noun

renovation

ren-uh-VAY-shun/ˌrenəˈveɪʃn/

The repair or improvement of a building or space.

The room renovation includes patching cracked walls and installing new floorboards.

A compact room renovation in progress: one adult patches cracked wall plaster while another installs new floorboards; old damaged section transitions into newly restored section of the same room.

Etymology

reLatinagain

+novLatinnew

+ationLatinaction or process

The pieces describe the process of making something new again. Renovation already carried the sense of rebuilding after decay or damage, directly connecting renewal with repairing and improving a building.

In context

True Creeps Podcast6:07

with the intention of renovating it to its original beauty. And as part of this renovation, a 23story guest room tower was added.

Spooky Travel: The Pfister Hotel

More examples

The library closes for renovation next month.
We finished the kitchen renovation under budget.
These renovations make the old apartments safer.

Forms

renovation · renovations

renovate verb — To repair or improve a building or space.

Similar words

remodeling: Remodeling changes a space's layout or design, not just condition.
restoration: Restoration returns a building to an earlier or original condition.
repair: Repair fixes damage without necessarily improving the whole space.