I am remodling my home but not sure if it should be a tear down? How /where do I start? House is paid for.?

Question

I need to compare cost v.s. keeping exsisting home which is bad shape and poor lay out.Thanks

Answer 1

Look for a contractor in the yellow pages. Ask for references. Have them come to the house and make recommendations.
Warning, they might charge a fee to do a serious look over, but it will save you from making mistakes that could run into thousands. They can tell which walls can be moved to open up the floor plan. With heavy duty supports you can disguise as decorative beams you can usually move any wall you wish.

By professional recommendation I removed a wall between the kitchen and dining room so it now is 17 x 24 and wide open. We used an 8 x 12 beam that sits on the supporting walls at each end of the 17 foot span and refastened the ceiling supports to it. NICE!

I've been working on my house off and on for about 15 years slowly expanding and making changes as I go. Much cheaper than financing the house of your dreams all finished and ready to move into.

Good luck....

Answer 2

The first thing you should consider is your zoning restricitons. Are you "able" to tear your house down? Some cities restrict this.

Of course, tearing down and starting over will usually be WAY MORE EXPENSIVE than remodeling! There will be demolition and hauling involved if you tear it down, and that can add up by itself.

However, if the current condition of your home is beyond repair, you may not have a choice. Be sure to check with your city zoning first.

Now, if you plan to remodel, be sure to get several different bids from local contractors. Don't use the first person who comes along. GET REFERENCES AND CHECK THEM OUT! The cheapest bid may not be the best bid. If you're overly concerned with costs, you might set yourself up to get burned. Never pay a contractor more than thirty percent of the contract amount at a time. A reputable, solvent contractor doesn't need your money to get the job done, but he will want to get something up front to cover his own costs.

Things to consider: what condition is your foundation? your wiring? your plumbing? your electrical? your interior and exterior walls? your roof? Get estimates on these items, then compare that to the cost of demolishing and rebuilding a new home. That should give you your answer.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Big question. If you do a total renovation, it will be cheaper to tear it down. If you don't want the floor plan, you might not have a choice. 1. Look in the attic to see if it was built using rafters or "A" frame trusses. If trusses, you can remove and move the interior walls to other places. 2. If it is rafters, you can temporarily remove interior walls, but the load bearing walls will have to stay.

Answer 4

Start with a Home Inspection service. They can give you a priority list and sometimes even estimate the costs of each job. then compare that with the cost of tearing down and building new. Good luck!

Answer 5

decide first which things are really hidious..work on them first....you don't have to tear down the whole house.....even many
ugly apartments can be worth 1 million dollars with remodling

Answer 6

if the existing walls and roof are badly made then a tear down.

You could always sell the house and buy one you like better. This will be cheaper and much, much less stressful.

Answer 7

have it inspected to see if the core of the house is worth saving or not. Money well spent.