The Case of the Downgraded Updated Windows
What’s the difference between an “update” and an “upgrade?”
Put it this way: it’s subtle enough that even lots of Realtors who should know better get it wrong.
So, here are my definitions:
An upgrade is a home feature that builders and remodelers charge extra for.
Things like bay windows, skylights, cherry hardwood floors (vs. oak), recessed lighting, a 3-season porch (vs. a merely enclosed one), Timberline (or architectural) shingles, and a cedar closet all qualify.
By contrast, an update replaces a worn-out item.
Examples: a new furnace, fridge, countertops, or light fixtures.
Or new windows.
Better? Or Just New?
Perhaps the best way to illustrate the difference between an “update” and an “upgrade” is new windows.
I see many classic Craftsman bungalows boasting “updated” windows.
But, (too) often they’re cheap, vinyl replacement windows — not the original, high-quality, wood-framed windows that lasted 60 or 80 years (advice to home owners, remodelers, etc.: ‘don’t do that’).
Call that the “downgraded updated window.”
Conversely, a bay window that’s in need of re-glazing and other maintenance is an example of a “dated upgrade.”
None of which is to say that “updates” and “upgrades” are mutually exclusive.
To pick just one example, replacing an old Kenmore stove with a spendy* new Wolf (photo above) qualifies as both an update and an upgrade.
Got all that??
*Part of the same Midwestern canon as “you betcha,” “hot dish,” and “cold/hot enough for ‘ya?”
