DON'T renovate? What??

By Jacob Kirst, President, Lagois Design·Build·Renovate

This is something most people in my position don’t actually say out loud.

But there are moments – more often than you might think – when I have been

sitting across from a homeowner, listening carefully, and I have to tell them

something they weren’t expecting to hear.

“I don’t think you should renovate,” I say.

At that point, as you can imagine, there’s usually a kind of surprised silence. You

can almost see their mental wheels turning. What is he talking about?

A change of direction

I remember meeting a couple who were ready to invest significantly in their home.

They had done their homework. They had collected ideas and built a vision around

what their space could become.

On paper, everything aligned. The budget was there; the scope was achievable; the

house had potential.

But as we talked, I found myself asking questions that had nothing to do with

design or construction.

“Why this home?” I asked. “Why now?” And then: “What does the next five to 10

years look like for you?”

Somewhere in that conversation, I could feel it. The energy shifted. There was

hesitation behind those great plans and inspiration. The hesitation wasn’t about the

renovation, however. It was about whether their home still fit them, their lives.

The question that gets skipped

In this industry, the conversation almost always starts with: “What do you want to

build?” “What’s your budget?” “When do you want to start?”

But the most important question is rarely asked: “Is this the right decision at all?”

It’s understandable that this one gets skipped, because once a renovation begins,

momentum takes over. You commit financially, emotionally, logistically. And at that

point, you’re on a roll. Stepping back doesn’t seem to be an option.

When renovation isn’t the right answer

Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize certain signals. They’re not red flags,

exactly, but quiet indicators that something doesn’t quite line up.

Sometimes it’s a home that requires disproportionate investment to achieve the vision. Or it’s a

layout that can be changed, but never truly optimized. Or the home is in a location

that no longer supports how a family wants to live. Sometimes that can be simply

because the family has evolved, and their needs are different. Sometimes it’s a kind

of gut feeling that the timing seems forced rather than intentional.

Whatever the reasons, in these cases the bottom line is that a renovation is solving

the wrong problem.

The responsibility that comes with trust

Anyone can say yes. Anyone can take a set of plans and turn them into a project.

But that’s not how I see our role. When you invite us into this process, you’re

probably not just asking for a renovation. You’re more likely asking for guidance on

a decision that will shape how you live, and how you invest, for years to come.

It can sometimes be a tough call. It requires listening, understanding and honesty,

even when it means stepping away from the project.

What happens next

You might choose not to renovate, and instead to take breather, re-assess, and

come up with a different solution altogether.

In the case of the couple I advised awhile ago not to renovate, we went our

separate ways. About a year later, I heard from them again.

“Thank you,” they said, “for being the only one who asked the questions that

mattered.”

What this really means

When we tell someone not to renovate, we’re not just turning work away. Well, we

are, of course, but for an important reason. We are deeply committed to protecting

the outcome. Our goal is, rather than building more, to make sure that whatever

path you choose (renovation or otherwise) is the right one for your life.

The decision point

Before you move forward, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I improving the right home, or am I trying to make the wrong one work?

• Does this investment align with how I want to live long-term?

• Am I moving forward with clarity, or just momentum?

• And most important: Do I have someone in my corner who’s willing to tell me

the truth. even if it’s not what I expected to hear?

At Lagois, we believe that Perfecting the Art of Living®  starts long before construction.

Sometimes it starts with a different kind of conversation, a conversation that isn’t

about building at all but about making the right decision at this point in your life.

Actually, if you’re unsure about whether renovation is the way to go, that’s when

the conversation should happen. You don’t need to commit to anything, but you do

need to gain clarity on what comes next.

For more ideas, information and inspiration about your home from Jacob Kirst, please sign up to The Art of Living, our monthly newsletter, here.