Restoring an old building

Millions of us dream about building our own houses, but only some of us can fulfill this. Due to the financial crisis, many of us can’t make our own new house. Restoring an old building is the best solution to overcome this issue. Restoration means the steps that we take to regain the former state of the building, which eventually leads to building rehabilitation. Instead of starting the construction work from scratch, we try to restore the integrity of an already existing building; this cuts down the expenses considerably.

To avoid any legal conflicts or scams, we must follow specific steps:

Step one:

Check the legalities

Before purchasing any building, we must ensure that all the legal documents are present with the seller or the broker. We must carefully check that there should be no government or archaeological claims on the property. Strictly avoid the purchase of disputed properties. In case of jointly owned properties, make sure that you have the consent of all the owners. If you have any doubts, hire a lawyer to carry out the deal. Collect the details, like the age of the building, list of all former owners, information on the builder, if possible.

Step two:

Check the structural strength

We cannot restore may old buildings as they have lost their structural strength. These buildings have a very high tendency to collapse. The rocks have been aged and are disintegrating. Termites and algae have deformed the walls of the buildings. Always go for archaeological assistance before investing in any old building. The archaeologist can study the rocks and tell us about the load they can handle. If the foundation of the building is weak, it is impossible to construct even double stored buildings. We should wait for the archaeological report before making the purchase. We should check that the structure is compatible with modern-day amenities that we desire to have.

Step three:

Retain the heritage value

While redesigning the building, we must not wholly wipe off its old structure. The old buildings have high heritage value. The articles, the wall carvings, the paintings, the pillars, the ceiling designs all exhibit the glory of ancient India. The models that some lame person may consider old fashioned are unusual and distinct specimens of the artwork of ancient Indian artisans. Many significant Kings and political leaders inhabited these buildings. Therefore these buildings are of very high historical values. We must realize its worth and preserve it as far as possible.

Step four:

Proper planning before rehabilitation

We must have a proper plan for carrying out all the restoration activities sequentially after the legal and archaeological check is carried out successfully. We must start with the appropriate pest control measures. Many old buildings have not been inhabited for years, and have a lot of termites, ants, honeycombs, spider-webs, rat holes. We must surely get an appointment with the pest control department, sure that the property is free from insects and unwanted animals. After the blueprint of the restored building is ready, it must be approved by the local government bodies. These government organizations check that the diagram is compatible with the location and climatic conditions or not. After scrutinizing the construction site, they prepare their report and give their suggestions. One must duly abide by these suggestions.

Step five:

Overall check

After the restoration is done, plan an overall check of the building before moving into it. Check the concrete strength, wall thickness, safety measures incorporated in the building. Don’t rush to move in. Seek professional help if you are not completely satisfied or find any flaw in the construction.