Covering Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead sits 5 miles west of St Albans, with Berkhamsted 5 miles to the west and St Albans 5 miles to the east.
Homes in the East of England
The East of England has a large stock of post-war and modern estate housing alongside period homes in market towns, which makes garage conversions, single-storey extensions and loft conversions popular.
What does a knock down and rebuild involve?
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.
- Feasibility: rebuild versus extend and renovate
- Planning application for the replacement dwelling
- Asbestos survey, demolition notice and service disconnections
What will a knock down and rebuild cost?
Typical ranges for knock down and rebuild. Ground conditions, access and specification move the final figure, which we fix in writing before work starts.
| 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 Hemel Hempstead?
English projects need planning clearance from the local council, building regulations sign-off from building control, and party wall notices where the work is on or near a shared boundary. We prepare and manage all three.
This needs full planning permission from the council.
What can change the price or programme?
- A replacement dwelling is usually zero-rated for VAT where the old house is demolished completely to ground level.
- You will need somewhere to live for most of a year.
What happens after I enquire?
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- 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.
What people ask before starting
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.
Do you work in Hemel Hempstead?
Yes. Hemel Hempstead is within our coverage for knock down and rebuild, along with nearby Berkhamsted and St Albans.
Knock down and rebuild near Hemel Hempstead
- Knock down and rebuild in Berkhamsted
- Knock down and rebuild in St Albans
- Knock down and rebuild in Harpenden
- Knock down and rebuild in Watford
Learn more about knock down and rebuild, or see every project we cover in Hemel Hempstead.