Eden News

04 June 2024

Refurbishment vs. Renovation: An Expert Guide

When it comes to property maintenance, the terms ‘refurbishment’ and ‘renovation’ are often used interchangeably. However, in the construction industry there are subtle differences between the two.

As a fully accredited principal contractor working on construction projects across all sectors, we have plenty of experience working on refurbishments and renovations. In this blog post we share our insights on the following to help you make an informed decision as to which one is right for you and your property:

  • Defining refurbishment and renovation
  • Differences in scope of work
  • Differences in time and costs
  • Impact on property value

Let’s get started.

Defining refurbishment and renovation

Refurbishment is the process by which a property is restored to its original state or updated to a good condition. This could involve repairing fixtures and fittings, installing new furniture or equipment, cleaning, redecorating, and possibly even retrofitting to make the property more energy-efficient or sustainable. The focus is on aesthetic and functional improvements. It does not involve significant structural changes. 

An example of a refurbishment project done by Eden London is on the bank premises of The Prince’s Trust, Newcastle. We externally and internally refurbished the property into a contemporary space.

Renovation, by contrast, is a more extensive process. Like refurbishment, it returns a property to a better state than its current condition. However, renovations involve altering the structure, layout, or use of a space. This could mean tearing down walls, reconfiguring rooms such as carrying out a loft conversion, or adding new extensions.

An example of renovation work done by Eden London is on a Grade II listed chapel, where we worked with the Horton Chapel Arts & Heritage Society to save the building from dereliction and renovated it into The Horton Chapel Café.

The renovated Horton Chapel Café with feature lighting and bespoke joinery.

Differences in scope of work

Refurbishments are narrower in scope than renovations. They focus on cosmetic or surface-level updates such as repairs, fixtures or fittings replacements, and redecorations. The goal is to refresh the appearance of the property. They are common in rental properties, commercial spaces preparing for new tenants, and homes that are about to be put on the market.

Eden London was enlisted by South Hampstead School in London to complete a full exterior refurbishment, along with the internal refurbishment of classrooms. The work was completed over the school holidays before the pupils returned.

The exterior refurbishment of South Hampstead School, with scaffolding to aid work.

Renovations are broader in scope than refurbishments. They focus on structural changes or changes in the function of a space or property, and so require design and construction work, and possibly even mechanical and electrical (M&E) upgrades and plumbing upgrades. Renovations are common in commercial to residential property conversions and vice versa.

Differences in time and cost

As you might have guessed, refurbishment work tends to take less time and be less expensive than renovations, which can involve complex planning and may require legal permits such as planning permission or meeting new building regulations approval. 

For example, renovating a listed building comes with many listing restrictions that require what we call a sympathetic renovation to maintain the original style of the building. Not doing so can result in court action and potentially even legal penalties. Eden London has refurbished a Grade II building in the past, working with The Prince’s Trust in Birmingham to bring the Cold Storage in Digbeth into the modern era to support vulnerable young people.

Refurbished interiors of the Grade II listed Cold Storage building in Digbeth, now used by The Prince’s Trust to provide important life skills to vulnerable young people.

If you’re looking for average time and costs per service, we cannot provide any as each project is unique with its own demands and considerations. What we can say is that we maintain a pricing promise and currently have a 100% track record for delivering our projects on time and within budget.

Impact on property value

There are plenty of studies and reports that claim refurbishment and renovation can add value to a property. We cannot provide a conclusive answer on this front. However, we know that refurbishments and renovations are united in improving the usability of a space — and this has the potential for significant value increase.

Next steps

Are you looking for a high-quality contractor to renovate or refurbish your property? Eden London has carried out both types of work on residential and commercial properties, including office spaces, and has the expertise to work on listed properties. No matter the nature or complexity of your project, we’re more than capable of handling it. 

“ We have worked with Eden London for a few years over a number of contracts. Eden have consistently delivered beyond expectation in terms of finish quality, time and project cost.”

Keith McClure, Bradley McClure Architects

Whether you need to refurbish a commercial property to give it a new lease of life, complete a commercial to residential conversion, or modernise your home, we’ll be able to help. View our case studies to learn more about our work, or get in touch to find out how we can help you.