The Difference between Restoration, a remodel, and New Construction Services

Though restoration, remodel, and new construction may seem to be similar or even the same there are some important differences. When it comes to insurance claims, the aim is to restore all portions of your property covered by your insurance, bringing it back to the condition it was in just prior to the disaster. However, if you would like to make improvements beyond what is covered, we are happy to help. We can work with you to come up with a plan and quote that best fits your situation. That brings us to remodels. When you are updating or making improvements to an existing property, that is categorized as a remodel. Adding or building something completely new would be considered new construction. It’s typical not to know the difference between restoration, remodel, and new construction, but understanding these terms will help you decide how to move forward.

The Difference between Restoration, a remodel, and New Construction Services

Though restoration, remodel, and new construction may seem to be similar or even the same there are some important differences. When it comes to insurance claims, the aim is to restore all portions of your property covered by your insurance, bringing it back to the condition it was in just prior to the disaster. However, if you would like to make improvements beyond what is covered, we are happy to help. We can work with you to come up with a plan and quote that best fits your situation. That brings us to remodels. When you are updating or making improvements to an existing property, that is categorized as a remodel. Adding or building something completely new would be considered new construction. It’s typical not to know the difference between restoration, remodel, and new construction, but understanding these terms will help you decide how to move forward.

What is Restoration / Renovation?

Restoration is the process of bringing something back to its original condition. Restoration projects tend to include things like:
  • Refinishing wood floors
  • Refurbishing existing light fixtures, cabinets, windows etc.
  • Repairing holes and other damage to interior/exterior walls.
  • Obtaining correct permits for replacing or rebuilding structure, electrical, plumbing, roofing etc.
Restoration takes less resources and has the potential to be more cost effective than construction. Your structure is already in place, and simply requires updates and repairs.

What is Construction / New Construction?

While restoration will take an existing structure and bring it to its original condition, construction is building something new.

Construction projects will typically include the following:

  • Having plans drawn up for additional room(s), wall(s) or other elements including electrical and plumbing, that did not previously exist, or for the building of an entirely new home or building from the ground up.
  • Obtaining the correct building permits before starting any work
  • Interviewing and hiring a professional contractor to manage and oversee the construction of the new space

Construction tends to be more expensive and takes more time than a restoration project.

New Construction and Additions

When you’re ready to start a new construction project, whether it’s remodeling an existing space, adding additional space to your current property, or building a new home from the ground up, Integrity Restoration is here for you. We will be with you through every exciting, overwhelming, frustrating, and satisfying step of the way. We work hard to provide quality work and every detail of your home is as important to us as it is to you.

Benefits of Using The Same Contractor for Restoration and Reconstruction

Breathe easy knowing you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle by hiring one person to do it all: a contractor. A restoration contractor’s job is to assess the damage, come up with a plan specific to your needs and circumstances, and coordinate all of the people to get the work done.

When fire, flood, or a storm devastates your home, the damage isn’t always limited to cleaning up or even simple restoration. Many times, your property may require replacement of drywall, windows, flooring, roofing, etc. and could even include larger scale projects to repair or replace weakened structure of your home. Instead of simply restoring your home, it is common to have need or desire for changes and new construction.

So what does that mean? Depending on the project, it will determine what kind of contractor you call. A general contractor deals with remodeling a home’s exterior, interior, or both, usually for cosmetic purposes. A general contractor usually doesn’t have in-depth knowledge of insurance companies or coverage. A restoration contractor, however, deals with insurance companies to help replace and/or restore what has been damaged by fire, water, storm, or even a vehicle through your property and is covered by the insurance policy. A restoration contractor has a general contracting license, but specializes in damage assessment and estimation, as well as working with insurance companies to restore your property. We can help you to seamlessly make this transition from restoring to new construction all while allowing you to continue working with people you already know.

As a restoration company with a general contractor’s license, we know experienced people with professional reputations

As a restoration company with a general contractor’s license, we know experienced people with professional reputations. Instead of having to find individual trades on your own and hope they’ll do a good job, we have a network of employees, subcontractors, and contacts we trust, giving you the confidence that your job will be done with the utmost care.

Contractors specialize in project management

Contractors specialize in project management. We keep everyone involved and up to date on all pertinent information. Also, because we already have working relationships with vendors and subcontractors we are able to keep the work going on pace and move things forward as quickly as possible.

Contractors are your main point of contact

Contractors are your main point of contact. Consider us your one-stop shop. Instead of having to cut payments to a whole host of people, a contractor will provide you with one quote. It’s then up to the contractors to pay the people sourced for the project.

Contractors understand the full scope of the project

Contractors understand the full scope of the project. Hiring two contractors–one to do the restoration and another to do the reconstruction forms a communication gap. While it may not be a big deal, it could make the project less efficient and more costly. Having one person oversee the entire project from start to finish brings peace of mind that details won’t be overlooked.