What It Might Take To Transform An Older Home

When you have a significantly older home, it’s easy to find that it might not be in keeping with your expectations of modern, comfortable living. Sometimes, a simple renovation isn’t going to do the trick. It might need a much more comprehensive transformation. Here, we’re going to look at what you might need to consider and plan to ensure that you’re able to address all of the issues of an older home, and end up with one that much better caters to you and your family.

Carry Out A Thorough Structural Inspection

Whenever you’re starting any work, you should ensure that you know the real condition of your home. Its age can hide a whole range of issues, like subsidence, timber rot, damp penetration, or a compromised foundation. With the help of a home inspector or even a structural engineer, you can make sure that it’s able to tolerate any work being done on it and address upgrades that need to be made. 

Replace Outdated Infrastructure

Some of the upgrades you might want to make will require you to address the infrastructure and utilities of the home. Whether they’re no longer meeting modern safety standards, efficiency expectations, or simply the needs of any new appliances you want ot meet, it’s worth taking a look at your electrical systems as well as your plumbing. Similarly, it might be the right time to address an outdated boiler, any gaps in your insulation, or windows that aren’t meeting your energy efficiency needs. Leaving older utility infrastructure in place can ensure that you’ll have expensive repairs down the road, so it might be best to replace what you need to now.

Be Ready To Clear Up Some Space

If you need to address the layout of an older home, then knocking down a wall might not be enough to do the trick. Selective demolition of outdated extensions or deteriorated structures might be necessary to either open up the space or to rebuild better in their place. You need careful planning and the consideration of a professional demolition team to make sure that you’re able to protect structural integrity and perhaps even preserve some of the more valuable architectural features of the property. But, in the end, usability should trump aesthetics.

Know Your Legal Boundaries

Older homes can often be protected by extra planning regulations and building control standards that may need a little extra attention. You might need to apply for permission to make structural alterations, to build extensions, or to make any changes that might affect the cosmetics of a heritage property. Of course, all planning renovations and rebuilds have to take into account modern building standards like fire safety, as well. Getting the documentation you need to proceed with construction ahead of time can save you a lot of time in delays, not to mention the money you might be fined.

Older homes can have a lot of charm, but you have to be willing to decide whether or not you’ll sacrifice that for a comfortable living space. If not, the tips above can show you which way togo.