Restoring an old house is a project that cannot be improvised. The first action to take is to find out about the status of your home and then have its condition assessed by a professional. The latter draws up a report which lists the nature of the possible work.
They should then be quantified. Once these steps have been completed, restoration work can begin. In this article, we give you all the renovation advice.
Preliminary measures before restoring an old house
What does the law say?
Before any work begins, it is essential to find out what the law says so that the restoration of your old house is carried out according to the rules of the art.
Different scenarios can arise:
- Old house: it is essential to refer to the rules set by the PLU of your place of residence. A prior declaration of work must be submitted to the town planning department of your town hall;
- Old building located in a protected area: an architect of the buildings of France must give his agreement concerning the work project before submitting the prior declaration to the town hall;
- Old house classified as a historic monument: in this case, the process is a little more complex because you must consult a chief architect of Historic Monuments and then send a request for work to the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) in your region.
What are the steps to restore an old house?
Evaluate your current state
Before starting the renovation of your old house, it is essential to have the condition of the building noted and diagnosed by a building professional. This visit allows you to determine the extent of the work.
A certain number of checkpoints must be carried out:
- Foundations and building structure
- The frame: is there a parasitic infestation?
- Roof covering: tiles, slates, etc.
- Thermal insulation ;
- Windows: should we install double or triple glazing?
- Electrical network: is it up to standard?
- Plumbing
- Changing the heating system: is it obsolete?
- Destruction of partitions: depending on the project, is it necessary to tear down load-bearing walls, for example?
The budgeting stage
The basic price for renovation is a range between €1,500 and €2,500 per m². However, this budget is far from being fixed and depends on numerous parameters that can make it take off: nature of the work (structural work, IPN, a framework to be redone, etc.), materials selected, duration of the project, possible unforeseen events due to the renovation, etc.
Depending on your financial limits, it will be necessary to prioritize certain work over others. This is precisely the role of the diagnosis mentioned above.
Time for work
It is possible to carry out part of the restoration work yourself: the cost will be lower because you will not need any labor. However, this approach requires mastery of numerous trades and the availability of time and energy.
If you go through professionals for the renovation of your old house, they will base it on the plan of your home. If no architect or project manager manages the progress of the work, it is up to you to organize the intervention of the various craftsmen and to monitor the construction site.
This part is, again, not negligible, because it requires knowing the logical order in which the rehabilitation of your old building must be done.
As a general rule, the work is organized as follows:
- Structural work and sanitation intervention
- Repair of the frame and roof
- Plumbing Replacement
- Electricity brought up to standard
- Installation of the new heating system
- Thermal insulation of the roof, walls, and attic
- Finishes: paints, coverings, decoration, etc.
Read also: How to Transform an Old House Into a Passive House?