The four axes to score
Every renovate-vs-move decision comes down to four axes. Score each one honestly from 1 to 5, then weight for your circumstances.
- Cost gap — What does the renovation actually cost, and what does buying-and-selling actually cost? Include stamp duty, agent fees, moving, temporary rental.
- Lifestyle fit — Is the fundamental problem fixable through renovation, or does it need a different suburb, schools, or block?
- Emotional attachment — Real weight, not romantic weight. How much of your life is embedded here?
- Timing — Renovations take 6 – 14 months. Can you live through that, or through a family transition, or a job change?
Real Adelaide numbers (2026)
Renovate:
- Kitchen refresh: $28,000 – $65,000
- Full kitchen + open-plan reconfiguration: $80,000 – $180,000
- Master ensuite + WIR: $45,000 – $85,000
- Rear extension (30 sqm): $180,000 – $340,000
- Second storey addition: $380,000 – $720,000
Move (transaction cost only, not the new house):
- SA stamp duty on a $900k purchase: ~$46,830
- Selling agent fees (2%): ~$18,000 on a $900k sale
- Conveyancing both ends: ~$3,500
- Moving + settlement bridging: $6,000 – $20,000
- Total to move without upgrading: ~$74,000 – $88,000
When renovating almost always wins
- You love the location and the schools work.
- The fundamental issue is one to two rooms, not the whole footprint.
- Your suburb is appreciating faster than the market average.
- You have kids under 5 and dread the school-catchment shuffle.
When moving almost always wins
- You cannot see yourself in the same suburb in 10 years.
- The block itself is the problem (slope, aspect, size, access).
- Renovations would exceed 40% of the current property value.
- You are downsizing or upsizing significantly.