Ways to Renovate an Old House

If you have an old family home and considering a renovation project, know that it may require more work than remodelling a house that isn’t too old. Besides its dated style, it may also have internal problems that are not instantly visible in the existing structure, electric wiring and plumbing.

A thorough check might reveal issues that may surprise you and could significantly add to the cost making a money pit property. And this also increases the time taken, which is important if you plan of living in the home, which will be a building site.

Because of these unknown problems, it would be difficult for a contractor to determine a specific price for renovating the building, so you should have enough budget to cover the expenses and more.

Below are things to consider when you want to renovate an old house.

Hire a professional contractor to check the problems

As mentioned, there’s more to old houses than meets the eyes with potential hidden problems. If you see visible damages like cracks and broken windows, there might be more issues like subsidence that you could not find without the help of professionals. Find a reliable contractor or building surveyor to check the house and thoroughly inspect everything that needs repair.

One of the essential things to see is the structure. It’s what holds the place and keeps everything together. If it’s no longer stable, the house might collapse with the added weight of a loft conversion.

Any major structural work will drastically inflate costs. Other things to check are the presence of asbestos, faulty wirings, and water infiltration. It will save money in the long run getting structural engineers involved early if there is any doubts.

With old buildings, it might be best to ensure you can meet building regulations before starting and can get all relevant planning permission if needed. Just remember that the price of building materials is ever increasing, and the location will give the property a potential ceiling value which might not make the work viable.

And you need to have the house checked over for more that just structural integrity, consider getting a damp inspection too. 

Fix the issues found before going for the aesthetics

When renovating an old home, create a plan and first solve the problems found before focusing on the aesthetics. Even if the new design looks good, if you do not fix the issues properly, they will be a nuisance within a short time. Also, if the problems are too costly to fix, you may want to consider buying a new home instead.

See which parts you can keep

Old homes come with history and character. Sometimes, some parts are too beautiful to eliminate. So, if you love something about the existing building, you can keep it and factor it in with the new details. Work with experienced contractors to ensure they can maintain the integrity of the old parts you wish to salvage. Often these will be antique fireplaces or original decorative existing features like coving and ceiling patterns.

Determine the new layout and design

Once you determine and fix the structural problems of the old house and all other concerns that may affect its safety and stability, it’s time to move forward with the layout and design. If it’s difficult to envision how your new ideas would work with the old parts you kept, an architect can help develop a layout plan, while an interior designer can assist with how it would look inside.

Work with your builder on things like heating system and ground drainage which can be pushed to the side for the visuals. Which also should include any plans to renovate the outdoor garden space.

Decorate with modern furniture

If the old home still has a reliable structure, and you decide to keep most of its parts, you can decorate it with modern furniture and appliances and have a mix of contemporary and classic feel. Soft furnishings need to be part of the home renovation budget for when the building work is complete.

Refurbishing an old house can be rewarding, as you can turn the completed property into something uniquely yours. However, be sure not to skip on fixing its issues that can cause an issue in the future like the central heating system or the wiring. You wouldn’t want to have to rip it all up again!