What can you do if you want to remodel your home, but a major multiple-step renovation project just isn’t in the cards? Do you really have to do everything all at once?

While there are certain advantages to completing all the stages of a home renovation project at once, there may be reasons (scheduling, financing, etc.) that make that impractical. There is an increase in “phased” remodeling or “serial remodeling.” Some homeowners are taking on smaller renovation projects in distinct phases.

Not long ago, Consumer Reports reported that of 54 percent of homeowners planning to undertake home remodeling projects, 36 percent were planning to do so in phases—rather than all at once. As you might guess, the primary reason given for taking this approach (42 percent) was a lack of funds to do everything immediately. Another reason given for taking the phased approach to remodeling was that the home isn’t torn up for as long a period of time.

There is, of course another side to the phased remodeling approach. As a homeowner you may lose some economies of scale when you don’t purchase all your materials at once. And although your house may not be disrupted for quite as long a period at once—but it will be disrupted more often.

With a phased approach, you’ll also need to consider whether there are natural breaks in the remodeling process you can take advantage of.  If , for instance, your kitchen floor extends into your dining room and you want to replace the flooring in both places, stopping halfway isn’t a good option.

Nonetheless, if you really want or need to make some changes (due to space or safety considerations), phased or serial remodeling may be the way to go. Talk it over with your professional remodeler and see if it makes sense.