Kitchen Renovation Vs. Remodel: What Are The Differences?

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The kitchen is the most crucial part of a home. It’s where you prepare food and, sometimes, entertain guests. Since it’s the busiest area, it’s frequently exposed to wear and tear. Over time, you’ll need to restore and upgrade some parts to maintain their efficiency. 

The primary dilemma when upgrading a kitchen is whether to renovate or remodel. These two options differ in scale and purpose. Renovation is restorative, while remodeling is transformational. Here’s a detailed guide on their differences to know which will help you achieve your dream kitchen. 

Kitchen Renovation Vs. Remodel

Renovation Vs. Remodel 

People may use renovation and remodeling interchangeably since they serve a similar purpose: improving your home. However, the first focuses on cosmetic and functional upgrades, while the latter involves a total transformation. 

Renovation is an excellent way to refresh your kitchen’s look. It’s the most practical step when improving a home without changing plumbing and electrical wiring.

Therefore, it’s suitable for apartments, rental properties, and condos. If you’re looking for experts to renovate your kitchen, you may visit this website or look for a trusted local contractor. 

On the other hand, remodeling is a practical step if you want to change the layout of your kitchen. It’s the perfect choice for homes with outdated and less efficient kitchens. It may involve tearing down some walls to widen the space and alter the configurations to enhance functionality. 

Primarily, renovation and remodeling differ in terms of these three factors: 

  • Purpose: A renovation’s primary goal is to improve the space’s aesthetic and function without significant changes. Contrastingly, remodeling aims to transform or convert an area.
  • Budget: A renovation’s budget requirements depend on the project scale, but in most cases, renovating a kitchen is less expensive than remodeling. 
  • Project Timeline: Due to its complexity, remodeling requires a more extended project timeline than renovation. Depending on the scale, you may need weeks or months to remodel. 

After specifying the differences between renovation and remodeling, you can analyze when to renovate and when to remodel. 

When Should You Renovate 

As the busiest part of the home, your kitchen needs proper care. One of the options is renovating it. You may tackle it as a DIY project or hire professionals to guarantee quality work. Renovation is the best step to take if you want to: 

  • Refresh The Look: You can repaint the cabinets, install a colorful wallpaper, or install a new backsplash. You may also install new lighting fixtures to make your kitchen cozier and more functional. Renovation lets you refresh your kitchen with a limited time and budget. 
  • Maintain The Layout: Renovation lets you keep the existing layout. If your kitchen configuration works perfectly, it’s best to maintain it. Instead, you may change details on furnishing and decoration to renew the ambiance. 

Maintaining the current kitchen layout is also best if you want to save on plumbing and electrical. Keeping the supply at its original place is also best when renovating an apartment or a rental property. 

  • Upgrade Appliances: Upgrading your appliances makes your kitchen more efficient. If your kitchen’s aesthetic aspects are perfect, you may modernize it by installing energy-saving appliances. 
  • Replace Cabinets: Cabinets are prone to wear and tear, especially ones made with wood and wood composite. Depending on their current condition, you may re-sand and repaint them, but water-damaged and dated ones need a complete replacement. 
  • Install New Countertops: New countertops can upgrade your kitchen’s beauty, functionality, and safety. You may include it on your renovation checklist, especially if your current counters show scratches, chips, and stubborn stains. 

A kitchen renovation lets you maximize your home improvement budget, especially when you hire experts. To make this project successful, list everything you want to upgrade. 

When Should You Remodel? 

Some homes have kitchens that are too small, too large or have an inefficient layout. A complete kitchen remodeling is the best option if you need to: 

  • Change The Layout: Changing your kitchen’s layout is the best solution to an inefficient kitchen. You may change the sink’s location, mainly if it’s in an uncomfortable position. During this project, expect additional expenses for plumbing and electrical. 
  • Expand The Area: Some homeowners expand their kitchen by tearing down a wall, making it more open and flexible for entertaining. Remodeling provides an opportunity to widen the space to increase efficiency and comfort. 
  • Build Walls: While some homeowners prefer an open kitchen, some need an enclosed one for better function. Remodeling is the best choice if you want to build a wall to separate your kitchen from the rest of the house. 
  • Alter The Purpose: Some homes have an expansive kitchen that’s almost impossible to navigate daily. If you want to divide and use the space for other purposes, remodeling is the best choice. You may create an additional storage room, a winery, or a spare multipurpose room. 

Remodeling your kitchen allows you to reimagine the space and rebuild it according to your visions. 

Conclusion 

Defining the differences between renovation and remodeling helps you determine the scope of your home improvement project. You may consult a trusted contractor for your kitchen upgrade to get an expert’s guide.

Julie Higgins
Author
Julie is a Staff Writer at momooze.com. She has been working in publishing houses before joining the editorial team at momooze. Julie's love and passion are topics around beauty, lifestyle, hair and nails.