ᐅ Renovation Work on a House and Associated Obligations

Hello everyone,

Two years ago, I inherited a house that I have been renting out since then. Now I want to use it myself for starting a family and renovate it. Here are the basic details:

- approx. 130 sqm (1400 sq ft)
- fully basemented
- brick-clad
- built in 1976

Before renting it out, I renewed the floor coverings and completely renovated two bathrooms. Now I want to add an extension, and I have scheduled a preliminary appointment with the building authority. The building plot basically allows for an extension.

Here is what I have envisioned so far:

- Adding an extension to increase living space (I spoke with an acquaintance who knows a bit about this; of course, an architect and a structural engineer will need to be involved)
- new or additional windows (removing masonry and installing floor-to-ceiling windows)
- completely re-cladding with bricks
- new floors inside, etc.

Now to my questions:

Do I need to observe any energy regulations when renovating? In other words, will I be required to carry out certain measures?

What about insulation? I would apply the new brick cladding on top of the existing one. Is this enough as "insulation," or should additional insulation be added? How can one avoid the window reveals becoming too thick? The basement is made of sand-lime bricks. The ground floor and first floor are made of aerated concrete.

The house has copper pipes installed. Should I anticipate the need for pipe replacement now, and would it make sense to do this renovation work at the same time? According to an electrician, the electrical system seems good. I would only have additional outlets installed.

I would appreciate discussing my plans with you all.

These are exactly the questions that an architect can and should answer for you.
We are currently renovating a house built in 1962. I wouldn’t dare take on a project like this without an architect.

Have a few discussions and possibly have the architects estimate the effort involved. Then you usually have a clear idea of what to expect. Most architects offer the initial consultation for free, so you can get a better understanding of the situation.

Yes, you need to comply with the energy-saving regulations, but of course there are exceptions.

Does the architect need to enter the house for this? Otherwise, they won’t be able to assess the condition properly, right? I don’t want to discourage the tenants before a final decision is made.

To roughly estimate some things, it is not absolutely necessary for him to be inside the house. However, it would be highly recommended. With the help of many documents and photos, it should also be possible.

Okay, the first step should be to check with the building authority whether this approach is generally feasible. Is an additional layer of brick veneer sufficient as insulation? Probably not, right?

We have already visited several developers. We now have a fairly clear idea of the structural work we want to do. We will extend the house, completely insulate it, re-clad it with brick slips, install new windows, and renew the roof. These are the main points.

Now let's start with one topic:
Brick slips:
We have narrowed down the color options to two variants. Either a "pearl white smooth textured" brick with light mortar joints or a smooth brick in "burgundy" (it's hard to describe the color, but it’s quite common in new housing developments). Since the renovation will involve different roof pitches, the house will have a mono-pitched roof.

Now we have two questions. Are there differences between brick slips of the same price range due to the color? For example, does the textured brick deteriorate faster than the smooth one, and does white brick get dirty more quickly than a darker, colored brick slip?

Also, your individual opinion on this: White always looks somewhat elegant and classic. Does a modern roof shape like a mono-pitched roof suit such a classic brick slip? Or would you rather choose the darker tone between the two?
I’m not so sure how a mono-pitched roof looks with each brick option. Unfortunately, I have only seen mono-pitched roof houses with white plaster in real life.