ᐅ Older Building – Renovation and Refurbishment

Good morning everyone.

As I mentioned in the headline, my project involves partial remodeling and a complete renovation of the premises.

Since my parents’ health is no longer at its best, I want to make some changes to the ground floor of the house. Like many others, my budget is quite tight, so I plan to carry out most of the work myself. I have some experience with similar tasks, but there are also things I will be doing for the first time.

I don’t have an exact start date yet. I prefer to plan everything carefully in advance, gather building materials, etc., and then begin.

I’m sure many questions will come up over time. I hope it’s okay to reach out to the forum for help when that happens!?

The house dates roughly from the 1940s/1950s. Unfortunately, there are no plans available. About 60 years ago, a shop space was added to the ground floor. It is currently unused, and I want to integrate it into the “new apartment” since it adds around 35sqm (375 sq ft) of extra space.

Now I need or want to create 3 openings for doors (not including openings that were bricked up some years ago), brick up some existing doors, add 2 openings for windows, and modify 3 window openings (including one display window).

Since I’m not sure if all this will work out as I imagine, I want to consult a professional. I assume a structural engineer will be necessary (or is there another option?). How does this usually work? Since no plans exist, does the engineer visit the site, inspect the situation, and then after calculations tell me “this is possible/this is not”? Or as a non-professional, will the engineer’s plans be of no real use to me?

Is it roughly possible to estimate the costs for this service?

Thank you very much in advance for your advice!

Best regards

Check if you are eligible for subsidies, whether from local authorities, long-term care insurance, development banks, or associations.

Keep in mind that the structural engineer can provide a specific answer when you have a concrete question. It is advisable to ask beforehand and make this a condition of the contract.

@Kölsch-Bloot

You can’t just “start” with the renovation work, not even after consulting with the structural engineer.

You will most likely also need an architect to create the necessary plans and submit them to the building authority for approval. After all, you don’t want to make significant changes to the structure of the existing building without proper authorization.

For a smooth renovation process, it is best if the structural engineer and architect work well together and understand each other’s methods.

As the first step, you should consult a trusted financial advisor to determine the available funding. They can also inform you about possible grants or subsidies.

Best regards, Bauexperte

Thank you all for your answers!

I am quite surprised that a building permit / planning permission would be necessary. First, I don’t yet know if and to what extent load-bearing walls are involved. This would have to be checked by a structural engineer first. Second, I did not plan to hire an architect. In my opinion, the intervention in the existing building structure remains manageable. Perhaps I wasn’t clear: three new openings will be created within the apartment, while some existing interior doors will be removed. Windows need to be replaced anyway. Therefore, I wanted to take the opportunity to convert a 2.5m x 3.5m (8.2ft x 11.5ft) display window into two “normal” windows or replace a 1m x 2m (3.3ft x 6.6ft) window with a standard window of the same type as the existing ones. Additionally, an interior partition wall made of lightweight construction will be added to enlarge the former shop’s bathroom and install a shower there, plus a small window will be added inside the bathroom (previously there was only a vent).

Possibly, provided the local chimney inspector gives approval, a chimney might be built for a fireplace insert. However, since the shop has a flat roof, I am rather skeptical about this due to the required chimney height.

Further work includes installing new electrical, water, and heating pipes, as these are already between 40 and 60 years old. The electrical rewiring, of course, would be carried out in cooperation with a certified professional.

The dimensions of the existing building will not be changed. How are the costs for a building permit / planning permission calculated in such a case? I cannot precisely estimate the total renovation costs yet due to the various cost factors involved.

If the costs for the openings and window replacement are taken as a basis, the amount would probably be around €3,000. The costs for any interior doors, new sanitary facilities (toilet, tiles, etc.), and the lightweight partition wall likely wouldn’t have a significant impact, would they?

Hello,

before you start converting the retail space, you should check with the city or municipal authorities whether changing the use from commercial to residential is permitted.

Installing new windows or altering existing window openings also changes the building’s exterior appearance and will likely require approval.

Therefore, I recommend arranging a meeting with an official from the building regulations department to present your plans. We have had very positive experiences with this approach.

Best regards,

Dirk