Is your kitchen feeling a little cramped lately? Do you desperately need another bathroom to accommodate everyone’s morning schedule? Maybe you want a home theater or new outdoor entertaining area. Whatever your concerns, you definitely feel the house you live in no longer works the way it is. Whether it’s a change to the floorplan or adding on more space, when your home no longer fits your family’s needs, it’s time to decide whether to remodel or move.
Remodel or Move?
There’s no easy answer for such a big question. Is the right choice remodeling the home you now live in, building a new home, or buying a new one that has the features you’re looking for? At J.T. McDermott Remodeling, we know how difficult it can be for our clients to make a choice. To be sure, there are emotional factors to consider, but the financial impact can be of major importance.
When you’re feeling frustrated with what you now see as your home’s shortcomings, you may think the only solution is to move. That’s when it’s time to take a deep breath and talk to someone who can help you see all your options.
St. Louis Metro Area Home Remodeling
A home remodel can be time-consuming and messy. Moving to that new “perfect” location, on the other hand, can be exciting and fun. Both involve considerable cost, so how do you make a go or no-go decision? Here are some questions to ask yourself – the answers will help make the right choice clearer.
- Do you love your current neighborhood? If you love your community, have established good relationships with your neighbors, and love the access you have to local amenities, you might want to consider remodeling (though you could buy in the same neighborhood).
- What is your financial situation? Does your budget support making a move to a larger home? In many cases, it can be less expensive to remodel, especially when you factor in moving costs that can be $20,000 or more for our area.
- Do you like your home’s current floor plan? If you aren’t looking to change the structural elements of your home, it can be up to 50% less expensive to remodel. If, however, you’re an empty nester ready to downsize, you might find paying to move makes more sense.
3 Reasons to Choose Remodeling
A lot of your decision to stay or go comes down to personal choice: remodeling costs, living in a construction zone, and where you want to spend your available funds. Once you’ve weighed the pros and cons, it’s likely you’ll be leaning one way or the other. Still on the fence? Here are three good reasons to choose remodeling over a move.
- Some things money can’t buy! The vast majority of our clients love their St. Louis Metro area neighborhoods. They enjoy the sense of community that comes from living there and they’ve invested a lot of time developing friendships – and there’s no putting a price on that. It’s true you can make new friends if you move, but there are no guarantees, especially if you have kids.
- If you plan to be in your home for at least five to 10 years, making changes such as building a new master suite, finishing a basement, or adding on a porch or sunroom, may provide a worthwhile payback on your investment. Even if you’re now an empty nester, you may want to remodel your home to accommodate visiting children and grandchildren.
- Your family’s comfort and enjoyment should be the top reason to remodel. Remodeling based solely on how it will impact any future sale may find you living in a showplace that doesn’t feel like home. The good news is that most remodeling projects you do have a good return on investment.
Keep in mind that, even if you buy a new home, chances are it, too, will require some updating down the road. Remodeling your current home gives you the best of all worlds: an updated, more functional home that lets you stay in a neighborhood you love.
Learn More
If your family needs more space, we invite you to read about the remodeling services we provide. At J.T. McDermott, we believe that no matter whether you choose to remodel or remove, working with a custom design build firm such as ours will make the final result well worth the journey. To learn more and get the process started, drop us a line today.
