ᐅ Renovation or Demolition and New Construction – Guidance from an Architect?
Created on: 28 Aug 2024 18:57
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Frechdachs
Good evening, dear community,
We recently purchased a single-family house from the late 1950s: a charming 125m² (1,345 sq ft), partially basemented property located in an area regulated under § 34 of the German Building Code. It also comes with a large garden and is close to our previous rental apartment. In short: location, property, and “value for money” all fit.
The second viewing was with an architect, whom we quickly found in the neighboring village. His conclusion: good structure, but in need of renovation. We have a list of recommended renovation measures aiming to raise the house financially sensibly to the best possible energy efficiency class, including rough cost estimates.
In addition, demolition and new construction (140m² (1,507 sq ft) without basement) were calculated using the commonly cited rule of thumb here of 3,500 euros per m².
We had not yet made up our minds: both estimates plus a buffer were within our self-imposed budget, so we bought the house.
Now we have reached the point where we need to choose between renovation or demolition and new construction, primarily focusing on concrete costs and feasibility (§ 34).
What would you advise? How would you proceed most sensibly?
For example, I was thinking of having the architect now plan both renovation and new construction in more detail—meaning developing floor plans, submitting a preliminary building inquiry (building permit / planning permission), and obtaining quotes.
However, I am unsure whether this would be “wasted money,” and whether it might be more advisable to simply decide on one path.
I look forward to your opinions, thoughts, and experiences, and thank you in advance.
We recently purchased a single-family house from the late 1950s: a charming 125m² (1,345 sq ft), partially basemented property located in an area regulated under § 34 of the German Building Code. It also comes with a large garden and is close to our previous rental apartment. In short: location, property, and “value for money” all fit.
The second viewing was with an architect, whom we quickly found in the neighboring village. His conclusion: good structure, but in need of renovation. We have a list of recommended renovation measures aiming to raise the house financially sensibly to the best possible energy efficiency class, including rough cost estimates.
In addition, demolition and new construction (140m² (1,507 sq ft) without basement) were calculated using the commonly cited rule of thumb here of 3,500 euros per m².
We had not yet made up our minds: both estimates plus a buffer were within our self-imposed budget, so we bought the house.
Now we have reached the point where we need to choose between renovation or demolition and new construction, primarily focusing on concrete costs and feasibility (§ 34).
What would you advise? How would you proceed most sensibly?
For example, I was thinking of having the architect now plan both renovation and new construction in more detail—meaning developing floor plans, submitting a preliminary building inquiry (building permit / planning permission), and obtaining quotes.
However, I am unsure whether this would be “wasted money,” and whether it might be more advisable to simply decide on one path.
I look forward to your opinions, thoughts, and experiences, and thank you in advance.
N
nordanney28 Aug 2024 22:54Frechdachs schrieb:
What would you advise us to do next in the most sensible way? It depends. I prefer to preserve good existing structures. But only to preserve – relocating 17 walls, creating new bathrooms, altering windows, etc., in an old building usually doesn’t make sense because it often ends up costing more than a new build. Additionally, you might face typical disadvantages of older buildings.
I am not familiar with the house, so I’m unable and not inclined to give you specific advice.
Frechdachs schrieb:
What would you advise us to do next in the most sensible way?
I was thinking, for example, to work with an architect to plan both the renovation and the new build more concretely—that is, to design floor plans, submit a building permit or planning permission inquiry, and obtain quotes. If the architect is competent, this will basically be clarified between design phase 1 and 2. Planning two houses in detail at this stage is definitely wasted money.
Frechdachs schrieb:
Honestly, I did not expect such a clear tendency. I certainly don’t see it here either. I can only
nordanney schrieb:
I do not know the house, so I would neither want nor be able to help you. agree—without facts, no serious input.
Frechdachs schrieb:
(and regarding photos + floor plan, please check with us whether that is okay with my better half). It is unavoidable—any treatment without a diagnosis would be negligent quackery. I also offer personal advice “against blue tiles” in a private setting if Madame is too uncomfortable discussing the house on the internet.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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hanghaus202329 Aug 2024 09:02Frechdachs schrieb:
Your candid words are refreshing. Honestly, I didn't expect such a clear stance. But I also tend to overthink things (my wife usually holds me back on that).Unfortunately, you are looking at my statement without understanding the context. Of course, you can only judge this if you know the property. You still haven’t contributed anything on that. You missed the obvious hint.
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hanghaus202329 Aug 2024 09:05Bertram100 schrieb:
I find that a pity. Old houses have a very different kind of charm and often contribute positively to the character of a town or city. It would be unfortunate if cities were gradually demolished.
A backlog of renovation work can actually be quite practical. It allows you to plan major interventions all at once, so you don’t have to be disappointed if existing features don’t survive the upgrades. It’s problematic only if, for example, the kitchen is modernized but the hallway is not, or if everything is modernized except for the room layout. Now you can simply redesign the layout in what is probably a very nice house. I’m curious about your plans. Definitely keep us updated! I agree.
Quoting out of context doesn’t make much sense.
Let’s wait and see if any new information comes up that might change my opinion.
HausKaufBayern29 Aug 2024 09:38Since you’re concerned about heating costs, that is definitely an important topic. As an example, our house was built in 1950, with two households and a total of four people living permanently in about 200m² (2,150 sq ft), and 250m² (2,690 sq ft) including some areas not permanently occupied. Last year, our heating expenses were around 3000€ (approximately $3,200). It could be higher in a colder winter. We are planning to add a wood-burning stove soon. From a purely financial standpoint, I don’t think insulating makes sense for our large house. If the roof needs replacing, we will insulate it then, but we will only renovate the façade if we are required to.
I actually find the indoor climate better than, as another user mentioned, in some new builds. In summer, it is noticeably cooler because of the thick walls and the practice of ventilating at night.
I actually find the indoor climate better than, as another user mentioned, in some new builds. In summer, it is noticeably cooler because of the thick walls and the practice of ventilating at night.
Frechdachs schrieb:
Will the basement become a thermal bridge into the house? (According to the architect, the basement exterior walls can be fully excavated and insulated, but the cost-benefit ratio is highly questionable).
This is regularly done for damp basements and doesn’t cost too much. Of course, you can’t get under the basement floor, but if you’re not planning to use it as an office or similar, it doesn’t matter. With enough ceiling height, you can also insulate the basement ceiling. In a non-basement living room, simply installing underfloor heating will prevent cold feet.Similar topics