Renovating vs. New Construction: Which Is Better For Your Project?

Homeowners will eventually have to face the dilemma of renovation vs. new construction. This situation occurs frequently in the situation of owning a home that is a decade or more of age. At Ultimate Construction, we’ve heard of every argument for both sides, which is why we’ve compiled the information below to help you decide whether you should consider renovation or new construction as you plan for your future home.

Renovation Overview

Renovation is a broad term that covers anything from a simple bathroom redesign to the addition of a new wing to your house. Renovation may not grant you complete freedom, but the contractor still needs your input.

The Benefits of Renovating

Renovation comes with many benefits that you may not have even considered:

• Renovations could increase the value of your home
• It is easier to plan and budget for a renovation
• Some changes can make a home more functional or efficient
• You won’t have to leave a home that has sentimental value to you

Sometimes, you might consider a new construction, but you might only need a few renovations to your current home. It’s possible that once you make those updates, you’ll discover that you’re already satisfied.

Considerations for Renovation

While renovation is much more manageable than new construction, there are important questions you must ask yourself before starting.

• Have any renovations been done to my home by the previous owners?
• How will this update affect the value of my home? Will it influence salability?
• Do I need to contact local government or the HOA before I can start?
• What exactly do I want to change and what am I willing to budge on?

These are simply a few factors you need to consider during a renovation, but once you have all the details you need, you’ll be ready to get the project started.

New Construction Overview

As you can imagine, a new construction involves a much larger investment, both in time and in expenses. You’ll need to work closely with your building team to ensure that your new home has been customized to your liking.

The Benefits of Building New Construction

A new construction may seem like a daunting task at first, but you’ll find that there are benefits to building a brand-new house.

• The home is tailored to your needs
• Newly built homes usually have lower maintenance expenses, meaning a lesser cost in the long term
• Your ideas won’t be hindered by pre-existing layouts or structures
• You can choose what goes into your home, which can make it more efficient or environmentally friendly

A new construction allows for everything to be built according to your specifications. Only budget and imagination can stand in the way of your vision.

Comparing Renovation to New Build

When making the decision to construct or renovate, the answer is going to come down to your personal needs. Here are some questions to ask yourself before starting your project:

• Which choice is more cost-effective for me?
• Am I ready for the time commitment this project entails?
• What is my budget, and how far am I willing to stretch it?
• Which project will result in something that best satisfies my needs?

Your needs, situation, and budget help you make your final decision. Your best option is to contact a construction company to help you effectively deal with the problem. At Ultimate Construction, we will help you identify the source of the issue and provide the best solution. To obtain a free quote from a professional with over 26 years of experience, contact David Magill at 210-379-4348.

Retaining construction company FAQs

1. When should I consider renovation instead of new construction?

If you find that you are satisfied with your current home, except for a few small parts of it, we advise renovation against construction. Since there are so many traits you already love, it is likely that updating the parts that you don’t like will bring you more satisfaction than constructing a brand-new home.

2. Which would cost less renovation or new construction?

This depends on the scale of your construction or renovation. In some cases, a large-scale renovation may cost more than a small-scale new construction. However, we’ve found that new construction generally costs more than renovation, due to the amount of different expenses involved.

3. Which is more environmentally friendly?

Again, this can vary from case to case. In general, however, since you have so much freedom of what you put into a new construction, building a new home has the potential to be environmentally friendly depending on the materials and landscaping you opt for. There also are renovations you can make to an existing home that can make them more ecofriendly and energy efficient.

Yard Drainage Problems, Solutions and When to Hire Professionals

Wouldn’t it be the best feeling to look over at your yard and see a fantastically manicured landscape? Whether we are referring to the front yard or the back yard, this outdoor space requires a certain amount of attention. But an improper yard can be one of the most frustrating outdoor issues a homeowner has to deal with, every time that it rains homeowners might feel as though their lawn becomes a swamp. There’s nothing more despairing than the dreadful sight of a water-filled spot in your yard. Therefore, why does your yard resemble a small lake? The answer is simple, yet complex—a yard drainage problem. For a healthy outdoor you may have overlooked maintenance issues once in a great while and for this, you should find a landscaping contractor who actually knows what you need. It’s tough to determine the exact source of this information, but over the years, we’ve seen them all from minor problems to serious ones. Below are some common yard problems and their solutions to help you to figure out your next yard drainage repair and when to call a professional.

Standing Water in Yard

Inadequate yard drainage can be one of the most frustrating problems. Standing water causes landscape problems such as grass death, the growth of mold, and issues with the foundation. Also, the puddles become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Fortunately, some fixes can get done manually, but others will need you to seek professional help.

Solutions for standing water:

• Dethatching

Excess leaves and grass clippings build up over time and prevent water from draining completely. Make sure you clear off this blanket of debris in your yard. You can use a lawn rake or a power rake to eliminate the material that’s covering the surface.

• Re-grading

As the year’s pass, your yard could lose its original slope which is also known as grading. As a solution, you can hire a professional landscaper to survey your yard and identify the trouble spots. They will then advise you on which areas need re-grading and then carry out the task.

Mower Ruts

These are thin, shallow grooves that are found in yard after you run a lawn mower over wet soil. You might notice them if you either hear squishy sounds on the ground or when the ground displacement quickly happens after being stepped on. These ruts, which are a sign of oversaturation, can damage a healthy lawn.

Solution for mower ruts:

• The most advisable solution is to leave the mower ruts alone and naturally allow the ground to shift into its ideal position. Then, use a stamper to redistribute the soil.

Erosion

Sometimes the runoff that comes from your downspout carries away the topsoil in your yard which then causes erosion.

Solution for erosion:

• You will need to find a way to redirect the runoff either by extending the downspout or using catch basins and French drains.

Path and Patio Flooding

Paths and patios are prone to flooding because of problems with exterior designs that cause water to settle in large areas.

Solution for Path and Patio Flooding:

• One possible solution involves installing French drains. They take a short time to construct but require professional help to install. Basically, they work like a trench with a pipe that’s buried under the gravel. It may naturally cause some water to drain via the trench, and then the pipe will drain the remaining large amounts of water.

Soggy Trouble Spots

When you detect spots in your yard that are soggy despite not having been watered recently, then you’re in need of a yard drainage repair.

Solution for Soggy Trouble Spots:

• One way to solve this problem is by digging up the troubled areas and filling them with soil and gravel. However, you might also check your sprinkler system for leaks as you’re digging.

Impacted Soil Conditions

This yard drainage problem can be caused by excavation projects that involve loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, soil salinity and a pool installation.

Solution for Impacted Soil Conditions:

You can therefore improve the soil permeability in your yard by reducing the compaction and amending the soil. For starters, try adding humus if the soil contains clay. It improves soil’s permeability and eventually the drainage.

Contact Yard Drainage Professionals

Overall, your best option is contact a water drainage company to help you effectively deal with the problem. The professionals at Ultimate Construction will help you to identify the source of the issue and give the best solution. To obtain a free quote from a professional with over 26 years of experience, contact David Magill at www.constructionsatx.com.