In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
It all depends ... on earthquakes... secondo me...
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I think from our experience to date building from scratch is a far cheaper option! We have a very attractive Barn (open-sided) which we are planning to use as a pool house, but ideally, it is a little further from the intended pool than we would like,. I suggested to my Geometra that we dismantle it and rebuild it nearer to the pool where we have another building (relatively modern) so would not need to worry about planning permission) He throw his hands up in horror and said it would be far cheaper to rebuild from scratch as comparatively labour costs are far more expensive than materials.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
We went ofr the refurbishment route which is more expensive than building from scratch but we liked the idea tha tthe house had history. As a result of limitations on which walls could be moved we ended up with some more interesting shaped rooms that we would have done if we had started from scratch. Overall we're really glad we rennovated rather than rebuilt.
Chris
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=alan h;97363]I think you should get out more.
.[/quote]
I will when it stops raining...brrr sunny day promised tomorrow!
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
It all depends on the general condition of the particular ruin and what you want to do with it. Some old ruins are worth restoring because of their architectural or historical interest.... others do not fall into that category and it is better to pull down and start from scratch. Restoration can be an expensive "hobby". My advice is to get professional help and a few estimates.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Definitely more expensive to renovate although as Gala said it depends on the condition.
I would think though that most people who renovated ended up spending a lot more than anticipated.
I know I did. :eeeek:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Get the best advice before you do anything. It is Ok debating with friends but a proffesional will know the right solution. It is more often the case that it is cheaper to build from new. Older buildings do have the charm etc. but remember that the estimate could and probably will be exceeded. It just depends on the historical value, its condition, and of course what your local commune will or will not allow you to do. Have you though of going there and asking their (Ufficio Technico) technician. they are usually very helpful. Very could luck!
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I am helping manage a project that started as a restoration but has become a virtual new build. In commencement of works the walls were just so unsafe we could not contemplate building a new 2nd story on them (roof was also a disaster zone - hardly a meter of timber that did not crumble when moved. We are settling for building new like old and reusing as much of the old stone etc. as possible.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
If I could start again, I would have wanted to knock down my ruin and build new in the same style using the reclaimed materials. My ruin has cost what seems like the national debt of an obscure 3rd world country to restore (especially now the euro exchange rate is against me) and it has been quite difficult at times to ensure that modern building requirements have been met in the old traditional building. I'm sure it would have been cheaper to start with a whole pile of rubble instead of half a pile of rubble. However, to see the old building that I fell in love with have life breathed back into it by a really good geometra and some fine italian craftsmen has been incredibly satisfying even if my bank balance does not agree!
Mandy2
I think you should get out more.
.