Hello! We have an old brew house on our property that we're itching to renovate. It's very charming but also very rundown. The most concerning thing is that there are several large, diagonal corner cracks. We've had builders here who have a little carelessly said that "it's so old, it probably doesn't move anymore." We'll probably need to spend a million to turn it into a proper residential house. So that doesn't feel very reassuring... Where can we turn to find someone who really knows? And who can also advise on what needs to be done to make it work?
Best regards,
Mikaela
Best regards,
Mikaela
The best way to find out is to mix some mortar and spread it over the cracks in a few places, and if the excess mortar doesn't crack, you know that the crack is no longer moving.
There are certainly knowledgeable people down there, you just need to get hold of them.
There are certainly knowledgeable people down there, you just need to get hold of them.
Pictures?
It can be added that we replaced some of the windows just over five years ago and they can still be opened/closed and none of the panes are cracked but the unpolished corner crack has cracked again, although not as severely. On the inside, we have not polished at any time.
Could it be that the rafters are poor and the roof is pushing out the walls?
Otherwise, I like the house and would love to have it as an extra house on the property.
Otherwise, I like the house and would love to have it as an extra house on the property.
Thank you! Yes, I'm really itching to get started, it could become SO nice! But I'm afraid it might cost more to renovate than to build a new one. I don't know if that's the case? We reinforced the roof a few years ago to keep it together. So on one side, the rafters have been so-so, but on the other side, they are fresh.
I would definitely renovate that if it were mine. Even if it would cost about the same as the cheapest new build, the end result of a renovation is much better and more sustainable than a stingy new build.
I can't see any continuation of the crack under the window, so I also believe that it's the roof trusses pushing the house apart. Apparently, the joint between the bottom beam and the top beam has rotted away, and your emergency repair does not seem to be done in such a way that it would transfer tensile force to the bottom beam.
I can't see any continuation of the crack under the window, so I also believe that it's the roof trusses pushing the house apart. Apparently, the joint between the bottom beam and the top beam has rotted away, and your emergency repair does not seem to be done in such a way that it would transfer tensile force to the bottom beam.
Skogsägare
· Stockholm och Smålands inland
· 21 926 posts
A million is quite a modest sum to get a newly renovated residential building for. But I guess it can go significantly higher than that. If you're going to renovate properly with roof replacement, kitchen and bathroom, electricity, insulation, etc., each thing costs its price. Consider what different tasks are required and try to price them separately.
And think about why you want to renovate it. Do you want an extra house as a guest cottage? Do you want to rent it out? Do you just want to preserve a nice outbuilding without actually having any use for it?
I agree with those who say that renovation is more fun/better than building new, but is that really the alternative? A million or two is a lot of money – or so I've heard.
And think about why you want to renovate it. Do you want an extra house as a guest cottage? Do you want to rent it out? Do you just want to preserve a nice outbuilding without actually having any use for it?
I agree with those who say that renovation is more fun/better than building new, but is that really the alternative? A million or two is a lot of money – or so I've heard.