Semi-D Full Rebuild Or A&a? Neighbour Building Giant House! :p

[Bunnymummy 0]

Hi, I am seriously considering purchasing a old 2 storey semi-d and was planning to do some A&A to add maybe an attic and revamp the interior, maybe move some dividing walls around. Thus I expected that my budget would not exceed $500k even if I wanna do till it's really nice.

Now I found out that the next door semi-d which is the other half of my potential house is going to tear down and build to 3 storeys! Saw the drawings and it is really nice and very huge. Now I think my potential house might look less attractive compared to the new one next door (currently it's in a similar or worse condition).

I have called the builders for the house next door to check and they said my potential neighbour is spending around $1m or so. That's quite out of my budget considering that the price of the house is already quite a bit at this time.

My question is, should I stretch my finances and consider a rebuild too so that both house will look as nice or just stick to original plan? And a further question, does anyone have any idea if I can save money by using the same building company? I am quite lost!

Thanks in advance, from a complete newbie to landed property/major reno.

(Forgot to add, the land size is approx 3500 sq ft.)

Edited January 17, 2013 by Bunnymummy

[fcar 0]

Hi, I am seriously considering purchasing a old 2 storey semi-d and was planning to do some A&A to add maybe an attic and revamp the interior, maybe move some dividing walls around. Thus I expected that my budget would not exceed $500k even if I wanna do till it's really nice.

Now I found out that the next door semi-d which is the other half of my potential house is going to tear down and build to 3 storeys! Saw the drawings and it is really nice and very huge. Now I think my potential house might look less attractive compared to the new one next door (currently it's in a similar or worse condition).

I have called the builders for the house next door to check and they said my potential neighbour is spending around $1m or so. That's quite out of my budget considering that the price of the house is already quite a bit at this time.

My question is, should I stretch my finances and consider a rebuild too so that both house will look as nice or just stick to original plan? And a further question, does anyone have any idea if I can save money by using the same building company? I am quite lost!

Thanks in advance, from a complete newbie to landed property/major reno.

(Forgot to add, the land size is approx 3500 sq ft.)

1 Mil is too too cheap to be true for a new erection. The next thread u can read, 1 other person posted that she spent 1.3 mil on her inter terrace.

I am in the same shoes too. Spent almost all on the old house, now no $$ to rebuild!! LOL. At least for house purchsse can get a loan, but construction $$ has to be cash..

Edited January 18, 2013 by fcar

[pantieileen 2]

Hi, I am seriously considering purchasing a old 2 storey semi-d and was planning to do some A&A to add maybe an attic and revamp the interior, maybe move some dividing walls around. Thus I expected that my budget would not exceed $500k even if I wanna do till it's really nice.

(500k at this market rate abit impossible, maybe 650-750k more likely)

Now I found out that the next door semi-d which is the other half of my potential house is going to tear down and build to 3 storeys! Saw the drawings and it is really nice and very huge. Now I think my potential house might look less attractive compared to the new one next door (currently it's in a similar or worse condition).

(i'll do the same as them if i were you. Keep the same exterior facade look, interior can be different since it depends on your family)

I have called the builders for the house next door to check and they said my potential neighbour is spending around $1m or so. That's quite out of my budget considering that the price of the house is already quite a bit at this time.

(Did you check what are your new neighbors intending to do? 1m possibly is no lift, got piling, bomb shelter, 6bedrooms 6 toilets etc, maybe no swimming pool)

My question is, should I stretch my finances and consider a rebuild too so that both house will look as nice or just stick to original plan? And a further question, does anyone have any idea if I can save money by using the same building company? I am quite lost!

(If i were you, i'll contact the new owners, ask if they have paid builder already, if not, share resources. Pile both houses together, he save 50%, you also save 50% on some cost, point is, future buyers for your property if you are intending to sell will also based price on exterior facade, land size, build up area. So maybe you can play cheat, make front look similar then lower cost for interior materials and back of the house)

Thanks in advance, from a complete newbie to landed property/major reno.

(Forgot to add, the land size is approx 3500 sq ft.)

[arowana 2]

hey all, what's the cost for a tear down and rebuild for 7000sqf approximately for total builtup? Total land would be about 5000sqf

I was hearing the costs is around $300psf on average.

Does that make sense?

[Bunnymummy 0]

Wow, $1m is considered cheap for a new erection? Oh dear.. perhaps I need to do more research.

The company that is handling the neighbour's construction is a one stop shop (design and build) type co. From the drawings sent, really looks very impressive leh. But I don't know, it must be much bigger than the footprint of the current old house which explain why they wanna tear down instead of reusing the old structure. I'm also quite confused....

Looks like I may have to consider other options... very sad. I thought that I would be able to do a straightforward A&A with no fancy pool or whatever for around $500k.

Btw, I asked some banks about construction loan today. They informed me that interest is around Prime lending rate +2%, depending on bank.

Thanks for all the views, very kind of you guys.

[Bunnymummy 0]

By the way, if you are the neighbour who had already designed your "dream house" would you be pissed off if your new neighbour decided to copy your facade design? Might be quite paiseh... like no originality like that.

[Bunnymummy 0]

1 Mil is too too cheap to be true for a new erection. The next thread u can read, 1 other person posted that she spent 1.3 mil on her inter terrace.

I am in the same shoes too. Spent almost all on the old house, now no $$ to rebuild!! LOL. At least for house purchsse can get a loan, but construction $$ has to be cash..

I read the next thread too.. but think that lady is using a famous award winning architect and probably going for higher end finishings. I'm prob going to be much more conservative and boring... just average stuff can already, my only must have requirements is marble floor and a really nice kitchen! I like simple and clean lines and I think will be fine with a simpler and efficient design.

[eaglef18 1]

I read the next thread too.. but think that lady is using a famous award winning architect and probably going for higher end finishings. I'm prob going to be much more conservative and boring... just average stuff can already, my only must have requirements is marble floor and a really nice kitchen! I like simple and clean lines and I think will be fine with a simpler and efficient design.

Just to share. I am also redoing my 2 storey corner terrace and reconstruct to become 3.5 storeys with side expansion to maximize the use of the land. Depending on what you are doing and with some planning, you need not be spending over 700K to redo the place. During my hunt for a constructor, I noticed that these companies tends to use a standard method to calaculate by PSF. I got also quotes of 1.3m to redo at the end I managed to get it at around 650K to redo my place which is still currently under re-construcion and expected to complete by April this year.

I don't see the need to be using famous companies to redo the place, instead should settle fo 1 that can do the job but with good level of quanlity. Before I decide on this current team, I went round visiting the few developers on their jobs (1st the comleted or near to complete units and to then to sites that are still under about 40% complete), this is to view their standard and I believe this is an very important factor on deciding the firm to use.

[Bunnymummy 0]

Just to share. I am also redoing my 2 storey corner terrace and reconstruct to become 3.5 storeys with side expansion to maximize the use of the land. Depending on what you are doing and with some planning, you need not be spending over 700K to redo the place. During my hunt for a constructor, I noticed that these companies tends to use a standard method to calaculate by PSF. I got also quotes of 1.3m to redo at the end I managed to get it at around 650K to redo my place which is still currently under re-construcion and expected to complete by April this year.

I don't see the need to be using famous companies to redo the place, instead should settle fo 1 that can do the job but with good level of quanlity. Before I decide on this current team, I went round visiting the few developers on their jobs (1st the comleted or near to complete units and to then to sites that are still under about 40% complete), this is to view their standard and I believe this is an very important factor on deciding the firm to use.

Hi! Thanks for sharing! I totally agree with you on your viewpoint! I might PM you eventually to find out who is your constructor, do share if you are happy with the job he has done for you!

It's so hard to resist trying to "keep up with the Joneses" but with the prices of landed property nowadays my hands are tied unless I want to give up on the idea totally and just get a bigger condo to move into.

[Lauer 15]

Just to share. I am also redoing my 2 storey corner terrace and reconstruct to become 3.5 storeys with side expansion to maximize the use of the land. Depending on what you are doing and with some planning, you need not be spending over 700K to redo the place. During my hunt for a constructor, I noticed that these companies tends to use a standard method to calaculate by PSF. I got also quotes of 1.3m to redo at the end I managed to get it at around 650K to redo my place which is still currently under re-construcion and expected to complete by April this year.

I don't see the need to be using famous companies to redo the place, instead should settle fo 1 that can do the job but with good level of quanlity. Before I decide on this current team, I went round visiting the few developers on their jobs (1st the comleted or near to complete units and to then to sites that are still under about 40% complete), this is to view their standard and I believe this is an very important factor on deciding the firm to use.

This is super super cheap for a 3.5-storeys corner terrace reconstruction.

Congratulations on getting this super super deal.

[Lauer 15]

hey all, what's the cost for a tear down and rebuild for 7000sqf approximately for total builtup? Total land would be about 5000sqf

I was hearing the costs is around $300psf on average.

Does that make sense?

A good pricing, provided that the $300 psf is based on GFA.

Cheers!

[Lauer 15]

Hi, I am seriously considering purchasing a old 2 storey semi-d and was planning to do some A&A to add maybe an attic and revamp the interior, maybe move some dividing walls around. Thus I expected that my budget would not exceed $500k even if I wanna do till it's really nice.

Now I found out that the next door semi-d which is the other half of my potential house is going to tear down and build to 3 storeys! Saw the drawings and it is really nice and very huge. Now I think my potential house might look less attractive compared to the new one next door (currently it's in a similar or worse condition).

I have called the builders for the house next door to check and they said my potential neighbour is spending around $1m or so. That's quite out of my budget considering that the price of the house is already quite a bit at this time.

My question is, should I stretch my finances and consider a rebuild too so that both house will look as nice or just stick to original plan? And a further question, does anyone have any idea if I can save money by using the same building company? I am quite lost!

Thanks in advance, from a complete newbie to landed property/major reno.

(Forgot to add, the land size is approx 3500 sq ft.)

In my 2-cents thought, there is not much point in buying a landed to do an extensive A&A. It is either:

- You found one with the architecture (and of course, the location) that fit 90% of your requirements and then resolve the 10% via ID. Or,

- You found an old 1-storey, original condition, maybe built in the 1960s, but sitting on a nice location, then tear down the old dwelling to do a new erection.

Just do the sums and you would know what I mean?

Cheers!

[yoongf 11]

Hi, I am seriously considering purchasing a old 2 storey semi-d and was planning to do some A&A to add maybe an attic and revamp the interior, maybe move some dividing walls around. Thus I expected that my budget would not exceed $500k even if I wanna do till it's really nice.

Now I found out that the next door semi-d which is the other half of my potential house is going to tear down and build to 3 storeys! Saw the drawings and it is really nice and very huge. Now I think my potential house might look less attractive compared to the new one next door (currently it's in a similar or worse condition).

I have called the builders for the house next door to check and they said my potential neighbour is spending around $1m or so. That's quite out of my budget considering that the price of the house is already quite a bit at this time.

My question is, should I stretch my finances and consider a rebuild too so that both house will look as nice or just stick to original plan? And a further question, does anyone have any idea if I can save money by using the same building company? I am quite lost!

Thanks in advance, from a complete newbie to landed property/major reno.

(Forgot to add, the land size is approx 3500 sq ft.)

Landed prices are unlikely to fall.

Construction costs are not going to come down, and with more and more URA/BCA regulations, it can only go up, and buildings get smaller.

If you do not take the plunge now, it's a real possibility that due to inflation, that option may not exist in the future.

Furthermore, u are talking about a 3.5K Semi D land size.. how many of such sizes are still available?

Therefore, bite the bullet and take the leap. PM me if u wanna discuss more.

I would not use the same contractor as next door, as differnt owner got different ideas of project time lines. Economies of scale can only be achieved by building at the same pace, and using the same materials. As long as both are different owners, there will be 2 sets of authority fees and compliance matters.

[eaglef18 1]

This is super super cheap for a 3.5-storeys corner terrace reconstruction.

Congratulations on getting this super super deal.

Thanks. As I mentioned, take note of what you want and what you have with the condtions of the place. This would make your bargaining easlier.

[Lauer 15]

Landed prices are unlikely to fall.

Construction costs are not going to come down, and with more and more URA/BCA regulations, it can only go up, and buildings get smaller.

If you do not take the plunge now, it's a real possibility that due to inflation, that option may not exist in the future.

Furthermore, u are talking about a 3.5K Semi D land size.. how many of such sizes are still available?

Therefore, bite the bullet and take the leap. PM me if u wanna discuss more.

I would not use the same contractor as next door, as differnt owner got different ideas of project time lines. Economies of scale can only be achieved by building at the same pace, and using the same materials. As long as both are different owners, there will be 2 sets of authority fees and compliance matters.

I always thought that it is odd that landed would not be the first choice of housing, if you are a citizen of Singapore. (That is, if affordability or financing is not an issue). Landed is far more cost attractive when compared to condo.

It has limited stock, at about 65,000 units, and there is growing number of new citizens.

Having said so, you should enjoy landed-living before buying.

Also, buy FH not LH.

Btw, if you building a new house, building an identical one to your neighbor is, well, lack of identity.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Lauer