Raze or Renovate?

Hi everyone. I am impressed with this great website and the supportive little community dwelling therein. I am hoping someone can guide me in the right direction re some queries I have. Found a block of land with an old house on it - no heritage overlay- the stumps seem fine but the rest needs heaps of work. Plumbing, electical, extending etc. Would it be cheaper to demolish? Do I have to get a building inspection first to say it's unliveable?
My renovating skills pretty much don't extend beyond painting. Have looked at Harkaway Homes- kit type home seems the cheapest option and they seem to be the only ones offering old-style designs although I would like to build in as much self-sustainability as possible. The only trouble with their set-up is you have to get sub-contractors in to do the various bits 'n pieces after HH have delivered the various components. Do I need a soil test before building seeing as there is already a dwelling there?
Also, what sort of surveyor do I need? I rang a land surveyor today and he said I need a building surveyor and recommended a chap. When I rang this chap he said I need a land surveyor! I assume whichever measures the depth and the width and the slope of the block and this info you give to the building company so they can design your house for appropriate orientation etc. before it is submitted to council for approval?
I would be grateful if someone could guide me through the maze of steps to buying, building/renovating and what hoops I have to jump through with the Hume City Council.
Cheers- Belter

Not sure about Vic but in NSW you usualy have to get a geotech report on the ground which determines what type and size footings the structural engineer or HH need to specify or install. Before you build you noramaly get a General land surveyor to do a detailed survey wich may run from $700ish to $1400ish. This allow you to position your new house correctly on the block ie not to close to boundarys or over sewer lines etc it should show RL ground levels so you can get correct drainage to the street or drainage pits etc. I would also sugest going to council and they should be able to give you a guide to doing a development and tell you what charges and rules are applicable. Good luck.

Hi Belter,
A land surveyor will be the one who plots out the site dimensions, boundaries and levels (slopes, etc) . The building surveyor will be the one who advises you on the suitability of the foundation/stumps, what type of building, other advise on what structure, building regulations, council regulations, etc. You will also sometime need to do a soil survey, in which case the relevant specialist (not sure what you call him) will come and take some core samples of the soil and give an analysis report to you (or whoever engages him eg. you, your builder or bldg surveyor) and eventually be submitted to the Council.

Unless the site is very steep/slope-y, the Councils (VIC) usually aren't so concerned with seeing a Geotech report, so long as your builder/the Council's building surveyor is happy that the builder is complying with the relevant building regs/codes. Your submission plans to the Council will normally state all this (done by your architect/draftsman/builder) anyway.

Re your question on raze or rebuild, depends on the state of the existing foundation, are you building exactly over that or adding on much other space, etc. Can't tell so simplistically, but if the existing structure is really bad, chances are you'd be better of rebuilding totally. Kit homes or project homes would be cheaper, compared to getting a builder to do one that you dream up.

Just some rough background. Others will add further and possibly clarify some details on what I said. That's what this forum is about.

If you aren't comfortable with or tooled up for a renovation then I would say demolish.

Most builders take one look at these jobs and do one of two things - run away or ask for custody of your cheque book....for the next two years.

We chose the renovate option but we were both comfortable and tooled up. Thus far (9 months in) we've spent well under budget but if we'd have used a builder then the time cost alone would've seen us well into debt....

Start from scratch......learn lots.....and come to a reno later.