When you are looking to build a new home for yourself and your family there are so many options available; you can go with undeveloped piece of property in brand-new housing development, purchase a plot of land with an existing home demolish the existing home or start with a completely blank slate and purchase an undeveloped plot of land. 

Depending on which way you decided to go you will need to start with good, solid foundation for your home. It is generally thought to be a good idea to always go with a freshly poured foundation when you are building a new house. So that it can be matched to the design of the new house. 

This brings up an interesting question if I am demolishing an existing house on a plot of land, can I reuse the existing foundation? The answer to that question, of course, yes, you can absolutely reuse an existing slab if you are looking to save yourself on the cost of the new home construction. There are a number of reasons why reusing an old existing slab foundation might be acceptable which Aveling Homes, a a builder in Perth recommends.

6 Exceptions to the general rule of not reusing a slab foundation

#1 In the area you want to build there are not enough undeveloped lots to build on, but there are ones available that you can demolish the existing home.

#2 The cost of excavating the old slab and preparing the plot of land would go well beyond the cost of the new concrete slab. Having to haul away old dirt and bring in new dirt can get pretty expensive. 

#3 Tearing up an old foundation would mean that the debris from the demolished foundation will almost certainly end up in the local landfill and that would be adding to the ecological concern.

#4 Using the existing slab foundation would cut down on the time needed for the demolition and build of the new home, especially if there is time constraint that cannot be avoided. 

#5 It can help with the permitting process, by keeping the existing slab foundation it will help you avoid some concerns.

#6 Using an existing slab means that you can keep as much of the unspoiled land intact which is always good for the local and surrounding ecology. Not having to remove more trees, bushes or shrubs makes plenty of sense. 

While many of the above reasons definitely seem very reasonable and would be acceptable in many cases. However, with that said, you will have to know that using an existing slab foundation can be a problem for a number of reasons. A new home needs a foundation that matches the structural design and using an existing slab will restrict what you can do from a new design standpoint. 

Again, if you are steadfast in your desire to keep the existing slab foundation and are willing to live with the limitations that it will entail, there is not a reason that would prevent you from doing that as long as the foundation is solid.