Renovating an old home can be a lot of fun, but it’s also something that can be challenging in its own way. Old homes have different needs from newer homes, and you don’t always know what you’re going to come across. One of the biggest issues, of course, is that things aren’t standard, and there may be materials in the home which are outright dangerous, like asbestos or lead paint.
In this post, we take a look at some priority jobs that you should focus on when renovating an old home. Here’s everything you need to know.
Stabilise the structure
The top priority is always to stabilise the structure. You want to make sure that the property isn’t being affected by subsidence or ground movement. The house should be safe and dry, and there should be no sagging on the roof or dangerous materials like asbestos. If there are dangerous materials, make sure you invite asbestos contractors or other professionals to your property to clear up the mess. They have to abide by strict regulations and perform removal work that avoids any environmental contamination.
Get the house weather-proofed
The second step is to get the house weatherproofed. This is often called the “dry-in” phase. The idea is to repair the roof, patch holes in the exterior siding, and clear out blocked gutters. When you do this, you prevent damp from re-emerging in the house when you start redecorating. This protects your expensive renovation projects, like redoing the bedrooms or the bathrooms.
Perform any demolitions
This is also a good stage to perform any necessary demolitions or make structural alterations. If you plan to completely overhaul the interior of the house, you may need to change the location of load-bearing and non-load-bearing beams and arches. Think carefully about room divisions, new closets, and where you want the bathrooms to be.
Add in the utilities early
You don’t want to be retroactively adding utilities once you’ve painted and decorated everything and made the kitchen look pretty. Instead, invite contractors around immediately to install the core systems in the home so that it is ready for any modern upgrades that you’ve got planned. Try to get all of your outlets, pipes, and HVAC ductwork done well in advance of bringing in granite countertops or expensive sideboards for your new marble-clad hallway.
Add insulation and drywall
The next step is to add insulation and drywall. The idea here is to heavily insulate your interior walls to modern standards so that your HVAC system can work efficiently all year round and you don’t end up wasting energy. Usually, this is the point where your home will start to look like a house you can actually live in. Previously, it was just an old property with ugly exposed utilities, but now it becomes something that looks like it’s well on its way to being an abode.
Finish the carpentry and flooring
The last step before painting is to do all of the carpentry and flooring. If you’ve got the budget, laying down a hardwood floor by hand is one of the best options, as it can really complement the character features of the property.
