Custom home knock-down and rebuild
Knock-down and rebuild on your Orange County lot.
A knock-down and rebuild replaces the house on a lot you already own with a new custom home. Avorino is a licensed general building contractor, CSLB #1107538, and takes the project from design and permits through demolition, construction and final inspection.
This guide is general. Zoning, setbacks, height limits and permit criteria are set by each city, so check with the city about your lot.
Is a knock-down and rebuild right for your lot?
It can be, when the house on the lot no longer fits the lot, your family or the plan you have in mind. Owners usually weigh what a remodel would keep against what it would take to work around it.
A remodel keeps the house.
A remodel or addition works within the existing house. It can fit when the layout and structure can serve the home you want.
A rebuild starts from a new design.
A rebuild designs a new home for the same lot. It can fit when repairing and reworking the old house would mean working around too much of it.
The lot's rules count.
Zoning, setbacks, height limits and coastal rules are set by the city and can change what a new home may look like. Check with the city before you plan.
Start with a conversation.
In the free consultation we talk through your lot, your goals and the budget range, so you can compare a rebuild with a remodel.
What if a storm or flood damaged the home?
In a FEMA flood zone, the 50 percent rule can decide whether a damaged home is repaired or rebuilt.
In a FEMA flood zone, a home is "substantially damaged" when restoring it would cost 50 percent or more of its market value before the damage. A substantially damaged home must then meet current floodplain rules, which can mean elevating it. Your city's building official or floodplain administrator makes that call, not FEMA or your insurer.
FEMA, 44 CFR 59.1.
Read our storm damage repair guideWhat are the steps of a knock-down and rebuild?
Six stages: feasibility and survey, design, permits, demolition, construction, and the final inspection that ends with a certificate of occupancy.
Feasibility and survey.
We talk through the lot and your goals, and a survey records the lot's boundaries and conditions. Zoning, setbacks and height limits come from the city, so check with the city for the criteria that apply to your lot.
Design.
Avorino's engineer and architect partners design the home with you, or we build from your own plans. Structural engineering and Title 24 energy calculations are coordinated through Avorino.
Permits.
The plans go to the city for plan check and a building permit. Taking down the existing house needs the city's demolition permit as well, and on coastal lots a Coastal Development Permit where required. Check with the city for which permits your lot needs.
Demolition.
Once the permits are in place, the existing house comes down, with abatement where the building requires it.
Construction.
Foundation, framing, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, envelope and finishes, built by one builder with the city's inspections along the way.
Final inspection and certificate of occupancy.
The city's final inspection and the certificate of occupancy close out the permit, and Avorino's tiered warranty follows.
What does a knock-down and rebuild cost?
Custom homes typically run $450–$900+ per finished square foot, and whole projects range from $300K to $10M+, inland and coastal.
Scroll the table sideways to see what each figure covers.
| Item | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Whole project | $300K to $10M+ | Inland and coastal custom homes |
| Per finished square foot | Typically $450–$900+ | Design and plans, construction and finishes. A pool and landscaping are not included. |
| Design and permit fees | Typically $15K to $80K+ | Depends on the city |
Your range depends on the lot, the size and the finishes. The consultation is where we talk through which range fits your lot and plans.
How the work can be priced
- Fixed price. For clients who already have plans.
- Design-build. Design and construction together, with Avorino's engineer and architect partners.
- Cost-plus. You pay the cost of the work plus an agreed fee.
- Construction management. Avorino manages the build on your behalf.
How long does a knock-down and rebuild take?
Typically 18 to 24+ months from final design to certificate of occupancy, and about 10% longer in coastal communities.
- The window starts at final design. The time you spend on the design itself comes before it, and plan-check time varies by city, so ask the city how long review takes.
- Coastal lots take longer. A Coastal Development Permit, where a lot needs one, adds review time. Plan on about 10% longer in coastal communities.
What changes when the lot is on the coast?
A coastal lot can need a Coastal Development Permit, which adds review time, and salt air and view lines shape the design.
Whether your lot needs that permit, and which coastal or hillside rules apply to it, is for the city to say. Ask the city before you plan.
Custom homes from Irvine to San Clemente
Irvine
Custom homes in Irvine, as a knock-down and rebuild on the lot you own.
Newport Beach
Custom homes in Newport Beach, including Corona del Mar and Balboa.
Laguna Beach
Custom homes in Laguna Beach.
Dana Point
Custom homes in Dana Point.
San Clemente
Custom homes in San Clemente.
Huntington Beach
Custom homes in Huntington Beach.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a knock-down and rebuild cost in Orange County?
Custom homes typically run $450–$900+ per finished square foot, covering design and plans, construction and finishes, not a pool or landscaping. Whole projects range from $300K to $10M+, inland and coastal, and design and permit fees typically run $15K to $80K+ depending on the city.
How long does a knock-down and rebuild take?
Typically 18 to 24+ months from final design to certificate of occupancy, and about 10% longer in coastal communities.
What permits does a knock-down and rebuild need?
A building permit for the new home, the city's demolition permit for the existing house, and on coastal lots a Coastal Development Permit where required. Check with the city for the permits your lot needs. For signed clients, Avorino submits the plans to the city.
Does a coastal lot need a Coastal Development Permit?
It can, and the permit adds review time. Whether yours does is for the city to say, so check with the city before you plan.
Can I use my own architect or plans?
Yes. Avorino builds from a client's own plans, and when you do not have plans yet, our engineer and architect partners design the home with you.
Where do I live during the build?
Somewhere else. The existing house comes down before construction starts, so plan to live elsewhere from demolition until the certificate of occupancy. We go over the schedule with you in the consultation.
Can Avorino help with financing?
Avorino can refer clients to lending partners. Ask about it in the consultation.
What size homes do you build?
Homes typically range from 1,200 to 5,000 square feet, with no minimum. What your lot allows is set by the city's zoning, setbacks and height limits, so check with the city.
Start with a free 45-minute consultation.
Meet over Zoom, tell us about your lot and what you want to build, and we will talk through scope, budget range and next steps.