First published 10 Nov 2026, 9:28am
Location is one of the most important decisions Australian families make when deciding where to live.
After buying a home, the location becomes a crucial part of everyday life.
Once families put down roots, their location becomes deeply connected to everyday life. Day-to-day routines are built around the commute to school and work, with many families relying on these tried-and-true trips to keep a busy day on track.
The community aspect is important too, whether that’s relationships with neighbours or connections to favourite shops, restaurants and parks that become a major part of what makes a location so hard to leave.
For many families looking for a home that better suits their needs, it’s often not the location that is the issue, it’s the house.
Whether they settled for a smaller home that fit their budget at the time, or they fell in love with a style that has since become outdated, an established home can stop meeting their needs as a family grows and lifestyles change.
According to Mark Richardson, Metricon’s Victorian Sales Manager, a growing number of homeowners are looking beyond the traditional choice between renovating and relocating.
“Homeowners are recognising the value already beneath their feet and realising they may not need to leave the neighbourhood they love to get the home they need,” he says.
A growing number of homeowners are looking beyond renovating and relocating to knockdown rebuilds.
If a home no longer serves a family’s needs, there are three main pathways to consider.
The first is to pack up and move, selling their home and trying to find another property that suits them.
While they may hope to remain in the same area, limited availability of homes that meet their needs and the cost of securing the right property can make that difficult. Some families may need to compromise on the home, reconsider their budget or broaden their search to surrounding suburbs.
Beyond the emotional cost of moving away from a much-loved area, selling and buying again can also carry significant financial costs.
“Selling and purchasing another property can involve stamp duty, agent fees, moving costs and the risk of paying a premium for an established home that still does not meet all your needs,” says Mr Richardson.
For many homeowners, the next logical solution is to renovate by gradually fixing outdated features or adding new rooms over time, but this too can have surprise costs and disruptions.
“Major renovations can uncover ageing wiring, plumbing, damp, asbestos or structural issues once work begins,” says Mr Richards.
“When you are also extending and substantially changing the floorplan, the cost and uncertainty can grow quickly.”
A third option that more homeowners are considering is to start fresh and knockdown rebuild.
Rather than hoping they can find a suitable home in their in their much-loved neighbourhood or managing the costs and disruption of a major renovation, families are finding that a knockdown rebuild can offer greater clarity and control.
“A knockdown rebuild can provide greater cost certainty than a major renovation, particularly when your builder completes the necessary site investigations and provides a fixed-price contract before construction,” says Mr Richardson.
“An experienced builder can also map out the key stages and provide a realistic timeframe tailored to your block and project.”
Knockdown rebuilds can offer greater clarity and control compared to major renovations.
For Renee and Ilias, a Melbourne couple whose first home no longer worked for their growing family, a knockdown rebuild allowed them to create the home they needed without leaving the community they loved.
The Doncaster property was the couple’s first home. They purchased it when their family was young and, while they loved the suburb and the life they had established there, the house itself was no longer meeting their needs.
“The house was a 1960s weatherboard. It was very wrongly positioned on the block,” says Renee.
“It was three bedrooms plus a study, one bathroom and not a great living-dining area because it was quite compartmentalised. So it wasn’t working for our family.”
Mr Richardson notes that many of the homeowners Metricon works with face similar problems with their layouts.
“Customers usually want their homes to feel lighter, more open and easier to live in,” he says.
“The focus is no longer simply on having more space. It is about making every square metre work harder.”
Renee and Ilias considered selling their home and buying another property but found that the available homes in their area still did not meet their needs. Many were in poor condition and would have required substantial renovation, adding further cost, time and uncertainty.
Renee and Ilias turned to knockdown rebuild as a pathway for their growing family.
A knockdown rebuild ultimately gave them the opportunity to retain the location they valued while creating a home designed around the way their family wanted to live.
“What we were left with was building a house, our dream house, on the block of land that we have,” says Renee.
The couple built a new, two-storey home with Metricon that better suits their family, lifestyle and future plans.
After two years in their new home, , Renee says that the convenience and connection of their large open-plan living area has made all the difference, as has their new expansive kitchen.
“We have two ovens, two dishwashers, two sinks, and everything makes the whole process easy and fun,” she explains. “Even our children love cooking now.”
Beyond the day-to-day, Renee also says that she can see the family remaining in the home for many years – something that may not have been possible in the original house.
“Nobody knows how the future is going to pan out but I feel like we’ve set ourselves up for life evolving,” she says.
Mr Richardson says that this future focus is something that appeals to many homeowners considering their next move.
“It can be particularly compelling for long-term homeowners planning their next stage of life,” he says.
“They can create a home that suits them now while building in flexibility for children, parents, working from home or ageing in place.”
The couple can see their family remaining in their new home for many years to come.
Mr Richardson recognises that deciding whether to move, renovate or rebuild can feel daunting for homeowners.
“Our customers come to us literally at a crossroads,” he says.
He says the best place to begin is with a simple question: what do you love about your home and what don’t you love?
From there, Metricon can guide homeowners through the specifics and help them consider what their future home could look like – and whether their existing block can help make it possible.
“The best decisions start with understanding the complete picture: your block, budget, lifestyle, timeframes and long-term plans,” he says.
“Metricon has completed thousands of knockdown rebuilds, so our customers benefit from a team that understands the decisions and potential challenges at every stage.”
Metricon are the leaders in home design and style, light-filled beautiful affordable homes with practical, stylish spaces. Metricon’s continual innovation for the lifestyles of all Australians means you’re not just building a new home, you’re building a Metricon home.
