Renovation of an old house or new construction: where to start?

The first question that the owner should answer is: "What is more expedient: to reconstruct the old building or is it cheaper to demolish it and build a new one?". Many people want to reconstruct a house because it is "memory" or "seems faster".

Only an experienced architect can give an objective answer after a professional survey.

The architect's visit to the site is a critically important stage that includes three main tasks:

1. Visual inspection and defectoscopy

The architect assesses the technical condition of the building and identifies «hidden threats»:
Cracks: Analysis of the nature of the cracks indicates the condition of the foundation and allows you to understand whether the foundation is subsiding and whether the walls can withstand the current load.
Moisture and fungus: Search for places of roof leaks, capillary moisture from the foundation or freezing of the walls.
Condition of ceilings: Checking beams for sagging, detecting rotting wooden elements or metal corrosion

2. Analysis of the structural scheme

The architect studies the «skeleton» house to determine the limits of possible changes:
Determination of load-bearing walls and self-supporting partitions.
Inspection of beam or floor slab support nodes.
Foundation assessment: If necessary, a structural engineer or geologist is involved to dig holes to determine the depth of the foundation and the condition of the soil.

3. Legal and spatial analysis

Checking the location of the house relative to the boundaries of the site and neighboring buildings:
Are the fire and sanitary distances observed for obtaining a Building Certificate or other permits?
If the dimensions of the building change, the specialist may recommend ordering a topographic survey of the site («five hundred»).

Conclusion:

Based on the collected data, the architect compares the condition of the building with your wishes. Only after such an analysis can a conclusion be drawn: is the reconstruction worth the money spent, or is it better to start construction from scratch. This allows you to accurately determine the scope of work and the cost of the design itself.