Why You Should Improve, Not Move! 5 Reasons to Stay in Your Current Home
We’ve planned on moving house for a pretty long time now, as we’re not really in the area we want to live in; ideally, we’d love to be closer to the countryside.
However, it’s not exactly the ideal time for us to move right now, and so the idea of renovating our current house is something we have spoken about instead. Spending money on doing it up and converting it so that we have more space and potentially increase the value at the same time is really appealing to us.
We’re also really happy with our daughter’s school so we aren’t keen on moving to a new area where she would need to move schools. Our house definitely has the potential for a lot of improvement, so we’ve been looking at the pros and cons of moving or improving our home and there are lots of reasons why it makes sense to stay put for now.
If your current home isn’t quite right for you anymore, or you feel like you have outgrown it, you might be considering whether it’s time to move house or not.
Moving house is something that can be extremely stressful, as well as very expensive, especially in the current climate.
Sometimes it can make much more sense to improve your current home to make it the way you want (and need), rather than moving house. Of course, there are lots of factors to consider, but here are 5 reasons to stay in your current home.
5 reasons to stay in your current home
The costs involved
Renovating will cost a lot less than moving house. Of course, there are big expenses involved if you are thinking of remodelling your home, but they are likely to be much less than moving house. If you like your current location, and your house has potential, then upgrading it allows you to save money as well as potentially making more money for you if you sell in the future.
It’s important to be aware of all of the costs involved with moving house so that you can weigh up your options and decide whether you can afford to move. Estate agents and solicitors’ fees, removal costs, a new mortgage, valuation, survey and conveyancing fees, and stamp duty costs are all things you will need to consider.
The potential to create extra space
One of the main reasons people move house is because they need more space. So, adding extra space to your current home in the form of a conservatory, extension, or loft conversion can sometimes be better than moving to a new house entirely.
A high-quality conservatory can make a brilliant addition to your home if you have the space for it. Nowadays, conservatories are so much more advanced and can be an amazing way to extend your house and create extra space in a hassle-free way. They can be designed to fit in with the look and style of your house, and you usually don’t need planning permission for a conservatory either, so it will be a much easier and cheaper process than moving house.
I would love to be able to extend our house this way – I love the look of conservatories that are really light, open and modern. It would be great to have the extra space, either as an additional room or as an extension to the kitchen to make it a gorgeous open space that is perfect for families. This will hopefully appeal to buyers when it comes to us selling one day too.
You can make it exactly how you want it
The great thing about doing up the house you live in and staying there is that you can make it exactly how you want it. Finding a house that is perfect for your family can be tricky, but by renovating, you can design your home to meet your needs and wants.
You can rearrange what you use each room for, create the storage you need and have everything just the way you want it.
You have to walk through our (what I call) study to get to the bathroom, and so I would love to convert our small bathroom into a much bigger one by knocking down the wall between the two rooms to make a much bigger room one day.
That could then either be a beautiful, larger bathroom with a big freestanding bath and separate shower cubicle and loads of storage for all of my (many) beauty products and toiletries. That, or it could become a bedroom, and the second bedroom could be converted into a small bedroom and a bathroom. This would then make it a three-bedroom house and increase its value.
One of the most overlooked advantages of staying put is being able to adapt your home not just for how you live now, but for what’s coming next. Whether you’re thinking about growing children, ageing in place, or creating flexible work-from-home areas, improving your current home gives you much more control over your long-term comfort
Small, thoughtful upgrades like wider doorways, better lighting, or modernised layouts can make a big difference over time. It’s also the perfect opportunity to address underlying systems before they become urgent issues, for example, updating outdated plumbing services can prevent costly surprises later while improving efficiency and daily convenience.’
Obviously, creating a house that fits your needs whilst you live there is really important, but it’s also a good idea not to do anything too crazy or too personal to your tastes that can’t be changed easily, as it could put potential buyers off later on.
Increasing the value
Improving your current home and living there can be a great way to increase its value, whilst you get the benefits of living in a nicer place with more space too. That way, you are more likely to be able to afford the house you want when you do decide to sell, despite the fact that renovating can cost a lot.
Any changes you make have the potential to vastly increase the price you can get when you do decide to move, offsetting the costs.
Increasing the value is more than just about looks; it’s also about efficiency and ease, so it’s important to think about making improvements to your home’s functionality and efficiency. For example, installing a new air conditioning unit or upgrading your heating system could really add value.
It’s worth checking how old your boiler is and whether a new boiler and boiler installation might be necessary to keep your bills down, so living in your current property isn’t more expensive than it needs to be.
Then there are upgrades such as water-saving sanicompact toilets, new taps and showerheads, energy-efficient LED lights and motion-activated lighting. These additions add value and can give your house a feeling of luxury.
You don’t really want to move
Do you actually want to move house? If you love your location and don’t have to move for a job or other reason, then it’s a good idea to think about whether you really want to move.
Moving is a hugely stressful thing to undertake, and if you’re not desperate to move, then renovating your current home instead is something to really think about. If you’re unsure at all, then staying where you are is the best decision, even if it’s just for the time being.
But this doesn’t mean that you can’t improve your living space and elevate your lifestyle. The first step to create a more livable space and preserve the value of your home is to deep-clean your property. This is particularly important in urban homes and apartments, as deep cleaning can free up a lot of space and make even smaller rooms a lot more livable. To get started, find a reputable cleaning service provider and check the areas they cover in London or wherever you live. Once you have found the best provider for your needs, book in a deep clean or regular cleaning sessions to keep your home in the best shape.
When staying means starting anew
Sometimes improving your current home means more than cosmetic tweaks – it means re-imagining the whole footprint. A knockdown rebuild offers the best of both worlds: you keep the location and emotional ties you love, but start fresh with a home built for the way you live now. Instead of moving and giving up a neighbourhood you adore, you refresh your setting by creating more functional spaces, smarter flow and modern conveniences – giving you the “new-home feel” without trading in the life you’ve already built.
Whether you do decide to move house or not is a big decision, but it’s worth thinking about all of the options available to you before you choose. Moving house or undergoing a renovation are both big decisions that cost a lot of money, so either way, you need to be sure.
For some people, renovating their existing home is a great solution, and there are lots of reasons to stay in your current home and improve rather than move!
This is a collaborative post.
