If you’re planning significant home improvements, getting the correct terminology right off the bat is ideal for clarity. Both renovation and remodeling will improve your living area, but each has different benefits and considerations. Understanding the dissimilarities can help you pick the right project for your home.
What is Renovation?
Renovation changes a room’s or building’s aesthetic without altering its function. For example, a kitchen remains a kitchen, but repairs and updates are made, like new flooring, painting, and swapping faucets.
Renovation may also include structural reconstruction, like replacing rotting timber.
What is Remodeling?
Remodeling changes the design and sometimes the structure.
Remodeling changes an area’s look and functionality. For example, it may require moving a wall to expand a bathroom or rearranging a kitchen’s cabinetry, sink and appliances.
However, remodeling might also be as simple as turning a guest bedroom into a home office because changing the area’s purpose is remodeling.
Renovation is Usually More Cost-Effective Than Remodeling
Renovations are usually less complicated, thus easier on the budget.
On the other hand, remodeling often requires the reconfiguration of wiring, plumbing and ductwork due to changes in the home’s physical structure. All these alterations make the project more complex and costly.
However, the final cost comparison depends on the materials used and the project’s scope.
You Receive a Better Return on Investment with Renovation than Remodeling
Renovating usually costs less and entails fixing and modernizing a home’s core elements, so homeowners receive a greater return on investment on renovation work when they sell their home.
You may spend a lot of money to add a sizeable three-season area to the back of your property (remodeling), but buyers will look elsewhere if the furnace does not work and your roof leaks.
Remodeling is a Better Option When It Comes to Bad Design
If you have to walk through one room to get to another or your kitchen sink’s water lines freeze every winter, improvements will not help. Older homes (before rigorous building rules) often have poor design, and the only solution is remodeling.
Renovation and Remodeling in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
Still unsure if your home improvement needs are a renovation or remodeling? Then let Novare Renovation & Design help you. Call to book your consultation today.