Knockdown vs Renovation
A Surf Coast Builder’s Guide to Getting It Right from the Start
So you're staring at your Torquay cottage or that Anglesea property with the incredible views, and the big question hits: renovate or start fresh?
We see this question come up all the time with our clients across the Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong, and more recently, up in Mount Beauty. With our experience in undertaking major architectural renovations across these areas, we've developed some great methods for navigating what can be a really complex decision.
The reality is, we've seen how this plays out, and it's rarely straightforward. Let us walk you through the scenarios we encounter most often.
The Three Scenarios We See All the Time
Scenario 1: When Your "Simple Reno" Becomes a Major Project
It starts out as an internal refurbishment to give life to the building, improve its thermal efficiency or reduce its energy consumption. You start focusing on pushing the energy efficiency to make it more comfortable in a heating-dominated climate, meaning you're starting to look more at orientation and building markup.
Before you know it, roof lines are changing, and the structural elements of the building need to be adjusted: it's turning into a major project! Unknown costs are starting to pile up, and you start looking around at local builders who will give their free opinions on how much it might cost.
There are often 3 ways this ends:
You progress based on some back-of-the-envelope estimates and find they're worth nothing more than the paper they're written on
You walk away from the project or scale it back because you don't feel comfortable
You start considering if a knockdown is a better approach
Scenario 2: The Planning Permission Minefield
You’ve purchased an amazing home with incredible views; maybe in Anglesea, somewhere along the Surf Coast, or nestled up in Mount Beauty. It's an older house, but you can't go past those amazing views! You engage an architect to do some design work and realise that if you overstep during a renovation, you could run into all sorts of problems, risking the amazing views you've fallen in love with.
Some of the headaches you could run into:
Surf Coast Planning restrictions, like the existing building is over the allowable height, the windows are currently overlooking, or you're too close to a boundary
Compliance with new livable housing provisions
Compliance with bushfire regulations, resulting in the forced removal of trees or vegetation that you value
Energy rating compliance
Scenario 3: The "How Do I Even Begin?" Dilemma
You’ve got a beautiful old house in a stunning part of Torquay or Anglesea that’s crying out for a renovation—but the whole thing feels overwhelming. You’ve got ideas, sure, but questions start piling up: Should you bring in an architect or a building designer? How do you avoid blowing the budget? And how do you make sure the final result actually reflects what you want?
Our Solution: Start with a Professional Building Consultation
Here's our biggest piece of advice: engage a building professional as a consultant. There are plenty of good reasons to spend a small amount upfront (relative to your overall build cost) to get accurate advice, realistic costings, and clear guidance to shape the design process.
And look, we get it. You want answers, not more bills. But this small investment upfront can save you from those three painful endings we mentioned earlier.
What Happens When You Engage Keystone for Consultation
Our On-Site Investigation Process:
We schedule time to meet onsite with our trades and carry out site investigations. We're looking at the condition and capacity of the services onsite, the condition of the building, the structural integrity of the home and assessing the energy efficiency of the building. We're up on the roof, in the ceiling, under the floor and doing our best to fully understand the good, the bad, and the ugly of the house.
Depending on the stage of the design, we may also take measurements to enter into a CAD program to assist with cost estimations or preliminary advice.
Desktop Review and Research:
Offsite, we're completing a desktop review, checking online planning information and local regulations.
Detailed Inspection Report:
We provide an inspection report with our findings and recommendations on how to progress. Often at this stage, we're providing some broad cost estimates to assist in future decision-making.
Connecting You with the Right Design Team:
If there isn’t a design team currently engaged, we recommend local architects and designers who understand the climate and the area, and who we think will be a good match for your project.
Sustainable Design Collaboration:
Working with the architect or building designer, we collaborate to discuss solar passive design and passive house principles to better consider how to create a more environmentally sustainable home.
The Bottom Line on Knockdown vs Renovation
There's no easy answer to whether you should knock down or rebuild: each house and each site is different! The best thing you can do is work with a builder who can give you the best information to guide the design process.
What Our Surf Coast Clients Say About Our Approach
"We had such a great experience working with Keystone Construction & Design. Iain was incredibly helpful right from the start – helping us make big decisions like choosing the right architect, weighing up knockdown vs renovation, and thinking through what made sense from both a lifestyle and investment perspective.
He walked us through different floor plan options and helped us focus on the areas that would really make an impact, both for how we live and for future resale. What really stood out was how chill, kind and understanding he was the whole way through. No pressure, just genuinely thoughtful advice that made us feel supported and confident.
Highly recommend if you're looking for someone who actually listens, understands your vision, and gives honest, expert guidance."
Ready to Get Clear Answers on Your Renovation vs Knockdown Decision?
Stop spinning your wheels on back-of-envelope estimates. Our preliminary consultation gives you the real numbers and expert guidance you need to make this decision with confidence.
Contact Keystone Construction to discuss how our consultation process can guide your Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula or Mt Beauty project.