Month: July 2021

Love the area where your life but not so happy about the house. A knockdown might be your answer.

Whether you’re more into the address than the abode or yearning to upgrade the house you’ve outgrown, a knockdown rebuild could be the solution to feeling more at home in your desired suburb.

A knockdown rebuild involves knocking down an existing house and rebuilding on the same block. From the freedom of a clean slate to saving time and money, here are the advantages of a knockdown rebuild, plus where to start on your dream of owning the best house on the best street.

Love where you live

Grown into your community but grown out of your house? Rebuilding keeps you in the neighbourhood you love but upgrades your home to align with your needs. You’ll stay perfectly positioned by remaining close to your friends and favourite coffee shops, restaurants and parks. A knockdown rebuild suits growing families wishing to stay near their children’s schools, empty-nesters wanting to downsize with more premium features, and professionals desiring a closer commute to work and the city centre.

Clean slate

While a renovation has its boundaries, a knockdown rebuild allows you to start – and dream – from scratch. You have the freedom to hit reset and choose new themes, room sizes, layout, and coveted extras like larger cupboards and additional bathrooms. You’ve got a clean, transparent slate, which isn’t always the case with renovating, when hidden – and stressful – surprises can often surface once work gets underway, like leaky pipes, unsafe wiring and patch-up jobs that quickly clock up more time and money.

Save time and money

A knockdown rebuild potentially adds value to your patch. Building a brand new property on existing land can not only increase your happiness, but can also potentially increase its resale value. You can save cash because the design is packaged into the build, and avoid lengthy delays with a considerably shorter build time without waiting for registration for land. The option gives you more bang for your buck, says iBuildNew General Manager Tim Nichols. “With the average cost of building in Melbourne around $1,395 per square metre and around $1,200 outside of Melbourne, you may be able to achieve a new single storey home design for under $250,000,” he

says. “This is dependent on the size of the house and any demolition costs, but regardless, the additional savings by avoiding stamp duty are significant.”

Go for green

A blank canvas can be the beginning of a more sustainable base. You have the power to build an energy-efficient hub, which in turn can save you money. Think technological advances, sustainable building materials and renewable energy sources such as solar and rainwater. Plan ahead and optimise the orientation to maximise seasonal sun exposure, shade and cross ventilation. Add clever gadgets, set up smart technology and install automated lighting or security features as futuristic finishing touches.

Safe and sound

A new home means a fresh – and safe – start. At the end of the knockdown rebuild process, you’ll own a home that’s built to standards and adheres to building codes and regulations. Many aspects will also be secured with warranties. Gone are the potential safety issues like structural faults, lead paint, asbestos, mould and faulty wiring. Complete the picture by designing and installing a home security system.

Start with questions

Before you begin dreaming up your new design, it’s best to do some groundwork. Check if your land is suitable by firstly requesting a Section 149 from your local council. This will outline any planning information, zoning and restrictions, but be sure to ask for any additional requirements or information. When choosing a builder, Tim recommends asking if they have experience in knockdown rebuilds and what they’ll have to complete to be successful for the knockdown rebuild. “Ask them about required demolition, what permits are needed, and what services are included in the builder quote,” he says.

Interesting article on another option to renovating or extending your existing home.

While checking out builders pricing, Owner building should also be considered, refer to other articles on our website to gain a better understanding of the advantages or Owner building.

* Source: Design your dream home with a knockdown rebuild – Living Well- Jenna Meade- 20 July 2021

The post Knockdown and rebuild your Dream House appeared first on Australian Owner Builders.

Bedrock Construction and Development Pty Ltd v Crea [2021] SASCA 66 illustrates the risk to owners of not allowing a contractor the opportunity to fix defects before seeking to recover the cost of doing so from a third party.

The Court of Appeal considered whether an owner (Crea) unreasonably refused the contractor (Bedrock) access to the site to fix defects. At first instance, the judge found it was reasonable for the owner to refuse to allow Bedrock to fix the defects. You can find our previous discussion of the first instance decision here. However, the Court of Appeal’s judgment focuses on ensuring that the parties are kept to the terms of their bargain, allowing the contractor to fix defects as required under the contract. In this instance, the contract provided Bedrock with a contractual opportunity of at least 10 working days to rectify any defects. But, Crea failed to afford Bedrock with access to the site to fix the defects.

Justice Doyle (with whom Justices Livesey and Bleby agreed) observed that, on a strict view, Crea might not recover any amount from Bedrock since Crea did not afford Bedrock the 10 working days opportunity to fix defects. However, on the evidence, the Court of Appeal found it appropriate to reduce the damages award. Nonetheless, the decision is a stark warning for the need for principals to ensure that they follow the contract provisions dealing with the rectification of defects unless there is a good reason to depart from them, lest they find themselves unable to recover the full, or any, amount from the contractor.

Original Source: The Major Projects & Construction Team

For more information visit AOB

The post Failure to allow a contractor to fix defects could reduce the damages allowed appeared first on Australian Owner Builders.