ᐅ Time and Costs

Hello everyone,

We have purchased a house built in 1989, timber frame construction, 150m² (1,615 sq ft) of living space, 100m² (1 ar) plot, photovoltaic system, gas/wood heating. The basic structure is in good condition, meaning the roof and masonry appear solid, as well as the windows and insulation. The floor plan also suits us very well. The basement shows no signs of moisture, so there is no need for any work there.

We plan to renovate only the interior: completely new floors, walls, and ceilings. Is there a general rule of thumb for rough cost estimation and renovation duration?
The renovation will be entirely DIY; we have experience but currently lack an overview and thus a basis for realistic budget planning!
We don’t want high-end finishes, just a good mid-range quality.
The biggest expenses will certainly be the bathroom and kitchen, but we are excluding the kitchen since we are getting it for free.

There might also be a wall opening needed, as the upper floor has 4 rooms plus a bathroom, and we want to split one room approximately in half for a bedroom and bathroom.

Thanks for your answers,

Best regards, Surfer

There is a big difference between laying laminate flooring over carpet and tearing out tiles for a complete replacement. The first can be done within a day by skilled and efficient workers for one room, while the second can take a month if thick-bed installation, cracks in the screed, and level differences complicate the work.

An office worker would likely give up after the third day…

The same applies to walls.

Regards

Correct,

Laying the new material over the old one is out of the question; the old will be removed and the new installed properly. In terms of time, 2-3 hours of net working time are available each evening plus weekends. On average, I expect about 5 people involved.

surfer88 schrieb:
Correct,

Laying over the old material is not an option; the old one will be removed and the new installed properly. Time-wise, I have 2-3 hours of net working time available each evening plus weekends. On average, I expect about 5 people.

You didn’t understand my reply.
It depends on which material is being replaced by which... who wants to do the work and their level of expertise (you).
…and you should be cautious about factoring in borrowed manpower — they often disappear faster than they show up.
Offered help usually covers an afternoon or a single room, not an entire house. 😉

Best regards

surfer88 schrieb:
Right,

Laying over the old one is not an option; the old material will be removed and the new one properly installed. Time-wise, there are about 2-3 hours of actual work available each evening plus weekends. On average, I expect around 5 people.

As a homeowner, you usually don’t get much done yourself on weekends. At least that’s how it is for me. When there are that many helpers, everyone has questions or looks for tools. I usually help around the house sporadically whenever someone needs assistance or advice. You also always have to check whether the work is proceeding according to your preferences.

Otherwise, the question remains whether any electrical work needs to be done or not.

Removing wallpaper can generally be done by two people at a rate of about two rooms per day. (Our helpers always did that.) Applying new wallpaper feels like it takes about one day per room.

As a tip: during the 2-3 hours after work, a lot of time is spent at the hardware store to make sure there are enough materials for all weekend tasks.

A new bathroom can easily take about two months.