alterego134
2020-11-04 11:47:47
- #1
Hello everyone,
My wife and I have the opportunity to take over a house within the family. The location itself is quite good: the house is located on Bergstraße between Weinheim and Darmstadt, good macro location. The micro location is also good, a dead-end street in a residential area with detached houses. The only disadvantage is that the nearby highway and the equally close railway line are also disadvantages at the same time, especially the highway noise is very noticeable in the garden.
A few things about the house, I don’t want to post photos here (yes, I know, it would make the assessment much easier):
- Built in 1971, former settlement house (the entire area is a settlement area), detached on a 550 sqm plot
- Designed as a two-family house with two separate living units of 65 sqm each on the ground floor and upper floor (terrace below, small balcony above), staircase separate
- Double garage directly adjacent, one half was separated and used as an additional room including a washbasin
- Fully basemented, both the house and the garage; bathroom/sanitary and heating present in the basement
- Attic converted into another separate apartment including bathroom/sanitary and heating, but very cramped (no knee wall, only accessible in the middle without standing headroom)
In general, a lot of DIY work went into the house, both regarding the initial construction and further renovation measures in the 1970s (attic conversion for example, conversion of half the garage, outdoor facilities/terraces). Much has been rebuilt, expanded, done, all by ourselves and partly not entirely professionally. Apart from the initial measures, virtually nothing has been done, only the heating was renewed once and switched from oil to gas.
An energy consultant and a damage appraiser have inspected and given their verdict. Unanimous opinion: the structure is good, but there is a large backlog of renovations. Absolutely necessary to do are:
- Remove floor covering in the basement (asbestos…). It is practically already coming loose anyway.
- There is moisture on the basement walls that comes from outside. Partly a leaking rain drainage pipe on the exterior wall is responsible, partly the external waterproofing is probably damaged. A major solution would be to dig up and seal from the outside, but according to one of the two consultants/appraisers, one could probably also live with a slightly damp wall. This would not harm the statics. The opinions contradict each other here...
- Windows are more than old, simply leaky. Remove and replace, nothing can be saved even with reinforcement
- Roof must at least be re-roofed and an underlay membrane installed. This is missing. Rafters and interior battens have been treated with toxic wood preservative, so one must either have the level of contamination separately assessed and then probably replace the battens and “enclose” the rafters or completely renew the roof structure and possibly also add an additional floor at the same time (very large solution, accordingly complex). Small solution if we decide not to live in the attic, large solution if the possibility is to be created
- Replace water pipes, not lead but steel, but very old. Possibly also sewage pipes, to be checked first by camera inspection.
- Bathrooms on ground floor and upper floor need renovation
- Interior fittings new: floors mostly new, partly parquet should remain. Remove wallpaper and renew, maybe it will work without plastering.
- Partly new electrical system: cables are three-core, surprisingly many sockets installed. So probably only FI/breaker box needs updating and switches/outlets renewed. Possibly add some extra wiring in one or two places
- Radiators new
- Chimney renovate, mortar is already crumbling (was simply not used)
- Renovate balcony (statics are good, tiles damaged and possibly new railing)
- Kitchen new (fully downstairs, upstairs probably only a small version to maintain the upper floor as a separate unit)
There is disagreement regarding the energy renovation.
Energy consultant: At least reach KfW 115 standard, including external roof insulation, facade insulation with mineral wool, basement ceiling insulation from below, new front door, consider additional elements such as solar for the heating system or replace it right away (due to subsidies, otherwise the gas heating is 20 years old but still in top condition and of high quality), decentralized ventilation system or at least window rebate ventilation (depending on what comes out of the ventilation concept calculation). Roughly estimated 140k including subsidies (2 living units). Especially the external insulation with about 40k seems very expensive to me.
Damage appraiser: rather a small solution, plaster is still good, heating too, roof only renew what is necessary and otherwise use as attic and depending on that insulate between rafters or top floor ceiling, observe basement first and live with the moisture
That’s the situation. I find it very difficult to estimate a minimal and maximal renovation. What costs will come up is of course always hard to say, but I am missing a rough guideline. We have planned a budget of 200k for all of the above. I assume that the measures proposed by the energy consultant should also be carried out more cost-consciously?
We are average DIY craftsmen, but motivated and willing to invest time (yes, also here: don’t overestimate own work, etc.). There are few to no professional craftsmen in the family/acquaintances, but at least a few skilled amateurs. We have a small child, which naturally restricts us additionally.
On the plus side: such properties are hard to get on the open market and not to that probably somewhat cheaper price. There was time to assess the condition (which you often don’t get). Location is good to very good. Neighborhood is great.
What do you think when you read this? What information might be helpful (besides photos)? Realistic budget, also given the current workload of craftsmen?
My wife and I have the opportunity to take over a house within the family. The location itself is quite good: the house is located on Bergstraße between Weinheim and Darmstadt, good macro location. The micro location is also good, a dead-end street in a residential area with detached houses. The only disadvantage is that the nearby highway and the equally close railway line are also disadvantages at the same time, especially the highway noise is very noticeable in the garden.
A few things about the house, I don’t want to post photos here (yes, I know, it would make the assessment much easier):
- Built in 1971, former settlement house (the entire area is a settlement area), detached on a 550 sqm plot
- Designed as a two-family house with two separate living units of 65 sqm each on the ground floor and upper floor (terrace below, small balcony above), staircase separate
- Double garage directly adjacent, one half was separated and used as an additional room including a washbasin
- Fully basemented, both the house and the garage; bathroom/sanitary and heating present in the basement
- Attic converted into another separate apartment including bathroom/sanitary and heating, but very cramped (no knee wall, only accessible in the middle without standing headroom)
In general, a lot of DIY work went into the house, both regarding the initial construction and further renovation measures in the 1970s (attic conversion for example, conversion of half the garage, outdoor facilities/terraces). Much has been rebuilt, expanded, done, all by ourselves and partly not entirely professionally. Apart from the initial measures, virtually nothing has been done, only the heating was renewed once and switched from oil to gas.
An energy consultant and a damage appraiser have inspected and given their verdict. Unanimous opinion: the structure is good, but there is a large backlog of renovations. Absolutely necessary to do are:
- Remove floor covering in the basement (asbestos…). It is practically already coming loose anyway.
- There is moisture on the basement walls that comes from outside. Partly a leaking rain drainage pipe on the exterior wall is responsible, partly the external waterproofing is probably damaged. A major solution would be to dig up and seal from the outside, but according to one of the two consultants/appraisers, one could probably also live with a slightly damp wall. This would not harm the statics. The opinions contradict each other here...
- Windows are more than old, simply leaky. Remove and replace, nothing can be saved even with reinforcement
- Roof must at least be re-roofed and an underlay membrane installed. This is missing. Rafters and interior battens have been treated with toxic wood preservative, so one must either have the level of contamination separately assessed and then probably replace the battens and “enclose” the rafters or completely renew the roof structure and possibly also add an additional floor at the same time (very large solution, accordingly complex). Small solution if we decide not to live in the attic, large solution if the possibility is to be created
- Replace water pipes, not lead but steel, but very old. Possibly also sewage pipes, to be checked first by camera inspection.
- Bathrooms on ground floor and upper floor need renovation
- Interior fittings new: floors mostly new, partly parquet should remain. Remove wallpaper and renew, maybe it will work without plastering.
- Partly new electrical system: cables are three-core, surprisingly many sockets installed. So probably only FI/breaker box needs updating and switches/outlets renewed. Possibly add some extra wiring in one or two places
- Radiators new
- Chimney renovate, mortar is already crumbling (was simply not used)
- Renovate balcony (statics are good, tiles damaged and possibly new railing)
- Kitchen new (fully downstairs, upstairs probably only a small version to maintain the upper floor as a separate unit)
There is disagreement regarding the energy renovation.
Energy consultant: At least reach KfW 115 standard, including external roof insulation, facade insulation with mineral wool, basement ceiling insulation from below, new front door, consider additional elements such as solar for the heating system or replace it right away (due to subsidies, otherwise the gas heating is 20 years old but still in top condition and of high quality), decentralized ventilation system or at least window rebate ventilation (depending on what comes out of the ventilation concept calculation). Roughly estimated 140k including subsidies (2 living units). Especially the external insulation with about 40k seems very expensive to me.
Damage appraiser: rather a small solution, plaster is still good, heating too, roof only renew what is necessary and otherwise use as attic and depending on that insulate between rafters or top floor ceiling, observe basement first and live with the moisture
That’s the situation. I find it very difficult to estimate a minimal and maximal renovation. What costs will come up is of course always hard to say, but I am missing a rough guideline. We have planned a budget of 200k for all of the above. I assume that the measures proposed by the energy consultant should also be carried out more cost-consciously?
We are average DIY craftsmen, but motivated and willing to invest time (yes, also here: don’t overestimate own work, etc.). There are few to no professional craftsmen in the family/acquaintances, but at least a few skilled amateurs. We have a small child, which naturally restricts us additionally.
On the plus side: such properties are hard to get on the open market and not to that probably somewhat cheaper price. There was time to assess the condition (which you often don’t get). Location is good to very good. Neighborhood is great.
What do you think when you read this? What information might be helpful (besides photos)? Realistic budget, also given the current workload of craftsmen?