We are looking at some options on two IPs we have which share a back fence. They are in a character area so we cannot move the houses.
We are looking at two options -
Option 1. Get DA to put either two townhouses into the combined back yards, or two free standing houses (ie one in each back yard). This becomes a small lot application and the town planner we spoke to suggested that costs for this would be considerable, with figures including headwords of up to $20K per house ($80K in total was my understanding) plus another $20 for water to the lot? BCC application fee would be $9K and time frame for approval up to twelve months. Figures are very rubbery because I am waiting on something in writing to jog my memory for the figures and I have so many figures running around in my head I am a bit confused right now.
This option would need advertising and I know the neighbours will probably object. I also know that doesn't mean it will not get approved, but the frontage of both blocks is only 15 metres and the town planner said that there are many issues to solve and hoops to jump through (or pay someone to do for us) and then we would have the cost and hassle of actually building them.
I do want to maximise the block and I think this is the best way to do it, but am not sure I want all the hassle involved.
Option 2. Have the two lots reconfigured to three. The total land is 72 perches with two street access, one house on each block. To cut a battleaxe block in the middle could give us a 32 perch block in the middle with a driveway from either street, past the existing house. One house would need to be moved over to do this, so we would probably choose the house that would not need to be moved. However, both houses at some stage in the future could benefit from lifting in order to build in, though whether we do this or not is open to debate. This option is much cheaper. BCC application fee about $1500 and for a total (ballpark) of $50K to $60K we have a totally finished block on its own title ready to sell or build on. It could take between 20 days to six months for approval, depending on a few things.
In effect we will have created a valuable block of land for about $60K. We would then decide whether to sell and totally reduce our PPOR debt (which I'd love to do) or build an IP on the block. I will do my figures for both scenarios before we make any decision.
I am interested in anyone's thoughts. The town planner, while saying both options could get approval suggested that as we have never developed anything before (though we have plenty of renovation experience) he would lean towards the easy solution. He said he sees many "mum and dad" developers like us go through very stressful times getting these things through and developed.
While I am all for maximising the block, I also want to have a marriage at the end of this, so I am also leaning towards the easier option.
The other point is that the cost of building two houses as opposed to one is much less.
I wonder if anyone has gone down this path for the first time and would like to share their thoughts as to how much hassle it would be for a novice.
Thanks, Wylie
We are looking at two options -
Option 1. Get DA to put either two townhouses into the combined back yards, or two free standing houses (ie one in each back yard). This becomes a small lot application and the town planner we spoke to suggested that costs for this would be considerable, with figures including headwords of up to $20K per house ($80K in total was my understanding) plus another $20 for water to the lot? BCC application fee would be $9K and time frame for approval up to twelve months. Figures are very rubbery because I am waiting on something in writing to jog my memory for the figures and I have so many figures running around in my head I am a bit confused right now.
This option would need advertising and I know the neighbours will probably object. I also know that doesn't mean it will not get approved, but the frontage of both blocks is only 15 metres and the town planner said that there are many issues to solve and hoops to jump through (or pay someone to do for us) and then we would have the cost and hassle of actually building them.
I do want to maximise the block and I think this is the best way to do it, but am not sure I want all the hassle involved.
Option 2. Have the two lots reconfigured to three. The total land is 72 perches with two street access, one house on each block. To cut a battleaxe block in the middle could give us a 32 perch block in the middle with a driveway from either street, past the existing house. One house would need to be moved over to do this, so we would probably choose the house that would not need to be moved. However, both houses at some stage in the future could benefit from lifting in order to build in, though whether we do this or not is open to debate. This option is much cheaper. BCC application fee about $1500 and for a total (ballpark) of $50K to $60K we have a totally finished block on its own title ready to sell or build on. It could take between 20 days to six months for approval, depending on a few things.
In effect we will have created a valuable block of land for about $60K. We would then decide whether to sell and totally reduce our PPOR debt (which I'd love to do) or build an IP on the block. I will do my figures for both scenarios before we make any decision.
I am interested in anyone's thoughts. The town planner, while saying both options could get approval suggested that as we have never developed anything before (though we have plenty of renovation experience) he would lean towards the easy solution. He said he sees many "mum and dad" developers like us go through very stressful times getting these things through and developed.
While I am all for maximising the block, I also want to have a marriage at the end of this, so I am also leaning towards the easier option.
The other point is that the cost of building two houses as opposed to one is much less.
I wonder if anyone has gone down this path for the first time and would like to share their thoughts as to how much hassle it would be for a novice.
Thanks, Wylie