3 Reasons to Build New Instead of Renovating
To build, or not to build, that is the question…
If Shakespeare had been a builder, he might have had Hamlet utter this phrase instead. It's often a tug-of-war between choosing whether to build new or to renovate an existing home. On the one hand, you have an already built house—elements intact, ideal location, theoretically less construction time and money spent. However, building new allows for substantial freedom in design and execution. So how do you decide? In a episode of the NS Builders Podcast, I addressed this question and shared three reasons to consider building new instead of renovating.
REASON 1: THE HEAVY COST OF RENOVATING
Renovating a home is like peeling back the layers of an onion. As you dig deeper, more layers are revealed, giving you a realistic view of the house's integrity. As problems are uncovered, the costs begin to add up—and blow the budget. As a builder with years of experience in full home renovations—gutting it down to the studs—I often discover issues that can't be salvaged and shouldn't be ignored. It might be that the subfloor is in a terrible state. Or the plumbing has major issues with improper venting and moisture buildup. Perhaps the electrical or structural framing doesn't meet code. And once discovered, the right thing to do is to bring everything up to code.
Renovating has a snowball effect: Once it starts rolling, the snowball gets bigger and bigger. A full renovation is very labor and cost-intensive. That growing snowball can bust your renovation budget. Thus, the question will inevitably arise: Is it worth saving? Or would it make more sense just to tear it down and start fresh? Would time and money be better spent on building new?
REASON 2: FREEDOM
Building new offers a freedom that renovating just can't deliver. How so? To quote John Hourihan, my good friend and co-host of The Modern Craftsman: "Renovating is like building a house with a house in the way."
When you build brand new, you get the freedom of designing exactly what you want—with no constraints. You can build to your standards and budget, the size you want, choose everything from the height of the ceilings to how the house is positioned on the lot to the shape of the windows. So many design options, so many decisions, so many exciting ideas to flesh out. And the freedom to go with any of those choices because there isn’t a house standing in your way.
True, there are valid reasons and factors why you might want to renovate an existing house. But when doing so, you're still constantly trying to "improve" something already there versus building new. Building new—starting with a clean slate—allows you to freely execute your design using the latest materials and innovative concepts while meeting current code.
REASON 3: PERFORMANCE SCORES
Energy performance of a new home versus an old home cannot be understated. And as you build a new home, you ensure that each element is working towards optimal performance. The windows, insulation, roof, HVAC—the materials all work to provide comfort and energy efficiency. Of course, you can renovate a historic house and bring it up to par. But there's the added labor and cost associated with identifying and sealing up the holes or replacing the archaic plumbing and electrical. It’s like trying to update an antique watch to perform like an Apple Watch Series 6.
So, back to our original question: To build or not to build. Only you can decide which option is right for you. So, take your time considering the cost, the freedom to create whatever you want, and the overall performance of the home for years to come. After all, it is one the biggest investments you’ll ever make.
It's time to discover what NS Builders can intentionally craft for you! Contact us today to get started on your custom dream home. Together, we can make it happen.
—Nick Schiffer