Tricky question, right?
First thing that comes to mind when the word renovate or rebuild comes into the conversation is “cost.” But there is so much more to consider.
The advantage of working with an old home is the renovation can be completed in stages and this comes with advantages –
- It doesn’t hurt your back pocket in one hit
- The decisions are minimised to each stage (i.e. not forced to choose tiles, colours, finishes for an entire house that the builder needed “like” yesterday!)
- You can usually live amongst the renovation that reduces cost of alternative accommodation and unrest during the building process.
- Living in the house gives you first hand feeling of the space and it is much easier to visualise, design and plan your renovation around what you want and need as opposed to imagining yourself in architects drawings.
I live in an area that is filled with predominantly solid double brick homes that stand the test of time. Sure they might need rewiring, new plumbing, maybe a wall knocked out of here and new one put there, not to mention the cosmetic updates…
Many homes build in the 1900’s ooze personality both visually and historically and if not what a perfect opportunity to add some of your own!
When we purchased our house in 2007 we had a decision to make – renovate or knock it down…the answer was easy.
The floor plan was perfect to work with, it was well insulated, well cared for over its almost one hundred years and a place we would make our home and our own memories.
I often wonder who lived here before us…who built what would become their dream home in the 1930’s? What is the origin of the sandstone used to build the foundations? Did they have a family running around in the back yard? Do the ancestors of past owners drive past and say that’s where my great grandfather grew up?
It saddens me to see these beautiful houses demolished and replaced with what remind me of cardboard cut outs with no character or personality and simply look out of place.
Maybe the soaring high ceilings, ornate plaster work, and original timber floors are not for everyone…
But it is certainly worth thinking about when it comes to making that decision.