ᐅ We are demolishing a 90-year-old house – what can be preserved?

My wife and I are taking over my grandmother’s property, as the garden is becoming too large for her at an advanced age. There is a charming little house on the plot that has been standing for many decades.
After some consideration, we have decided, with a heavy heart, to demolish it because renovating would neither make financial sense nor suit our space requirements. However, we would like to try to incorporate some elements of the old house into the new one. Some ideas we have so far:

- Clean and “rescue” the bricks from the walls to use as flooring for the entrance area (or for a fireplace, or as decoration for a wall) in the new house
- Reuse ceiling beams as decorative beams
- Reuse the front door (depending on the measurements)

Do you have any other ideas on how to creatively preserve the charm of an old house without it becoming too expensive? I look forward to any suggestions!

Best regards

You can probably forget about the front door, as it will no longer meet today’s standards.

I really like the idea of the stove or as a decorative feature, provided that high-quality bricks suitable for construction are used.

Interior doors could be restored and used as built-in wardrobe doors, for example in a children’s room (American-style closet).

Fittings can be stored in a display cabinet. There might also be an old sink (older kitchens often have these deep basins) that could be installed in a country-style kitchen. If there is an even older stove available, it should definitely be integrated, even into a modern kitchen.

Tiles could be reused in a small area, such as a guest bathroom, if they come off easily, are timeless, and were not installed with thick-bed mortar.

Old metal windows can be repurposed as trellises in the garden.

Best regards

Hello,

I would choose a distinctive feature from the old house and incorporate it into the new one.

For example, bricks could be cleaned and used as interior brick cladding on a wall, or you could build a half-height partition or counter with bricks and window sills. If you are working with an architect, they should have some ideas or an interior designer who can contribute. Painters and tradespeople usually also have knowledge and ideas, as they ultimately install these elements or provide the finishing touches.

Best regards,
Dirk Grafe

Hey toxicmolotov, ypg, and Dirk – thanks for your replies. I was already worried that the idea of bricks suspended in the air would get heavily criticized, but it doesn’t seem that far-fetched after all.

I had the same thought about the exterior door; it’s probably mainly due to the insulation and maybe also because it no longer meets current security standards.

If I remember correctly, the floorboards in the attic are also untreated wood. That might also be an interesting option? I just need to find out if it’s truly untreated, meaning it can be sanded and safely used in living areas...

We went through the same experience. My advice: Don’t put yourself through that!
I demolished the building myself. Of course, construction waste, wood, etc., were sorted separately (which is a cost factor).
We even had ideas, like using a beam as a lamp (with spotlights) in the dining room.

The problem is always storing the materials dry on the property. No matter where you put them, they always get in the way during the new construction.

If you have gutted the old building by hand, you usually don’t bother cleaning the bricks. We wanted to use them for a garden stove or as shelving in the basement vault.

I even gave away the well-preserved clay bricks. In five years, I’ll probably regret that.

What we kept were the sandstone blocks (for landscaping), the old house number as a keepsake for the grandparents, and the roof tiles.

You can no longer remove materials (e.g., wooden floorboards) in such a way that they can be reused in new construction without a lot of effort.