Blog>Expert Advice>Pros and cons of a partial renovation vs a full renovation

Last updated: 30 April 2024

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Pros and cons of a partial renovation vs a full renovation

If you're looking to upgrade your home, you may be weighing up whether to make minor changes, or whether to invest in a full remodel. Both options have pros and cons. Find out the key differences between renovating and remodelling your home.

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If you’ve started noticing things about your home that you want to change, it can be hard to know where to start. Do you want to completely change the layout of your home and redecorate? Or are you just looking to make a few subtle changes?

Your budget will usually determine what you can do, but it's important to weigh up your options, as investing in bigger changes now could save you money in the long run.

It’s important to understand what you want to achieve and what options are available.

What is the difference between a partial renovation and a full remodel?

A partial renovation will involve painting, changing the flooring, and updating cupboard doors.

A full remodel generally involves structural changes that will change the overall layout of the property.

For example, knocking down walls, rearranging spaces, and changing the layouts of key rooms such as bathrooms and the kitchen.

So, which is best for you – renovation vs remodel? Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

Partial renovation pros and cons

For many homeowners, a partial renovation is the ideal solution to spruce up their home.

Minor upgrades can give your home a fresh feel without breaking the bank. However, there are some drawbacks.

Benefits of a partial home renovation

Here are some of the reasons why home renovation could be the right option for you:

It’s cheaper to do than fully remodelling your home
There’s less hassle because renovations are typically smaller projects
You can do a lot of renovation work yourself
It’s less disruptive to daily life as you can carry out renovation work bit by bit
It’s often better for the environment as you’re making the most of the home you already have

Issues of a partial home renovation

There’s only so much you can do to freshen up your existing home
The success of a renovation depends on the condition and layout of your existing home
You might not be able to fix all issues with your home, such as the structural layout

Ready to renovate? We’ve put together a handy house renovation checklist to help you plan and manage your project.

Common renovation mistakes you can avoid

We've compiled the typical renovation mistakes that have been made by so many, allowing you to avoid them. When you look at your end product, you can have a sense of pride, not remembering all the issues and noticing imperfections.

Learn more

See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job

Full remodelling pros and cons

Remodelling can bring your dream home to life and solve all those long-standing issues you’ve wanted to fix. But it does come at a cost.

If you have a healthy budget and don’t mind a bit (or a lot) of disruption, a full remodel could work for you.

Benefits of home remodelling

Here are some of the pros of fully remodelling your home:

You can completely change the layout and design of your home
You can usually address all the issues at once
It allows you to do everything properly, from electrics and plumbing to plastering and flooring
It’s often cheaper to remodel than move to a home of a higher standard
It saves you the hassle of selling your home and buying a new one

Issues with home remodelling

A full remodel might give you the opportunity to make major changes to your home, but here are some of the cons:

It can be expensive to fully remodel (and costs more than renovating)
Fully remodelling your home causes a lot of disruption to your daily life, often for months
Once you start pulling your home apart, you may uncover additional work you hadn’t budgeted for
It’s a lot of work - you’ll need to plan and coordinate every detail of a full remodel (or hire someone to project manage it for you)

Ready to find a local professional for your remodelling project? Take a look at our guide on how to find the best local remodelling contractors near you.

See the tradespeople we've checked and recommend for your job

Kitchen case study: renovation vs remodel

When considering whether to get a renovation vs remodel, it doesn’t have to apply to the whole property. Single rooms are often the most popular renovation and remodelling projects.

And often, one of the most popular rooms to tackle is the kitchen.

If you’re happy with the layout of your kitchen then you might want to make some small cosmetic updates.

But, if your kitchen isn’t working for you, it might be time to remodel and create your perfect kitchen.

Popular kitchen renovations

If you want to give your existing kitchen a facelift, here are some popular improvements:

Change the flooring
Spray painting kitchen cabinets
Replace kitchen worktops
Update lighting
Paint the walls and/or change your splashback

For inspiration on how to update your kitchen on a budget, check out our guide to cheap ways to give your kitchen a makeover.

Common reasons for a full kitchen remodel

Here are some of the popular reasons why homeowners remodel their kitchens:

Change the physical layout of the room
Make the kitchen more energy-efficient
Improve the design to meet you and your family’s needs
Create more usable and/or open-plan space
Improve the flow and usability of the kitchen

Keep on top of your kitchen project with our ultimate kitchen renovation guide.

Before and after shots when renovating a house

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Home renovation ideas

Whether it’s a lick of paint, or changing your carpets, there are plenty of ways to renovate your home.

To get you started, we’ve put together our favourite home renovation ideas for you:

House renovation ideas that won’t break the bank

If you’ve bought a project and you’re excited to get renovating, you might be wondering where to start. Here, we’ll show you some house renovation ideas that can add value and won’t break the bank.

Learn more