Church Renovation: 5 Things to Consider

Posted by Nabin Shaw on March 10th, 2020

For those looking into renovating a church, there are certain considerations to take. These considerations will help any congregation get the most of our renovation efforts. In particular, there are five considerations to take.

1. Finances and Budget

Finances and budget are very important. Before any renovations can commence, finances must be in place and a budget must be finalized. Failure to address these two necessities can end up causing the church problems.

To make sure finances are there, congregations can collect offerings for renovation needs. They can also look into securing a loan. But before any solicitation of money begins, the church must look to see if their insurance policies could pay for renovations. To make sure finances are appropriately handled and before renovations can start, the church needs a detailed and accurate budget.

2. Condition of the Church

The condition of the church will impact the budget. Age is important to consider. Older churches will require extra TLC. What might appear as simple fixes, may actually need more attention than first assumed.

Again, it is very important to see if the wear and tear that must be addressed can be handled by insurance policies. This can save the church a lot of money. In fact, the moment a renovation is first thought to be needed, it is important to see if insurance policies can cover the fix. And it is always important to make sure that renovations will stand the test of time. The condition of the church is a consideration that greatly impacts the process.

3. Needs of the Church

Before deciding on renovations, congregations need to determine the needs of their church. What fixes must take priority? Are there any needs that are taking a back seat? A complete and accurate assessment of the needs of the church must be taken into consideration.

There are all kinds of needs - repairs, function upgrades, and aesthetic improvements that should be taken into account. Does the church need new plumbing or does the church need a new sound system? What about church carpets? Having to choose between two or more renovation choices is not uncommon. To make sure that a church takes care of their church's needs, church conferences can be conducted where members voice their opinions and vote on renovations to occur. Committees can be formed to bring the renovation suggestions to the members for a vote.

4. The Amount of Time

The amount of time it will take to make the renovations must be assessed. Will renovations impede worship, education classes, fellowship activities, and administrative functions? Failure to have a good idea of the time renovations will take to complete can have consequences.

Any renovations must take place so that members, guests, and church operations are not negatively impacted. If church pews need to be covered in a new fabric, it would make sense not to do those renovations toward the end of the week. Otherwise, the sanctuary could be a mess on Sunday.

5. Value of Renovations

Churches must be certain to know what value renovations will bring. If the renovations will not bring value, then the renovations should not happen. It is as simple as that.

If church attendance is down and has been for a while, it might make more sense to invest in outreach, rather than upgrades. The only time this should be different is if those upgrades are an absolute requirement. And just because a renovation is a popular idea does not mean it will bring value to the church. Any congregation looking to make renovation must look at the value of those renovations.