Complete renovation house from 1850 - where do you start?

[OlssonX]

A very good start is to take it easy with interventions until you have a grasp of the house. There is an indispensable book called "Så renoveras torp och gårdar." Read it from cover to cover (borrow it from the library, even the latest edition is sold out) and then make a realistic work plan that includes what, where, schedule, and budget. If you haven't hired your own building inspector before the purchase, it's time to do so now, it's important to know the status of the roof, fireplaces, sensitive load-bearing parts, where there is moisture, if there are rot damages, how the windows are, condition of the electricity and fuse box, condition of water/sewage, if there are urgent things to fix before winter, for example, backup heating (not fun if the pump breaks when it's -20° outside) or if you can plan in peace. Good luck!

My wife and I have bought a house from the 1850s and plan to renovate the entire house from top to bottom, we are quite handy people and have worked a lot with building scenery and other things.

We will of course use craftsmen for everything necessary but would like to do as much as we can ourselves,
But we don't know much about how to get started/what we should start with ourselves and a bit about how we should think.
We will strip the house down to more or less the studs and then replace the electricity/water, we must also replace the insulation in the walls as it hasn't been done since 1850 and is probably sawdust (from what I can see from the attic) and remove an old element system (wood-fired stove into water radiators), build a new staircase and some other similar things.

The question is just how to get started and what to begin with?

/julle

 

[DennisCA]

Just wanted to mention that since it's likely a timber house, the interior walls are load-bearing and also ensure that the exterior walls don't bulge out by tying the sides of the house together. So you cannot remove walls and have an open plan layout.

 

[FruLo]

Many good answers here.
In our old house with hydronic heating, the fired boiler was replaced with geothermal heating. It works well with the old cast iron radiators.

We have also discovered that many craftsmen do not know old constructions. You have to be well-informed yourself.

 

[Julius lindberg]

Aside from the aforementioned books, do you have a hot tip on a resource where one can read up?

 

[DennisCA]

byggahus is a good resource, many timber house threads and many with knowledge. But you have to search your way forward.

 

[lindsmik]

My wife and I have bought a house from the 1850s and plan to renovate the entire house from top to bottom. We are quite handy people and have worked a lot with building set designs and other things.

We will, of course, use craftsmen for everything that needs it, but we would like to do as much as we can ourselves.
But we don't know much about how to get started/what we should start with ourselves and a bit about how we should think.
We are going to strip the house down to more or less the studs and then replace the electricity/water. We also need to replace the insulation in the walls since it hasn't been done since 1850 and is probably sawdust (from what I can see from the attic) and remove an old radiator system (wood-fired stove out into water elements), build a new staircase, and some other similar things.

The question is just how to get started and what to start with?

/julle

Logically for me, it would be to start with the roof.
A tight roof usually is the foundation to avoid problems during the renovation, that’s my experience anyway.

 

[FruLo]

In addition to the aforementioned books, do you have any hot tips on a resource where one can read up on ?

We knew nothing about house constructions, least of all wooden houses. Some county administrative boards have material on what is common, typical building and construction for the area. I follow FB groups on building preservation and abandoned houses as well to learn more and get inspiration.

 

[Aspen 31]

Many good answers here. In our old house with water-based heating, the fired boiler was replaced with geothermal heating. It works well with the old cast iron radiators.

We have also discovered that many craftsmen don't know old constructions. You have to be well-informed yourself.

My experience here, however, is that geothermal heating has difficulty reaching the temperature that provides the best effect in radiators, that it is instead best compatible with underfloor heating.
Furthermore, if a replacement also means that nothing is burned in the chimney at all, the natural draft/ventilation in the house becomes worse. But geothermal or ground-source heating is usually very easy to manage, and that's very valuable

Many good answers here. In our old house with water-based heating, the fired boiler was replaced with geothermal heating. It works well with the old cast iron radiators.

We have also discovered that many craftsmen don't know old constructions. You have to be well-informed yourself.

 

[SnyggPer]

Is the house already over-renovated? If not, I would recommend renovating as little as possible if the house is from 1850. Except for necessary parts like electricity, water, roof, etc.

 

[SågspånPappspikEternit]

The question is just how to get started and what to begin with?

/julle

You start by doing nothing, at least over the winter. The house seems to be habitable! Heat with the stove (?) and feel where it is warm and if there are any drafts or cold floors. Think about what needs to be done and what you want to do. And seek knowledge, read books and follow blogs and YouTubers, visit others who have old houses.

What was done in the 1850s is properly done, otherwise the house wouldn't stand today.

And of course, be happy to have a piece of cultural heritage in your hands !

 

[Erik JL]

My wife and I have bought a house from the 1850s and plan to renovate the entire house from top to bottom. We are quite handy people and have worked a lot with building set designs and other things.

Of course, we will use craftsmen for everything needed, but we would like to do as much as we can ourselves.
However, we don't know much about how to get started/what we should begin with ourselves and a bit about how we should think.
We are going to strip the house down to more or less the studs and then replace the electricity/plumbing. We also need to replace the insulation in the walls as it hasn't been done since 1850 and is probably sawdust (from what I can see from the attic), and remove an old heating system (wood-fired stove out of water radiators), build a new staircase, and other similar things.

The question is just how to get started and what to begin with?

/julle

Congratulations on the house. Many good tips here already.

I have lived in old houses all my life. Nice atmosphere, as the houses are well built and well planned.

The basic rule is materials. Feel free to join Byggnadsvårdsföreningen, there is a lot of knowledge, information, and contacts with craftsmen there.

Check the roof first. Renovate, and try to finish something sometimes, so you feel less overwhelmed; it's a lot of work. But also fun.

Adapt the house to your life, hope you enjoy it.

Preferably use linseed oil paint. Much easier to maintain as well.

Good luck!

My wife and I have bought a house from the 1850s and plan to renovate the entire house from top to bottom. We are quite handy people and have worked a lot with building set designs and other things.

Of course, we will use craftsmen for everything needed, but we would like to do as much as we can ourselves.
However, we don't know much about how to get started/what we should begin with ourselves and a bit about how we should think.
We are going to strip the house down to more or less the studs and then replace the electricity/plumbing. We also need to replace the insulation in the walls as it hasn't been done since 1850 and is probably sawdust (from what I can see from the attic), and remove an old heating system (wood-fired stove out of water radiators), build a new staircase, and other similar things.

The question is just how to get started and what to begin with?

/julle