Knock-Down Rebuild Plans, Australia-Wide
Love the street but not the house? A knock-down rebuild keeps your location and gives you a new home designed for how you live. We plan it from the first site check to the builder hand-over.
What we prepare
We check the site and the controls, design the new home, and prepare the drawing set for demolition and the new build, including site, floor, elevation, section and stormwater concept plans where needed. We coordinate the survey, engineering and energy rating so the new design fits the block and the rules first time.
What to check before you knock down
- Heritage and character controls. Many councils protect older homes or streetscapes. These can limit or stop demolition.
- Overlays. Flood, bushfire, landslip and similar overlays change what can be built and how.
- Services and easements. Sewer lines, easements and trees often decide where the new home can sit.
- Hazardous materials. Older homes can contain asbestos, which must be removed safely by licensed contractors.
How the rules differ by state
In NSW a new home can often go through the Housing Code as complying development. In Victoria, larger demolitions are referred to council for its report and consent. In Queensland, Brisbane assesses the removal of pre-1947 homes in its character overlay. In Western Australia demolition needs its own permit from the local government. In South Australia, demolition is often lodged with the new home through PlanSA. Energy rules also vary: NSW uses BASIX, most other states use the NCC 2022 7-star standard, and Tasmania and the Northern Territory have not adopted that increase. Read more: NSW · Victoria · Queensland · WA · SA · Tasmania · ACT · NT. In Sydney, start with our knock-down rebuild checklist.
How the process works
- Send your address. Tell us what you'd like to do. We reply the same business day.
- Site and planning check. We look at the zone, the lot, overlays and your council's controls, and tell you the likely approval path.
- Concept design. Layout options, sized to the rules and your brief, that you can comment on before any detail is drawn.
- Drawings. The full set for planning and building approval, ready for your council, certifier or building surveyor.
- Lodgement support and coordination. We line up the surveyor, engineers and energy assessor, and help answer any questions that come back.
Get started
Send us your address and what you'd like to do. We'll check the zone, the lot and your council's controls, and come back with the likely approval path and a fee proposal. Every project is quoted on its own. We reply the same business day.
Granny flat plans · Duplex drafting · Knock-down rebuild plans · New home plans · Alterations and additions · How we work Australia-wide
Common questions
Do I need approval to knock down my house?
In most cases, yes. Demolition usually needs approval, and heritage or character controls can limit it. We check the controls for your address first.
Is a knock-down rebuild better than renovating?
It depends on the condition of the house, the controls and your brief. We can look at both options at concept stage so you can compare them.
Can the demolition and new home be approved together?
Often they can be planned and lodged together, though the exact process depends on your state and council. We set up the drawings so both stages line up.
Do you work with my builder?
Yes. We prepare a clear set your builder can price and build from, and we can coordinate the hand-over.
Do you only work in Sydney?
No. We work Australia-wide with our own team in every state.
What can you build on your block?
Send us the address and we’ll outline what your site can generally carry and the likely approval path. We reply the same business day.
Tell us about your project.
Send us your address and what you'd like to do. We'll check the zone, the lot and your council's controls, and come back with the likely approval path and a fee proposal. Every project is quoted on its own.
We reply the same business day.