Flascon Construction Group founder Jay Flaskos features in a recent Brisbane Times article on one of the city's biggest housing trends, the rise of the knockdown rebuild.

In a recent Brisbane Times article examining why so many established Brisbane suburbs are seeing older homes cleared and replaced with brand-new builds, Flascon founder Jay Flaskos offers a builder's view from the ground.

It's a shift we see play out every week. With construction and renovation costs where they are, more homeowners are deciding that starting fresh on the block they already own makes more sense than reworking a tired post-war house. As Jay puts it in the article: "People want to remain where they are, but capitalise on the value of their land."

The pattern is clearest across Brisbane's inner- and middle-ring suburbs, particularly the post-war pockets without character protection, where ageing weatherboard and fibro homes are reaching the end of their practical life. Rather than leave behind good schools, familiar neighbours and established routines, owners are choosing to rebuild in place.

The article also draws on Australian Bureau of Statistics findings showing that most Queensland knockdown rebuilds swap one home for one home, rather than adding to overall housing supply, and looks at how steeply construction costs have climbed since 2021. It's a considered read on what's driving the trend and what it means for Brisbane's streetscapes.

Read the full Brisbane Times article here: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/we-get-knocked-down-the-brisbane-suburbs-where-knockdown-rebuilds-are-a-dime-a-dozen-20260608-p604ur.html

Lending a builder's perspective to this conversation reflects what we do day in, day out. Each year Flascon delivers 20 to 30 new homes across South East Queensland, the overwhelming majority of them one-for-one knockdown rebuilds, so we know these projects inside out, from demolition and council approvals through to handing over a finished custom home.

Thinking about a knockdown rebuild on your own block? Take a look at how knockdown rebuilds work with Flascon or what a knockdown rebuild really costs in Brisbane, or get in touch for a no-obligation chat.

Common questions

Why are knockdown rebuilds becoming more common in Brisbane?

Because the cost of a major renovation has climbed to the point where rebuilding is often the more feasible choice. As Brisbane builder Jay Flaskos notes in the Brisbane Times, homeowners increasingly want to stay in the suburb they love while unlocking the value of their land, so they demolish the existing house and build new on the same block rather than move or renovate.

Which Brisbane suburbs see the most knockdown rebuilds?

The trend is concentrated in Brisbane's established inner- and middle-ring suburbs, especially post-war areas without character protection, where older weatherboard and fibro-cement homes are nearing the end of their useful life. In these pockets, demolishing and rebuilding is frequently more cost-effective than a substantial renovation.

About the author

Jay Flaskos is the founder of Flascon Construction Group, a boutique custom home builder based in Brisbane servicing South East Queensland. Flascon specialises in custom homes and one-for-one knockdown rebuilds, including complex sites and Pre-1947 Character Residential overlays.