REMODELING OF AN EXISTING BUILDING WITH COLD ROLLED GALVANIZED STEEL STRUCTURES. EPISODE 2
relating promptly to the need for information of clients and that is why we propose a NEW series of 3 articles dedicated to the concept of “Remodeling”
We do not dissent, we do not fight subversively with the legislation in force, or with the authority. But when the needs of the moment no longer fit with the contemporary context, man, more or less creative, looks for solutions, invents or innovates, taking models and adapting them to the existing specifics, with a good projection towards the future.
The idea I was telling you about in the last episode boiled down to the following:
The integral design of a building on the hearth of the old one, with a metal structure. Very slightly larger than the original.
Realization of the metal structure in 2 stages: the first stage with an initial, partial, perimeter structure, which can support a visual screen, made of photographic banners, with the well-detailed appearance of the old building; after the protective screen becomes active, functional, stage 3 can begin: the demolition of the old building, done with great care: without noise, without dust, and with an intelligent evacuation of the debris. Stage 4: the continuation of the construction of the new building behind the screen: the structure and the exteriors, with as few changes as possible compared to the old building.
Stage 5: after the completion of the structure and exteriors, with the same appearance as the old building, the screens can be removed and the new building will remain visible, very similar to the old one. You can calmly and patiently approach the stages for making installations and interior finishes, furniture, etc. A very modernized interior, modernly equipped and with the functional remodeling necessary for the contemporary moment.
Going by common sense logic, with just a slight increase, a 10% increase in floor area was achieved. It may not have been a significant gain. Perhaps no more was needed for a holiday home.
The essential gain was that an old house, which was about to fall down, was replaced with a new one, completely modernized. The architecture of the facades did not raise the issue of a win, but certainly increasing the degree of safety and comfort of the interior represented the great challenge.
Obviously, the law would have been violated, but the issue that my friend, the lawyer, had to solve was how to violate it as little as possible, or how to generate a different, more flexible approach of the local authority, regarding the preservation of the location, the volume, the appearance, the living function, at the higher parameters in terms of quality.
The idea came to life, the story was done. Some years have passed since then, the house is fine thank you, the holidays there are wonderful, there are no floods, the authorities have not caught the news, the world is happy.
The budget was ok, it didn’t go up too much due to the screens or having to work behind them. Since then we have encountered this situation many times on our flats, and I could say that it has become a current practice. Even if not in mass proportion.
The complete remodeling of a house is not a smooth, easy process. In the example above, it was a small house with a footprint of 80 square meters. The budget also included demolition costs. What is interesting is that we could have raised it a little more, by approx. 1.20m in the attic, with a perimeter wall, so that we can add and use a possible attic. We did not take these risks. He received the safety factor, not to hit the eyes.
The most interesting, however, remains the social aspect, of the unity of the Romanian people. The act of frond to the authority still holds today. Over time, the neighbors noticed what was happening there. The world is not blind or deaf. But no one complained. What’s more: we are in discussions with some of the neighbors, who are saving the money needed to remodel their houses.
And we are ready to go further.
Arch. Viorel Pleșca
Romeho.ME
