Now is the time that I know lots of us are asking ourselves: should I renovate or move house? It is a big decision, but do not worry. I am here to help you think it through.
Two years ago I bought a house that most people would have walked straight back out of. Damp walls, tired everything, zero charm. And yet something made me stay. Now, with hundreds of DIY projects behind me and a cottage I genuinely love coming home to, I still catch myself scrolling Rightmove at midnight wondering the same thing. Should I renovate or move house?
If you are asking yourself that question right now, you are not alone. It is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make and there is no easy answer. But there are some really useful things to think through, and that is exactly what this post is for. Here is the checklist I keep coming back to.
MORE ABOUT MAXINE BRADY
Follow me on Instagram @maxinebradystyling (97K and counting)
Maxine Brady is an award winning interior stylist in Brighton. She has 25 years experience styling homes and interiors for magazines, brands and TV shows across London, the UK and internationally. Follow her on Facebook (113K) and TikTok (12K). Listen to Maxine’s Interiors Podcast: How to Home
Improvements like updating your floors will add value to your home so a good value when you come to sell your pad
Should I Renovate or Move House? 3 questions you need to ask yourself!
I’ve come up with my go-to guide for you to read packed with lots of important questions to ask yourself before you put your house on the market. But the end of this post, you will know what’s best for you and your home.
Adding a kitchen can change how you feel about your home. It can be totally transformative, and might not cost as much as a house move when you include taxes and moving costs.
question 1: IS IT CHEAPER TO RENOVATE OR MOVE HOUSE?
Cost is usually the first thing people consider, and rightly so. You need to weigh up what it would actually cost to stay and improve your home against what it would cost to move. And moving is almost always more expensive than people expect once you factor in stamp duty, solicitors, removal costs and the inevitable new house spending that follows.
That said, some home improvements add real value and are worth doing whether you plan to stay or sell.
A loft conversion or extension can add up to 21% to the value of your property according to Rightmove. I have been going back and forth on deciding if to convert my own loft for years! Converting it would cost around £55,000, which is surprisingly close to what moving would cost me. So the sums are closer than you might think.
Adding an extra bathroom, particularly an en-suite, can add as much as 5% to your home’s value. Even renovating an existing bathroom could add around 2.8%. My bathroom was one of the first rooms I tackled when I moved in and it made such a difference to how the whole house felt.
A new kitchen does not have to mean ripping everything out. Often the smartest move is a refresh. I’m talking about new door fronts, updated worktops, fresh tiles. It can completely transform the room for a fraction of the cost of a full refit.
And never underestimate the power of redecorating either. A fresh coat of paint and updated light fittings can add around 2.6% to your home’s value, and the impact on how it feels to live there every day is huge. The biggest single transformation in my own home was laying engineered oak flooring throughout the ground floor. It made everything feel cohesive, warm and considered, and property experts consistently say wooden flooring is one of those things that appeals to almost everyone.
Open plan living is another one worth considering if you are planning to stay. Knocking through a wall can completely change how a space functions. I opened up the wall between my living room and dining room and the light it brought in changed the whole feel of the downstairs.
The location of your home will have a big impact on how much you love living there.
question 2: IS IT BETTER TO RENOVATE OR MOVE? THE LOCATION QUESTION
Before you commit to renovating, be honest with yourself about whether you actually love where you live. Because no amount of beautiful interiors will fix a location that does not work for your life.
Think about what you need day to day. Commute, schools, community, green space, being close to people you love. If your location ticks all those boxes, that is a huge point in favour of staying and investing in the home you have.
My little terrace house is in Brighton, a city that I love. I am five minutes from the South Downs, I have good neighbours, and Teddy gets the walks of his life and that matters to us. I used to live in a pretty little fishing village called Shoreham-by-Sea but it didn’t have a yoga studio, or a gym and it was 40 mins by bus from my friends so I was deeply unhappy there.
So what I am saying is, if the location genuinely is not working for you, even a beautifully renovated home might not be enough to make you happy enough to stay. It is worth being clear-eyed about this before you spend any money.
If you want to update your home to sell, then a lick of paint can work wonders
question 3: SHOULD I STAY AND RENOVATE OR MOVE? GO WITH YOUR GUT
There is a version of this decision that is purely financial, and then there is the version that is actually human. Because homes are not just assets. They are where your life happens, don’t you think?
Some people feel ready for a fresh start and moving gives them that. New place, new energy, new chapter. And that is completely valid.
Others, like me, have poured so much of themselves into a home that leaving it would feel like leaving a part of themselves behind. My cottage has gone up in value since I bought it. But honestly? That is not why I am staying. I am staying because I love what it is becoming and I am excited to keep going. I can imagine myself staying here for a really long time (it’s already 10 years and counting!)
Neither answer is wrong. The right one is the one that makes you feel like yourself.
A new home can feel like a big change for you and your family so make sure you really think about the choice
SO to answer the questions: SHOULD I RENOVATE OR MOVE HOUSE?
It’s important to weigh up the all costs honestly. Not just the financial ones but also the emotional ones too. Think long and hard about your location choice. And then tune into your gut, because it usually knows before your spreadsheet does.
Whatever you decide, I hope this has helped you get a little clearer. And if you are in the thick of a renovation right now and need some encouragement, you are in exactly the right place. Have a look around the blog and come and find me on Instagram where I share my Brighton cottage renovation in real time, the good bits and the very unglamorous ones.
love Maxine x
More about Maxine
I’m an interior stylist, creative director and interiors journalist based in Brighton, working across London, Sussex and the wider UK. With 25 years of experience across magazines, brands, TV and private homes, I specialise in creating spaces that feel joyful, considered and full of personality. Find details of my services at maxinebrady.com/interior-styling-services and follow me on Instagram at @maxinebradystyling for daily inspiration. You can also listen to the How to Home Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on Instagram @maxinebradystyling and on Pinterest for more styling ideas, real-life renovations and practical design advice.
You May Also Like
Bedroom Lighting Ideas: 18 Ways to Create the Perfect Ambience and Promote Sleep
Vintage Wallpaper Ideas: 6 Designer Tips for Bold, Beautiful Rooms