When considering a knock down rebuild, you have to be prepared to do your homework and have some idea about what you would like your finished home to be. The following are a few ideas to get you thinking:
– Do you want a company to manage the entire process from design right through until handover?
– Do you want some design input into your home?
– Do you want a custom design home specific to your land and lifestyle?
– Do you want free rein to make personal selection decisions?
– Do you want to have contact with the business owners through the whole process and not be treated like a number?
– Do you want flexibility along the way?
– Do you want regular site meetings?
Take the time to drive around your neighbourhood. At present, you will find knock down rebuilds pretty much everywhere. Look who’s building these homes and, then if you like their style, google them. Look through their website, read their reviews and check that their builder’s licence and ABN are current.
Once you have done this, call the company and talk to the owner of the business. Ask the questions you need to ask and get a vibe for how they operate. See if you can speak with some of their past clients. And, we would say, trust your instinct. You need to have a brilliant rapport with your builder. You will be dealing with them for a long time and you need to feel comfortable with them.
Once all the approvals are completed and we are on-site, most KDR undertaken by Peninsula Homes takes on average between 9 – 15 months. Because we don’t take on too many projects at any one time, our sites have little to no downtime, therefore are not sitting idle for days and weeks on end. Our projects keep moving, meaning you get into your new home sooner.
This is often the first question people ask and it is one with many variables. Is your house going through council under a Development Application (DA) or being managed by a Private Certifier via a Complying Development Certificate (CDC)?
Generally speaking, a DA will take longer than a CDC as it needs to go through all the Council processes, checks and measures.
Our general timeline is that once we get the green light, that we are the chosen builder, plans being complete and ready for DA or CDC is approximately 4-6 months. From here, depending on the approval path taken, a DA may take 12-16 weeks in Council whilst a CDC with a Private Certifier will take approximately 4 weeks.
(Click here for more info from the Northern Beaches Council)
Peninsula Homes operate under a fixed-price contract. We do this for a number of reasons:
The simple answer is YES and many of them. Unlike many builders, Peninsula Homes loves site meetings, in fact, we encourage them.
Site meetings are where our clients get to see their house progressing, ask any questions, put new ideas on the table and feel a connection to their new home.
Generally, we meet our clients on-site every 2 weeks for a site meeting and more often if decisions need to be made. Once the home is safe to access, we provide clients with a code so they have access to their homes on weekends when no trades are around.
Take a look at our blog on the Benefits of a Regular Site Meeting.
There are no middlemen at Peninsula Homes, so you speak directly with the business owners and office manager throughout the entire build. Paul and Steve, who own the business and Nicole, the Office Manager, are the three points of contact from your very first phone call until the completion of the home.
They certainly are. The reason that we only do custom designs, is that each block of land on the Northern Beaches is unique. We want to capture the best aspects of each and every block, whilst minimising the least favourable ones. Only a true custom design home can achieve this. When a design harnesses natural light and allows for effective cross-flow ventilation, a custom home provides a daily lifestyle and well-being that can’t be quantified.
The fact that we design your home from scratch means there is ample opportunity for your input into the design stage. We encourage our clients to create mood boards to show us the style of houses and finishes that they like. From there, we design and keep tweaking this design until it is all you want it to be.
This question really comes down to preference and how you want your experience to be. As a small builder, we are all about personal service and custom design homes. It is these two points that are the main difference between a small company and a large-volume builder. At Peninsula Homes, you deal with the same people throughout the entire project. Paul, Steve and Nicole are your points of contact for everything; from start to finish. We pride ourselves on forging close working relationships with each and every client to ensure their home is everything they want it to be.
But most importantly, when designing a fully custom home rather than having to select or modify a pre-designed home you are getting a one-of-a-kind home that has been meticulously designed to take into account your location, land, light, breezes and privacy.
Click here to take you through our proven and effective process.
Absolutely! Who wouldn’t want a piece of history in their new home? We recently had clients who took the timber handrail from the stairs of their old home and we repurposed this as the mantle piece for their fireplace in their new home. We love the idea of being able to incorporate meaningful pieces into a home.
Absolutely! Our contracts include a stylish selection of high-quality tapware and appliances. After the contract is signed, we make an appointment with our Harvey Norman Commercial consultant, who, together with Paul, assists you with selections; whether from the contract or if you would prefer something different.
No, you don’t. In fact, we believe that having to make all selections upfront can be detrimental to the overall finish of the job. We often find that as clients begin to visit the site during the build, it uncovers ideas for them that they may not have thought of previously. This is where our flexible approach comes into play and can truly make the home unique.
We will let you know well in advance when final decisions for selections are required. This is always done with the support of the entire team. You are not alone.
We use the Master Builders Association BC4 Residential Building Contract (click here for an example). This is coupled with our highly detailed Building Agreement and architectural plans.
When you engage Peninsula Homes to undertake your knock down and rebuild, we take care of all paperwork associated with the council, the certifier and obtaining your final occupation certificate. We will keep you well-informed every step of the way so you are always up to date.
Yes. We certainly can. We have built several homes for clients with pre-approved plans. We have also helped to modify clients’ plans to enhance features that they might not have thought of, such as including a window or raising a floor height to capture a better view. Any modification is always done within building rules and regulations.
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it and can provide contact details. At the end of the day, all we want is for our potential clients to feel 100% comfortable that they are making the right decision in choosing Peninsula Homes as the builder to undertake their knock down and rebuild.
Steve Gibson, company owner and director of Peninsula Homes, oversees all site works. He coordinates the whole building process and is totally hands-on and available to answer any of your questions. With over 40 years of experience in residential building, you will not find anyone more skilled and passionate than Steve. Your build is in excellent hands!
Yes, we hold all relevant insurances including; Home Building Compensation, Contract Works, Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Worker’s Compensation.