Last edited 03 Aug 2022

Renovation v refurbishment v retrofit

The terms renovation, refurbishment and retrofit are often taken to mean the same thing, or used as if they are interchangeable. However, they have different specific meanings:

A single project may include elements of retrofitting, refurbishment and renovation.

NB Maintenance is the process of keeping something in good condition, whilst restoration refers to the process of returning something to a previous state, in particular in relation to heritage buildings.

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Renovating, refurbishing, and retrofitting are often taken to mean the same thing or used interchangeably. Each of these words refers to a specific action: It may include elements of retrofitting. The term 'renovation' refers to the process of returning something to a good state of repair.

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