When a home stops meeting your needs, there are usually two obvious choices: improve it or move somewhere else.
Both can be the right answer.
The important thing is deciding which option best fits your circumstances rather than automatically assuming that a larger property is the solution.
Start With What Is Wrong With Your Current Home
Before browsing property listings, write down exactly why your existing home no longer works.
Common problems include:
- Not enough kitchen space
- Too few bedrooms
- Lack of storage
- Poor room layout
- No home office
- Small or outdated bathrooms
- Separate rooms that would work better as open plan
- Poor connection with the garden
Many of these issues can potentially be solved through renovation, conversion or extension.
If, however, the location itself is the problem, construction cannot change that.
How Much Do You Like Where You Live?
Location is often the deciding factor.
You may already be close to schools, family, work, transport links and local facilities.
If you are happy with where you live but not with the house itself, renovation deserves serious consideration.
Biggin Renovations provides property renovation services designed around improving how existing homes function.
Could You Reconfigure Before You Extend?
An extension is not always the first answer.
Sometimes a poor layout makes a home feel smaller than it really is.
Removing or repositioning walls, changing room uses or converting underused areas can make a considerable difference.
A garage, for example, might provide an opportunity for additional living space.
Biggin Renovations also undertakes property conversions.
When an Extension Makes Sense
If the existing footprint genuinely cannot provide the required space, extending may be the logical solution.
A well-planned extension could create:
- A kitchen-diner
- Family room
- Additional bedroom
- Utility room
- Home office
- Larger bathroom
- Multi-purpose living area
The aim should be to solve specific problems rather than simply maximise square footage.
Consider the Full Cost of Moving
Comparing the price of an extension with the asking price of a larger house does not tell the whole story.
Moving can involve additional expenses and practical disruption.
Depending on individual circumstances these might include legal costs, surveys, removals, financing expenses and work required to personalise the new property.
The new home may itself require refurbishment after purchase.
Renovating Allows You to Choose the Specification
One major advantage of improving your current home is control.
You can choose:
- The kitchen layout
- Bathrooms
- Flooring
- Lighting
- Storage
- Heating
- Joinery
- Finishes
- Room configuration
Rather than accepting someone else’s choices, the finished property can be built around your lifestyle.
Think Long Term
A renovation should ideally work for years rather than solving only today’s problem.
Consider how your requirements may change.
Could you need:
- Space to work from home?
- Another bedroom?
- Improved accessibility?
- More storage?
- A larger family kitchen?
- Flexible living areas?
Thinking ahead can influence the design considerably.
What About Disruption?
Large renovation projects inevitably create disruption.
The extent will depend upon the work involved.
Some homeowners remain in the property during phased refurbishment, while substantial full-house projects may be easier with temporary accommodation.
A realistic discussion about how the construction will affect daily life should form part of the planning process.
Renovation Can Combine Several Projects
One advantage of a comprehensive refurbishment is that related work can be coordinated.
For example, a project might combine:
- Rewiring
- Plumbing upgrades
- Heating improvements
- New kitchen
- New bathrooms
- Plastering
- Joinery
- Flooring
- Structural changes
Biggin Renovations’ internal refurbishment work covers many of these areas, allowing a property to be considered as a whole rather than as a series of unrelated jobs.
When Moving May Be Better
Renovation is not always the answer.
Moving may be the more appropriate choice if:
- You want a completely different location
- The plot cannot accommodate your desired extension
- The property cannot realistically provide the space required
- You need to relocate for work or family
- Your long-term requirements are fundamentally different
The objective is not to renovate at any cost. It is to make the right decision for your household.
Understand What Your Property Could Become
Many homes have more potential than is immediately obvious.
A professional assessment can help identify opportunities to extend, convert or reconfigure the existing building before you decide whether moving is necessary.
Biggin Renovations Group works across South London, Surrey and Kent, carrying out residential renovation, extension, conversion, kitchen, bathroom and structural projects.
To discuss what may be possible with your current property, call 07507 476 504 for a free no-obligation consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is extending usually cheaper than moving?
Not necessarily in every case. The comparison should include the full cost of the proposed building work and the wider costs associated with purchasing and moving to another property.
Can changing the layout make a home feel larger?
Yes. Removing unnecessary divisions or changing room uses can sometimes transform a property without increasing its footprint.
Should I renovate everything at once?
It depends on your budget and circumstances. Coordinating related works can sometimes be more practical than repeatedly opening up and redecorating the same areas.
Can a garage be converted into living space?
Many garages can potentially be converted, although suitability, permissions, insulation and construction requirements should be assessed first.
How do I know what improvements are possible?
A site assessment by an experienced renovation and construction company can help identify realistic options for the property.
