From commercial property to a bungalow

I'm just not sure if it will be cheaper to renovate an old building that was previously used commercially instead of building something new there.

You really have to look at that specifically, and I would only approach such a conversion with an architect. Even if – as can be seen in the course of this discussion – the room layout works out, many technical questions remain open.

Whether it pays off depends significantly on these questions, even if you get the property and building for free.

From my point of view, it is also unclear whether you will get approval for the change of use at all. You should ask the building authority about that, and at the same time clarify the matter with the windows on the west side (?), preferably in writing, although the building authority will probably only respond to a formal preliminary building application.

Another critical point for me is the emotional attachment – this is an issue where many rational things get swept under the rug, which can ultimately cost a lot of money. On the other hand, the property has its charm; I personally find conversions always more exciting than new builds, and when I occasionally look at the oh-so-great floor plans and drawings of new buildings, I often lack any understanding.

230m² of living space, ceiling height of 3m, partially replacing the flat roof with a shed roof (gaining height for possible floor construction) and garages under the house can also be seen as an opportunity. ;) If underfloor heating doesn’t work, maybe you can switch to wall heating. Of course, that is also a technical question that can hardly be answered without an architect and an on-site inspection.

Best regards
Dirk Grafe

Yes, the neighboring property has a transformer house. The municipality is the owner; according to preliminary information from the building authority, windows on the side are also possible. But we are still waiting for the conversation with the building authority next week. Then I can definitely say whether windows are allowed there or not. I didn't want to make a false statement now and prefer to wait. A written statement from the building authority is a good additional reference. Thanks.

Whether it will be more expensive or cheaper now, we first have to check. That will become clear in the coming weeks. The most important things right now are the windows and wastewater. We have appointments for that next week. Surely, you always have to make compromises with an existing property, but that's always the case. Demolition / new construction is out of the question. But that doesn't mean that we necessarily want to use it as living space for ourselves. If we don't like it, we will look for something else.

However, continuing to rent the space as commercial use is unfortunately also not so easy in our (village) with that size. Vacancy is expensive (needs to be heated / maintained). That must also be considered in the calculation.

Renovating the existing property is also something for the future. If we eventually don't like it anymore, we can always look for something new. And renovated properties are easier to sell / rent.

As soon as we have news, we will post it here. Thanks for your input.

Regards Florian

Short answer regarding the BauOrdnung NRW:

In NRW, the openings/windows would be permitted if a freestanding easement of 5m depth over the entire wall width is registered. This means that the transformer cabin must have a 5m distance from the wall or from the roof window; the regulation comes from fire protection. I have not been able to find a comparable regulation in NDS so far, but fire protection and building regulations are at least similar in the states, so I believe it is only about describing the facts – if the transformer cabin has a 5m distance, it would be formulated and recorded according to NDS building law, but it should basically be possible.

Deviations are also possible. We have already prepared site plans for freestanding easements where the 5m between the buildings was clearly undershot. This is then individually reviewed by the fire department/building authority, and if the fire department says it can still extinguish, then that is also possible.

So this is a bit more effort at this point, but it is probably possible. The transformer is not placed that close anyway.

Best regards
Dirk Grafe

Thank you Dirk Grafe. It is definitely more than 5m from the house wall to the transformer. But as already mentioned, we are waiting for the discussion with the building authority. Have a nice weekend Florian

Anyway:

I don't necessarily think that the windows are decisive in whether the commercial space can be converted for residential use or not.* (although I pointed out the issue of fire protection due to the floor plan design) In my opinion, the decisive factor is rather the favorable locations of the bathrooms because of the (limited) wastewater pipes.

* A shed roof is planned, which means there are possibilities to illuminate with daylight through the roof. Perhaps rather unfavorable for children's rooms, yet in the middle of the third building there is the possibility to illuminate a secondary room such as a utility room/bathroom or even a dressing room. It is also possible to provide an individual daylight window through an offset shed or a dormer in the shed roof.

I would also strongly recommend an architect who can more easily oversee all the boundaries that are already indicated - also in terms of cost.

At least I read a willingness for a (partially) open kitchen, so that a central public space can be created, which in its size can then serve as a connector to the bedrooms and also plays a central role, while the rear rooms can enjoy peace and quiet. A family bathroom can also be located in the front area of the bedroom wing, so that the (waste)water supply is guaranteed.

Off topic: After the user's question of whether female or male is clarified (I always find that a bit odd when you share an account and one hand ultimately doesn't know what the other writes - as a reader you might also be curious who will respond next ;)) it would be helpful to at least specify the place of construction as a district. Although I also have Nds, during (not only) my construction phase you could very well see from which area price and politics come :cool: