If you have an older home that just doesn't seem to work for you and your family, you may not be quite ready to leave the location and may be considering an extensive renovation. However, there are times when the work needed to create a space you love would be too involved, and a house demolition may be in order. Note when it may be good to think about having the home actually demolished and then having a new home built on the same lot, rather than trying to tackle that extensive renovation.
1. There are newer homes being built in the neighbourhood
An older home like yours may be bringing down the overall property values of your neighbourhood; you may also realize that your older home would never sell, even when renovated, with so many newer homes in the same subdivision. Tearing down the home can allow you to install all the new features needed to compete with those newer homes, including updated plumbing and wiring. You can then also easily create a new footprint that might add to the value of the home, such as opening up the space between the kitchen and living areas or joining the master bedroom and bathroom.
2. Smaller would suit you better
You may have needed a larger home when the kids were growing up or thought you wanted a big home for the space alone, but now you find you have no need for all those bedrooms and other added rooms. You may not like paying the utility costs to heat and cool an empty space and may find that the maintenance of a larger home also takes up too much time. You can demolish the home and have a smaller, more compact one built on the same site, while also including lots of hidden storage and other features that will ensure you're still comfortable even in a smaller home.
3. You want to go high-tech
Adding in the options for your home to go high-tech can be difficult to manage in a renovation alone; the home may require upgraded wiring to handle the electricity needed for high-tech gadgets that will monitor the home's security and control the blinds and entertainment centre in each room. High-tech appliances in the kitchen may also require upgraded wiring, and you may want to reassess the kitchen's footprint to accommodate larger appliances that offer those high-tech features. Temperature controls in the showers may also require new wiring and new plumbing; all of these features can be easier to add in a new build rather than retrofitting them in a renovation.
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