When you’re unsure about Renovating or Detonating…
This is an age-old question across many projects, especially in dealing with template homes from the post war period up to the late 90’s. The current issues with cost, rental availability and sourcing materials have somewhat swayed the argument again.
We hope that this post helps you in your decision making. You may also want to consider some of our previous posts:
Buildings and Culture
We always like to explain the “why” before we get into the “how” - and so let’s begin by making clear that architecture and buildings don’t exist in a vacuum, but are directly related to the culture of its place and time. The post-war period saw houses of modest construction and scale, and that reflects the thinking and mindset of the day. We’ve seen, for example, original late 60’s housing where the kitchen was in its own separate room (in those times the housewife was expected to cook and bring it out, I suppose); and many currently live in houses from that era that have lower levels just that little bit short of being habitable height, because that simply wasn’t an important consideration in its day.
While houses are more adaptable and flexible than you may think, it’s also true that working with existing fabrics usually constrains the outcome. And that’s when your preferences comes in.
Simply put, the usually modest scale of the mid-century home, or even the corridor-and-room arrangements of Queenslanders, won’t cater to everyone. If you are accustomed to large, open-plan spaces and want to replicate that within the confines of a mid-century home, it may be difficult or uneconomical to achieve.
So, where do you stand personally? That is the first question to ask. If you want big, open spaces - it may rule out keeping the existing house altogether.
The Case for Renovating
In the vast majority of cases, this is still the more economical choice.
In some cases you may be able to stay on site while the build happens around you. It’s not a pleasant experience, and somewhat dependant on the Builder as well.
Generally, older hardwood timber for floor, wall and roof structure is of much higher quality than what is commercially available today.
Sentimentality - each home has its story, and you may be particularly attached to yours.
If you don’t mind the modest scale, there might be a certain satisfaction from wisely reusing an existing resource, and extending its useful life well into the future.
Sustainability, in the sense of minimising waste.
Buildings are surprisingly adaptable, and you may be surprised at how space can be reordered in a Renovation and Extension project.
The Case for Detonating
Generally more expensive, but the difference may be smaller than you think.
Specific use cases may force a new build - for example, designing for special needs use
A cleaner and easier build - likely reducing your time spent renting and/or living elsewhere, and that can be a significant cost!
New possibilities of rearranging space - and this can open up architectural opportunities.
Taking out the risk of weatherproofing the interface between old and new.
Easier to incorporate increased floor or building height, flush transitions to bathrooms etc.
The new project can be designed to be more clever when it comes to thermal performance and passive ventilation.
There is some degree of recycling and upcycling in the demolition process, especially as tip fees increase. Items of value are usually stripped from a house before the wrecking ball comes. Afterwards, a lot of the hard spoils are usually converted to road base.
Making an Informed Choice: Why not try both?
For our recent project in Moorooka, we tested both Alteration and New Build ideas so that the client can make an informed decision. For a small additional outlay, we explored both directions to ascertain the design opportunities. In this case, the client then decided that the cost of a New Build was worth the investment, especially given its elevated outlook with city views.
The New Build idea was almost an inverse of the previous home, in the sense that the garden sat at the heart and informed every single part of the home.
Adding to Existing
New Build
A case-by-case approach
We know that every client and every project is different. For some, this question can be explored and answered in early discussions. For others, exploring the possibilities of both is a worthwhile and valuable exercise.
Whichever way you would like to pursue, we are here to help.