The changes to the NSW housing market in the last years have been huge. Covid has helped us all clarify what is really important, and as a result, we’ve seen people flocking toward green spaces and sea-changes in droves. Who wouldn’t want to work from home while living in the most beautiful parts of our country? While it may seem like everyone wants to stake a claim where the grass is greener, it doesn’t mean that your goal of upgrading to a newer or larger home is off the cards or that costly and unpredictable renovations are the only option left.
There are some surprising upsides for those who are already settled in picture-perfect locations like the Hunter Valley or the Central Coast. Some people are gearing up to build their first homes, but for others, a knock down rebuild might just be the unexpected, cost-effective gem to get to the next phase of home ownership and better living where you are already planted.
Here are even further ways to save money when approaching your knock down rebuild:
Be Clear About What You Want
It is of the utmost importance to take the time to consider the non-negotiables for your new home. This enables you to easily make smarter choices, like a smaller floor plan that will produce actual savings. Knowing what is most significant to your family’s lifestyle makes rebuilding a house far simpler.
If the lack of storage in your old place drove you crazy, it’s straightforward to incorporate phenomenal storage solutions into your new blueprint while eliminating unneeded space elsewhere. Suppose you’re big on hospitality but aren’t sure how to fit the whole football team into your future living room on a budget. In that case, it’s possible to decrease your footprint and save a lot on building costs while still incorporating a well-designed entertainment space for the whole crew…outside your deck, complete with a fire pit. This is the right time for facade engineering and interior design that dreams big with a willingness to negotiate elsewhere.
A rebuilder that is sure about their must-haves can quickly and efficiently remove the negotiable concepts and thus save on unnecessary expenses. Someone who knows exactly what they want is less likely to fritter away their funds on details of little value in the long term. Simplifying your design around the non-negotiables for your rebuild will make a big difference in the long run.
Being sure of your priorities comes with the benefit of simplifying the navigation of the approvals and budgeting necessary to create a dream home. Making wise, informed choices that align with your goals over hasty, aimless ones adds up, leaving more money for what is important to you.
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
Going green has a lot of benefits besides the obvious environmental factors. Don’t think that only involves adding energy-efficient features to your rebuild for the handy rebates they supply. Knocking down an older home allows you to cash in if you’re willing to consider reclaiming and reselling materials.
You may be done with your existing finishings, fixtures and fittings. Still, they could be another man’s treasure and bring in a supplementary income stream via Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, eBay, and even the local building salvage yard that can evaluate antique or unique items.
Don’t stop with the house itself- if you’re creating a more modern space, consider your old furniture in the same light as those old fixtures. If you’d instead start over with a different style in your new home, don’t just set out your old couch for curbside collection before you head to the homemaker’s centre. Put together a good old-fashioned garage sale, or hit those online marketplaces again to stock your kitty.
The final station before locking in your demo date is your backyard! While your plant life won’t be able to sell at the same price as your local nursery, mature trees on your property have the potential to bring in a decent sum, especially considering that your new build will likely require a reset on your landscaping anyway.
Get connected with a local landscaper for an assessment of any trees that you think would be worth removing. However, you can’t supply the same guarantees that a nursery can about the health and long-term viability of a tree and its roots; a qualified landscaper can and could potentially re-home your tree for you through their industry connections.
It’s Not What You Know But Who You Know
It’s a well-used proverb for a reason. If there was ever a time to make the right connections and utilise the best of the ones you already have, this is it. Rebuilding a home that will tick all of the right boxes is the ultimate checkpoint for sourcing the right people for the job.
Engaging an experienced homebuilder is a matter of considering the value you’re getting as well as the dollars you’re saving by removing all of the guesswork and risk from a knockdown rebuild. Attempting to navigate the complexities of financing your project, the approvals necessary for your design, finding high-calibre tradesmen who work to standard with quality supplies, and even how all of those aspects of the building come together can become more than a headache if you attempt to take it on yourself, and somewhat antithetical to the goal of saving.
No one wants to sacrifice their valuable time and money only to be left with blown-out timelines or a home of questionable quality. This is where a great building company comes into the equation, handling all of those squiggly details with and for you so you aren’t left sweeping up what remains of your sanity or your savings.
When saving money, nothing beats the connections you already have. Spread out your feelers for a temporary home by reaching out to family members and friends, looking for opportunities to come and stay or housesit when the time comes. Consider living in a tiny or granny flat over the final stages of your rebuild. Now is the time to call in favours and ask Mum and Dad how attached they are to their sewing room. You’ll save yourself from forking out for unnecessary rent and have a chance to invest in new, invaluable relationships.
Home Experts are Here to Help You Along Your Journey
If the knock down rebuild route is a pathway that sounds right for you, you can check out some of the ins and outs of the knock down rebuild process with Vision Homes which also covers some FAQs that are likely on your list. Don’t forget: this is meant to be fun!