The Definitive Guide to Making your Reform
Surely it has happened to you: you have to do a complete or partial reform of your home and the inevitable stress appears. The reasons are diverse: ignorance of the steps to follow, distrust in the company that is going to carry it out, and fear of unforeseen events and delays that may arise. Before starting the process, you should ask yourself a series of basic questions that will help you program the different interventions: what do I want to achieve with the reform? What professionals are going to do it? How much will this reform cost me? How long is it going to last?...
2. Look for ideas to inspire you As soon as you have identified your needs, look for inspiration in decoration magazines, social networks like Pinterest and apps specialized in reforms like Youcandeco, with which you can simulate designs, choose materials and create budgets. Also, use the well known platform dedicated to reforms and decoration of the home Houzz. All inspiration is little in situations like this.
Identifying what the real needs are and planning correctly will allow you to carry out the reform in a more agile and calm way. Rosa Brmona, interior designer, and Maya Fenollera, architect at Bad Estudio, as experts in this type of work, help us answer these types of questions.
3. Set a budget and stick to it Looking for inspiration, you will find surprising ideas that you will want to apply in your home, but you must bear in mind that some suggestions may exceed the budget that you have set for yourself. The opportunities offered
First Step 1. Identify what your needs are To find out what you want to change with a reform, think about whether you would buy or rent the apartment again as it is now. “Take note and write down what you consider necessary to modify so that your home is in the conditions you want. Also make a list of what you would feel better with if you make some type of modification and what your ideal qualities would be”, recommends interior designer Rosa Bramona.
What licenses and permits should I apply for?
Maya Fenollera, an architect at Bad Estudio, explains that the type of rehabilitation will determine the administrative licenses and permits that we need to carry out. For this, it will be essential to distinguish between cases of minor work or major work: New works, an extension of surface, height, or volume of constructions and existing buildings, as well as reforms and integral rehabilitation, also of old buildings are considered major works. And they require a specific permit, the major work license.
Essential questions that you must solve before starting the reform of your home
by the internet will allow you to investigate more to choose correctly and get more out of your reform, without the budget skyrocketing.
What do I need to know to request a reform budget?
Fenollera explains that in order to request a budget that is as close as possible to reality, a document called State of Measurements is necessary. It
Minor works are those interventions characterized by their technical simplicity and little or no structural modification. They must be carried out with a minor work license. If the works imply modification of uses in the dwelling, as well as if they affect, modify, or incur in common elements of the building, structural elements, security conditions and location of general vertical sanitation ducts, the appearance of the façade, or ventilation, they are also considered. of major works. It is important to point out that the requirements for processing permits and regulations are always municipal powers that may vary from one city council to another. In the case of minor works, when they only affect the finishes of the home, informational permits will suffice, that is, simple construction notices.
For both minor and major works, according to the architect from Bad Estudio, "hiring the services of a team of professionals can be a more than considerable relief, to facilitate and lighten the entire process and enjoy a rehabilitation in the most relaxed and effective way possible".
is an exhaustive list of the planned works, the chosen materials, the qualities... This is broken down into items, based on a reform project. The more detailed the project, and therefore its Measurement Status, the fewer unpleasant surprises we will find. The idea is to request at least three different budgets. The usual thing is that they are quite similar they will be based on the same concepts and qualities thanks to the State of measurements-. Doing the exercise of comparing them will clear the way for us to opt for the most appropriate and reliable. “If among the three requested budgets you find one that is surprisingly low, you should ask yourself why. This is probably due to the fact that it does not include the execution of any of the requested works or that the qualities are lower than those required”, warns Rosa Bramona.
How do I compare quotes?
You have to check if VAT is included in the document and make sure that all invoices include this tax. Check thoroughly if everything you have requested has been detailed: qualities, materials, prices, deadlines It can be somewhat cumbersome, but it is worth spending some time doing it.
When you have decided which company will do the rehabilitation, let them know and also notify the discarded ones -formality never hurts-. Your adherence to the Register of Accredited Companies ( REA ), civil liability insurance, etc. Basic data on the workers who will intervene in the rehabilitation. This way you will be able to check that they are registered and have completed the courses in occupational risk prevention. Commitment to completion of all work. The signing of the contract in which the duration of the work, the forms of payment, and the accepted budget must be detailed.
What is the usual order of execution?
In the case of comprehensive reforms of medium sized homes, between 70 and 120 m2, it can be between 3 and 8 months, depending on the original state of the house, the dimensions, the need to reinforce or replace some structural element, etc.
“It is important to bear in mind that, depending on the municipality and the type of work, the permits and licenses may take longer, so the total reform process, from the start of the project to the delivery, may take a little longer than due”, explains the architect.
How long will the reform last?
Generally, the first step is the demolition and construction of the new partitions. Next, the installation of the plumbing systems and the electrical network, the finishes on walls, floors, and ceilings, and the carpentry works,
Fenollera and Bramona agree that the terms will depend on the type of reform. If it is a partial one, such as the rehabilitation of the kitchen or the bathroom, it can take between two weeks and a month, depending on whether part of the structure has to be modified, facilities changed, etc.
For a comprehensive reform, the cost can range between 60 and 80% of the budget of new construction. The average price of a new building in a big city is about 1,500 euros per square meter, so a price of 900 euros per square meter for a comprehensive reform (not including appliances) would be the acceptable average. "Over 100% of a budget, around 20 30% would correspond to the technicians and professionals involved in the work, so the remaining 70-80% would be the final amount allocated to the reform itself," he details. Fenollera.
to finish with the decoration and details. How much can a partial and total reform cost?
If the work exclusively affects the bathroom and the kitchen, similar standards would be maintained, as long as the surface area was around six square meters. For such a reform, the budget should not exceed 5,400 euros with mid range quality materials. Partially or completely, the best solution to avoid unpleasant surprises and expenses not contemplated in your reform budget is to have a professional who designs the project based on your needs and expectations, is in charge of advising you throughout the work, and carries out the pertinent steps, so that the rehabilitation process is more agile, simple and efficient.