If you love living in Torquay but your home no longer suits your lifestyle, a knockdown rebuild could be the ideal solution. With limited vacant land available in Torquay, demolishing an older house and building a new one can be a practical way to create your dream home without leaving the neighbourhood you love.
At Tremul Constructions, we have completed many knockdown rebuilds, helping homeowners transform outdated properties into high-quality, architecturally designed homes. We work with homeowners in Torquay and across the surrounding Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula.
Find out more about our knockdown rebuild services.
Why consider a knockdown rebuild?
Have you outgrown your current home, or does it need significant modernising? Perhaps the layout is impractical, the rooms are dark, or the house is expensive to maintain.
Rather than moving away from friends, family, schools and the community you love, a knockdown rebuild allows you to stay in your established location while creating a home designed around your lifestyle.
There can also be a financial benefit. If you sell your existing home and purchase another property, stamp duty can be a substantial expense. As an illustration, stamp duty on a $1.2 million property in Victoria is approximately $66,000 at general rates, depending on the transaction and any applicable concessions. That is money that could instead contribute towards your rebuild.
A fresh start with better design
Building from the ground up gives you the opportunity to improve natural light, maximise northern sun in winter, provide appropriate shading in summer and encourage cross-ventilation. A carefully considered layout, combined with suitable insulation and glazing, can improve comfort and energy efficiency.
Price Street project, Torquay
Our Price Street project in Torquay replaced an existing home with a contemporary, architecturally designed residence. The front facade combines precast concrete with timber windows and doors, complemented by shiplap hardwood cladding.
View the Price Street project.
Above: Price Street knockdown rebuild project
Golightly project, Point Lonsdale
Designed as an intergenerational holiday home, our Golightly project in Point Lonsdale transformed a small, poorly oriented and dark house into a contemporary coastal residence.
The original home was cold in winter, hot in summer and felt dark and pokey. Rebuilding created the opportunity to rethink the layout and provide a more comfortable, light-filled home for multiple generations.
A refined palette of render, standing seam cladding and spotted gum shiplap battens creates warmth, texture and durability suited to coastal living.
Explore the Golightly project.
Above: Golightly knockdown rebuild project
What permits are required for a knockdown rebuild?
One of the first questions homeowners ask is whether permits are required before demolition.
In Victoria, a building permit is generally required for demolition, and a planning permit may also be necessary depending on the property and applicable planning controls. For example, a heritage overlay can require planning approval before an existing house can be demolished.
It is important to investigate these requirements before any demolition begins. Tremul Constructions can assist with coordinating the necessary permit applications and approvals, helping you understand the requirements before your project gets underway.
What about asbestos in older homes?
Asbestos is an important consideration when demolishing older houses. Homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos in materials such as fibro cladding, eaves, roofing and internal linings.
We recently demolished a house built in the 1960s that had been renovated over the years. The original asbestos fibro cladding had been concealed behind weatherboards, making the extent of the asbestos difficult to identify from the exterior alone. The additional asbestos removal significantly increased the demolition cost.
We recommend arranging appropriate asbestos identification and assessment before demolition. Allow a contingency sum in your budget for unforeseen demolition and asbestos removal costs. The amount will depend on the age, condition and materials present in the existing building.
Above: asbestos fibro cladding concealed behind weatherboards
Who is responsible for disconnecting services before demolition?
Another important consideration is the abolishment of existing services, including electricity, gas, water and telecommunications. Property owners generally need to arrange the required disconnections and abolishments with the relevant service providers.
In our experience, this process can take considerably longer than anticipated. Start early, contact each provider and follow up regularly to confirm when the work will be completed.
Do not rely on paperwork or a disconnection at the house alone. Arrange confirmation and an appropriate physical site inspection to check that the required abolishment has been completed. We have encountered situations where service abolishment was incomplete.
Live gas or other active services can create a serious hazard during demolition. Gas must be safely isolated and any pipework that needs to be removed must be dealt with as required by the service provider and relevant authorities—not simply disconnected at the house. Demolition must not proceed until the site has been verified as safe.
Notify your neighbours
We also encourage clients to notify their neighbours about the planned demolition and construction as a courtesy. Giving neighbours advance notice helps set expectations around timing, noise and activity on site. Planning ahead and working with an experienced knockdown rebuild builder like Tremul Constructions helps create a smooth, well-organised start to the project. We work through a comprehensive checklist with every client to help ensure important details aren’t missed, from permits and service abolishment to site preparation and other pre-demolition requirements.
Is a knockdown rebuild more cost-effective than renovating?
Every property is different, but extensive renovations can become expensive when structural problems, outdated services and poor layouts need to be addressed.
A knockdown rebuild allows you to start fresh, with a home designed for modern living without the compromises of the original building. Comparing the full cost of renovation with demolition, approvals, site preparation and new construction will help you determine the best option for your property.
Start planning your knockdown rebuild in Torquay
A knockdown rebuild can offer the best of both worlds: a brand-new, thoughtfully designed home in the location you already love.
With experience in residential construction and numerous completed knockdown rebuilds, Tremul Constructions can help you understand the opportunities, coordinate permit applications and plan your project with greater confidence.
Keep your location. Reimagine your home. Build for the future.
If you are considering a knockdown rebuild in Torquay or the surrounding Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula, contact Tremul Constructions to discuss your property and ideas.