Knock down and rebuild in Burnley

Covering Burnley

Burnley sits 19 miles east of Preston, with Nelson 3 miles to the north-east and Accrington 6 miles to the south-west.

Homes in the North West

The North West has long rows of Victorian terraced houses in its towns and cities, alongside inter-war semis and post-war estates, so rear extensions, dormer lofts and kitchen extensions are common projects.

What is a knock down and rebuild?

Knock down and rebuild means demolishing an existing house and building a new one in its place, often a bungalow or poorly built post-war house replaced by a larger, more efficient home. Because the new house counts as a new dwelling, the build is usually zero-rated for VAT.

Planning application for the replacement dwelling
Asbestos survey, demolition notice and service disconnections
Reconnection of services and landscaping

What is the guide price for a knock down and rebuild in Burnley?

Indicative costs for knock down and rebuild. London and the South East usually sit towards the top of each range.

Knock down and rebuild	Guide price
Demolition and site clearance (total)	£15,000 to £35,000
Rebuild, standard specification (per m²)	£2,100 to £2,600 per m²
Rebuild, good specification (per m²)	£2,600 to £3,100 per m²
Rebuild, high specification (per m²)	£3,100 to £3,700 per m²

How is a knock down and rebuild approved in Burnley?

Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.

This needs full planning permission from the council. We prepare the drawings and supporting documents, submit the application and respond to the planning officer.

What should I think about before starting?

A replacement dwelling is usually zero-rated for VAT where the old house is demolished completely to ground level.
Asbestos is common in post-war houses and must be removed by licensed contractors where required.

From first call to completion

Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
Site visit. We walk the plot or existing house, look at access, levels, services and boundaries, and talk through what could be built.
Price and paperwork. The design is priced line by line, and we submit the planning and building control applications.
We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.

Your questions answered

Is VAT charged on a knock down and rebuild?

Usually not on the new house, if the old one is demolished completely and the new building is a qualifying dwelling.

How long does it take?

Around 36 to 60 weeks including demolition.

Who deals with the council for a project in Burnley?

We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.

Other towns nearby

Learn more about knock down and rebuild, or see every project we cover in Burnley.