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When your home no longer fits your family, it can feel like there are only two options: live with the frustrations or start looking for something new. But for many Orono families, moving means giving up much more than a house.

It can mean leaving a neighborhood they love, mature trees and a private lot, proximity to Lake Minnetonka, established friendships, and the Orono School District. Finding another home that checks all of those boxes while also offering the layout, space, and finishes you want isn't always easy.

So, is it better to remodel or move? If you already love your location and property and your existing home has good bones, a whole-home renovation can offer a way to get the home you want without giving up the location you already love. You can change the house without giving up everything around it that made you choose Orono in the first place.

Why Are Orono Families Choosing to Remodel Instead of Move?

Many of our clients love their neighborhood, their children's friendships, their routines, their property, and the community they've built over the years. Schools can also be an important part of the decision. For families who value their connection to Orono Schools, remaining within the district may be another reason their current location is difficult to replace. For a family that is already happy with the pieces they can't change, renovating the piece they can change (the house) starts to make a lot of sense.

Is It Cheaper to Remodel or Move in Orono?

There isn't a universal answer, which is why we encourage homeowners to look beyond renovation cost versus the purchase price of another house. The better question is: What would it cost to replace what you already have?

For an Orono homeowner, that might mean finding another property with a comparable lot, mature trees, privacy, proximity to the lake, school district, neighborhood, and quality of construction. Then there are the costs that come with moving: real estate commissions and fees, closing costs, moving expenses, potential changes in property taxes, and the cost of financing a new home.

A renovation has its own significant investment, particularly when multiple areas of a home are involved. But when the location and property are already right, investing in the existing home can allow a family to create what they want without starting over somewhere else.

Planning to stay? This blog has more information!

What Makes a Home a Good Candidate for a Whole-Home Renovation?

A good renovation candidate typically has two things: a property worth keeping and a home that can reasonably be transformed. Maybe the layout no longer works. Perhaps the family needs additional space, more storage, a stronger connection to the outdoors, or updated finishes and systems. Depending on the home, we may be able to rework the floor plan, open living spaces, add square footage, or rethink multiple rooms together.

One of our recent Orono projects is a great example. Our clients weren't looking to move. They simply wanted the house to function better for their family. We renovated the entire main level, adding a privacy wall at the entry and new hardwood flooring while transforming the kitchen, eat-in area, dining room, living room, and powder bath. The renovated home was everything they loved before, now designed around the way their family actually lives.

What Do Homeowners Underestimate About a Whole-Home Renovation?

Usually, it's how much needs to happen before construction begins. A successful architectural renovation requires extensive planning: design, material selections, trade walkthroughs, engineering, permitting, and detailed pricing all need to happen before the work in your home gets underway.

Cost can also be more interconnected than homeowners initially expect. When you're renovating several spaces, a change in one area can affect electrical, plumbing, HVAC, cabinetry, flooring, and finishes elsewhere in the home.

Then there's the disruption of construction itself. Thompson Construction specializes in renovating occupied homes, so we're very aware that our job site is also someone's home. Clear communication, thoughtful scheduling, and maintaining a clean, organized job site are important parts of making a major renovation manageable for families who remain in the home during construction.

Will a Whole-Home Renovation Really Make Your Home Feel Different?

This is often what surprises our clients most. Homeowners may begin a project because they're frustrated by a dated kitchen, insufficient storage, or an awkward floor plan. Once the work is complete, they realize how much those seemingly individual frustrations were affecting the way they experienced the entire house.

When a renovation is planned holistically, better flow, natural light, thoughtful storage, and spaces designed around daily routines can make a familiar home feel completely different. And you still get to wake up in the neighborhood you already loved.

Should Your Family Remodel or Move?

Start with the things you can't renovate. Do you love your property? Your neighborhood? Your schools? Your privacy, views, or proximity to Lake Minnetonka? If the answer is yes, then it's worth asking whether the house itself can become what you need.

For many Orono families, a whole-home renovation is about keeping what’s difficult to replace, and adapting the rest for the way they want to live now and for years to come.

Interested in working with us? Reach out today!