Whether you’re looking to make the most of your land through subdivision, or simply want to create a brand new home in the neighbourhood you love, a knockdown and rebuild might be the perfect option for you. However, these projects are not without their unique challenges. We recently had a chat with Hayden Rau, Managing Director of Sentinel Homes Wellington & Kapiti, about the knockdown and rebuild process, and how the Sentinel Homes team plans to set you up for long-term success.
Put simply, a knockdown and rebuild involves demolishing the existing property on your land in order to then build one or more brand new houses. Although more involved than building on a new site or simply moving to an existing home, it offers some unique benefits that can really suit what a lot of people are looking for.
A knockdown and rebuild is a great option for those looking to create more value as it allows you to subdivide your land into multiple sections, letting you build a brand new home for yourself while also creating new sections or properties which can be sold. “If you’re building a new house on just part of the section, it's unlocking the equity you’ve already got in the land.” explains Hayden. “It might cost $100,000 to create that section but it’ll probably be worth several hundred thousand dollars.”
Another reason that people go for a knockdown and rebuild is that it gives them the ability to create the brand new home they desire, while staying in the neighbourhood they love. “A lot of the time, people really like the area and don't want to move away, but they can't find what they want to buy nearby” Hayden says. “You might be in an area where it's a really good school zone for kids, or it's walking distance to town, or you’re close to family. So you end up with a brand new home exactly how you want it, but on the same section with all the advantages that it had, rather than selling and moving away somewhere new.”
With a knockdown and rebuild you also get the ability to design your new home in a way which makes the very best use of the site you have. “The advantage of a complete knockdown rebuild is it gives you a blank canvas,” Hayden explains. “You're not constrained by where the existing house is and that means we can design something pretty comprehensive across the whole site, tailored to your individual preferences and circumstances.”
Hayden doesn’t shy away from the fact that knockdown and rebuild projects can be quite complicated processes, but explains that through experience, the right management, and clear communication it’s very achievable.
One of the ways in which the team makes the process smoother is by being able to give clients all the support they need from the one point of contact. “We try to make it as simple as possible for people by having strong connections with everybody we need,” says Hayden. “We've got experts that deal with finance, experts that deal with topographical surveys, experts that deal with plans. We're a one-stop shop for people and that's what makes it attractive for people. It means they can deal with one company or even one person the whole way through.”
Hayden also says his team is very conscious of making sure that communication is clear right from the get-go, and that they’re helping clients understand the journey they’re undertaking with a knockdown and rebuild project. “Rather than telling them what they want to hear, we tell them actually what's going to happen, because it’s important for us to do it right the first time. We want to make sure that our clients know what's going to be coming or what’s expected right from the start and that we explain the realities of the process so there are no surprises later on.”
Hayden believes that a key reason why people trust the Sentinel Homes team as their knockdown and rebuild partner is that they are able to provide the confidence needed for what is generally a lengthy and complex process. “A lot of it is just actually trusting the people that you're working with,” he explains. “Something might come up that a client may be worried about but we know we can say, hey, look, it's all good, we've got this. This is what we need to do and we'll get it sorted for you. We take the stress out of the situation for people because we have the experience and we know the process.”
Although knockdown and rebuild projects can seem a bit daunting, Hayden knows that the end result is well worth it. “If you look at a new home compared to an older home, it's just a no-brainer. Everything works properly, everything's brand new, it's warm, it’s modern. At the end of the day people are definitely happy.”
Looking to start your knockdown and rebuild project? Reach out to your local Sentinel Homes team today.
Let’s get together for a free, no-pressure meeting with one of our team, at your place or ours.
We can't wait to hear your ideas!
