Z
zicoandenball24 Mar 2011 19:11Dear forum,
In a relatively densely populated area of Westphalia, we are planning to buy a home. Since the available plots of land nearby are usually too small, it makes a lot of sense to purchase an existing house.
Among other options, we have our eye on a plot with a detached single-family house (including an additional extension) that also has a separate apartment and a triple garage. However, the condition and layout of the property are quite poor, so because of the nice plot, we are considering partially demolishing the house.
I call my forum post "partial demolition" because the basement and the separate apartment would remain. Is that structurally feasible?
Is it even worthwhile to keep the basement (considering technical aspects such as [pipes and wiring, possibly old or defective seals and insulation] and architectural factors like [basement access])?
In a relatively densely populated area of Westphalia, we are planning to buy a home. Since the available plots of land nearby are usually too small, it makes a lot of sense to purchase an existing house.
Among other options, we have our eye on a plot with a detached single-family house (including an additional extension) that also has a separate apartment and a triple garage. However, the condition and layout of the property are quite poor, so because of the nice plot, we are considering partially demolishing the house.
I call my forum post "partial demolition" because the basement and the separate apartment would remain. Is that structurally feasible?
Is it even worthwhile to keep the basement (considering technical aspects such as [pipes and wiring, possibly old or defective seals and insulation] and architectural factors like [basement access])?
B
Bauexperte25 Mar 2011 11:21Hello,
In principle, anything is possible; it primarily depends on structural integrity and, most importantly, the budget. I have carried out this kind of project twice so far—and one thing I want to emphasize is this please keep in mind: such a renovation is not for everyone, especially not for a general contractor whose main business is building new single-family homes. There are specialists for this, and they should be commissioned if you want to enjoy your home in the coming years.
First, it needs to be clarified how old the structure is—does a usable structural assessment still exist? If not, a structural engineer must first inspect the building and its condition on site. Afterwards, your trusted builder, together with his/your architect, should develop appropriate plans and calculate costs, including demolition and possibly supporting measures. Don’t forget the disproportionately high demolition costs for the partial demolition.
I cannot give a reliable opinion on whether this construction project is worthwhile from behind my computer, as I do not know the building’s condition or other parameters. Only this: unless it is a historically valuable vaulted basement (which itself is usually an expensive passion project), I would always recommend a complete demolition. Firstly, it is cheaper—you don’t have to consider expensive support structures. Secondly, if current standards and technology are installed above the existing basement, it makes no sense to build on outdated building fabric. Thirdly, provided there is no asbestos and the ground conditions allow it, demolition materials can be reused for the subbase; the amount of material will vary depending on whether you build new with or without a basement.
Kind regards
zicoandenball schrieb:
Among other things, we have also identified a plot of land with a detached single-family house (with additional extensions) including a guest apartment and a triple garage. However, the condition and layout of the property are really poor, so because of the nice plot, we are considering partially demolishing the house.
zicoandenball schrieb:
I called my forum post “partial demolition” because the basement and the guest apartment should remain. Is that structurally possible?
In principle, anything is possible; it primarily depends on structural integrity and, most importantly, the budget. I have carried out this kind of project twice so far—and one thing I want to emphasize is this please keep in mind: such a renovation is not for everyone, especially not for a general contractor whose main business is building new single-family homes. There are specialists for this, and they should be commissioned if you want to enjoy your home in the coming years.
zicoandenball schrieb:
Is it even worth keeping the basement (technical aspects [pipes and lines, possibly old or faulty seals and insulation] and architectural aspects [basement entrance] tied to the existing conditions)?
First, it needs to be clarified how old the structure is—does a usable structural assessment still exist? If not, a structural engineer must first inspect the building and its condition on site. Afterwards, your trusted builder, together with his/your architect, should develop appropriate plans and calculate costs, including demolition and possibly supporting measures. Don’t forget the disproportionately high demolition costs for the partial demolition.
I cannot give a reliable opinion on whether this construction project is worthwhile from behind my computer, as I do not know the building’s condition or other parameters. Only this: unless it is a historically valuable vaulted basement (which itself is usually an expensive passion project), I would always recommend a complete demolition. Firstly, it is cheaper—you don’t have to consider expensive support structures. Secondly, if current standards and technology are installed above the existing basement, it makes no sense to build on outdated building fabric. Thirdly, provided there is no asbestos and the ground conditions allow it, demolition materials can be reused for the subbase; the amount of material will vary depending on whether you build new with or without a basement.
Kind regards
Z
zicoandenball25 Mar 2011 11:42Dear Building Expert,
Thank you very much for your response.
What is a GC???
If I understand you correctly, you advise against it not only for economic reasons but also because of the coordination required between different trades due to the "basement issue," right? As background for our "plans":
We are considering a version without a basement, which is why we came to these thoughts. However, your explanations are understandable.
If you already have experience with demolitions, what would be the recommended approach?
Does the assessment of hazardous waste need to be done by a specialized demolition company, or is a specialist required for this? Are there interfaces between the prefabricated house provider and the demolition? And from the perspective that I will likely need a slab foundation (and in the case without a basement, the excavated area will need to be backfilled), does it make sense to entrust all the preliminary work to an architect who can coordinate all services from one source?
Thank you for your answers!
zicoandenball
Thank you very much for your response.
What is a GC???
If I understand you correctly, you advise against it not only for economic reasons but also because of the coordination required between different trades due to the "basement issue," right? As background for our "plans":
We are considering a version without a basement, which is why we came to these thoughts. However, your explanations are understandable.
If you already have experience with demolitions, what would be the recommended approach?
Does the assessment of hazardous waste need to be done by a specialized demolition company, or is a specialist required for this? Are there interfaces between the prefabricated house provider and the demolition? And from the perspective that I will likely need a slab foundation (and in the case without a basement, the excavated area will need to be backfilled), does it make sense to entrust all the preliminary work to an architect who can coordinate all services from one source?
Thank you for your answers!
zicoandenball
B
Bauexperte25 Mar 2011 12:30Hello,
GeneralContractor
Based on my experience, such a project can only succeed if the people involved are specialists in these specific tasks; anything else is a gamble.
One more thing from my experience: with prefabricated house suppliers, basements often only fit where the supplier also arranges the basement contractors.
For partial demolition: first request or, if necessary, have the structural engineering calculations redone; commission a soil surveyor. Usually, the structural engineer and the contractor you trust will then meet on-site. Together, the three of them can answer all your questions regarding possible hazardous waste, soil conditions, and costs.
For complete demolition, commission a soil report first and then request a quote from a demolition contractor of your choice.
Only if you choose partial demolition.
I have already answered you regarding partial demolition.
If you are having the entire building demolished, the prefabricated house supplier should be able to initiate the necessary steps in your name in close coordination with the involved trades. Otherwise, the statement “our architects turn your dreams and ideas into a one-of-a-kind creation – the latest manufacturing technology, qualified professionals, and selected ecological building materials make a masterpiece out of it” is not worth the paper it is printed on.
Kind regards
zicoandenball schrieb:
What is a GU???
GeneralContractor
zicoandenball schrieb:
If I understand you correctly, you are advising against this not only for economic reasons but also because of the coordination between different trades required due to the “basement issue,” right?!?!
Based on my experience, such a project can only succeed if the people involved are specialists in these specific tasks; anything else is a gamble.
zicoandenball schrieb:
We have considered this option. It has no basement, which is why we came up with the ideas you described. However, your explanations are understandable.
One more thing from my experience: with prefabricated house suppliers, basements often only fit where the supplier also arranges the basement contractors.
zicoandenball schrieb:
If you already have experience with demolition, how would you proceed?
For partial demolition: first request or, if necessary, have the structural engineering calculations redone; commission a soil surveyor. Usually, the structural engineer and the contractor you trust will then meet on-site. Together, the three of them can answer all your questions regarding possible hazardous waste, soil conditions, and costs.
For complete demolition, commission a soil report first and then request a quote from a demolition contractor of your choice.
zicoandenball schrieb:
Are there interfaces between the prefabricated house supplier and the demolition?
Only if you choose partial demolition.
zicoandenball schrieb:
Considering that I will probably still need a slab foundation (and the area will need to be backfilled if there is no basement) that meets the prefabricated house’s requirements, does it make sense to entrust all the “preparatory work” to an architect who coordinates all services from a single source???
I have already answered you regarding partial demolition.
If you are having the entire building demolished, the prefabricated house supplier should be able to initiate the necessary steps in your name in close coordination with the involved trades. Otherwise, the statement “our architects turn your dreams and ideas into a one-of-a-kind creation – the latest manufacturing technology, qualified professionals, and selected ecological building materials make a masterpiece out of it” is not worth the paper it is printed on.
Kind regards
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