Renovating is time-consuming, costly and often very complex. Architects are also well aware of this. With the following tips from six architects - renovation experts - you will not start renovating unprepared.
1. Consult an expert in time
If you want to make an offer for a home, it is never bad to visit an architect beforehand. That is also what Els Baeyens of Kant-Architecten thinks : “He / she can point out potential problems and give an estimate of the cost of the renovation or repairs.” Baeyens often even finds that customers contact them too late , only after they have already have done some minor 'urgent' renovations. "Unfortunately, for those small works they often did not look at the overall picture and it turned out afterwards that lost costs were incurred or that the already renewed zones did not benefit the design / plan."
That opinion is also shared by her competition colleagues. "The architectural consultants in qatar will be able to assess the situation well on site", says Andy Gijbels of NANO architects . "He knows where the stumbling points of renovation and renovation work can be: limited ceiling and window heights require costly interventions if you want to raise them, a concrete floor plate may have to be removed first or techniques may need replacing."
"In short," says Els Van Reeth van Plek ° interior and architectural firm . “Take on a renovation architect. He can see and solve possible later problems in advance. He also sees your home from a different perspective and may offer even more opportunities. And indeed: an architect requires a budget. But it saves you at least twice as much. "
2. Plan the construction program
If renovations or renovations take place in phases, it is always wise to have a specific goal / master plan in mind. Gijbels: "If you know where you ultimately want to go with the renovation, unnecessary costs and interventions can be avoided."
First and foremost, the state of the building must be viewed. Check whether the program is compatible with the building and whether the sop is worth the coal. An investment can sometimes be just as severely large that it is absurd to actually perform. "So it may be better (cheaper) to partly demolish and return her to build than to renovate it. There is no doubt about constructional or physical problems, or about moisture or stability, "says Wouter Peeters of Huisnummer 66 .
And you still have to decide whether to renovate your home and live in it at the same time. "Do as you step into work that you do on the one hand it can continue to live, but that the cost of the work thus sometimes fails a bit higher," Isabelle Vandorpe by giving 2 to A along.
3. Determine your budget
In addition to a good plan, you should also have a detailed estimate made. Baeyens mainly points out caution: “If it turns out that the planned works do not fit within your budget, you can go see where savings can still be made by phasing things , carrying out work yourself, adjusting the plan, etc. Better to adjust your dream house beforehand, then have to determine during the works that the money has run out. ”
"Renovation often costs more than new construction and moreover, not everything can be foreseen," says Peeters. "Provide a budget for such unforeseen matters , 10 to 15% extra budget is a must in this", Peeters and Gijbels calculate. The latter mainly deals with quotation requests. “A correct comparison of the contractors' tenders is essential. Tenders must always be complete so that any additional prices during the works can be excluded. An architect can help make this comparison. "
4. Put a focus
You do a renovation in 2018 with a focus on the sustainability of your home. Try to find a good balance in all choices between practical versus aesthetic, functional versus design, design versus building techniques and feeling versus reason.
Gijbels: “Be sure to think about how you can turn the renovation into an energy-efficient renovation . The government still gives a lot of subsidies for renovations and renovations. When certain choices are made in time in the construction process, these are always very conscious choices, for example: investing in a heat pump or rather a better finished kitchen.
Finally, renovation also means compromising with Andy Gijbels. “Removing load-bearing walls will lead to increasing construction costs. The challenge is to achieve the desired result with the existing situation and as little superfluous breaking as possible. If this succeeds you can only talk about a smart renovation. "
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