Renovations vs Repairs – What’s the difference in time and price?

15 Jun Renovations vs Repairs – What’s the difference in time and price?

Renovations vs repairs. We delve into the age old question of should you simply repair some of the issues around your home or should you bite the bullet and renovate? We run through all the different options and combinations to help you decide which one is right for you. 

Any homeowner knows there’s always an extensive list of things to repair or work on around their home. From minor cosmetic issues like cracks in the ceiling and repairing fence palings, through to major renovations like a new kitchen or bathroom. 

All these items have a certain priority on every homeowner’s agenda and depending on how you’re using your home will determine which one of these you will decide to complete. 

How are you using your home?

The first thing you need to establish is how you’re using your home. Ask yourself the following questions:-

• How long will I be living in this home?
• Should I be repairing or expanding my home (larger family, elderly parents, etc)?
• Is this an investment property?
• Am I fixing or enhancing?
• How extensive is the damage being repaired?
• How old is the bathroom/kitchen, etc? 

Depending on how you answer these questions will help you determine if you’re going to be leaning more towards repairs or a renovation. 

What’s the difference between a repair and a renovation?

Put simply, a repair is restoring something to its original state. Repairing a wall, a fence, benchtops, etc will leave them looking like new, but the same as when they were first installed (hopefully).

A renovation is when you remove part or all of a structure or section of a home and create something new. 

Are you selling your property?

This is probably one of the most important points about decisions around repairs and renovations. If you’re looking at selling your property, a pre-sale renovation is a great way to increase the value of your home, particularly if your home isn’t up to scratch with other homes in the area. 

The way your home is marketed by the real estate agent will also impact your end sale price. Is your home more of a fixer-upper that needs some work or can potential buyers move right in and start living?

Depending on the area you live in and the type and condition of your home, repairs may not be enough to get you to the price you’re looking for from your sale. 

Is your home a rental or investment property?

Most people have a rental property for one purpose – as an investment. So it makes sense to ensure this investment is generating the best possible return. Keeping this in mind, many people will need to repair certain elements of their rental or investment properties to ensure tenants are happy and continue to want to live there. 

Depending on the condition of the property, you may want to consider repairs or renovations. If the home is in good shape and only has some minor cosmetic issues with it, repairs might be the way to go. 

If however, the bathroom has water damage and the kitchen is falling apart, a renovation might be a better option. 

What condition is your home in?

The state of your home can help determine if you’re going to look into renovation or simple repairs. Take a look at things like:-

• The quality of electrical systems
• Age and condition of the building 
• The quality of pipes and plumbing into the home or bathroom
• The condition of flooring and carpeting
• Quality of fixtures and fittings
• Do doors and windows need repair or replacing?

The major consideration we tell all our customers is to ask themselves if they’re wanting to simply spruce up their home and add some minor additions like new taps or fixing holes in walls, etc or are they wanting to change how their home works, add new rooms, change, update or completely replace things like bathrooms, kitchens or bedrooms.

How long does a renovation take compared to repairs?

This is a little bit like asking how long is a piece of string as this will really depend on what you’re having done to your home. 

If you’re only getting a few taps replaced and some minor repair work like holes in walls, cracks in ceilings, etc this can easily be completed in a day. If however you’re having several rooms renovated at the same time, workers may be working on your home for several weeks or even a few months depending on the complexity of the job. 

As a general rule, here are some rough timelines on common repair and renovation jobs:- 

• Repairing holes in walls – a few hours
• Repairing cracked ceilings – several hours
• Replacing taps and fittings – several hours to a day
• Bathroom renovation – 15 to 60 days
• A new deck – 7 to 21 days
• Kitchen renovation – 4 to 8 weeks
• Extension – 4 weeks to 4 months

What are the cost differences between a repair and a renovation?

Again, this question is very open to interpretation as this will depend on several factors including but not limited to:-

• The amount of work being done
• The company quoting you
• The state of the industry
• The cost of materials
• The cost of fittings, appliance,s etc
• The type of work being done

Now that we’ve given you some extensive information about the difference between repairs and renovations along with the variances in their cost and timeframes, we hope you will be able to make a more informed decision about which way you think you might go. 

If you would like to talk to us about what’s possible with your home for either repairs or renovations (we do both), please feel free to contact us at any stage.