Then we identify the builders who do this work regularly, take them to competitive tender on the same scope, and check the contract against what was tendered before you sign.
What you get
What a rebuild engagement covers.
Site and approvals
What the overlays, setbacks and site cover allow, and whether demolition needs approval in its own right.
Builders who do rebuilds
Restricted access, live neighbours and an established streetscape are a capability, not a preference. We shortlist on recent comparable work.
Demolition and site costs
Priced against real information rather than an allowance, so you are comparing a figure with something behind it.
Competitive tender
Shortlisted builders price the same scope, and the responses are normalised so the comparison is between buildings.
Design that fits the block
Established lots are rarely regular. We look at what actually suits the site rather than what fits the catalogue.
Contract check
Allowances, inclusions and dates cross-checked against the tender before anything is signed.
Worth knowing
The part most people get wrong.
Rebuild budgets are usually set by comparing a build price to a greenfield build price, and then the demolition, the hazardous materials survey, the service disconnections and the restricted access arrive on top. None of that is unusual and all of it is knowable in advance — it is simply rarely established before a contract is signed.
The other one is assuming demolition is a formality. In parts of inner Brisbane a character overlay can refuse it outright, which is worth knowing before you buy a house you intend to remove.
Read the full comparison: rebuild, greenfield block, or infill lot →
Start here
Tell us about the property.
Answer a few questions and we'll come back within one business day.
Rather talk about the property?
Call us and we'll talk through the block, what the overlays allow and what demolition is likely to involve.