As the saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. And there are many different ways you can go about achieving your dream home, even if you don’t have the funds to purchase a finished property. Renovating an existing house or even building from scratch allows you to create something that has your stamp on it, and is completely designed with you in mind. Plus it will work out a cheaper too, since a huge premium is added to finished houses. But which is better, renovating or building? This mainly decides on who you ask or what kind of project you’re after, since there are of course pros and cons for each. Here are some of the things to consider when you’re deciding between building and renovating.
Renovating – The Pros
The great thing about renovating is you can do as much or little as you want. It could be a case of adding an extension and a new kitchen. Or you could go all out and strip it back to the bare bones and start again. If you already live in a property that’s in the area you want, you can transform it into your dream home without having to move. Plus in many cases it’s easier to buy a property and make changes to it, than find the perfect plot of land and acquire all of the relevant planning permissions.
Renovating – The Cons
Renovations can throw up some serious issues which can cost a lot more than you initially expected. Pests, structural damage from previous homeowners dodgy DIY jobs, bad electrical, and plumbing work. Until you start pulling down walls it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Therefore renovating can be unpredictable and stressful. You may also struggle to get planning permission which can thwart the overall look and functionality of the house. Many councils won’t allow changes that dramatically change the look of the street and differ too much from the surroundings.
Building From Scratch – The Pros
When you’re building from scratch, you have total control from the beginning. You can decide on the layout depending on how you will use the space. You’re not going to uncover things like pests or asbestos since you’re starting from scratch. It will actually work out cheaper doing it this way too, surprisingly. You can use a build cost estimator for the commercial and domestic sectors to find out what you’re likely to pay. When you build from scratch, you get much more freedom and choice about how things are and the finished result. You’ll still need to get planning permission and things but these changes can be made on paper and will be sorted before building commences. Rather than trying to build and work around things that already exist.
Building from Scratch – The Cons
Building a house is a massive project. While renovating is also, building from scratch requires a lot of work. Having a great team will make things easier, but it’s not for everyone. There still may be bumps in the road, delays and unexpected expenses and so you need to have patience when committing to something like this.
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