Covering East Grinstead
East Grinstead is about 8 miles east of Crawley. We also cover Horley (7 miles to the north-west), Crawley and Crowborough.
Homes in the South East
Housing across the South East mixes inter-war semis, post-war estates and older cottages in villages and market towns, so rear and side extensions, hip-to-gable lofts and garage conversions all come up regularly.
What do you get with 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.
- Demolition and site clearance
- New foundations, structure and full fit-out
- Reconnection of services and landscaping
How much should I budget for a knock down and rebuild?
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 |
Planning and building rules in East Grinstead
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.
What should East Grinstead homeowners check first?
- 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.
How does the project run?
- 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.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Knock down and rebuild: common questions
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.
What happens about asbestos?
An asbestos survey is done before demolition and any asbestos is removed safely first.
Who deals with the council for a project in East Grinstead?
We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.
Knock down and rebuild in nearby towns
- Knock down and rebuild in Horley
- Knock down and rebuild in Crawley
- Knock down and rebuild in Crowborough
- Knock down and rebuild in Haywards Heath
Learn more about knock down and rebuild, or see every project we cover in East Grinstead.

