ᐅ Renovating an Older Home – Planning, Design, and Construction Supervision
Created on: 6 May 2012 19:44
O
Oli S.
Hello, dear forum members!
My wife and I are planning to buy a house from the 1950s and carry out extensive renovations and modernization. The following measures are planned:
- Insulating the roof,
- Insulating the exterior walls,
- Converting the attic,
- Redesigning the rooms on the upper floor (bedroom, children’s room, and large bathroom),
- Redesigning the basement (large living, dining, kitchen area and guest toilet),
- Installing new windows all around,
- Installing a new heating system,
- Underfloor heating on the ground floor,
- New electrical wiring,
- New water pipes,
- Drying out the basement (walls are somewhat damp).
Our question is: how should we approach this project? Who should be responsible for planning, project management, and construction supervision? Who contacts the relevant tradespeople? Who calculates the costs for the modernization? Who handles construction oversight and quality control, also considering any subsidized measures? Should we hire an architect or a construction company for this? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both options?
Although I am a trained automotive mechanic and would describe myself as fairly skilled with tools, I have no experience in construction. Since budget is a factor, I would like to contribute some DIY work, such as demolition. How would this be incorporated into the planning process?
Over the past weeks, we have visited several building trade fairs and spoken with homeowners’ associations, energy consultants, and building protection organizations. However, we are still unsure which approach would be best for our project. We would appreciate any advice here.
Thank you in advance.
Oli S.
My wife and I are planning to buy a house from the 1950s and carry out extensive renovations and modernization. The following measures are planned:
- Insulating the roof,
- Insulating the exterior walls,
- Converting the attic,
- Redesigning the rooms on the upper floor (bedroom, children’s room, and large bathroom),
- Redesigning the basement (large living, dining, kitchen area and guest toilet),
- Installing new windows all around,
- Installing a new heating system,
- Underfloor heating on the ground floor,
- New electrical wiring,
- New water pipes,
- Drying out the basement (walls are somewhat damp).
Our question is: how should we approach this project? Who should be responsible for planning, project management, and construction supervision? Who contacts the relevant tradespeople? Who calculates the costs for the modernization? Who handles construction oversight and quality control, also considering any subsidized measures? Should we hire an architect or a construction company for this? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both options?
Although I am a trained automotive mechanic and would describe myself as fairly skilled with tools, I have no experience in construction. Since budget is a factor, I would like to contribute some DIY work, such as demolition. How would this be incorporated into the planning process?
Over the past weeks, we have visited several building trade fairs and spoken with homeowners’ associations, energy consultants, and building protection organizations. However, we are still unsure which approach would be best for our project. We would appreciate any advice here.
Thank you in advance.
Oli S.
T
Thomas4632 Sep 2013 10:53Last but not least, one should also consider the partly missing or nearly ineffective basement waterproofing in older buildings, which is often almost impossible to access or repair.
I also keep wondering, especially when watching shows like "Bargain Houses," how people can be so naïve and expect to professionally restore a house to good condition on almost no budget. Just yesterday, there were “experts” shown buying a building for €40,000 and planning to renovate it, even though the basic structure didn’t look sound and basically all important components need to be replaced.
And gutting a building is another aspect where you often have to expect surprises.
PS: It’s good that someone is raising this issue because way too many people are overly optimistic and think they can save a lot of money that way.
Also, DIY work is always a tricky matter: If work like electrical installations, heating, etc. is done unprofessionally, it can quickly become very expensive or even dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Plus, even the helpful advisors at hardware stores aren’t always as competent as they seem to novices (especially since they can’t assess the local conditions).
Best regards
I also keep wondering, especially when watching shows like "Bargain Houses," how people can be so naïve and expect to professionally restore a house to good condition on almost no budget. Just yesterday, there were “experts” shown buying a building for €40,000 and planning to renovate it, even though the basic structure didn’t look sound and basically all important components need to be replaced.
And gutting a building is another aspect where you often have to expect surprises.
PS: It’s good that someone is raising this issue because way too many people are overly optimistic and think they can save a lot of money that way.
Also, DIY work is always a tricky matter: If work like electrical installations, heating, etc. is done unprofessionally, it can quickly become very expensive or even dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Plus, even the helpful advisors at hardware stores aren’t always as competent as they seem to novices (especially since they can’t assess the local conditions).
Best regards
Thomas463 schrieb:
Last but not least, one should also consider the partly missing or nearly ineffective basement waterproofing in old buildings, which is almost impossible to access anymore. Actually, if it concerns vertical barriers, quite a bit can be "corrected," but with corresponding extra effort. However, the situation is entirely different regarding deficiencies in horizontal barriers. Thomas463 schrieb:
...I keep wondering when I watch shows like "Bargain Houses" how people can approach things so naively and expect to bring the house back to a good (professional) condition with almost no budget at all. That is true; unfortunately, "naivety" is the source of profit for some! I recall a recent RTL feature about the "Bauretter" in connection with the IBG insolvency. Certainly, in that specific case, the builders were structurally helped.
However, portraying a retrofit for a presumably KfW 70 building as an "energy-efficient solution" lacks any real basis. Regarding the building services engineering, Kosmalla and Reibold-Rolinger are complete amateurs, and their work is more focused on appearances (advertising effect)!
The excessive operating costs will likely affect these homeowners more than they realize.
Therefore, such reports serve more for "entertainment value" than for overall technical, reliable content.
Thomas463 schrieb:
...And do-it-yourself work is always a tricky issue: If something is done unprofessionally (e.g., wiring, heating systems, etc.), it can quickly become very expensive or even dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. Absolutely correct, especially if there is no professional planning behind it! Do-it-yourself work can help relieve your own budget, but only if done purposefully and after proper planning!
For DIY work, a time factor of 3 to 5 should be considered!
Best regards.