We are figuring out whether it will be possible to save, if not on the purchase, then at least on the arrangement.
Before buying an apartment there is a difficult choice: to buy housing on the secondary market, which may well be in a wretched state, or in a new building. And then the throwing begins with painful weighing of all the pros and cons.
“The secondary, even if killed, is still a proven option. The house has shrunk, and the renovation will no longer “float”. In addition, the work of communications has been tested over the years. Small water pressure or power outages will not surprise you. A new building is a lottery where the floor and windows will have to be redone due to the possible negligence of the developer. In addition, in winter it may turn out that the room is blowing strongly due to poorly sealed seams. There is a guarantee for cosmetic repairs from the developer that many do not want to fulfill. And most importantly, it may turn out that the house was built illegally or not according to standards. Then the house can be demolished. “
According to our expert, there have been cases when people were given apartments in Stalinist houses, where the repairs were made for the first and last time more than half a century ago. I had to rip off old wallpaper, paint, remove floors, knock down putty, which took a lot of effort and money.
“They spent about 9000 rubles just for taking out and taking out the garbage. Replacing old communications with new ones also cost a pretty penny. But there are also pluses: whoever is unable to immediately finish the apartment, you can start “creeping” repairs. That is, to live in one room while work is going on in the rest. You will have to do everything in the new house at the same time, ”adds Nadezhda Zhdanova.
So,
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Here you will have to sweat a lot and invest, since the conversation is not just about linoleum, but about the rough part of the floor. We will have to remove not only the old parquet and rough boards, but also to remove the debris overgrown with mold. This must be done in order not to breathe unpleasant odors and spores. Then you need to prime and make a new screed. Don’t forget the soundproofing backing!
To avoid misunderstandings, invite specialists who will assess the condition of the floor and walls not only of your apartment, but also on the lower floor. Be sure to capture everything in the photo. Otherwise, the neighbors may deliberately mischief in order to repair the ceiling for your money.
Wiring
It must be understood that the electrician in Soviet-type houses has already lagged behind modern requirements for a long time. For example, many household appliances require grounding. To do this, you need to change the electricity meter and extend an additional line that reinforces the power grid. In addition, conventional switches are no longer suitable for energy-saving lamps. In addition, aluminum wires in the secondary housing often live out their days: they become brittle, a short circuit may occur. Such wiring will have to be changed to copper. You also need to pull out all the wires from under the wallpaper and baseboards. They must be hidden in a special box.
Windows
Wooden windows need to be replaced along with the boxes, as they have long served. It is important to clean everything out from under the openings so that the fungus does not multiply. Do not forget about supply ventilation, which is responsible for air exchange in the apartment. She’s not in old houses! In order not to be tormented by sounds from the street, you can order a double-glazed window.
Doors
To avoid hearing the elevator or neighbors, it is best to put a regular additional door in addition to the front door.
Pipes
Replacing pipes is the most painful issue. After all, over time, scale is deposited in them, which destroys from the inside. To avoid falling victim to sewer odors, upgrade your fan pipes (the section of the pipeline that connects the sewage system to the atmosphere. – Approx. ed.) and plums. And, of course, take care of replacing the gas pipe in the kitchen.
Prefinishing finishing
In Soviet times, you can sometimes see the following picture: wallpaper is pasted on top of newspapers. To get rid of the remnants of the past, it is necessary to remove everything that is under the wallpaper, down to the concrete itself. Then prime, plaster, saturate with anti-mold agents, seal cracks and level. The same procedure must be done with the ceiling.
“Of course, the apartment is different,” adds Nadezhda Zhdanova. – The cost of repairs depends on the available budget. If you are willing to fork out for really high quality materials, then the costs will be impressive. Let me remind you that in the secondary housing, part of the costs, in addition to basic repairs, was spent on dismantling the killed interior and getting rid of garbage. In the new house, this does not need to be done, since there are pipes and electrical wiring. But in the secondary housing it is not always necessary to make a new screed, change windows, and so on. It all depends on the condition of the apartment in which you got it. “