ᐅ Experiences with Long-Term Renovations?

Good morning Dirk,

Dirk Grafe schrieb:
Yes, that’s just how it is with old houses and shouldn’t be underestimated. My front house dates back to 1918, so it’s almost 100 years old, and the rest is from 1978, which is almost 40 years old now.

We had visited a very similar house – nicely angled with a total of two extensions and a large plot. Houses like that really have charm. According to the real estate agent, only minor renovations would be needed. We both had a bad feeling about it though, and after estimating the renovation costs, we decided not to go through with it. There’s plenty of experience to support that decision.
At that time, we really wanted an existing property, but now we’re building new.

Dirk Grafe schrieb:
We also didn’t quite manage the timing, although I believe you can’t ever get it perfect, even if you have everything fully planned by the general contractor/architect.

I fully agree with you!

Best regards,
Rina

Please share at the end how long it actually took you – as a reference for others.

Currently, the situation is as follows:

Project start: May 2015
Project end: no later than December 2016
Project duration so far: 12 months

May 2015: initial discussions with carpenter regarding roof conversion (dormer windows)
July 2015: discussions on possible dormer size and type depending on local building permit / planning permission
September 2015: final decision on dormer type and size, roof truss conversion, insulation renovation, etc.
October 2015: application for permits
January 2016: permit approval received
February 2016: demolition of interior roof/attic cladding
March 2016: measurements taken by carpenter
April 2016: major demolition work in the apartment -> gutting; discussions with bathroom installer / heating technician about bathroom redesign, rerouting heating pipes, etc.
May 2016: final discussions with carpenter, bathroom installer, "contract-ready planning"; further gutting/demolition work in the apartment
June 2016: final demolition and gutting work in the apartment, painting of roof sheathing visible from outside

Planned
June 2016: roof truss reconstruction/completion
June/July 2016: installation of heating pipes, screed laying, electrical work
August - latest end of November 2016: various renovation works, kitchen installation, bathroom, living and dining rooms, bedroom (flooring, plastering, painting, repairs, this and that. Everything will be redone)

Deadline is December 1, 2016, when the first loan installment is due; current apartment lease ends by then.

So far, all work has not been particularly stressful. It has been quite laid back, with some weekends here and there devoted to it. The dates mentioned above are guidelines for the "major/decisive" milestones. There have been additional discussions here and there that were not significant to the duration but served more informational purposes.

Apartment planning has been ongoing in my mind, on paper, using 3D room planners (some furniture stores offer these), and so on, all along.

I would definitely recommend allowing more time. However, no one here can give you a truly reliable answer since nobody knows your working pace.

I try to do everything as perfectly as possible, and that often means it takes up to five times longer than it would for a professional company, especially if you’ve never done certain tasks before.

Still, it’s better to plan for extra time than to rush and end up cutting corners near the end due to stress...

Then, moving on:

Current status:

Project start: May 2015
Project end: no later than December 2016
Project duration so far: 14 months

May 2015: initial discussions with the carpenter regarding roof renovation (dormer windows)
July 2015: discussions about options, dormer size and type depending on local building permits / planning permission
September 2015: decision on dormer type and size, roof truss renovation, insulation upgrade, etc.
October 2015: application for permits
January 2016: permit approval received
February 2016: removal of interior cladding in the roof/attic space
March 2016: measurements taken by the carpenter
April 2016: major demolition work in the apartment -> gutting; discussions with bathroom installer/heating technician about bathroom redesign, rerouting heating pipes, etc.
May 2016: final talks with carpenter, bathroom installer, “contract-ready planning”; further gutting/demolition in the apartment
June 2016: final demolition and gutting work in the apartment, painting of the roof sheathing visible from outside the house
July 2016: roof with insulation completed, new windows installed. Exterior all finished, scaffolding removed. Interior finishing in progress, insulation and sealing took about 2 weeks, water and sanitary systems back in place (rough-in). Next week, channelling and wiring will be installed.

Planned:
June/July 2016: installation of heating pipes, etc. / screed application, electrical work
August - max end of November 2016: various renovation tasks, kitchen installation, bathroom, living and dining rooms, bedroom. (flooring, plastering, painting, repairs, miscellaneous. Everything is being redone)

Move-in planned for mid-October.

August: Various interior works such as drywall installation, electrical work, wall paneling
September: Further interior works, drywall (a lot of leveling work due to existing conditions), priming and plastering
October: Half of the rooms have been fully painted, floors still need to be installed, bathroom still needs bathtub installation, waterproofing, and tiles to be laid.

Moving in by the end of October should be possible.

Current conclusion: Never again