Renovating vs. Building New: Which Is Right for You?

A few great advantages of renovating an existing home include:

• Keeping The Character Of An Older Home. Your current home might have charm to it that you’re hesitant to get rid of. Renovating parts of your home helps retain its unique personality.
• Less Building Waaste. Renovating parts of a home generally produces less waste than building an entirely new house. Of course, if sustainability and eco-friendliness are important to you, search for builders who prioritise minimising waste regardless of whether they’re working on renovations or new builds.
• Changing Only What Is Necessary. If you only want to change a few parts of your home, then a renovation is the way to go. A renovation or partial knockdown and rebuild may be all that you need.

Conversely, some major pros of new builds are:

• Fewer Unknowns. Working with older buildings can bring up unforeseen problems, like structural damage, mould growth and water damage. When you work with an entirely new build, you won’t have to work with these issues and can simply start from scratch.
• Modern Methods And Sustainability. While older homes can be renovated to become more modern and sustainable, you can more easily implement eco-friendly features when you’re starting from the ground up. Work with your builders to search for sustainable options for every part of your home.
• Less Maintenance. New homes are more likely to be easier and cheaper to maintain. Because they’re brand new, the electrical wiring, plumbing, HVAC system, and other parts of your home are far less likely to experience problems.

What To Consider When Thinking About New Builds Vs Renovations

As you can see, both options have wonderful benefits. Which would suit you the most? Remember to discuss your concerns with your builder, and bring up the following details:

Cost Considerations. Both new builds and renovations are significant financial investments, so it’s best to be wise about what you can and cannot afford. Remember to ask your builders about whether they can work with your budget. Ask about cost-effective measures when discussing renovations vs new builds.

Renovations: Renovations are generally more affordable, and the price will largely depend on the complexity and scope of your project. Unexpected costs can arise from underlying issues, such as if your builders discover structural issues when renovating your home.

New Builds: New build projects have higher initial costs, but they can be more cost-effective in the long run. Choose energy-efficient features and long-lasting materials to reduce future costs.

Design Freedom And Customisation. How much design freedom do you want to achieve your perfect home? How much control you need over your home will depend on how much you want to change or build.

Renovations: With a renovation, your design freedom will be limited by the existing structure. Major changes may require significant modifications. The more work you have to do, the more time-consuming and expensive your project will be. However, renovations are ideal if you only want to change certain parts of your house and don’t need to change the entire build.

New Builds: Building a home from the ground up gives you full control over the layout and materials. New builds require more work, time, money and time spent designing your plans, but they offer better customisation.

Project Timeframe. Do you want your home to be completed within a certain timeframe? While your builders can provide an estimate for your timeline, it’s important to be flexible. Delays may occur due to poor weather, material availability and other uncontrollable factors. Here’s what to know when deciding between new builds vs renovations:

Renovations: Renovations tend to be faster, especially for minor upgrades. Major renovations may take longer and they may require your family to temporarily move out for the work to be completed.

New Builds: New builds generally take much longer than renovations, and you will need to have accommodations for your family during the time it takes to build your home.

Discussing New Builds Vs Renovations: Making Your Choice With Professional Support

What option seems right for you? We welcome you to reach out to us at Rowberry Builders, regardless of whether you know what you want or if you’re still deciding.

Get in touch with us by calling or by sending us a message online.

Rowberry Builders: Let’s bring your vision into reality.