Background information
The strange freedom of parenting older children
by Michael Restin
"Always stay flexible!"
22.10.2018
Translation: machine translated
You can't afford to build a house, but you don't want to sit in a feathered nest either. Renovating an older house is an option. But that can take a lot of time and nerves. Karina and Hannes took the plunge and tell us what it takes.
They both work and each have one day off; she on Thursdays and he on Fridays. However, these days are not for sleeping in, but for their daughter. Little Hanna is one and a half years old and wants to spend time with mum and dad. With a job and a child, the days are full, you would think. But Karina and Hannes have taken on a little more and bought a small house in Winterthur, which they plan to renovate to their own specifications. "We quickly realised that this was the only way for us to get our own four walls." Due to the rather small budget, neither building a house nor buying a modern home with all the bells and whistles was an option.
First come, first served
"After the preliminary discussion with our bank, we realised what was possible and what wasn't," says Hannes. This is also the first tip for future homebuyers. "Because we had already submitted all the documents to the bank at the preliminary meeting, we received our proof of financing within two days," says Karina. This can be a decisive factor for many prospective buyers. True to the motto: "De Schnäller isch de Gschwinder."
Fun at work
Due to the limited budget, it was clear from the outset that the two of them would do at least some of the work themselves. Neither Karina nor Hannes had any special previous knowledge, but "we are both reasonably talented and enjoy doing things ourselves." If you don't like working at all, you should involve craftsmen as often as possible, they both believe. They haven't dared to try everything either. "We left the electricity, asbestos removal, the kitchen and moving the water pipes completely to the professionals," says Hannes.
They poured their own sweat into all the other renovation work. They spent days scraping wallpaper off the walls, refurbishing the old-fashioned stairs, laying click cork, removing the PVC from the doors and painting them white, and tiling the bathroom almost entirely themselves. "It took longer than expected in some cases, but there were no major problems," says Karina. This was partly due to the fact that both of them had done extensive research on the internet beforehand, which gave them an idea of the processes, materials and effort involved. "The discussions with the tradespeople were also very important," says Karina. "We openly communicated that we would be renovating certain things ourselves and were given tips every time."
Higher costs, more time
Tips is a good keyword. What can the two of them pass on to posterity? "Always have older houses tested for asbestos, obtain and compare several quotes and form your own opinion through in-depth research so as not to rely completely on the goodwill of the experts," says Hannes. Anyone thinking about tearing out walls should definitely take a tour of the house with a structural engineer. "We would have promptly torn out the wrong wall," says Karina. What is also often forgotten are the organisational or administrative points, such as obtaining a building permit. Without this, no stone can be moved. Even more important, however, is the mental attitude. "You always have to remain flexible and make compromises," says Hannes. And always remember the rule of thumb: it will be more expensive and take longer than you think.
Become friends with imperfection
The good preparation meant that almost the entire renovation phase went smoothly. They only had some problems with the fireplace. "We tore out a non-load-bearing wall in the living room. We also wanted to move the chimney pipes to make even more space. So we had them removed before the wall and only realised afterwards that it would hardly make any difference in terms of space. We spent 1000 francs to put the chimney pipes back in exactly the same place." However, both also say that their own work (for most people) never looks the same as a professional job. If you renovate yourself, you have to be able to live with imperfection. "And the feeling of having done things yourself completely makes up for it," says Hannes.
The child sets the tone
While the two of them talk about their experiences, little Hanna is constantly making her own between the table and chairs. That can't really have made the work on the house any easier, can it? "Renovating with a toddler is definitely a challenge. We were hardly ever able to do anything in the evenings during the week. The little one has her own rhythm, which can't be changed so easily. And as she is already standing on her own two feet, we have to keep an eye on her every second," says Karina. Without support from friends and family, the conversion would hardly have been possible.
Small tensions are normal
And while we're on the subject of family, let's move on to the topic of relationships. It's not uncommon for me to hear about serious tensions between couples when a house is being built or renovated. The house my family lives in was built by a couple who split up during the process. That was good to see. On the ground floor, everything was beautifully and carefully finished, on the first floor the tensions were already noticeable, especially in the bathroom, and the top floor wasn't even finished properly. The two of them would rather have settled into their nest. But back to Karina and Hannes. Fortunately, things went a lot better for them. But they too are glad that the conversion has come to an end. "Everything was great at first, but the closer we got to the deadline, the more stressed we were," admits Hannes. The old flat had been cancelled, so the two of them had to finish, which put a bit of a damper on their mood in the end.
The right decision
Even if there are or can be a few stumbling blocks, it was the right decision for Karina and Hannes. For the two of them, it was clear from the start that they wouldn't find a top modern house in their price range, so they soon tackled the topic of renovation. Nevertheless, it never felt like a necessary evil, but rather their project, their baby. They learnt new skills, familiarised themselves with different materials and, last but not least, grew even closer as a couple. "And nobody can take away your pride in the work you've done," they both say at the end.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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