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“Demolition or refurbishment?” sounds like a clear-cut decision. In practice, however, the question is almost always framed too crudely when it comes to existing buildings. Often the best solution lies not at either extreme but in between: retaining, converting and extending, guided by a strategy. Anyone who owns, inherits or buys an existing building in…
In existing buildings, planning never starts on a greenfield site. Every building brings its own history, quirks and hidden risks. Surprises come with an old building. They only become expensive when they appear too late. In service phase 1 (LPH 1, basic evaluation) of the German fee scale for architects (HOAI), assumptions become reliable facts…
Many clients start with a simple expectation: “We will refurbish for energy efficiency just as with a new build, only on an old building.” This is exactly where the problem begins. Listed buildings work fundamentally differently from modern new builds in terms of construction and building physics. Anyone who assesses them solely through key figures…
Many clients fall in love with a listed building for its charm, location and history and only realise after the purchase that they have bought not just a house but a set of rules as well. This is exactly where the most expensive mistakes arise: they start planning, obtain bids, develop details and wonder why…
