ᐅ Convert a paved extension into living space

Tina1979 schrieb:

1000 m² (10,764 sq ft)... Edge of a field, so it could be quite possible.

If it is in an outside area, you would need to have an agricultural business to be allowed to make any structural changes.

Why not draw a floor plan that reflects how it will actually be? How will the spaces be used, meaning what is the specific need or plan for your living arrangement? What is the budget for the construction work?

Musketier schrieb:

If it is an outdoor area, you would need to have an agricultural business to make any structural changes.

What do you mean by that? The 1000m² (10,764 square feet) is garden area. Are you referring to structural changes to the house or outside? I don’t operate any agricultural business, and neither did the previous owner.

Arauki11 schrieb:

Try drawing a floor plan that shows how it will actually be used. What are the exact needs or plans for your living arrangements? How high is the budget for construction work?

Our budget is 40,000€ (about 43,000 USD). I know it’s not much. Many things can be renovated step by step, like the windows for example. The 40,000€ should make the property move-in ready for now. It’s an older building and will remain one. I’m not expecting any frills, just a quiet place to live with my family. We currently spend around 250€ (about 270 USD) on heating, which is acceptable. I fully understand it won’t be perfect! Upstairs there is another bathroom and four bedrooms. There are double-glazed windows everywhere, but no insulation. Most of the electrical wiring is already new. I want to insulate the attic cheaply.

Tina1979 schrieb:

Could you remove the bricks and cover the area with insulation panels?

Unfortunately, that does not solve the problem of mold tendency in such a room. In winter, when it’s cozy and warm, there is quite a lot of moisture in the air. This moisture settles where surfaces are coldest. So, if you insulate the floor well but the walls and windows are not insulated accordingly, the moisture will migrate there. If the windows are highly insulated, the moisture will not settle there either, but rather on a wall. Only when all areas reach the same insulation standard can you save energy and prevent mold at the same time. That is why this process is so expensive nowadays. In the past, energy prices were low, and everything was simply regulated by power. The old, somewhat drafty houses had excellent air quality but extremely high energy consumption in winter.

Ok, let’s focus on solutions with a budget and young, hardworking hands. The roof of the conservatory has rafters. These will be doubled up yourself to about 20cm (8 inches). Check whether there is a membrane under the roof tiles. The wood must, of course, be removed beforehand. After doubling the rafters, insulate them. Then install a vapor retarder, cross battens, and cladding. There are many different methods for this, so use a U-value calculator to do the calculations.

Next, remove the paving and build a concrete slab yourself. Pay attention to the different required levels and wall connections. You can find all this information through search engines. Windows remain weak points – that’s just how it is. With this, you have done a lot with little money. Note – all this is done by yourself, including reinforcement, concrete, and screed. I would recommend making the door to the "hallway" a secondary entrance door.

For the house, insulate the roof yourself. This brings great benefits for little money. About 30% of energy is lost through an uninsulated roof.

Then: look for weak spots. That means leaky windows, shutters, etc. If there is no new heating system, optimize the existing one at least. You can also insulate the heating system as well as the hot water tank, if one exists and is old.

It will all work out!