Remodel and renovation are the terms that are encountered the most whenever people are going in for home improvement. This makes it clear that both deal with some kind of improvement in an existing structure. If you are a homeowner, you can choose between moving into a new home or remodeling or renovating your existing home to fulfill your requirements in a better manner. While there are many contractors and builders who use the terms remodel and renovation interchangeably, there are certain differences between the two concepts that will be highlighted in this article.
Renovation
A renovation is a term that is often used when an existing structure is not able to fulfill the needs of the user or has grown old and dilapidated requiring making changes. If you have a garage that you want to renovate, it could mean anything from installing tiles on its floor to making changes in lighting or the garage door. It is an act of making something existing to new or better. If you are renovating your kitchen, you can be installing new cabinets or changing the flooring to make your kitchen a better one.
Let us talk a bit more about kitchen renovation itself. It is common and natural to have a desire to make use of modern gadgets and appliances in your kitchen. This requires making changes in the existing structure of your kitchen to be able to install and use these gadgets. Modernizing and restyling are some of the other terms that convey the same meaning as renovation.
Remodeling
Remodeling is making changes to an existing structure in such a manner that its use gets changed. If you have a space that you have been using as a garage but now need to make a bedroom for your son, you do what is called remodeling. Similarly, if you add a part of your living space to your kitchen, you have changed the pattern of use of the space thereby leading to remodeling. When you have to redo the layout of your kitchen to make it more comfortable and better suited to your requirements, you are actually carrying out remodeling. Remodeling is much more than changing the fixture and the color of taps as it would require making changes in plumbing lines, gas line, or even electricity line. This is why remodeling is drastic and much more expensive than mere renovation.
Remodeling vs. Renovation
• Renovation is making the existing structure better or modernized, whereas remodeling is introducing a change in the pattern of use of a structure.
• Remodeling changes the functionality of an existing structure while renovation makes the structure new, better, or modernized.
• Remodeling can turn a structure upside down whereas merely changing the paint of a bathroom and installing new cabinets inside it can be considered a renovation job.
• Remodeling is more complex and more time consuming than renovation.
• Remodeling is more expensive than renovation.