The idea of building a house is attractive to many people because they get a fully updated, customized home. The space is exactly the way the homeowners want it, top to bottom. But these days, building a home is out of reach for many people. On average, it costs more to build a new home than to buy a house. The average price of a new-construction home in January 2022 was $496,900, up from a pre-pandemic price of $402,300 in January 2020.
That doesn’t mean buying a home is the answer, though. What if you can’t find a house on the real estate market that matches your style? What if all the homes you see are overpriced and out-of-date?
If you live in a house you love but want to make major updates or dramatic changes, consider a whole home renovation. It could easily cost less to renovate your home instead of build new. Whether you need to completely rearrange your space, open up your floor plan, or even accommodate an in-law suite, a whole home renovation is the answer. But is it better to renovate your home all at once or over time? Let’s find out.
Should You Renovate A Home All At Once?
The answer to this question is subjective — it depends on your circumstances. When you think about what works best for your family and your lifestyle, consider these pros and cons to doing a whole house renovation all at once.
Pro #1: It gets done quicker.
If you don’t spread the renovation out over a longer stretch of time, it’s going to get done sooner. That means your dream home will be yours faster than if you spread out the project. When it’s all done at once, your renovation team will work on multiple areas of the home simultaneously.
Con #1: You might have to move out of your home temporarily.
If multiple areas of your house are under construction at the same time, odds are the space won’t be liveable. Do you have a loved one you can stay with during the renovation process? Or can you find a short-term rental? For some people, this isn’t an option, but for others, it’s doable. Moving somewhere else temporarily isn’t ideal, but remember that it’s only for a short period of time. When you move back in, your home will be beautifully updated just the way you want it.
Pro #2: You won’t have to deal with construction messes for as long.
Remodeling is messy. From demolition to installation and finishing, there’s lots of sanding, sawing, and dust. So. Much. Dust. While quality renovation teams will do their best to keep the workspace clean, it’s going to get dirty. Doing the project all at once means you don’t have to live with the mess for as long. BONUS: If you move out of your home temporarily to get the whole house renovation done quicker, you won’t have to live in the mess at all.
Con #2: You’ll have to make a lot of decisions in a short amount of time.
A whole home renovation is an exciting and financially-savvy choice, but that’s not to say it’s easy. There’s a lot of planning and decision-making that goes into such a large project. When you cram a whole home renovation into a shorter amount of time, it’s going to move quickly. You’ll have to make decisions faster than you would if you spread out the project over a longer period of time.
Pro #3: It’s more efficient.
When a construction team can come into your home and complete the necessary demolition all at once, that phase will get done quicker. As another example, when the team can complete all of the painting across the entire project, it’s more efficient. When you break these tasks up over longer periods of time (like room-by-room), it’s going to take the crews longer. Because of this, tackling the project all at once is a smart move if you want lower labor costs.
With a whole home renovation or remodel, you can get exactly what you want, how you want it. It’s a smart move compared to building a new construction home or buying an overpriced home on the real estate market. You can keep all of the elements you love about your house — like its location, neighborhood, character, and priceless memories — all while transforming it into your dream home.
Want to see how others do it? Read one of our whole home renovation success stories.
Whole Home Renovation in Columbus, Ohio
Dave Fox is an employee-owned company that makes our clients our number one priority. We design and build remodeling, renovation, and addition projects for our clients in Central Ohio and deliver the best value through exceptional craftsmanship, excellent materials, and ethical business practices. Contact us today to learn more and sign up for our newsletter here!