With land in Greater Sydney at a premium, many homeowners are looking at what they can do with their existing home and block of land to make it better fit with their vision and desire for how they now live, or want to live.

The two options are a renovation or a knock down and rebuild (KDR), and ultimately the only people who can decide on what truly is the best option for you is, well, you and your family.

Assessing the pros and cons

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of both options, at the end of which we hope to have helped empower you to decide on the best option for you and your family and to move forward with confidence.

Deciding whether a knock down rebuild or renovation is the best option for you will always be a weighty and emotional decision.

But before we start, it’s worth noting that a knock down rebuild isn’t always an option, so first investigate whether there are demolition restrictions on your home, or heritage listings that won’t permit you to demolish it.

The pros of renovating

Do it at your own pace

With a renovation, you have the luxury of progressing the project at your own pace. There’s no single builder pushing you to stick to a specific timeframe, which also enables a little more flexibility with payments.

Living conveniences

As you selectively renovate certain parts of your home, you will likely still be able to live in the home for periods while the work is being done.

A renovation enables you to maintain the strong structure and good bones of your existing home. Keep what you like, perhaps the well-chosen orientation, and only change what you don’t like.

The cons of renovating

Unpredictable costs

The number one con of renovations is unpredictable costs that could blow out the project, and even force you to pare back your vision for your home. Renovations by their very nature can be challenging to cost due to the unknowns of working with an existing home, and it’s hard to project what you will need to spend.

Compromising on your vision

While a renovation enables you to keep the parts of your existing that you love, it could also mean that you may need to make compromises due to the limitations of the existing structure.

The pros of a knock down rebuild

Complete design freedom

With a KDR, you are starting with a truly blank slate. Every single design decision, from the floor plan to the styling, and more, is yours to make. If you have a very specific vision of what you want from your new home, a knock down rebuild is your best option.

Achieve the best of modern living

With a KDR, it’s easier to integrate modern technology and modern living essentials into your new home. This may include things like 21^st Century innovations around energy efficiency, connected home technology and features, and modern living trends, some of which may be limited when renovating.

Certainty around timing and costs

While there may be a chance that an unforeseen cost or delay will occur in a KDR, there is much more certainty, structure, and peace of mind around costs and timeframes.

The cons of a knock down rebuild

Losing the parts of your home you love

With a knock down rebuild, you get your brand new home just the way you like it. But what that also means is that you can’t retain any part of your existing home that you were fond of.

Living situation

For the 12 months that it will typically take to complete a knock down rebuild, you will need to secure alternate living arrangements, such as moving in with your in-laws or renting, and putting the majority of your possessions into storage.

A simple way to decide if a KDR or renovation is best for you

Deciding whether a knock down rebuild or renovation is the best option for realising your perfect home in the location you love will always be a weighty and emotional decision. We’ll leave you with one clear way to help you decide the best path for you:

If your home holds high sentimental value and you love its existing character and features, then a renovation is the right choice.
If your home holds low sentimental value and you’re not too fussed about its existing character and features, then a knock down rebuild is the right choice.
If your home has high sentimental value but you’re not too fussed about its existing character and features, or if you love the existing character and features but you’re not really sentimentally attached to your home, then you could go either way. Go on what your gut is telling you.

A knock down and rebuild specialist, ZAC Homes builds with trust, respect, integrity and pride, which we deliver to every client. Call us on 1300 350 793 or send us an online enquiry and let’s dig into the endless possibilities for your knock down rebuild.