BU I L D E R S | M K C O N S T R U C T I O N
NEW HOME OR REMODEL? PROS AND CONS
W
hen asked why people prefer building a new home versus staying where they are and remodeling, or moving to a new location and remodeling, Marcin Kawa, founder of MK Construction and Builders, provided some advice: make sure you carefully look at the pros and cons of each situation, and use a lot of common sense. He and his company have been at construction of luxury homes for more than 15 years.
The “pros” of a new home There are several reasons people choose to build a new home.
He says, “First, and foremost: Appropriate customization. This assumes you have thoroughly thought through your potential future for the next 20 to 30 years, beyond the last unusual 12 months.” “You have been cooped up with your family for last year, more than ever before, so you have gotten to know everyone a little better and vice versa. You know 58
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yourself and your significant other better. You know the kids a lot better. That means you know what interests each family member has and what they don’t like. We all know how important the kitchen is in most homes. How important has the kitchen been the last 12 months? Has it become the nerve center for the family, where the meal making takes place as well as meal eating takes place? Is it a study center? When things get back to ‘normal’, will family members still want to get together as much in a central place like a kitchen?” “Or is a dining room or dining area in order? Is a lot of open space the future for a new home? Is a home office/study area a permanent requirement, or will that space go for other activities? How about the bedrooms? Is there a great desire to have not only a great bedroom suite but also a spa/bath where you can get away and luxuriate? Separate bath for the kids? Study areas in bedrooms for the kids? Is it a family room? Or is it a tv/tv games
room? Or a workout room? Or all three?. Or do you need separate rooms?” “How about not so mundane factors such as lighting and windows and landscaping? Do you like to have the outside view of a beautiful backyard, or do you want more privacy? Do you want both?” “Are you big into outdoor play and entertaining, inside and around the home? What kind and what size patio would you like to have in the future? How important is “grilling” to you? How about the location of outdoor entertaining relative to the kitchen? How about the garage? Besides the cars, has it become the mud room, back-pack room, and outdoor play equipment room? Should it?” “The last 12 months have been a stress test, not only for the family, but the home you are living in. You’ve learned a lot about your home and how it has survived … or not. This not only includes the home itself, but all your furnishings and appliances. How have they performed? It is all part of an
