ᐅ Renovation of older buildings, underfloor heating, electrical systems, plumbing, potential challenges, and more.

Hello everyone,
after years of reading along, the time has finally come—I’m going to renovate.
It’s a two-family house in the Ostallgäu region (Bavaria) with quite a bit of backlog in renovations. Also, the parents currently live on the ground floor and will be moving there permanently.
The house was built in the early 1960s and has been remodelled and renovated several times over the years. Still, I will probably need to redo a lot, partly because it’s necessary and partly because that’s what I want.
Water, electricity, heating, floors, quite a few windows, and various other things.
I already have an appointment with a heating and plumbing specialist, as well as for the electrical system.
Since I like to be well prepared, I wanted to ask a few questions here:
I would start in the upper floor. I want to renew all cables and pipes and switch to underfloor heating.
I hope the restrictions for the ground floor will then be limited to openings for new pipes and wiring. Is that feasible?

I would like to replace the gravel fill in the crawl space with a bound fill and then build a level floor structure with underfloor heating. Currently, there are still old radiators installed. The house is heated with oil, firewood, and solar energy. Can the heating specialist handle this, or should I continue to rely on radiators? Also, I would like to lay pipes for a future controlled mechanical ventilation system on the ground floor at the same time.

I would also appreciate any suggestions on what I should pay special attention to, what I should avoid, and what potentially sensible additional investments or alternatives there might be.

I am aware that many questions will arise during the planning and preparation stages, and I hope I can ask them here.

Thank you very much.

Gille D schrieb:

Also, any tips on what I should pay particular attention to?

Involve an energy consultant early on. Carefully plan what, when, where, and how work will be done. "Problems" always come up during renovation (I had a similar situation – for example, the electrician just channeled the hot water pipe through the occupied upper floor. Back in 1967, they just ran the pipe along the wall and plastered over it :eek 🙂.
If you’re doing a major renovation, prepare everything directly for the future.

Gille D schrieb:

The limitations for the ground floor would then be limited to openings for new pipes and conduits, I hope. Is that feasible?

If so, make sure to replace the pipes at those locations for the ground floor as well. For example, there might be riser pipes (water) with a branch into the ground floor apartment. If you only renew pipes above the ceiling, you’ll create double the mess when the ground floor pipe sections need to be replaced later.

Thanks, the energy consultant will also be added to the list.

As for the conduits, I intended to organize them in the form of a service shaft anyway.

Gille D schrieb:

I would start on the upper floor. I wanted to renew all cables and pipes, etc., and switch to underfloor heating.

But the technical room is usually not on the upper floor. So even if the upper floor is planned as the first construction phase, you have to plan holistically.

Gille D schrieb:

I would like to replace the gravel filling in the crawl space with a bound filling and then have a level floor construction with underfloor heating,

That sounds like a beam ceiling (joisted floor)?

Gille D schrieb:

also, the parents still live on the lower level or are moving there.

Shouldn't the first construction phase be the one that needs to be completed first, especially if seniors are involved?

Gille D schrieb:

I am aware that many questions will arise during planning and preparation, and I hope I may ask them here.

Feel free, but a forum cannot fully replace an (interior) architect. It’s best to get the original plans (possibly from the building files) so you can work conceptually. And plenty of photos of the current state and your ideas won’t hurt.

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We are currently measuring the house, and the order is also influenced by the older generation... just a bit of stubbornness due to age.

Gille D schrieb:

We are currently measuring the house, and the order is also influenced by the older generation... stubbornness that comes with age, I guess.

Maybe first the important captain’s question on the boat has to be settled.... 😉