When your current home no longer meets your needs, you’re faced with a common decision: renovate or extend. Both options can improve functionality, aesthetics, and value — but they serve very different purposes.
1. What Is a Renovation?
Renovation involves updating or restoring existing spaces within your current home structure.
Examples:
- Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom
- Replacing flooring, cabinetry, or fixtures
- Updating electrical, plumbing, or HVAC systems
- Reconfiguring room layouts without increasing the home’s footprint
Best For:
- Outdated finishes or interiors
- Enhance energy efficiency or comfort
- Enhance aesthetics or functionality
- Prepare your home for sale
Pros:
- Generally less expensive than an extension
- Quicker to complete
- No basis or roofline alterations involved
- Generally does not require planning permission (dependent on extent)
Cons:
- Limited by existing layout and room
- May reveal underlying issues (e.g., old electrical wiring, mold)
- Will not increase square footage
2. What Is a Home Extension?
Extension is literally extending the size of your home — horizontally or upwards.
Examples:
- Adding new bathroom, bedroom, or home office
- Building a rear, side, or second-story addition
- Tearing down and expanding kitchen/living spaces into open-plan living
Best For:
- Shifting family requirements or expanding families
- Tacking on a large amount of space and value
- Homes on broad lots or with vertical space
- Long-term vision for living
Pros:
- Adds square footage to house that can be lived in
- Adds resale value to home
- Permits fully customized floor plans
- Can significantly enhance functionality
Disadvantages:
- More expensive and time-consuming
- Permits and zoning regulation compliance involved
- Temporary moving or disruption of construction might be necessary
- Can be limited by boundary or structural constraints
3. How to Decide Which Is Best for You
Factor – Renovation – Extension
Budget – Lower – Higher
Space Requirements – Minor floor plan adjustment – Necessity for added square space
Timeframe – Weeks – Months
Do Permits Need To Be Requested? – Occasionally (minor repair work) – Almost always
Return on Investment – Good for cosmetic enhancement – Higher potential value upon resale
Disruption Level – Moderate – High
4. A Hybrid Solution: Restore and Add
Most owners at one time — like installing a living room and doing a kitchen renovation in one go. It is reasonable to be consistent and more productive, especially if walls or pipes are being replaced anyway.