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Renovating an apartment:what questions to ask? what budget should you plan?

Renovating an apartment is a beautiful but also a heavy project to bear. Due to high real estate prices, many are buying a home to refresh. Of course, a renovation requires devoting a substantial budget to it, but also a lot of time.

But, with a minimum of organization, with the help of professionals for the most important works and by asking yourself the right questions beforehand, renovating an apartment is within the reach of almost everyone. Review of the points to respect to carry out such an enterprise.

Renovating an apartment:what questions to ask? what budget should you plan?

Establish a detailed diagnosis of the apartment to be renovated

The idea you have of your future home should be the priority in choosing the renovation work to be done on an apartment. Renovating an apartment must above all correspond to your real needs.

You must also take into account the state of certain elements such as:

  • the roof and the framework if your apartment is on the top floor of a building
  • the condition of the electrical system and plumbing fixtures
  • its insulation
  • the type of windows, equipped with double glazing or not
  • the condition of the floors, especially old parquet floors
  • the presence of cracks in the walls
  • the state of the front door
  • boiler status
  • the common areas of the building

If you plan to modify the space of your apartment, remember to check which load-bearing walls cannot be modified.

Once all the checks have been made, be sure to list in detail all the work to be done. This list will allow you to designate more easily the renovation works that you can take care of and those that you can delegate to building professionals such as the demolition of partitions, the removal of parquet floors, the replacement of all sanitary facilities or even the complete renovation of the electrical network.

This list will also allow you to draw up a retro schedule, essential for the proper completion of the work, but also to have an idea of ​​the time required to renovate your apartment. It will also be useful for the various trades (plumber, tiler, electrician, heating engineer, carpenter, etc.) that will follow one another during the renovation of your apartment.

Prioritize certain jobs

Renovating an apartment can be very expensive, especially if it is old and still in its original state. To make it livable and comfortable, some work is needed very quickly such as the renovation of the electrical installation and plumbing, the installation of toilets or the repair of the floors (screed, leveling, tiling, etc.). Others, on the other hand, appear to be less of a priority.

This is why, after having listed all the desired and necessary renovation works in your apartment, it is important to prioritize them. For example, you can first go around everything that can be repaired rather than changed. You will thus realize significant savings in this type of project.

Respect your budget

You must absolutely anticipate the maximum budget that you can devote to the renovation of your apartment. By establishing a detailed diagnosis of your real needs, you will avoid exceeding the planned envelope. Since the cost of such work is high, it is advisable to limit yourself to priority and absolutely useful ones at first. However, allow an additional margin of at least 5% of the amount of the work planned for the unforeseen, often legion during such work.

Take into account the town planning rules

Before starting renovation work on your apartment, you should find out about the regulations in force applicable to your future home, particularly in terms of joint ownership, and the time required to comply with them.

The right questions to ask yourself in this area:

  • Does my work require a building permit or a simple declaration?
  • am I allowed to choose any materials?
  • am I required to hire an architect?
  • Do the insulation and the sanitary and electrical equipment provided for in my renovation comply with the standards in force?

In addition to the town planning and compliance rules to be observed, it is also a good idea to check your home insurance contract to be sure that it covers the maximum number of risks, particularly related to fires and water damage, for example.

How much should you budget for renovating your apartment?

The cost of renovating an apartment depends first on the extent of the modifications to be made and its surface area. Then, the overall cost will be different if you do the work yourself or if you hire a professional. You can save money by distributing part of the renovation to a specialist and reserving the work that you can do alone.

Some price indications to be able to compare the costs of renovating an apartment:

  • for a light renovation of an apartment, plan between 200 and 300 euros per m2 if you carry out the work. Between 600 and 900 euros per m2 by a professional
  • for an average renovation:between 400 and 500 euros per m2 in the first case, from 1,000 to 1,200 euros per m2 in the other
  • for a major renovation, prices range from 600 to 800 euros per m2 or from 1,300 to 2,000 euros per m2.