ᐅ Ideas and Questions About Recycling a House Approximately 110 Years Old

Hello,

first of all, please excuse my inconsistent use of uppercase and lowercase letters.

Let me start by introducing myself.

I have completed training as a plant mechanic specializing in HVAC systems, followed by a technical college diploma in construction engineering. Now I am beginning studies in building energy technology and maybe later a master’s degree in facility management (still undecided... first focus on one thing, then dream about the next).

My mother owns a roughly 110-year-old converted farmhouse, which has its pros and cons. Here are a few that come to mind quickly:

+ It breathes (double-shell exterior wall with approximately 6cm (2.4 inches) cavity) – no risk of mold
+ Large (property and house)
+ The plot is in a great location, quiet, in a nice neighborhood (the rear garden border borders a compensation area)

- IT BREATHES (winters are cold, and you can’t really heat against it effectively, only with a 22 kW wood stove “economically”)
- The current floor plan is attractive but poorly executed (main house with ground floor + first floor; two outbuildings extend to the right and left at the rear. The ground floors of the outbuildings have no upper floor. A conservatory connects the buildings)
- Old wooden ceiling (you can hear every step loudly!!!)

As children, we used to live upstairs. Later we did some remodeling and rented out the upper floor (only in the main house). That is not much income, but the idea of renting remains because it is the only way to financially manage the future new-build project.

A few technical details:
- No foundation insulation
- As mentioned, double-shell exterior walls with cavity (main building very old brickwork, outbuildings made of hard-burnt brick)
- Most windows are double-glazed without vapor barrier coating
- Most of the ground floor floors are covered with 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inches) brick tiles
- The outbuildings have basements at the rear (one filled in, the other used as a cistern for garden irrigation—the cistern part is sinking, causing horizontal cracks in the masonry)

This should not be a project that starts in two years and is rushed to finish quickly... It will be a project that might start in 5 to 10 years and take as long as necessary.

I am the type of person who likes to plan everything early in order to fully exploit ideas and possibilities. Only in this way can you achieve a result that is both impressive and affordable.

SO,
the primary purpose of the renovation is to provide my mother with a barrier-free apartment where she can fully enjoy her retirement without worrying about any physical or financial problems.
The second purpose, as already mentioned, is financial: to design the building and floor plan so that ideally 3 additional apartments are integrated, bringing in extra income to help repay the loan (which also results in better financing terms).

We have decided that we want to keep the property. We also all felt it would be a pity to completely replace the charm and style of the old house with Bauhaus-style or other modern nonsense (sorry)...

Therefore, I see the solution in recycling the old house with additional modern accents.

I will roughly outline the process that I have in mind...

- Gradually, most of the house’s materials will be dismantled, refurbished, and stored, i.e., roof tiles, roof structure, masonry on the upper floor, wooden ceiling, masonry on the ground floor, brick tiles, etc.
- The old concrete foundation will remain; it will be overlaid with insulation and a new, proven foundation poured over it, possibly widened to the sides (if permitted by the building authorities)
- A new inner exterior wall made of aerated concrete or hollow clay bricks will be built
- Open construction method (supports made from old beams, interior walls built up from old brickwork)
- Concrete ceiling made from precast concrete slabs (you know, those with the lower reinforcement already installed; then formwork is placed and the remaining slab thickness is cast with upper reinforcement)
- The roof might be flat or have a low pitch (no tar paper), preferably a green roof or covered with gravel.
- Before the inner shell, 11 cm (4.3 inches) or more insulation is installed (I heard there are spacers for interior wall facing bricks to allow thicker insulation). Additionally, a ventilated cavity of 3–4 cm (1–1.5 inches)
- The facing brick should consist mainly of existing bricks (new accents, e.g., dark bricks for corner details, are possible)
- Interior walls also made from old bricks, possibly sandblasted or similar (rustic look)

These are just the main points—I know, GOD, if only it were that simple.

I think I’ve written enough for now... as said, this thread is initially a brainstorming, ideas, and question approach...

Oh, and questions... 😀

It should be possible to pour over the existing foundation, only the paving in front of the building needs to be adjusted to make the entrance level with the ground...

Widening the outbuildings to increase living space will certainly require an application... Is that even possible? How much does something like that cost?

Is it sensible/possible to reuse the old bricks for rebuilding the exterior shell? (I know it’s a lot of work.) Do you have any ideas for removing the mortar? So far, I have thought about a stone tumbler (about 1 m (3.3 feet) diameter, 1.5 m (5 feet) length).

The old wooden beams have great rustic charm but probably won’t be used for major structural tasks. However, for example, as an open frame (a passage without a door), it should be possible (if they are not rotten, etc.).

I think the old roof tiles are beyond repair. The surface is so rough that dirt would immediately accumulate again... I have read about coatings for restoring tiles, but here it probably doesn’t make sense anymore, right?

Another idea for some roof tiles: use them on the exterior wall as cladding up to about 60 cm (2 feet) height (so 2–3 roof tiles stacked) embedded in concrete (constructing the concrete formwork similar to roof battens for hooking the tiles, then mortar on top of the concrete and the tiles fixed). So a steep tile cladding (70–80°) up to hip height. I can’t quite imagine how that would look yet, but it might look good...

So, this is my initial approach to my ideas... I have many more questions, but everything in its time.

I hope you can understand what I have tried to describe.

Every beginning is difficult... but think carefully, and the end is easier to reach than you think.

You have a lot on your mind. I would suggest trying to approach it in a structured way.
Basically, I would at least go through everything with an expert or professional so that you don’t waste your energy on pointless things. They can tell you what you should do, what you can do, and what doesn’t make sense.
I get the feeling that you have a lot of ideas, but I don’t think all of them are good ones.

Overall, it sounds to me like this project will require a lot of money and even more time in order to be reasonably completed.

For age-appropriate renovations, you can apply for a subsidized loan from KfW.

First of all, I can only agree with Koempy. Start by finding a professional to whom you can present your ideas. Then you should get a cost estimate from an architect for all the measures involved (or do you want to do everything yourself?). If you want to do a lot or all of the work yourself, plan for a lot of time and stress, and still expect to spend a significant amount of money.

Whether you can increase the living area of the extension is another question. Is there a zoning plan? Floor area ratio? Here, your local building authority is the right contact. If necessary, you should submit a preliminary building request (preferably with the help of an architect).

Regarding the financial aspect: You write that the renovation and rental are the only way to finance your planned new build. Are you sure that this will financially pay off given the costs of the renovation (which must of course be paid and will certainly cost more than €3.50)?

Thank you very much for the advice...

The financial aspects and the overall approach are not the focus at this point. It is mainly about the practical possibilities of recycling in house construction.

What has been written above is, in a way, just a brief written introduction covering the main points. It should not come across as if I have many "brilliant" ideas and some extra details here and there while losing sight of the overall picture.

The main questions mainly relate to the recycling mentioned above.

I am aware that I cannot simply expand the house. Additionally, sometimes for the sake of "uniformity" in residential areas, houses must have similar shapes, structures, or floor plans (for example, all houses have pitched roofs or, more recently, all houses have flat roofs).

But does this apply everywhere? Can I also find this information in the building plan / planning permission?

I repeat, the construction will still take at least 5 years!!!

What is possible and what is not?

(I will research the zoning plan / development plan myself. I doubt that there is even a drawing of the house. But there must be some documents anyway.)

If you completely demolish the old house and build a new one, don’t you need a completely new building permit / planning permission?