Not every old Gold Coast home should be renovated. Sometimes the smarter investment is starting fresh — and as a QBCC Licensed Builder and Building Designer, I help homeowners test that decision before money is committed to demolition, design or builder pricing.
Design Science provides knockdown rebuild assessment, design and documentation across the Gold Coast. The focus of this page is the service: what we check, what you receive, how the approval pathway is considered, and how the documentation helps builders price the new home with fewer assumptions.
A knockdown rebuild means removing the existing home and building a new one on the same site. It can be the right path when the existing building has serious structural issues, asbestos, poor orientation, flood-level problems, or a layout that would cost too much to force into shape. The decision should be made with design and construction knowledge together, not from a rough idea or a single early quote.
That is where the dual licence matters. As a QBCC Licensed Builder and a Licensed Building Designer — under-1% of Gold Coast professionals hold both — I look at the block, the existing house, the likely approval pathway and the build cost together. The aim is a clear design direction, documentation builders can price properly, and fewer budget surprises before construction starts.
Design Science helps Gold Coast homeowners assess, design and document knockdown rebuild projects before they commit to demolition or construction. We are design-first and build-optional: selected projects may move into construction through Design Science where both the project and client are the right fit, and clients are free to take the documentation to another builder. We prepare design documentation and can coordinate with relevant approval professionals, but we do not issue approvals or act as council or your building certifier.
If you are still comparing whether to renovate or rebuild, read our knockdown rebuild vs renovation guide. This page is for homeowners who want the service pathway: assessment, design, documentation and builder-ready plans.
Request a Consultation — 0404 039 029
The first step is not drawing the new house. It is understanding whether rebuilding is a sensible move for your site, your budget and the condition of the existing home.
I assess the existing building from a construction point of view: structure, access, services, likely asbestos risk, slope, drainage, orientation, overlays and the parts of the existing home that may create cost or approval issues. This helps separate a genuine rebuild opportunity from a renovation that simply needs better design.
Initial consultations are $280, payable before the appointment. If you proceed with design, that amount is credited in full to your design fees.
A knockdown rebuild needs more than a floor plan and a pretty elevation. Builders price what they can see, and certifiers and consultants need enough information to assess the project properly.
Depending on the scope, your documentation may include:
The goal is not just a design that looks good. It is a design that can be costed, assessed and built with fewer grey areas.
A knockdown rebuild on the Gold Coast can involve several cost components:
For many Gold Coast homes, the total project can sit anywhere from the mid hundreds of thousands into seven figures depending on the size of the home and the site. The useful number is not a generic online range; it is a project-specific budget direction based on the block, the brief and the documentation builders will actually price.
A knockdown rebuild usually involves demolition approval for the existing home and a separate approval pathway for the new dwelling. Some projects can proceed through a private certifier as code-assessable work. Others may need a Development Application because of overlays, character requirements, height, setbacks, flood impacts or other planning issues.
Design Science does not issue approvals and does not act as council or your building certifier. We prepare the design and documentation, identify the likely pathway early, and can coordinate with the relevant approval professionals as part of the broader design process.
For more background, read our Gold Coast council approval guide and our guide to building approvals — DA vs BA.
Design Science is not a volume builder and does not automatically build every design project. The service starts with design, assessment and documentation.
Because David holds a builder’s licence as well as a building designer’s licence, selected projects may continue into construction through Design Science where the scope, timing, budget and relationship are the right fit. If you want another builder to price or build the project, that is also fine. The documentation is prepared so a capable builder can understand the intended scope.
That matters for high-value homes, waterfront blocks, sloping sites and older properties where vague documentation turns what should be no budget surprises into budget blowouts. The aim is no allowances, no guesswork where the design can reasonably resolve the issue before pricing.
A typical Gold Coast knockdown rebuild can range from the mid hundreds of thousands to $900,000+ or more depending on home size, demolition, asbestos risk, slope, site works, finish level and consultant requirements. The useful starting point is a site-specific assessment, not a generic square-metre rate.
You usually need approval for demolition and approval for the new dwelling. Some projects can be handled through a private certifier, while others need a Development Application because of overlays, character controls, flood impacts, height, setbacks or other planning issues. Design Science prepares design documentation and can coordinate with approval professionals, but does not issue approvals or act as council or your certifier.
Sometimes. Design Science is design-first and build-optional. Selected projects may move into construction through Design Science where both the project and client are the right fit. You are also free to take the documentation to another builder.
Yes. The documentation is prepared so builders can price the same scope with fewer assumptions. If you already have a preferred builder, we can design and document the project with that pricing and coordination pathway in mind.
It depends on the existing home, the site and the budget. If the house has serious structural issues, widespread asbestos, poor orientation or a layout that would be expensive to force into shape, rebuilding may be the stronger path. If the structure is sound and the changes are contained, renovation may still make more sense. For the full decision framework, read our knockdown rebuild vs renovation guide.
If you are weighing up whether to rebuild on your existing block, the first step is an honest, construction-informed assessment of the site, the house and the budget direction.
Initial consultations are $280, payable before the appointment. If you proceed with design, that amount is credited in full to your design fees.
Call David Steadman on 0404 039 029 or Request a Consultation online.
QBCC Licensed Builder & Building Designer — Licence #15277902
For all our building design services on the Gold Coast, or if your project is a custom home design rather than a knockdown rebuild, visit those pages for more information.
Fully insured • Personalised consultation • Transparent pricing
Transparent pricing with no hidden costs. Every project includes full 3D digital modelling, detailed construction documentation, and a complete bill of quantities.
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