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more than 70 home designs

Knock down Rebuild

As your life changes, your needs change too. Sooner or later the house you fell in love with simply doesn’t suit your lifestyle anymore. So what do you do? Renovate? Or buy an established home that still doesn’t quite suit your every need? What if you could build your dream home in the suburb you already love? Keep the view you love, the address you know, the local amenities you enjoy and your friendly neighbours. Simply replace your place with the kind of home you and your family really need, want and deserve, with a knockdown rebuild. 

Building with the knock down rebuild specialists Clarendon Homes, gives you access to a catalogue of more than 70 home designs covered by the Lifetime Structural Guarantee scheme.

All our homes come in multiple façade variations, with different interiors, to ensure we are building a house that is adapted to your lifestyle and needs.

You can start collecting new home ideas by browsing through our list of home designs, or visit us in one of our display centres. Contact us today for more information about our knock down rebuilds in Sydney, Newcastle, The Central Coast and Wollongong including our knock down rebuild process.

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Love where you live

Why knockdown rebuild?

Cost efficiency

If your house is old and energy-consuming, the costs of building and maintaining a new house may be lower than those of maintaining your current home, with the maintenance and energy costs that may occur in the long run. The knockdown rebuild cost can be significantly lower, with our affordable knockdown rebuild prices making it an option worth considering.


Build a home with full living potential

A house with full potential might be tough to achieve through renovations, due to the space restrictions that will arise from the existing floor plan. Building a new house is the best way to design the space that you need, without making any compromises.


Stay in the neighbourhood

When your current house is becoming a liability for you, sometimes the only option is to find a better home. However, finding a new home in the neighbourhood you’ve become attached to throughout the years, can prove to be close to impossible. Knock down rebuild homes in NSW allow you to keep living in your current neighbourhood, instead of relocating to a new location and starting a whole new life.


Still not convinced? Consider 5 reasons why you should consider a Knock Down Rebuild and 5 reasons KDR may not be for you.

Our Process

Step 1 - The Site Inspection

The building process starts off with a land assessment to ensure your new home complies with all the necessary regulations. This includes a site inspection, a borehole soil test, preparation of a zoning certificate and a comprehensive contour survey of your land.

Step 2 - The Tender

A member of our customer service team will be in touch to arrange a tender appointment to discuss and finalise your new home costs and plans. During the meeting we will confirm your site costs (based on the information received from the site inspections/surveys) and cover any changes and questions you might have. Once you’ve accepted your tender we’ll provide you with a colour selection folder and a sample copy of the HIA building agreement.

Step 3 - The Building Contract

Now that your new home tender has been accepted we will prepare a full set of architectural drawings of your new home and prepare a building contract, which includes your contract tender, with accurate pricing on any variations you have made to your home.

A member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to arrange your contract appointment.


Step 4 - Lifestyle Studio Selections

The Clarendon Lifestyle Studio Team is here to help personalise your new home. We’ll contact you to arrange a meeting to complete your selections once your contract is signed.

Step 5 - Expert Reports & Lodgements

We’ll obtain all reports required to support your application to Council, the private certifier and developer (if applicable.

Step 6 - Building Approval and Site Start

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What to expect and do

Learn about house demolition

Choosing a demolition contractor can be challenging particularly when this is not something you have had experience with. 

Learn More
Featured Homes

Our Home Designs

View our most popular double storey homes

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Boston 38

Bedrooms 4
Living Areas 3
Bathrooms 2.5
Car Spaces 2
Double storey 15m+ lot width

The Boston Series offers all the features to meet the needs of a growing or multigenerational family at a great value price. With 4 generous sized bedrooms, a Study/Guest room, plus a host of separately zoned entertainment areas, this home ticks all the boxes.  For those looking to build the home for a lifetime, put the Boston at the top of the shopping list. Inspect the Boston 34 at our Marsden Park Display Centre, or the Boston 36 at either our Parklea Super Centre, Calderwood Display Centres or Waterford Display Centre, as well as the Boston 37 at our Forestville Display Centre and the Boston 42 at our SylvaniaWest Pymble Display Centre. All open daily from 10am-5pm.

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Bronte 30

Bedrooms 4
Living Areas 3
Bathrooms 2.5
Car Spaces 2
Double storey 12.5m+ lot width

The Bronte Series is a contemporary design with dimensions tailored to suit the narrow blocks, without compromising on living space. Boasting 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 4 living areas, this home can be designed with even more space with a range of lifestyle options, including an Alfresco or Grand Alfresco, Rumpus, Guest Room and Butlers Pantry. Available in both 25 and 28 squares, The Bronte 28 is on display at our Parklea Super Centre. Open 7 days 10am-5pm.

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Stamford 45

Bedrooms 6
Living Areas 3
Bathrooms 2.5
Car Spaces 2
Double storey 12.5m+ lot width

The Stamford Series is a two-storey, six-bedroom home. Designed for multi-generational living, it has a ground floor Guest Bedroom ideal for ageing parents with another five bedrooms upstairs. A spacious open plan living area with butler’s pantry off the kitchen opens onto the Grand Alfresco to the rear, doubling the available living space. The home theatre is opposite the stairwell, which has been designed with a large void, flooding the ground floor with natural light. It’s a generous family home as displayed but it can be further customised with a larger alfresco space, larger bedrooms and a triple car garage if desired. Inspect the Stamford 38 display at our Warnervale, Hamlyn Terrace Display Centre, open 7 days from 10am-5pm

Book a free preliminary assessment.

Start the process today by booking a free preliminary assessment of your block of land by one of our trained consultants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a knockdown rebuild?

A knockdown rebuild is a cost effective alternative to renovating. It means knocking down your existing home to make way for a new home that suits your familys lifestyle. 

This means you can get the home you want in an area you love without trying to make something existing work for you. 

What are the benefits of a knockdown rebuild?

Remaining in the same neighbourhood you love and keeping the address you know is one of the great benefits of a knockdown rebuild. A knockdown rebuild also means you can build the exact home your growing family needs, and include any extra bedrooms or living areas to suit your lifestyle. Last but not least, when you knockdown an old house and build a brand new home, you can make sure the home fits within your budget and avoid any budget blowouts from nasty surprises.

What areas can Clarendon Homes build in for knockdown rebuild?

In NSW, Clarendon Homes building area is widespread and growing. We build in most areas of Greater Sydney including parts of the lower Blue Mountains. Then as far north as Port Stephens, inland to Singleton and down to Huskisson on the South Coast.

You can see a map of the areas Clarendon Homes builds in here: 

Clarendon Homes Building Regions | Clarendon Homes | Clarendon Homes


If youre not sure if we can build in your area, contact our friendly team at Head Office or visit a display centre near you. Were here to give you the help you need. 

Contact our Clarendon Homes Head Office here:

Contact Head Office & Lifestyle Studio | Clarendon Homes

 

Discover a Clarendon Homes Display Village near you here:

Display Homes | Display Villages Sydney NSW | Clarendon Homes

Does Clarendon Homes arrange the demolition of my existing house?

Clarendon Homes doesnt organise the demolition of your home. This means that demolition costs are not included in your building contract price so you will need to allow for this in your knockdown rebuild budget.

However, Clarendon Homes can recommend an experienced, licensed and insured demolisher. Its essential to choose a demolisher who will guide you through the entire demolition process including Demolition Approval and asbestos removal (if needed). This ensures you get a clear site thats ready to build on. 

Learn how to choose the right demolition contractor here:

Choosing a Demolition Contractor | Clarendon Homes

How can I find out if a knockdown rebuild will work for my block?

Our sales consultants will look at your block in relation to the Clarendon Home design youve chosen. They can guide you through a preliminary checklist to see if your property could be suitable and discuss what your next steps would be.

To get started, visit a display centre near you today:

Display Homes | Display Villages Sydney NSW | Clarendon Homes

Should I choose DA or CDC for my knockdown rebuild?

The benefit of CDC (Complying Development Certificate) is approval time is much quicker than DA (Development Application).  If your design choice and your block can meet the requirements of CDC, Clarendon would recommend this process.

However, if youre in an area that doesnt allow CDC eg. bushfire areas or you have specific requirements for your home design that are outside the scope of CDC requirements then youll need to go with a DA.

At Clarendon Homes, well guide you step by step through the entire process so youll know exactly which option is right for you.

What’s the biggest home I can get on my block?

To find out what your home design options are, visit your nearest display centre and chat to one of our experienced Sales Consultants. Your sales consultant will look at your block size and help you understand what size home you can fit on your property.

The size of home you can fit on your block can be impacted by things like: 

  • Your block size
  • Your council requirements. These can include floor space ratio, site coverage ratio and building height envelope
  • The slope of your property and available building area
  • Significant trees could also restrict the size of the home you can choose

Can I customise the floorplan for my knockdown rebuild?

At Clarendon Homes, we offer you flexible floorplans so you can create the ideal layout for your familys lifestyle. For you, that could be open plan living that flows onto a grand alfresco. Or add your perfect home office space or guest bedroom with ensuite downstairs. 

Other popular inclusions are butlers pantry, walk-in-robes or home theatre rooms. Our experienced Sales Consultants are here to help you understand your options and see the possibilities for your new home.

How will I know if I can finance a knockdown rebuild?

At Clarendon Homes, integrity and transparency in pricing is part of our entire process. This means we do our best to give you a detailed estimate of costs upfront so you can confirm your budget before you commit. 

Its best to get professional financial advice from your bank so youre clear on what your choices are.

The benefit of choosing a project builder, like Clarendon Homes, is you can also get financial advice from our experienced finance team who can help you make the right decision for you and your family.

Why do I need to pay a Tender Fee for my knockdown rebuild?

Your Tender Fee pays for the 10.7 certificate (which shows your councils requirements for your block), a soil test, contour survey and thorough assessment of your block by our Compliance Manager. 

Your soil test will determine soil type, salinity and if you have rock. These things can impact on the structural design of your home which is why we do this upfront.  Your contour survey will accurately show the slope of your block and any easements or services which could impact your build.

The site assessment by our Compliance Manager also identifies potential site costs, such as, traffic management and Works Zone if you live on a busy road or tiger tails if you have low overhead powerlines or are building close to overhead powerlines.

This means we can give you an accurate expectation of site costs before you sign the building contract. 

Does Clarendon Homes do the landscaping for my knockdown rebuild?

Landscaping, driveways and fences arent included in the build process so youll need to allow an extra budget for this. Youll need both a landscape designer and a contractor to do the landscaping. If you want guidance on what to ask for, your Sales Consultant or Tender Presenter can help

Can I keep my existing swimming pool?

You can keep your existing swimming pool if it is outside the building area. It must also be covered and fenced off.

Can I build the pool later?

Yes, you can. Its best to know where the pool is going before you start your build. This is because you need to make sure that all of the services for your new home are clear of where you want to put the pool.

Can I build a pool at the same time as building my house? Does Clarendon build pools?

The building area needs to be accessible by Clarendon at all times so you cant build a pool at the same time. Its possible to put in a pool shell in beforehand but only if it doesnt get in the way of building your new home.   If this is you, talk to your Sales Consultant for advice.

 Clarendon Homes doesnt build pools. Our expertise is in building quality homes.

How do I know if my existing property is in a bushfire, flood or mine subsidence area?

At Clarendon Homes, were usually aware of potential risk areas. However, if it isnt clear whether  your property is in a bushfire, flood or mine area then the 10.7 certificate from your council will show this. Clarendon will order your 10.7 certificate as part of the Tender Fee assessment process.

Your sales consultant can explain the process to you if you have any questions.

Can I do a knockdown rebuild if my property is in a bushfire, flood or mine subsidence area?

Yes, it is possible depending on the requirements of your area. We do our best to assess this upfront. You will usually need to have your block assessed by an external consultant eg. Bushfire consultant or a flood report from your council. Your Sales Consultant will guide you on this.

There are some circumstances where we cant build, such as, if youre in a bushfire area and the BAL rating is flame zone or if your home requires a suspended slab for a flood impacted area.

If youre in a mine subsidence area, the Mine Subsidence Board can request changes depending on the impact an underground mine may have on a new build. Whether you can build or not will depend on the requirements of the Mine Subsidence Board.

If you have any questions, talk to your Sales Consultant who will advise you on what to do next.

I have trees on my property, can I still do a knockdown rebuild?

If the trees on your block are considered significant or protected according to your council then you may not be able to remove them. To establish this, you will need to engage an arborist to assess your trees. Council will make the final decision based on the arborist report. 

If you have questions about how this process works, your sales consultant will assist you.

Will I need a stormwater detention system for my new home?

This will depend on your location and council requirements. Every council has its own stormwater policy. If required, Clarendon will work with a hydraulic engineer to create the right stormwater design for your council area. Your Sales Consultant can answer any questions you have about this process.

Are there any areas of Sydney Metro that Clarendon can’t build in?

There are some Local Government Areas that dont work for a large project home builder because of narrow streets, high traffic levels and no trade base. These areas are better suited to a smaller boutique builder. 

The council areas in Sydney Metro that Clarendon Homes doesnt build in are:

  • City of Sydney
  • Woollahra
  • North Sydney
  • Mosman
  • Waverley

 

You can see the map of council areas where Clarendon Homes does and doesnt build here:

Clarendon Homes Building Regions | Clarendon Homes | Clarendon Homes

My property is in a school zone. Can I do a knockdown rebuild?

Clarendon do not usually build in school zones because we want to ensure the safety of school children at all times. School zones require a high level of supervision and traffic management which is more suited to a small boutique builder.  

However, if your property is on the edge of a school zone Clarendon may consider building. In these cases, your property must be inspected by Clarendons Compliance Manager to assess the conditions before we would agree to proceed.

I’m considering a granny flat, should I do it now or later on?

Clarendon offers home designs which include granny flats so you can do both at the same time. This avoids trying to build your granny flat around your new home later on. 

Clarendon Home Designs | House Plans

Can I live in my existing granny flat, while my new home is being built?

No, this isnt possible because all of the services need to be disconnected before building starts. 

The only situation where this would work is if your existing granny flat has its own access and completely separate services from your new dwelling. Our Compliance Manager must assess the situation on an individual basis. 

Why should I choose Clarendon Homes for my knockdown rebuild?

Clarendon Homes is 100% Australian owned and operated. We have over 44+ years of building experience so you can feel safe that youre in expert hands during your entire build process. 

And with Clarendons lifetime structural guarantee you will always have the peace of mind that youve made the right decision.   

In 2023, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) awarded Clarendon Homes founder, Peter Campbell, the prestigious Sir Phillip Lynch Award of Excellence. The HIA says, this award recognises distinguished contribution to the residential building industry at the highest level of excellence and integrity

HIA announces Award of Excellence honours | HIA