Who is Daniel Gierach?

Daniel Gierach is a Brisbane real estate agent at Ray White Bulimba. He specialises in residential property sales across Brisbane's inner east and south, including Bulimba, Hawthorne, Balmoral, Norman Park, Camp Hill, Seven Hills, Morningside, Murarrie, Cannon Hill and Carina. Daniel Gierach is not the same person as Daniel Giersch, the German entrepreneur and former husband of Kelly Rutherford.

Where is Daniel Gierach based?

Daniel Gierach is based in Bulimba, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. His office is at Unit 6, 57-59 Oxford Street, Bulimba QLD 4171 (Ray White Bulimba).

How do I contact Daniel Gierach?

Daniel Gierach can be contacted on 0412 523 821, at daniel.gierach@raywhite.com, or through the contact form at danielgierach.com.

What is the cheapest way to build a home in Brisbane?

A project home is the most cost-effective build path: typically $2,200 to $3,200 per square metre, with a timeline of 10 to 14 months from signed contract to handover. You choose from a builder's catalogue of designs with limited customisation. Builders operating in Brisbane include Metricon, GJ Gardner, Clarendon, Stroud, and Coral Homes. Trade-offs are less adaptability to difficult sites and a more uniform feel at resale compared to a custom architect-designed home.

How long does a custom home build take in Brisbane?

A custom architect-designed home in Brisbane typically takes 24 to 36 months from the start of the design process through to handover. This includes the design phase, development application if required, documentation, builder selection, and construction. Costs typically run $4,000 to $8,000 or more per square metre in inner Brisbane depending on the finish level. The advantage is a home optimised for the site and brief, which typically commands the strongest resale premium in premium inner-east suburbs.

Can I knock down and rebuild in Brisbane's inner east?

It depends on whether the property is in a Character Residential zone. Most inner-east streets built pre-1946 carry character overlay protection, which prohibits demolition of pre-1946 homes unless the structure is compromised. Outside character-protected areas, knockdown-rebuild is permitted. Demolition costs $25,000 to $60,000 depending on construction type, plus the new build cost. Total timeline is typically two to three years for a custom knockdown-rebuild.

← All Articles Build Paths · 7 min read

Types of Build: Six Paths from Block to Home

If you own a block and you are thinking about building, six paths cover the realistic options. Cost, duration, and risk differ dramatically.

The word "build" spans a spectrum from a $250k renovation to a $4m custom home. Understanding which of the six paths you are actually on keeps expectations tethered to reality.

1. Project home

A builder markets a catalogue of designs. You pick one and have it built on your block, usually with limited customisation. Typical builders in Brisbane: Metricon, GJ Gardner, Clarendon, Stroud, Coral Homes, Ausmar. Cost $2,200 to $3,200 per square metre. Duration 10 to 14 months from signed contract to handover. Advantages: price certainty, fast, fewer decisions. Trade-offs: less adaptive to site, cookie-cutter feel at resale.

2. Custom home (architect or building designer)

A unique home designed specifically for your block, your brief, and your budget. See the dedicated article on the build process. Cost $4,000 to $8,000+ per square metre in inner Brisbane depending on finish level. Duration 24 to 36 months including design. Advantages: optimised for site, strongest resale appeal in premium suburbs. Trade-offs: longest timeline, higher fees, more decisions.

3. Modular / prefabricated

House built in modules in a factory and transported to site. Ranges from very basic kit homes to mid-tier residential. Brands in the Queensland market: Modscape, Prebuilt, Fleetwood. Cost $3,000 to $5,000 per square metre. Duration 8 to 14 months. Advantages: tight timeline, factory quality control. Trade-offs: site access constraints (trucks need to reach the block), fewer customisation options than a stick-built custom home.

4. Prefab panel (CLT, SIPs)

Cross-laminated timber or structural insulated panels fabricated off-site, erected on-site. Gaining ground in premium residential projects. Cost $3,500 to $6,500 per square metre. Advantages: fast erect phase, low construction waste, strong thermal performance. Trade-offs: supplier base in Australia is still limited.

5. Renovation

Keeping the existing home and modifying or extending it. Cost varies hugely. A kitchen + bathroom refresh is $50k to $120k. A second-storey addition on a Queenslander is $400k to $700k+. A full renovation of a 250 square metre home often lands between $500k and $1.2m. Duration 3 to 18 months depending on scope. Advantages: preserves the existing structure, avoids DA where possible, may avoid demolition restrictions in character zones. Trade-offs: construction inside/adjacent to an existing home, surprises during demolition.

6. Knockdown-rebuild

Demolish the existing home, build a new one on the same block. Only permitted where demolition is allowed (outside character overlay, or subject to structural compromise). Cost: demolition $25k to $45k for a timber home, $35k to $60k for brick, plus the new build cost. Total 2 to 3 year timeline for a custom KDR. Advantages: clean slate, modern layouts, full compliance with current codes. Trade-offs: losing the existing home's character premium, risk of encountering site issues once demolition reveals the ground.

Choosing your path

Inner-east character overlay. Usually renovation only, because demolition is prohibited. A knockdown-rebuild is off the table.

Inner-east non-overlay, post-war brick. Knockdown-rebuild or major renovation are both on the table. Custom architect-designed usually wins at resale in premium streets.

Outer suburban new lot or flat block. Project home is most cost-effective. Custom or architect-designed only if the long-term value is clear.

Hard block (steep, flood, reactive soils). Custom architect-designed. Project home and modular both struggle on difficult sites.

Tight timeline (need to move in under 18 months). Modular or project home. Architect custom is off the table for this timing.

Why this matters for resale

If your neighbourhood is full of Queenslanders, a new brick project home will read as out of context and struggle at resale. If your street is 1960s brick with renovated and unrenovated homes mixed, a contemporary knockdown-rebuild can be a standout. Understanding the fabric of the street determines whether the build path you choose is a premium at resale or a discount.

Planning a project or getting ready to sell? Daniel can point you to the right tradespeople and introduce you to local architects, engineers and building designers who work across the inner east. Get in touch.