Demolish or reconstruct. What to do if I buy an old family home

A view of a partially demolished house. The process of removing structures is a demanding process that must require a construction supervisor or a professional construction company.| photo: Bytecheck

The offer will come, the buyer often does not have an architect or civil engineer at hand. In addition, the purchase decision must be made without detailed property surveys, there is no time for detailed balance sheets.

Here is a list of the advantages and disadvantages of both options for dealing with the purchased house, as well as a list of things to consider and take into account.

Advantages of renovating an old house

Disadvantages of renovating an old house

Advantages of building a new house

Disadvantages of new construction

What provide for the demolition of the house

The conditions, whether a building permit or just a notification is required, are set by the Building Act (chapter Removal of buildings, landscaping and equipment, § 128.

"In the vast majority of cases, however, all that is needed is a notification to the building authority, after which the building can be removed by a construction entrepreneur or by self-help, but under the supervision of the building inspector," says Miroslav Tom from Bytecheck.

Where is the clear line between demolition and preservation?

"In my opinion, it is good to focus primarily on the volume of preserved material, or on the value of usable building elements. This needs to be quickly expertly estimated. If, for example, we retain only 25% of the absolute value of the building, it is more advantageous to demolish the structure and build a new one. However, the purchase prices of building materials and labor must be taken into account. However, if someone simply likes the house and feels that it is a shame to tear it down completely, I also take that as a valid argument. The subjective feeling of the new owner plays its role," explains Tůma.

Typical problems of old houses:

Despite a thorough verification of the technical condition, there is still a risk of unexpected problems and therefore an increase in the cost of reconstruction.

What else must be taken into account:

New construction or reconstruction of the house? The most important thing is a nice place

You are working on the reconstruction of the house, but everyone advises to tear it down. Who is right?

It took them two years to reconstruct the house. And that's even an ideal case

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