That’s it, you’ve found the home of your dreams! It will be magnificent… after a good facelift and some work! Before embarking on the renovation of your new house or apartment, discover our tips and mistakes to avoid!
Do not hire an architect
A house to renovate represents a hell of a budget. In the end, sometimes it’s not much cheaper than building new. Do you think you can save money by doing without an architect? This is often a false good idea. The architect is used to this kind of work. He will be able to :
advise you on the condition of your property . Thanks to his experience, he will be able to tell you what to renovate first.
advise you on the town planning rules to be respected and on the need to introduce a town planning permit .
study on building structure . He will be able to determine which are the load- bearing walls and call on an engineer if it is necessary to make major modifications affecting the stability of the building.
guide you in the choice of materials .
help you establish a budget and a schedule .
Establish a budget before starting the renovation work
The renovations are not without surprises. A failing boiler, a floor that needs to be reinforced, a collapsing wall… Unforeseen events are the lot of renovation sites. It is therefore important to include a reserve in your budget to deal with possible problems .
From the start, plan an overall envelope and a budget to see if your project is feasible. Nothing is worse than going through the works blind without knowing where you are going. It’s the best way to go over budget. You have to plan everything in advance and stick to what you initially planned.
Do not save money, which in the end means spending more: buying first- price equipment that will quickly break and for which you will have to go back to the store to buy a higher quality, it’s a waste of time and money . silver. The same goes for building materials . Do not take the cheapest at all costs, you will pay for it at the time of execution because the material will be less easy to handle or in a few years because the quality will suffer.
Think about your needs today and in the years to come
If magazines and social networks such as Pinterest or Instagram are incredible sources of ideas for inspiration for layouts and decoration, these examples are not always transposable at home . A floating staircase without a railing? Not very safe for young children. A bathtub at the end of your bed like in a hotel room? Not ideal to heat and there is going to be humidity. Especially since very often, these interiors have very large spaces with little furniture or storage. On a daily basis, the reality is sometimes different…
Before making plans for your new home, take the time to think about the years to come and determine what your needs will be then . It may be necessary to provide an additional bedroom for the arrival of a child, a second bathroom for children who grow up rather than a dressing room or an office room next to the living room rather than a large living room room. If, for example, you plan later to make your bedroom in the attic, you might as well think about it directly by redoing the electricity so as not to have to break everything in a few years.
PEB certificate and energy performance of an old house to renovate
Who says house to renovate, often says old house little or badly insulated. Doing an EPB energy balance and knowing your energy consumption is one of the first things to do . We would all rather buy a new sofa than do roof renovations or facade renovations . However, this second option which is the most judicious. Improving inertia and insulation are works that will reduce your energy bills for months and years to come. Before tackling the interior design, you have to take care of the envelope of your building.
There is no point in rushing to change an old water heater or an old boiler for a more powerful version. By improving the energy performance of your property, you will save money, but you will also see what your real needs are. This will probably allow you to invest in a new, less powerful boiler than if you had changed it in the first place!
Plan the renovations
Before starting the construction site and starting the demolition, it is necessary to make a planning . The first goal is to do things in order and avoid, for example, ending up without a water supply on the site. The second reason is to be able to order the materials and supplies in time so as not to find yourself stuck because the bathtub is missing or a few square meters of drywall to finish the ceiling. Finally, it will allow you to organize yourself to organize your move and give your name if you are currently tenants.