When considering a major architectural project at your home, one of the biggest decisions is whether to refurbish the house that you have, or demolish it and replace it with a brand new home. A replacement dwelling has many benefits, at VESP Architects, we specialise in delivering these kinds of projects across the UK. Here’s our guide to replacement dwellings and some of the key things you should consider before embarking on a major architectural project:
What is a replacement dwelling?
A replacement dwelling is a new home built on the site of an existing one. The original property is demolished and the new house is constructed in its place. By removing the old house and starting afresh, you gain a rare opportunity to create a home tailored entirely to your lifestyle, aspirations, and needs – designed without compromise and built just for you.
What are the benefits of replacing an existing house?
While refurbishment can breathe new life into an existing property, it often comes with limitations. In an existing building:
- The building fabric may require significant upgrading in thermal performance; which isn’t always simple.
- Historic issues with poor construction, damp or water penetration can be tricky to resolve.
- In the South West (UK) there are higher levels of Radon gas in the ground, and creating a continuous barrier beneath the house can be problematic.
- Wiring and plumbing is often obsolete, and requires stripping out and replacing, which is a big undertaking.
- The re-design might be limited in terms of internal layout and external window and door openings without major structural rebuilding.
By contrast, a replacement dwelling offers clear benefits, including:
- Super insulated, sustainable construction that can provide a low-energy home, up to passive house standards if required.
- Well designed and built fabric that will have longevity and avoid future issues of water penetration, damp, condensation etc.
- Can easily accommodate the latest heating and ventilation systems, to provide a comfortable, low energy home.
- The ability to custom design the property to your exact requirements, with less limitation.
- If you live in an area you love, it allows a new, custom made home without having to change your location
What other considerations should be made?
Whilst there are lots of benefits to a replacement dwelling, gaining planning permission can be more complicated than a refurbishment, as a new house is expected to achieve entirely new standards in performance, drainage, ecological impact etc. This can require more consultant’s input and information to be approved. Building a new dwelling is currently 0% VAT rated, where as improvements to an existing building are rated at 20% VAT. A new build may be more costly overall than a major refurbishment, but the VAT may reduce some of this disparity.
There may be size limitations imposed by the local planning and neighbourhood plan policies on a replacement dwelling.
How can VESP architects help.
Replacement dwellings are an excellent way to achieve incredible projects in beautiful locations, to the highest design standards and technical performance. At VESP architects we are experienced in delivering all manner of high quality domestic projects, including both new build replacement dwellings and major refurbishments.
Which route you take depends upon your brief and aspirations, the quality of the existing property, and budget. All of our projects receive the same attention to detail and we know how best to navigate the various stages of a project specific to both routes. From design ideas to final approvals, we make the process as stress-free as possible, so you can feel confident, supported, and excited about your home’s transformation from start to finish.
For more information, or if you would like to discuss your own project, please contact us here.
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