Begin with what the existing house can support
A cosmetic survey is not enough for a major decision. Review foundation and framing conditions, floor elevations, roof geometry, utility capacity, drainage, envelope performance, hazardous-material risk, and the implications of the desired openings or added area.
The question is not simply whether the house can be remodeled. It is whether the retained structure helps or constrains the intended result.
Compare complete project paths
A remodel budget should include selective demolition, temporary protection, concealed-condition risk, tie-ins, upgraded systems, finish transitions, and the cost of working around retained construction. A new-build comparison should include demolition, site work, design and approval time, new utilities, and the full replacement scope.
Compare schedule, risk, performance, and daily-life disruption in addition to first cost.
Use a decision package, not a guess
A useful early package includes an existing-condition assessment, concept options, preliminary structural and systems input, planning constraints, a scope matrix, order-of-magnitude budgets, and a decision schedule.
That work cannot remove every unknown, but it lets the owner choose a direction with a visible basis.