Owning a property where you must decide between renovation and demolition requires considering a variety of factors that go well beyond the initial cost of the project. There are benefits associated with each type of residential building project. Discussing each option fully with your contractor is the best way to ensure you arrive at the most advantageous decision.
Basic Factors that Impact the Demolition Versus Rebuilding Process
One of the most obvious factors that may influence your decision is whether the residence you wish to improve has any historical significance or is a basic structure with no real importance or history. Demolishing a historical building will not only eliminate any historical significance, but could possibly even decrease the value of the building and/or property.
Another factor that can influence your final decision to demolish or renovate is whether the existing house can be updated in an eco-friendly manner.It’s not uncommon for older homes to present challenges when it comes to updating the space for modern lifestyles. If you are looking to upgrade your home with updates like solar panels, energy-efficient building techniques, and advanced “smart” home technology, it may be better to undergo residential demolition and rebuild parts of the home so that they are better able to accommodate your needs.
Considering the Cost of Demolishing and Rebuilding a Structure
The national average for demolishing a home is around $9,000, but the location of your house, as well as its size, can impact the final cost of the demolition. If you’re interested in building a 3,000 square foot home for $500,000 and will be replacing a house that’s only 1,000 square feet, your demolition costs probably won’t exceed $15,000.
However, if you’re interested in demolishing a home that’s already a substantial size, you could be looking at much higher demolition costs. Complete demolition of a home usually takes some serious planning, and a large structure will cost more and add a fair amount to the total of the overall rebuilding project.
The bottom line: If you’re already budgeting several hundred thousand dollars to build a new home, your demolition costs might not add a significant percentage to the overall cost of the project. The best way to figure out your costs is to speak with an experienced demolition company like Wreckhouse Demolition.
Choosing New Construction or Renovation of a Current Home
In addition to the cost of demolishing a currently standing residential home, some of the other costs you’ll need to think about include insulation, vapor barriers, and staircases. You’ll also need to consider the costs of building walls that may include frames, drywall, and plaster. The “bones” of your building project will be joined by the finishing touches like flooring, molding, and fixtures.
You might assume renovating a house would be the less expensive option, but the age and size of your house could require a fair investment in new materials to bring your house up to current code, as well as to install some of the modern features virtually all new homes possess. For example, you might need to knock down some walls in your renovation that could push the cost up to a level where a complete rebuild would offer an easier result.
Consider that completely new construction offers you the chance to create a home that’s exactly what you want it to be in terms of size, layout, and features. Renovating a home, on the other hand, means accepting certain concessions. The increased cost you pay today for a rebuild might be worth the investment down the line when the project is complete, and it wasn’t necessary to compromise on anything.
Let Wreckhouse Demolition Help You With Your Texas Home Renovation Project
Wreckhouse Demolition can help you on your home construction project whether you’re interested in total demolition and removal of a current home or you wish to obtain selective demolition in advance of a full renovation. We help families and home builders across the state of Texas, and we can lend our expertise to your building project with decades of experience in demolition, excavation, and other related tasks.
Contact us today to learn how we can complete your home construction project with residential demolition services.