28 Oct Is it Better to Remodel or Build a New Custom Home?

Many homeowners wonder if its better to remodel or build a new custom home when they are no longer satisfied with their current home.

There’s no easy answer to remodeling vs building a new custom home, because there are a number of factors that will be specific to your situation:

1. What you want out of your home
2. How long you plan to live in the home.
3. What you dislike about your current home
4. Does your existing home have unique, hard to replicate historical featuresDo you have a growing family or are now empty nesters
5. Will zoning laws allow for the changes you want to make to your current home
6. Whether zoning laws allow a tear down to build a new home on your lot
7. Your comfort level with living in your home’s construction, dust and noise during renovations

It’s often tempting to start by asking if it is cheaper to remodel or build a new custom home. That too is not as clear cut as it might seem. Focusing purely on initial cost may end up hurting your long-term value and take some of the things you want in your new or remodeled home off the table.

Keep in mind that a significant residential remodel may cost almost as much as building a new custom home with everything that you want from the ground up. Of course, running the numbers is important, but with remodeling there’s a distinct possibility that an unexpected situation may crop up, increasing your expected costs.

What is it You Want To Change About Your Current Home?

What is it about your current home that you want to change? Assuming your current home has no special characteristics, building a new custom home that fulfills your dream vision is appealing.

On the other hand, if your home has historical charm and high-quality workmanship not always found in modern homes, remodeling can give you extra room while allowing you to enjoy the unique aspects of your house.

Another consideration is if your house has any structural soundness issues (problems with plumbing, electrical or HVAC systems for instance), then building a new home may make more sense.

Zoning Laws Impact on Remodeling vs Build a New Custom Home

If you are considering remodeling, you will need to check with your local government to determine is you can make the renovations you want in your existing home. Assuming you’re staying within the current footprint, that’s probably not a problem, but if you are considering an expansion, it may interfere with local zoning laws. At best, you’ll go before your zoning board and receive permission to go forward with your project. At worst, the zoning board will deny your application.

Building Your Dream Custom Home

Building a custom home allows you to be involved with every aspect of the building process, making your custom home a “dream home” you can call your own.

The primary reason for building a custom home is that you get a completed home that meets your specific needs, both in terms of function and quality.

You can choose the floor plan and room dimensions. You also have the freedom of selecting the style of home, lot size and location, flooring, cabinets, window and door choices, lighting, etc.

At Devonshire Custom Homes, this includes working directly with out interior decorator. Utilizing color, texture and shape, we’ll help you create a space the exudes warmth, sophisitiction and your dream home preferences.

Building your dream custom home can be an enjoyable experience. With the 100 years of custom home building knowledge and experience to assist you with every detail, Devonshire Custom Homes is committed to that being your experience.

Talk to Us About Building A Custom Home

If you have more questions about whether to remodel or build a new custom home to achieve the home of your dreams, set up a free consultation with our team to help you make the right decision. Just use the handy button below to request a consultation.