ᐅ What to do: Renovation with a new extension or demolition and new construction?

Part of a group of heirs wants to keep (at least) part of their parents’/grandparents’ house to live in themselves. Their plan is first to renovate and modernize this old house, and second to add an independent (new) extension, like a semi-detached house, which could be rented out (with one to three apartments, not yet decided). That’s the general outline.

The house was built in 1925/26, with an additional floor added in 1936, and extended by an annex in 1964/65. It has a hip roof (adding an extra half floor by enlarging it seems possible according to the building authority). The old section has a basement, which is slightly damp in one corner; the annex has only a crawl space without a foundation and no connection to the old basement. The plan is to demolish the annex and build the new extension mentioned before.

Is there a recommendation in the Berlin area for a reputable company (no DIY or sloppy contractors) that can handle the entire project professionally and reliably from start to finish? We are flexible regarding construction type—solid masonry or timber. We thought at least the new part should meet KfW 55 energy efficiency standard. Unfortunately, most companies want to demolish everything and build their standard houses on the plot. Does anyone have any advice?

Without pictures or plans, it’s difficult to follow your story. You can find plenty of threads about inheritance communities, semi-detached houses, and similar topics using the search function. There is also a dedicated moderated section focused entirely on experiences with building companies, where you will likely find relevant information by searching for "Berlin" or "Brandenburg."

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/