Things to take into account in a home to reform

In this post, we reflect on the things to take into account in a home to reform. Useful information if we think about investing in new or second-hand construction.

Buy new construction or reform?

It is evident that from Coblonal Interiorismo we will always propose to reform you. We make a living out of it.

Likewise, there are other arguments that can convince you to buy a flat to reform.

The first one is inexpensive. We can acquire a home that, due to its original condition, presents a price per square meter much lower than the price of a new or recently renovated home in that area.

The second argument is the possibility of modifying the distribution and finishes according to our own needs and preferences.

While it is true that we may be lucky enough to find a newly renovated home at a price, configuration, and finishes with which we can feel comfortable. The usual thing will be that this type of housing will last a short time on the market and there is fierce competition to get them.

In any case, our compelling argument for choosing to reform is the second: the possibility of personalizing your home to your particular customs and tastes. If the reform also allows us to save some money compared to buying new construction, all the better.

Aspects to consider

The first aspect to take into account if we are going to buy an apartment to reform is the approximate but reliable amount of what the reform could cost us. For this, we regret to say that there is no foolproof formula to obtain a fixed price. It largely depends on the type of actions, the quality of the materials, as well as the people involved in their design and execution.

If we visit an apartment to be renovated, we must pay attention to the type of essential, recommended, and accessory actions.

If the apartment requires comprehensive reform, we can make an approximate calculation based on the number of square meters to reform, as well as the number of toilets and the planned carpentry.

We will see if it is necessary to tear down partitions, false ceilings, or carry out actions that require modification or reinforcement of the structure that supports the house. This will also determine the type of municipal permit or license that we must obtain. In case of modifying the structure, the costs will be higher, we will need to present the project to the city council, as well as to the community of owners and delay by at least one month the start of works from the presentation of the documentation.

If we opt for a partial reform, since we believe we can take advantage of a part of what exists, we should look at the following list:

• The already mentioned demolition of partitions and walls and the new construction,
• The adequacy of the installation of electricity, water, drains and air conditioning
• The condition of the floor and wall coverings in wet areas.
• The carpentry of doors, baseboards and existing furniture such as built-in cabinets.
• The exterior closings of the house.
• The approximate cost of the design furniture, purchase and necessary textiles.

It is necessary to bear in mind that in many cases it is more expensive to try to restore what exists than to install something new. With the wooden closures of windows and balconies or wrought iron fittings, it is usual that we want to maintain the aesthetics and charm of the originals. But contrary to what we might think, we are not going to save anything with the restoration. Quite the opposite.

All these actions will add one amount or another depending on the type of finish we choose.

Performances and quality for a given budget

The performances and the quality of the finishes work like two different but interrelated levers with a tight budget, like that of most mortals. Perhaps we should consider the urgency or not of certain actions depending on the chosen finishes.

In short, with a specific budget, we must find a balance between performances and finishes in order to achieve what is essential and strongly recommended in the best possible conditions.

We can also choose to leave some actions for later to carry them out in the most appropriate way or because we are still not sure.

Of these three variables: performances, finishes and professionals; We recommend that in no case take risks with the third. We know, we are involved, but it is worth noting that on many occasions we end up acting as the surgeon who reverses disasters. These tend to be more expensive than a good start-up performance. And in most cases, it does not depend so much on the quality of the material, but on the quality of human work, bad decisions, carelessness, inexperience, ignorance or laziness.

Hiring professionals with proven experience will always be a good investment. We or other professionals will be able to advise you in some way with the approximate cost of the work and thus calculate the convenience or not to invest in the purchase of a home to reform.