Sometimes it’s easy to know who needs a remodel. If there is shag carpet on the walls, chessboard linoleum in the bathroom, and a harvest gold refrigerator that hums like a riding lawnmower, then it’s certainly time for some updates and upgrades. But there are other situations when a remodel, instead of a relocation, may be in order. Here are the top four:

#1: The Crowded House is Becoming a “Hoarders” Episode

One sure sign that a remodel is in order is that it’s too small to accommodate all of the family members. If more children are added or parents move in, an otherwise perfect house can soon start bursting at the seams. Life-changing situations often demand more living space. A bedroom addition of mother-in-law suite might be exactly what is needed for a home to be comfortable again. A remodel is much more cost-effective than a relocation.

#2. It’s Home Sweet Home, Flaws and All

Homeowners choose to remodel because there is something irreplaceably special about their home: the layout, the location, the history or some other aspect are of key importance. What they long for is a change in their situation rather than a chance in their location. The debate over whether to move or to remodel is a key part of the remodeling process: Is there potential for the current home to give everyone what they need if it is remodeled? Can the remodeling goals be met within the current lot size and zoning ordinances? Is the budget feasible? Is the location of the current home uniquely beneficial or would another location be just as convenient? Each of these questions addresses a key consideration for drawing up those remodeling project blueprints. Sometimes, the current home won’t work, but neither will anything that is currently on the market, so homeowners will fold a remodeling project into their relocation to a new home.

#3. The Infrastructure is Inadequate

In cases where the house and its systems are in constant disrepair and the repair work is time-consuming and financially draining, but there isn’t sufficient money to move, remodeling is a necessity. Tackle the infrastructure while completing projects that demand opening the walls or the ceilings. Rusty plumbing, leaky ducts, bad wiring, and cracks in the foundation require attention, and can serve as a lead-in to remodeling. It is very cost-effective to roll remodeling and significant infrastructural upgrades into one major project, as it makes more sense to rip out a wall entirely during a home remodel than to tear into and patch a wall that will be torn down in next year’s remodel.

#4. Echoing Empty Nest

If the home feels hollow and empty, it’s probably because family members have moved out and left vacant space behind. This is the cue to remodel and repurpose that extra space to meet any new needs or interests that homeowners may have. Empty bedrooms can be combined to create a large den for hosting family gatherings. Or, it may be time for an extended master suite with a new bathroom. Sometimes, retirees need to revamp their home to include universal access features so that they can age in place. This usually involves consolidating a master suite and laundry room into a main floor living design. Lower and upper areas are turned into guest-oriented spaces, but the main daily living activities take place on the ground floor for convenience and access.