No one can deny that rustic houses have a natural beauty that captivates more than one. However, there are times when it is necessary to refurbish them, either because of age, because they have some damage or simply because they want to be remodelled in a comprehensive way and adapted to the current needs of the owner. If you are thinking of doing a rustic house renovation we recommend that you readthis mega article where we will talk about:
- Some aspects that you should take into account before embarking on the hiring of a renovation of a rustic house (and almost any home).
- What are the most common jobs in a rural house renovation?
- Most common questions about this type of renovation
- The benefits of doing a renovation of this style.
Things to consider before starting a rustic house renovation
- Have your goals clear
It is important to be very clear about the reasons why you want to comprehensively renovate your rustic house, this will be the leitmotif of the whole project.
For example, many people make the decision to buy a rustic house to use it as a second home and enjoy it on vacation. In that case, the reform is mainly to improve the conditions of the house and make it more comfortable and comfortable for a few days of relaxation for the whole family.
Another reason why this type of renovation is usually carried out is that, as they are usually very old, it is necessary to carry out the mandatory maintenance of ceilings, floors, walls, dampness, etc.
Finally, if you are thinking of renovating a rustic house to turn it into your first home, logically, the needs and all the aspects to take into account are much more important than in the previous cases.
- Reforms are necessary
If the conditions of a house are not optimally maintained to live in, it becomes unsafe and/or unhealthy, which can be detrimental to the well-being and health of the people who will live in it.
It may seem silly but, for example, damp that is not treated properly can even have effects on the lung health of children and the elderly.
On the other hand, there are those areas that, due to humidity, age or for any other reason, are simply not habitable due to the danger of falls or collapse.
Renovations are carried out to avoid reaching that point, since thanks to them both the structure of the home and other necessary and basic aspects of it can be kept in good condition.
- Go to professionals
As we mentioned at the beginning, for a renovation to be successful, the help of professionals in the field is practically mandatory. Without their help, everything becomes more chaotic and stressful and usually doesn’t go smoothly.
The architects, masons and engineers will be in charge of supervising the work and making sure that everything goes in order, they are the ones who have the most knowledge about renovations and know what they are doing.
We assure you that we are not telling you this only because we are dedicated to it (obviously we all want to move our company forward), but we are telling you because there are many reforms that, because they are not managed by professionals, end up becoming a real disaster, with the consequent extra cost when you end up resorting to professional help.
- Calculate the budget for your rustic house renovation
Many people have to leave their comprehensive remodeling in their rustic house halfway due to poor organization and budget failures. One way to prevent this from happening is to calculate your budget ahead of time and stick to it.
Currently, there are many excellent online tools to calculate renovation budgets, we offer you ours without any obligation and completely free of charge in this button:
Calculate your renovation for free
With these tools to calculate the budget for a renovation for a rustic house, you will be able to get an idea of what budget you more or less need to carry out the renovation.
- Invest in basic facilities
For a house to be habitable and functional, it must have all the basic facilities in good condition. When we talk about basic installations we refer to the water, electricity, heating and plumbing system.
You should bear in mind that it is much easier to fix any of these installations while the renovation is being done than afterwards, since it is very complicated to do so, because most of these systems are installed inside the walls or on the floor.
For example, the plumbing and water system is one of the most maintenance-intensive. Taking it into account when planning a renovation can mean a before and after, since if it is not previously assessed, it can lead to the renovation having to start again practically from scratch (e.g.: floors raised due to water leakage, damp walls, etc.).
If you go ahead and during the first phases of the renovation a problem or damage is detected in this system, the replacement or repair is, without a doubt, much less expensive and traumatic.
In short, to avoid having to do another remodeling or repair in the home due to the malfunction of a basic installation, it is better that you take this into account and think about renovating it as soon as possible.
Once we take into account the different aspects to take into account, we are going to talk about what are:
Most common jobs in the renovations of a rural house
- Façade renovations
One of the most common (and expensive) jobs in rural house renovations is facades. Most of them are very old and the aim is not only to leave them in a good state of maintenance, but also to modernise them in an attempt to blend in with the environment that surrounds them.
- Bathroom and kitchen renovations
The kitchens of rural houses are usually small, very possibly because before there was not the “cult” of food that there is now nor were they used as an area for socializing. That is why it is very likely that if you are thinking of renovating your rustic home, this is one of the locations that needs to gain meters, in addition to changing some aesthetic and functional aspect.
As for the bathrooms, comfort and their evolution are always sought, so changes in this room are practically mandatory.
- Renovation of walls and floors
Renovations to walls and floors are also very common due to the force that the passage of time exerts on them. In these cases, using materials such as stones, wood and other natural materials will allow you to ensure that the renovation does not lose the charm of old houses.
Now that we’ve looked at the most common changes, let’s move on to:
Frequently asked questions when renovating a country house
There are many doubts about renovations in rural houses and, unfortunately, we will not be able to solve them all without knowing your personalized case. However, we leave you with a few small notes on the three most common questions about rural house renovations.
- How much does it cost to renovate a rural house?
Actually, there is no specific price, since it varies depending on the state of the structure, the type of renovation you want to do, the square meters and, of course, the quality of the materials used.
- What are the necessary permits?
To carry out a comprehensive renovation, it will be necessary to apply to the city council of the city where the house is located, a major building permit, as established by law.
- What materials are the most common in rural houses?
The most commonly used materials in rural house renovations are ceramics and wood for the floors and natural stone on the walls in order not to lose the touch of the rural or rustic. Finally, in ceilings you always choose to use wood, as it is a natural, resistant material and goes with the environment.
In the most “romantic” cases, there may also be small areas covered with glass to have the small luxury of seeing the stars whenever you want.
Finally, we are going to move on to a somewhat more “friendly” section, which will surely attract you more 😀
Advantages of renovating a country house
It is true that renovating a cottage takes time, energy and also, of course, money. However, all that effort has many long-term benefits. In this article we have created a list with 3 of them that we consider the most prominent.
- Increases value and improves your aesthetics
When you do a quality renovation, it makes the house much more practical, safe, comfortable and pleasant, which makes it stop being a home and become a place where you want to be, your home. Aesthetics, design and functionality or practicality must always go hand in hand.
Likewise, making a renovation in a country house is an excellent investment, since it not only improves its physical and structural appearance, but also increases its value. Something to take into account if you are considering putting it for tourist rental or sale after carrying out the renovation.
- Improvement and energy savings
We are living in crucial times with regard to global warming and the well-being of planet earth, and with respect to the cost of basic supplies such as electricity, gas and water. The time to renovate a rural house is the best opportunity to modernise its energy efficiency.
Installing solar panels, domestic wind turbines or windmills for self-consumption, an aerothermal system, etc. are wonderful solutions so that future supply costs are reduced without reducing your quality of life and comfort.
- Adapts to necessary changes
Carrying out a renovation is not only beneficial to modernize the design of the rural house, but it can also be adapted to the needs of each person according to their “momentum” of life. Ex: more bathrooms or bedrooms if necessary, a solarium, a swimming pool, etc.
That said, we hope that after seeing these benefits of renovating a house, you have got that bug to turn yours into the perfect rural house.
If you want Kaleidoscope to be the architecture studio that helps you turn your rustic house into the house of your dreams, you just have to contact us through our website and one of our consultants specialized in renovations will guide you along the way to enjoy the process of renovating your home.
