DA Approval Question

[havinago]

Just bought worst house best street, current owners have already plans to build an extension which will turn a 3 bedder 1 storey home into a 4+study/bedroom, 2 storey mansion using the carcasse (hope thats how you spell it) of the existing dwelling.
My question is this:

It's already DA approved, but we're not happy with the design, we may even just knock down and do a whole new rebuild and design.

Whats easier? Work with current architects to get the house looking the way we want it or just knock down and start from scratch?

Will we need another DA approval for the new house?
Will it be easier to work with architects and council on altering current design?

 

[wylie]

Do you like the house "as is". If you bought it and there was no DA, what would you do... knock it down and start from scratch or do a different renovation?

I would ignore the fact it has a DA. Do what you would do if there was no DA.

If you don't really love the style or layout as it is now, I would get in a local agent and ask the question "If we spend $XX on a major reno, compared to a knock down and rebuild, which is better for the street?"

We did a reno about 14 years ago costing $200K ($230K if we include the pool and landscaping out back). I reckon we could have done a complete rebuild for the same price. Sometimes I still wonder if that would have been better (though we do love our house).

 

[Ideo]

If you want to amend the original DA (minor amendments) then you can do a S.96 application.

Otherwise whole new design would be a whole new DA.

What level of changes would make it right for you?

 

[havinago]

If you want to amend the original DA (minor amendments) then you can do a S.96 application.

Otherwise whole new design would be a whole new DA.

What level of changes would make it right for you?

Yeh well, current owner said will cost around $250k in materials and small amount of labour hire as he is a chippy.
So I added $100k on top of that for someone else to do it.

So we kind of thought, we didn't really like the design they had so maybe just scrap it and build our own designed house.

How long does DA take? Normally?

 

[Shahin_Afarin]

What you want to do is do the DA under complying development. This is the cheapest and fastest way. You will have to make it fit within the guidelines of the CD but its quite flexible.

 

[havinago]

What you want to do is do the DA under complying development. This is the cheapest and fastest way. You will have to make it fit within the guidelines of the CD but its quite flexible.

yeh cool, we'll try this method, thanks for the heads up on this method.

How long does a DA normally take from start to finish on first contact with council on a new development. Residential?
Anyone know.

 

[Shahin_Afarin]

If you do it via CD you don't deal with the council which is one of the main objectives.

You do it via a private certifier. Most often the builder will work with a PCA and it should take 2-4 months to get it over the line and start building.

 

[havinago]

If you do it via CD you don't deal with the council which is one of the main objectives.

You do it via a private certifier. Most often the builder will work with a PCA and it should take 2-4 months to get it over the line and start building.

Thank you kind sir.

 

[mflying]

best to run it past some builders.. they can tell you what they can/cant salvage. may save you cost/time of doing whole lot of work again.

CD is a best way to go if your block meets requirements!