Published7 October 2026Updated7 October 2026
A new appointment in Allestree: refurbish or replace?
Another Allestree appointment, and a deceptively simple question: when does improving the house you have become more work than replacing it?
We’ve taken on another home project in Allestree. The existing 1960s house stands well forward of its neighbours, with a long garden behind it. The emerging proposal is for a four-bedroom replacement set farther back, with shared family space facing the garden, quieter rooms elsewhere and storage that doesn’t have to pretend it’s furniture.
That points towards replacement. It doesn’t make replacement automatic. A lovely new kitchen will not move an awkward staircase, but a difficult floor plan alone isn’t a reason to demolish a house. The useful comparison is what each route can deliver, what it costs in full and what it asks you to live through.
Start with the brief, not the answer.
Write one brief for both routes. How many bedrooms and distinct living spaces are needed? What must improve about light, storage, energy use and the garden? Can people remain in the house during the work? If the refurbishment and replacement options answer different briefs, their prices are not a comparison.
The figures below show how scope can change a comparison. They are not JSA quotes, local market rates or a budget to rely on. Assume the same four-bedroom brief, approximate floor area and finish. Both totals exclude VAT, finance and running costs; a real comparison must include their project-specific treatment.
Refurbish
Why it may work:
- Keep sound structure and rooms that still serve you.
- Change the plan or extend where the brief calls for it.
- Test whether less demolition and disruption is possible.
What to check:
- Hidden defects and older fabric.
- Layout limits that an extension cannot solve.
- The cost of joining new work to old stuff.
Worked adaptation example, excluding VAT:
- Building work including extension and repairs: £280,000
- Surveys, design and approvals: £30,000
- Contingency: £70,000
- Living elsewhere: £20,000
Illustrative total: £400,000 (VAT payable)
Replace
Why it may work:
- Rethink the layout, orientation and building fabric together.
- Address constraints the existing house cannot easily escape.
- Design rooms and garden connections as one scheme.
What to check:
- Demolition and a planning application.
- Temporary accommodation and a complete new build.
- The materials involved in starting again.
Worked replacement example, excluding VAT:
- Demolition, groundworks and new house: £400,000
- Surveys, design and approvals: £35,000
- Contingency: £40,000
- Living elsewhere: £20,000
Illustrative total: £495,000 (VAT largely exempt)
Price the same outcome twice
Price the work each route actually needs. For refurbishment that may include repairs, structure, insulation, changes throughout the existing rooms and an extension. For replacement it may include demolition, groundworks and a complete new building. Both need surveys, design and approval fees, contingency, VAT treatment and a realistic allowance for living elsewhere if needed. A headline £/m² rate cannot settle it.
Surveys can move the line
An early estimate can look decisive until the survey adds the work nobody could see. In the invented sums above, adapting starts £120,000 lower. If a survey reveals an additional £50,000 of necessary repairs beyond the work and contingency already included, its illustrative total becomes £450,000. That £45,000 difference from the replacement total is too small to decide anything: both scopes and allowances would need updating.
Compare disruption, energy performance, useful existing fabric and the design each route delivers. This arithmetic shows why surveys change the question; it does not predict which route will cost less. A real comparison must also address VAT, finance and running costs on the actual project. HMRC VAT Notice 708 explains why qualifying new-dwelling construction work and separately supplied professional services can be treated differently.
An existing house is context, not a planning voucher
A replacement house needs its own planning assessment. The council will consider its siting, scale, design, effect on neighbours and relevant site constraints. An existing home and earlier decisions nearby help explain the context; neither promises the outcome.
For our Allestree proposal, the first design move is to set the house back towards its neighbours and face the shared family space towards the long garden. Our early work is testing that idea against the street, the changing ground levels and the evidence needed on neighbours, trees, wildlife and drainage. See the proposed Allestree home for the project story.
Questions
Common questions
No single rule covers every building. Compare equivalent finished homes and include repairs, demolition, groundworks, professional fees, surveys, approvals, VAT where applicable, contingency and temporary accommodation. Get project-specific cost advice before deciding.
It depends on the site and the agreed appointment. A measured or topographical survey, structural/condition advice, ecology or bat work, tree and drainage information may be needed. Ask which consultants and authority fees are included in your quote and which would be separate.
No. A replacement needs its own planning assessment. The council looks at the street, design, scale, neighbours and relevant site constraints. Existing development is context, not automatic permission.
Sometimes during a phased refurbishment, but it depends on safety, services and disruption. Demolition and replacement usually require living elsewhere. Build that practical cost into the comparison.
Keeping useful fabric can avoid demolition and new materials, while a well-designed new home may perform better in use. The answer depends on the building, specification and whole-life impact; ask for a project-specific assessment.
Some construction work on a qualifying new dwelling can be zero-rated, subject to HMRC conditions. Separately supplied architectural and consultancy services are generally standard-rated. Check the project facts and HMRC VAT Notice 708; do not assume the whole project qualifies.
More from JSA
News and insights
Ideas, project updates and useful questions for the next decision.
Bat Surveys and Building Projects: Seasons, Licences and Costs
Bats can hold up homes, commercial sites and listed buildings for most of a year. Survey triggers, council rules, permitted development, licences and costs.
A new appointment in Allestree: refurbish or replace?
A new Allestree appointment prompts a practical guide to refurbishing or replacing a house, with a worked cost example, surveys, fees and planning questions.
JSA Appointed for Listed Building Extension in Amber Valley
JSA is appointed to design a sensitive extension to a Grade II listed stone building in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, going to pre-application with CGI support.
Good Architectural Drawings Matter More Than You Think
Poor architectural drawings create assumptions, delays and cost. See why clear, accurate information matters to homeowners and commercial clients.
HMO or Flats? Why Modern Co-Living Falls Between the Rules
When does an HMO become flats? See how planning, licensing, building regulations and fire safety diverge, and how co-living developers can reduce risk early.
The New NPPF Is Here: What the 2026 Rewrite Means for Your Project
The new NPPF landed on 17 August 2026 and applies to decisions now. What changed for extensions, garden plots, small sites and Midlands projects.
We're Revisiting Our Leisure Portfolio
Twenty years of Midlands pub, bar and restaurant projects, plus a decade behind the bar. What a busy summer tells you about the building you trade from.
We Built an App That Keeps You in the Room
Datum is JSA's own project app. Every client gets a login: latest drawings, the brief, where planning's got to and what we did this week. Free on every project.
Biodiversity Net Gain: A Quick Guide for Anyone Who Isn't an Ecologist
What Biodiversity Net Gain requires for new developments in England: the 10% target, who's exempt, and how to plan for it from day one.
A 1960s Bungalow Gets a Contemporary Rethink in Lichfield
A modest 1960s bungalow in Lichfield is being extended and reconfigured for downsizing clients. Planning is submitted to Lichfield District Council.
Little Eaton Dormer Bungalows Approved, No Amendments Needed
Two backland dormer bungalows in Little Eaton have been approved by Erewash Borough Council with no amendments needed. Here's why that's rarer than it sounds.
JSA Appointed to Design 'The Forest': 73 Apartments for T&T Asset Group in Derby City Centre
T&T Asset Group has appointed JSA to design The Forest, a 73-apartment conversion in Derby city centre, covering architecture, interior design and planning.
The Grange, Finished: A Georgian Villa Restored, Warmed and Handed Back
See the finished restoration of The Grange, a Georgian villa in South Derbyshire. JSA acted as both architect and project manager throughout.
Burley Lane Site Progress Update: Quarndon Home Now Taking Shape
Site progress at Burley Lane in Quarndon: stair structure, basement golf simulator, MVHR routes, full-height glazing and November 2026 completion.
Planning Approved for Bramble Street Office-to-Flats Conversion in Derby
A vacant period office on Bramble Street, Derby, has approval for three flats. Now the unglamorous part: stairs, acoustics, flood notes and drawings.
Justin Smith Architects Is Now JSA Architects
Justin Smith Architects is now JSA Architects. Here’s the story, in Justin’s own words, and what the rebrand means for our clients and the practice.
Welcome to JSA, Joao Bravo
Joao Bravo joins JSA as our 3D artist and visualiser. A University of Derby graduate and qualified architectural technologist, originally from Lisbon.
Light at the End of the Terrace: Contemporary Rear Extension to a Victorian Townhouse in Sutton Coldfield
A contemporary rear extension brings light and space to a Victorian townhouse in Sutton Coldfield, and leaves the period terrace out front exactly as it was.
JSA Architects and British Living Group: Working Together on Derby Co-Living Development
JSA is working with British Living Group, one of the Midlands' most commercially minded developers, on a 27-room co-living conversion in Derby.
Lichfield’s Local Plan Might Be Delayed to 2029. If You’re Thinking About a Project, Here’s What That Means for You
Lichfield District Council may delay its 2043 Local Plan. If that sounds like a reason to pause your project, read this first. It probably isn't.
5,500 Homes Are Coming to Walmley. If You’re Already Living There, This Is Your Cue to Stop Putting Off Your Own Project
Birmingham City Council has approved the groundwork for 5,500 new homes near Walmley. If your own project's been on the back burner, this is your sign.
Planning Approved for Brooklands Luxury Dwelling
Golden Brook Developments had a permission for Brooklands and didn't rate the design. We redesigned it, and South Derbyshire has now approved the new scheme.
Planning Submitted: Brooklands' Redesign Heads to South Derbyshire District Council
The design's done and the application's in. Here's what JSA has proposed for Brooklands, a new home in Weston-on-Trent, South Derbyshire.
JSA Architects Appointed to Redesign Brooklands, a Luxury New Build in Weston-on-Trent
A permission existed and a design was on the table. Golden Brook Developments decided it wasn't good enough. They were right, and they called us.
Two Stand-Out Self-Builds Submitted for Full Planning in Little Eaton
Two bespoke self-build homes in Little Eaton designed for standout architecture and smart investment returns.
Major Family Home Remodel Proposed in Repton, South Derbyshire
Modern extension and full internal remodel proposed for character home in sought-after Repton, South Derbyshire.
Planning Appeal Secured for Bold New Home in Quarndon’s Green Belt
A new home in the Quarndon Green Belt, won at appeal. How strategic planning and a strong design got a Green Belt house over the line in Derbyshire.
Windy Rise, Little Eaton: JSA Architects Appointed and Planning Application Submitted
The Windy Rise plot in Little Eaton lost its bungalow to arsonists in 2017, then spent a decade rewilding. Our design for the hillside is now with the council.
Windy Rise Gets the Green Light: Erewash Borough Council Approves the Hillside Home That Made Councillors Say 'Thunderbirds Are Go'
Planning approved at Windy Rise, Little Eaton. Erewash Borough Council approved this Green Belt replacement dwelling 11-1. See how JSA Architects made the case.
Derby Assembly Rooms - Future of City Centre Development
Why Derby's new Assembly Rooms masterplan validates the mixed-use approach JSA has advocated since 2015.
Bat Surveys and Building Projects: Seasons, Licences and Costs
Bats can hold up homes, commercial sites and listed buildings for most of a year. Survey triggers, council rules, permitted development, licences and costs.
A new appointment in Allestree: refurbish or replace?
A new Allestree appointment prompts a practical guide to refurbishing or replacing a house, with a worked cost example, surveys, fees and planning questions.
JSA Appointed for Listed Building Extension in Amber Valley
JSA is appointed to design a sensitive extension to a Grade II listed stone building in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, going to pre-application with CGI support.
Good Architectural Drawings Matter More Than You Think
Poor architectural drawings create assumptions, delays and cost. See why clear, accurate information matters to homeowners and commercial clients.
HMO or Flats? Why Modern Co-Living Falls Between the Rules
When does an HMO become flats? See how planning, licensing, building regulations and fire safety diverge, and how co-living developers can reduce risk early.
The New NPPF Is Here: What the 2026 Rewrite Means for Your Project
The new NPPF landed on 17 August 2026 and applies to decisions now. What changed for extensions, garden plots, small sites and Midlands projects.
We're Revisiting Our Leisure Portfolio
Twenty years of Midlands pub, bar and restaurant projects, plus a decade behind the bar. What a busy summer tells you about the building you trade from.
We Built an App That Keeps You in the Room
Datum is JSA's own project app. Every client gets a login: latest drawings, the brief, where planning's got to and what we did this week. Free on every project.
Biodiversity Net Gain: A Quick Guide for Anyone Who Isn't an Ecologist
What Biodiversity Net Gain requires for new developments in England: the 10% target, who's exempt, and how to plan for it from day one.
A 1960s Bungalow Gets a Contemporary Rethink in Lichfield
A modest 1960s bungalow in Lichfield is being extended and reconfigured for downsizing clients. Planning is submitted to Lichfield District Council.
Little Eaton Dormer Bungalows Approved, No Amendments Needed
Two backland dormer bungalows in Little Eaton have been approved by Erewash Borough Council with no amendments needed. Here's why that's rarer than it sounds.
JSA Appointed to Design 'The Forest': 73 Apartments for T&T Asset Group in Derby City Centre
T&T Asset Group has appointed JSA to design The Forest, a 73-apartment conversion in Derby city centre, covering architecture, interior design and planning.
The Grange, Finished: A Georgian Villa Restored, Warmed and Handed Back
See the finished restoration of The Grange, a Georgian villa in South Derbyshire. JSA acted as both architect and project manager throughout.
Burley Lane Site Progress Update: Quarndon Home Now Taking Shape
Site progress at Burley Lane in Quarndon: stair structure, basement golf simulator, MVHR routes, full-height glazing and November 2026 completion.
Planning Approved for Bramble Street Office-to-Flats Conversion in Derby
A vacant period office on Bramble Street, Derby, has approval for three flats. Now the unglamorous part: stairs, acoustics, flood notes and drawings.
Justin Smith Architects Is Now JSA Architects
Justin Smith Architects is now JSA Architects. Here’s the story, in Justin’s own words, and what the rebrand means for our clients and the practice.
Welcome to JSA, Joao Bravo
Joao Bravo joins JSA as our 3D artist and visualiser. A University of Derby graduate and qualified architectural technologist, originally from Lisbon.
Light at the End of the Terrace: Contemporary Rear Extension to a Victorian Townhouse in Sutton Coldfield
A contemporary rear extension brings light and space to a Victorian townhouse in Sutton Coldfield, and leaves the period terrace out front exactly as it was.
JSA Architects and British Living Group: Working Together on Derby Co-Living Development
JSA is working with British Living Group, one of the Midlands' most commercially minded developers, on a 27-room co-living conversion in Derby.
Lichfield’s Local Plan Might Be Delayed to 2029. If You’re Thinking About a Project, Here’s What That Means for You
Lichfield District Council may delay its 2043 Local Plan. If that sounds like a reason to pause your project, read this first. It probably isn't.
5,500 Homes Are Coming to Walmley. If You’re Already Living There, This Is Your Cue to Stop Putting Off Your Own Project
Birmingham City Council has approved the groundwork for 5,500 new homes near Walmley. If your own project's been on the back burner, this is your sign.
Planning Approved for Brooklands Luxury Dwelling
Golden Brook Developments had a permission for Brooklands and didn't rate the design. We redesigned it, and South Derbyshire has now approved the new scheme.
Planning Submitted: Brooklands' Redesign Heads to South Derbyshire District Council
The design's done and the application's in. Here's what JSA has proposed for Brooklands, a new home in Weston-on-Trent, South Derbyshire.
JSA Architects Appointed to Redesign Brooklands, a Luxury New Build in Weston-on-Trent
A permission existed and a design was on the table. Golden Brook Developments decided it wasn't good enough. They were right, and they called us.
Two Stand-Out Self-Builds Submitted for Full Planning in Little Eaton
Two bespoke self-build homes in Little Eaton designed for standout architecture and smart investment returns.
Major Family Home Remodel Proposed in Repton, South Derbyshire
Modern extension and full internal remodel proposed for character home in sought-after Repton, South Derbyshire.
Planning Appeal Secured for Bold New Home in Quarndon’s Green Belt
A new home in the Quarndon Green Belt, won at appeal. How strategic planning and a strong design got a Green Belt house over the line in Derbyshire.
Windy Rise, Little Eaton: JSA Architects Appointed and Planning Application Submitted
The Windy Rise plot in Little Eaton lost its bungalow to arsonists in 2017, then spent a decade rewilding. Our design for the hillside is now with the council.
Windy Rise Gets the Green Light: Erewash Borough Council Approves the Hillside Home That Made Councillors Say 'Thunderbirds Are Go'
Planning approved at Windy Rise, Little Eaton. Erewash Borough Council approved this Green Belt replacement dwelling 11-1. See how JSA Architects made the case.
Derby Assembly Rooms - Future of City Centre Development
Why Derby's new Assembly Rooms masterplan validates the mixed-use approach JSA has advocated since 2015.
