About #

Welcome! I’m glad you’ve found your way here.

This site began as a personal project—a place to collect my thoughts, share my experiences, and reflect on the journey of undertaking a knockdown and rebuild (KDR) project. Like many Australians exploring the dream of designing and building their ideal home, I started this process with more questions than answers. And I quickly realised that despite a wealth of information out there, much of it was fragmented, overly technical, or geared toward people already working in the construction or property development industries.

That wasn’t me.

My professional background is worlds apart from construction. I’m not a builder, architect, or developer. In fact, when I first started this journey, most of the terminology—DA approvals, BAL ratings, slab pours, setbacks, soil classifications—was completely foreign. I had to learn everything from the ground up (pun intended). What started as a home improvement project quickly became a crash course in planning, budgeting, liaising with trades, dealing with councils, and making a hundred small but critical decisions along the way.

As I waded deeper into this unfamiliar world, I found myself spending hours reading council websites, scrolling through forums, and watching videos about everything from tender comparisons to façade upgrades. I took pages of notes, created spreadsheets to track costs, bookmarked product options, and read dozens of contracts line-by-line. I asked countless questions—some smart, some naive—but all in pursuit of understanding how to make the best decisions for my family and our future home.

This site is my attempt to bring all of that research, learning, and lived experience into one place. Whether you’re considering a knockdown-rebuild for the first time, already knee-deep in selections, or just curious about what’s involved, I hope what I’ve shared here helps demystify the process. My goal is to give readers an honest, practical, and human perspective—something I found lacking when I was starting out.

You won’t find glossy sales pitches here. I’m not affiliated with any builder or brand. What you will find are real experiences, lessons learned (often the hard way), and the kind of detail I wish I had access to when I was just beginning. From site prep to handover, and all the joys and frustrations in between, this site documents the full spectrum of what it’s like to knock down an existing home and build something new from scratch.

Along the way, I’ve learned not just about construction, but about patience, resilience, budgeting under pressure, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with watching your future home rise from a pile of rubble. It’s been a journey of growth—both personal and practical.

If you’re on a similar path, I hope this space can offer clarity, comfort, and maybe even a bit of inspiration. And if you’re just curious, you’re welcome here too. This is as much a personal archive as it is a public resource, and I hope the stories I’ve shared help you feel informed, empowered, and maybe a little less alone in the process.

Thanks for visiting—I’m genuinely glad you’re here.