Key Takeaways
- Deciding whether to remodel or build new often comes down to how much you love your current property, how well the existing structure can support your plans and how much you want to change.
- Remodeling can completely transform a home while preserving a location you love, while new construction provides the freedom to design every part of the home around your priorities from the beginning.
- Because Hjellming Construction has more than 60 years of experience with both remodeling and new construction, homeowners can explore what is realistically possible before committing to either direction.
“We love our lot. We just don’t love our house anymore.”
We’ve heard some version of that conversation many times.
We’ve also met homeowners on the opposite side. They start with plans to remodel, but the wish list keeps growing until they realize what they really want is the freedom of starting fresh.
So, should you remodel or build new?
There isn’t a formula that gives everyone the same answer. Your home, property, budget, goals and attachment to your current location all matter.
Hjellming Construction has been doing both remodeling and new construction since 1962. When homeowners come to us unsure which direction to take, these are some of the things worth considering.
How Much Do You Love Where You Live?
Start with something that has nothing to do with the house itself.
Do you want to stay where you are?
Maybe you love your established Sioux Falls neighborhood. You have mature trees that would take decades to replace. Your backyard is exactly the size you want. You like your neighbors, your commute or simply the feeling of pulling onto your street at the end of the day.
Those things have value.
If the location is difficult to replace but the house isn’t meeting your needs, remodeling deserves serious consideration.
A home can change considerably. A lot can’t be moved.
What Would You Actually Change?
Make the wish list before deciding how to accomplish it.
Would you change the kitchen? Open the main floor? Add a primary suite? Remodel the bathrooms? Finish the lower level? Add garage space?
Or would you move the kitchen, relocate the stairs, add several rooms, completely change the exterior and rethink almost every part of the floor plan?
There’s an important difference.
A significant whole-home remodel can transform an existing house. We’ve seen homes become almost unrecognizable from where they started (check out these before & afters).
But there is also a point where the amount of change you want may make new construction worth exploring.
That’s why we prefer to talk about the goal first.
Once we understand what you want the finished home to be, we can start looking at what it would take to get there.
Does Your Current Home Have Good Bones?
Every remodeling project starts with what already exists.
The foundation, framing, roof structure, mechanical systems and layout can all affect what is practical.
Some homes lend themselves beautifully to major transformations. Others present limitations that aren’t obvious until you understand how the home was built.
This is one of the places where decades of remodeling experience are especially useful.
Hjellming Construction began with remodeling projects, additions and new homes more than 60 years ago. We’ve worked with homes from different eras throughout Sioux Falls and the surrounding area, and we’ve encountered plenty of surprises along the way.
Before making a major investment in a remodel, it helps to understand what you’re starting with.
Would an Addition Solve the Problem?
Sometimes homeowners assume they need to move because they’ve run out of space.
But moving isn’t the only way to get more square footage.
Depending on your home and property, an addition could provide a larger kitchen and gathering area, additional bedrooms, an expanded primary suite, more garage space or an entirely new area of the home.
The best additions don’t look like additions.
They respect the architecture of the original house while improving how the entire home works. Rooflines, exterior materials, windows, interior transitions and floor heights all need to come together.
How Custom Do You Want to Go?
There’s something unique about beginning with a blank sheet of paper.
New construction allows you to think about the entire home at once.
You can consider where the home sits on the lot, where morning light enters, how the kitchen connects to outdoor entertaining, how large the garage should be and how you want to move from room to room.
Instead of adapting an existing structure, the structure is designed around you.
For homeowners with a very specific vision, that freedom can be a major reason to build new.
And “custom” doesn’t have to mean adding something elaborate to every room.
Often, the best custom details are practical: storage exactly where you need it, a pantry designed around how you shop, outlets where you’ll actually use them or a garage that accommodates the things you own.
Those are the details you appreciate long after move-in day.
Think Beyond the Initial Project
Whether you remodel or build, think about how the decision fits your plans for the next 10, 20 or 30 years.
If you remodel, will the finished home solve your needs for the foreseeable future?
If you build, what should you include now so the home can adapt later?
There are also maintenance and operating costs to consider. Newer windows, insulation, mechanical systems and building products may improve efficiency, while remodeling may allow you to selectively upgrade the areas where improvements matter most.
The cheapest choice on day one isn’t always the best long-term decision.
Neither is the most expensive.
The goal is to put your investment where it will make the biggest difference in how you live.
Sometimes You Need to See Both Possibilities
You don’t necessarily have to decide “remodel” or “build” before talking with Hjellming Construction.
Sometimes that conversation is what helps make the decision clear.
Tell us what you love about your current home. Show us what isn’t working. Walk us through the wish list.
If remodeling can accomplish those goals, we can talk about what that could look like.
If starting fresh makes more sense, we can talk about that, too.
Because we have spent more than six decades doing both, the conversation doesn’t have to begin with a predetermined answer.
It can begin with your home.
Experience Matters in Either Direction
Hjellming Construction began operations in 1962, and remodeling and new home construction have both been part of our story from the beginning.
That matters because these projects require different kinds of problem-solving.
Building new means carefully planning how hundreds of decisions will come together.
Remodeling means doing that while also understanding and working with what already exists.
Either way, our approach is personal.
We want to understand your priorities and create a home that reflects your lifestyle and individual tastes. That’s why we’ve always focused more on the quality of the homes we build and remodel than the number of projects we take on.
Let’s Talk About What’s Possible
If you find yourself looking around your current home wondering whether to change it or start fresh, you don’t have to answer that question alone.
Hjellming Construction can help you look at your home, your goals and the possibilities.
Whether the answer is a thoughtful remodel, a substantial addition or an entirely new custom home, the first step is simply a conversation. Let’s get a consultation scheduled and start planning your dream home! We’re excited to hear your vision.