They are usually cheap, but often in great need of renovation: if you buy an old house, you often even have to gut it. But what does that actually mean?
Moving into your own home is a big step and many things have to be considered beforehand. This begins with the search for the right property, continues with the financing and ends with the renovation work and moving in. Many people like it comfortable there: preferably, the future new home has just been built or at least freshly renovated and renovated. Then all you have to do is set up your own furniture and life in your own home can begin.
Some might want to be involved in the construction of the new house and be able to decide for themselves, which of course also means that they take on some responsibility. But some others are even happy when they have a lot of work to do with the new house and can design and manage it themselves.
The latter usually do not opt for a new building or a renovated property, but possibly for a building with a lot to do - a paradise for do-it-yourselfers. A positive side effect: the buildings in need of renovation are usually quite cheap. The money saved in this way, which is left for your own manual work, can then be invested at your own discretion.
What does "core" actually mean?
If you really want to start from scratch with an old building but don't want to demolish it, start with gutting. The word "gutting" is often used when it comes to renovations, but not everyone knows what to do with this term. So there are a few questions to be clarified first:
1. What exactly is gutting?
2. When is gutting done?
3. Does the entire building always have to be gutted?
1. What exactly is a gutting?
A gutting is a partial demolition of a building. Only the facade remains in the end. When gutting, not only non-load-bearing walls are torn down, but also those of a load-bearing nature. You can actually imagine gutting as demolition, where nothing remains but the outer shell: doors,Windows, false ceilings, floors and various building services are removed. (Source: bauerh altung.de)
2. When is a gutting done?Guttering is mainly carried out when the external appearance of a house is to be preserved - i.e. it is particularly beautiful or appealingly old, rustic, romantic or nostalgic - but the habitable space behind it is no longer usable. For example, gutted houses are often kept in an old style on the outside, while the inside of the house can then be a modern building.
Anyone who wants to completely renovate their house lays the foundation with a gutting. But gutting can also make sense if an extension is to be added to the existing building. And of course also when a building is infested with pollutants such as asbestos. Then the entire building does not necessarily have to be demolished, but the facade can remain as it is if it is not also contaminated with pollutants.
3. Does the entire building always have to be gutted?
No, it is also possible to gut only individual rooms if the others are still in good condition. However, if you want to completely renovate, you probably also rely on a complete gutting.
Do it yourself or hire a professional?
Even if you want to do as much as possible yourself during a complete renovation, it is more than advisable that you bring in a professional to do the gutting. There are several reasons for this, which on the one hand are obvious, but on the other hand must not be forgotten:
➤ Risk:
Of course, many have the feeling that it becomes more expensive when professionals take on a job. This may often be the case when it comes to painting walls or laying tiles. However, gutting is a task that can quickly become really expensive on your own. Namely, when it goes wrong - and that can go faster than expected. The cheaper, stress-free and low-risk option is: Definitely hire a professional.
And another positive point: Specialist companies also take care of the disposal of all the construction waste. Otherwise you would have to take care of it yourself and look for the relevant companies on the yellow pages, for example.
➤ Devices:
The price also plays a role here. Hardly anyone will have the appropriate equipment, such as a demolition hammer, for gutting in their garden shed. These would have to be rented firstconsequently, DIY with devices of this type also costs a lot of money.
➤ Experience:
A professional company naturally also offers experience in this area and a skilled workforce. The workers know what they have to do and treat the building with care - but they also work much faster than you could do as a hobby do-it-yourselfer.
Find the right company
The gutting of buildings is like many other technical things. It comes down to the question of all questions: How can I find the right company that I can place the necessary trust in and that also does not have utopian ideas in terms of price? It is best to focus on a company that specializes in various construction services. KATI GmbH & Co KG, for example, is one such company that, in addition to gutting, also offers other services such as decontamination, dismantling or dismantling. All construction work by KATI GmbH & Co KG at a glance can be found on the company's website. The advantage here is that one and the same company can take on several jobs that a do-it-yourselfer simply cannot do independently.
➜ Short and sweet:
Anyone who is interested in gutting is really better off with professionals, because without the appropriate know-how it can not only be expensive, but damage to the building fabric can also occur. However, passionate do-it-yourselfers need not be annoyed because, as is well known, there is still more than enough work left to do when you have your own home.