We are living in the 21st century; we strive to seek comfort in every single aspect. Home is where the heart is. Everyone wants to make their haven to be more attractive and functional. Do you like to give a modern touch by renovating your old house?
Read on today’s Brick & Bolt blog to understand more about old house restoration.
Initial Assessment and Planning for Home Renovation
In India, before starting a home renovation, you need to make the proper initial assessment and planning.
Thorough Home Inspection
Inspect your house deeply. You need to examine various factors, such as the condition of the house’s foundation, walls, windows, roofing, plumbing system and electrical systems. This inspection will help you to identify dampness, cracks, and plumbing deficiencies.
Structural Evaluation
To assess the safety and stability of the building, you can hire a structural engineer. He can give insight into the house’s load-bearing elements, foundation integrity, and potential risks connected to making your old homes renovated. Understanding the limits of your home structure is important to selecting suitable design elements for the sake of safety or functionality.
Setting Priorities and Budget
Renovation of old buildings will help to improve the lifestyle needs. Prioritise the aspects of your home that need to be addressed for renovation. Home renovations are commonly related to aesthetic upgrades or functional improvements. Based on your requirements, the renovation budget will vary. The factors that influence the overall home renovation costs are material costs, labour charges, permission process charges, and 10-20% of the total budget costs for additional costs for unexpected cases.
Creating a Realistic Timeline
To handle family expectations and get the project on track, you need to make a practical timeline. This will include the time for hiring contractors and workers and the permission process. Sometimes, it can exceed the timeline, like delays due to weather and material shortages.
Required Permits and Local Regulations
To work on your house remodeling ideas, you first need to obtain the required permits and local regulations. In India, if you are making structural changes, extensions, or modifications, certain permits are essential before starting the renovation of old buildings. These permits can be related to building, electrical, plumbing, and local planning approvals based on the scope of the renovation. You can consult local authorities or contractors to understand the process and streamline the application process.
Room-by-Room Home Renovation Strategy
Kitchen Renovation
Before renovating a kitchen, you must check for the elements that give historic value. They can be custom mouldings, flooring, handcrafted cabinetry, and vintage hardware with lots of memory. Instead of removing them, you can enhance them. You can replace outdated or poor-quality appliances (that consume extra energy) with energy-efficient modern options. You can improve the appearance with lighting fixtures, such as pendant lights and chandeliers, for ample illumination without sacrificing the room’s classic appeal. Also, consider painting the walls with earthy tones, soft neutrals, and pastel colours.
Bathroom Renovations
Commonly, people focus on enhancing the aesthetic appearance of bathroom renovations. You can include modern fixtures such as low-flow toilets (gravity or power flush) and walk-in showers that can improve functionality and provide a better experience of feeling luxury. You can consider these small bathroom design ideas.
Window and Door Replacements
Check the condition of your house windows and doors; if they are in good condition, you can just enhance efficiency with small steps to save money. If you are replacing existing windows, you can choose the most efficient windows and doors that are affordable to you and work best in your climate. You can include storm windows or panels, implement solar control film, and add exterior shading based on your local climate. You can solve air leaks by caulking and weatherstripping.
You can read this blog for more window options for your house.
Renovation and Restoration of Floor
Check the floor before fixing it on restoration. You can choose stable flooring options, such as tiles, stones and hardwood. It’s essential to choose the best material for aesthetic appearance, adhering to your budget plan. To restore existing floors in traditional Indian homes with unique stone or tile work, you may require professional restoration.
Wall Repair and Treatment
If you are bored of old walls with cracks and surface imperfections, immediately renovate them with suitable materials to suit your taste and safety. For budget-friendly options, you can fill the wall cracks and paint with simple paint. To add luxury, you can decorate it with textured walls, wallpaper, or wood wall treatments. Regular maintenance and proper care will help to keep these walls strong, making them last longer and look good in your home.
Essential Infrastructure Updates
- Electrical System Updation: This will include updating old and outdated electrical systems to increase efficiency and functionality and ensure better safety.
- Plumbing Overhaul: Here, by following safety rules and codes, the plumber will fix leaks, improve the efficiency of water, and prevent any plumbing problems.
- Upgrade of HVAC Systems: Air quality is very important to maintain a healthy environment inside the house. You can include newer HVAC system models to achieve better temperature control with minimal energy costs.
- Roof Updatation: Since the durability of the building depends on its roof, you need to regularly check the roofs and, if required, repair them immediately.
- Insulation improvements: This will help you considerably save energy. It will allow buildings to retain heat during winter and remain cool in summer.
Preserving Historical Elements
When it comes to the renovation of an old house, you need to remember that it could include millions of memories or historical elements. Those original features with wood and stone need to be restored with detailed refinishing, repair, and careful handling to keep their authenticity. Working with experienced craftsmen in historic restoration will make your work easier.
Modern House Remodeling Ideas
To renovate your modern house, you can add luxury and enhance your lifestyle by adding comfort and functionality. With the addition of smart home technology, you can remotely control lighting, indoor temperature, and security. By installing smart security systems and surveillance cameras, you can make sure the house is more secure and safe.
The initial examination and planning for home renovation are essential for the renovation of an old house. By working with professionals, you can identify existing issues that are required to be addressed properly. Along with the addition of modern features and decor elements, you can extend the lifespan of your home with enhanced comfortability.
Mithali Konety 
Hemali Patel