Estimated cost of renovation of a house from 1967

Hello everyone,

I have always been a silent reader of the forum and have already gathered some tips, especially regarding financing.

We are about to buy an old house from 1967 that we want to live in ourselves afterwards. The house was inspected by an expert and is still okay overall (some things would need to be renewed in the foreseeable future). The heating system is from 1997 and the windows were completely replaced in 2003. Furthermore, in the 90s an insulation between the rafters was installed and the front door replaced.

We still want to renovate/modernize some things and have estimated the following costs:
- Renewal of the roof covering approx. 40,000 EUR
- Modernization of the gas central heating approx. 10,000 EUR
- Flooring / wallpapers approx. 5,000 EUR (material only)
- Modernization of the bathroom approx. 15,000 EUR (partly own work)
- Partial renewal of the electrical system approx. 8,000 EUR
- Miscellaneous approx. 10,000 EUR (for unforeseen expenses)
- Installation of a new window (currently glass blocks, we want to replace them with a window) approx. 1,500 EUR

My husband is taking a six-month sabbatical to supervise the renovation and carry out as much as possible in DIY (floors/bathroom/partly electrical work).

Are our estimated costs realistic or are we way off? I am always a bit more critical than my husband...

I would be very happy to receive some feedback.

Thank you very much
Tanja

Good evening Tanja,

The house was inspected by an expert and is still okay for the most part (some things would need to be renewed within a foreseeable time).

What does that mean a bit more precisely?

We still want to renovate/modernize some things and have estimated the following costs:

Detached single-family house, terraced house, or semi-detached house? How big?

Rhenish greetings

Hello,

he said that the roofing and the heating still work but should be renewed in the coming years. If we are going to tackle the house, we want to do it all at once.

The house is a single-family home with 200sqm of living space...

40,000€ for the roof covering seems a bit much without doing anything to the insulation. However, I don’t know how many m² the roof has nor what exactly is being done. From the sheathing up to the tiles on top, I would find 40,000€ a lot. I paid 57,000€ for an old roof removed, exposed roof truss installed, two 7m roof dormers including windows, above-roof insulation (180mm rigid foam), new tiles, new gutters, dormers with sheet metal roofing. Roof area approx. 180m² (gable roof).

I can’t estimate the heating.

Floor coverings and wallpaper for 200m² living space will never be covered by 5,000€. It has to be something very cheap then. I would rather target around 15,000€.

15,000€ for the bathroom could be about right. I paid around 17,000€ for a 12m² bathroom with completely new pipework from the concrete slab, large shower, large tub, new sink, new toilet, new screed + new tiles, new plaster and paint. However, the professional only did the pipework as well as installing the shower and bathtub. The rest was DIY.

Partial renewal of the electrical system with 8,000€ seems like a lot for partially done work. However, it is not known what “partially” means. I did most of the electrical work myself for 100m² living/use area, i.e. chasing, laying conduits, pulling cables, connecting everything, etc. An electrician provided the material, checked everything and connected the fuse box. I cannot say the exact cost yet, the bill is still outstanding, but all in all about 1,000€. Depending on the situation, it can quickly go up. You shouldn’t take electrical work lightly. The material itself does not cost much for electrical work. Oh yes, light switches, faceplates and lamps are not included in the 1,000€.

If you can do a lot yourself, then you can save a lot of money. You can buy much cheaper at the building materials supplier than in the hardware store. The advice is also better in case of one or the other question. Those who renovate or refurbish by themselves should know what they are doing or at least have someone who can exactly say what needs to be done.

Good evening Tanja,

- Renovation of the roof covering approx. 40,000 EUR

That should be about right if insulation + co. are also renewed.

- Modernization of the gas central heating approx. 10,000 EUR

That will not be enough, since you also have to consider the regenerative part.

- Flooring / wallpaper approx. 5,000 EUR (material only)

That is far too little; double the amount for material costs.

- Bathroom modernization approx. 15,000 EUR (partial self-performance)

A house from 1967 will also have outdated water and sewage pipes. Renewing these only in the bathroom doesn’t make much sense.

That is - btw. - one of the reasons for my inquiry.

- Partial renewal of the electrical system approx. 8,000 EUR

What does "partial" mean?

- Miscellaneous approx. 10,000 EUR (for unforeseen expenses)

You will certainly need that and – if things go wrong – even more.

- Installation of a new window (currently glass blocks, we want to replace with a window) approx. 1,500 EUR

For the window itself, surely yes; what about adapting the facade?

My husband is taking a six-month sabbatical to supervise the renovation and do as much as possible by himself (floors/bathroom/partial electrical work)

Tight schedule – have you already checked with craftsmen whether they can work within your timeframe?

Do you want to finance through KfW? If not, perhaps the KfW subsidy program could be an option for you. The application must be submitted _before_ the start of the renovation; an appraiser must accompany the measure and is also subsidized by KfW.

Rhenish regards

If you can do a lot yourself, you can also save a lot of money. You can buy much cheaper at building material suppliers than at hardware stores. The advice is also better for some inquiries. Anyone who renovates or refurbishes with their own work should know what they are doing or at least have someone who can clearly say what needs to be done

I am currently also renovating a lot myself. Building materials are very cheap at Hornbach. If necessary, they will match the price of other companies. The local building material dealers are very good for stones and drywall profiles. Hornbach is extremely good on price for electrical items. Sometimes even online retailers can't keep up there. You can also save a lot of money on the internet. Almost everything that fits in a package is cheaper there. However, deliveries often come from Poland, even if you order from German dealers.