Comparison of new and refurbished buildings: energy and technology

New houses often convince with a very high standard, while older buildings often need renovation in the area of energy and technology. Energy efficiency has a very high priority when building or renovating a house. For new buildings, there are regulations that every builder must comply with. For example, an energy-efficient heating system must be installed in combination with a solar thermal system. There are also requirements for the insulation of the exterior walls, the roof and the windows. In the context of a renovation, you can also comply with the specifications. There is currently no legal regulation for renovations. However, building owners benefit from significantly lower energy costs. Since the costs increase regularly, you will save a large part of the investment again over the years. In addition, you make an important contribution to the preservation of the environment.

Independence from the energy supplier

Many building owners would like to be largely independent of the energy supplier. They also like to avoid buying oil, especially since the tanks needed for oil heating take up valuable space in the basement or in an outbuilding. In addition, gas and oil heating systems are not counted as renewable energies. Heat pump heating systems are becoming increasingly popular. You can opt for air heat or geothermal heat.

Cost recovery through solar thermal system

Heat pump heating systems require electricity to operate. In many regions it is possible to extract geothermal heat. Air source heat pumps are installed as an alternative. The high energy costs required to operate the heat pump are covered in whole or in part by a solar thermal system. This is installed on the roof of the house or an outbuilding. The electricity is fed directly into the heating system and the energy circuit of the house.

Power surplus or resource shortage?

If more electricity is produced than necessary on bright days, this can be stored in a battery. If the solar power is not sufficient, the capacities in the battery are accessed. Only when these capacities are also exhausted is the service of a local or national supplier required. This means that you have to sign a contract. However, you only use this for a few weeks a year.

Solar thermal system and heat pump heating: an economical combination!

If you install a high-performance solar thermal system in combination with a high-quality battery, you can operate your heating system for most of the year without additional energy costs if you use energy sparingly. In addition, the combination of solar thermal system and heat pump heating meets high energy efficiency requirements. You use renewable energies and relieve the grid by producing and storing your own electricity.

Technical annex

The demands on the technical installations in houses and apartments have risen sharply in recent years. The possibilities of technical installations are very diverse. During a renovation, all electrical wiring should be replaced. New cabling for the installation of a network or for elements of the smart home system can be laid in cable ducts or under the floor. This makes it easier to install or expand components at a later date.

Commission a specialist to safeguard your system

When installing a technical system, protection is very important. This is especially true for powerful appliances such as the electric stove. The washing machine and dishwasher should also be installed safely. With these devices, water and electrics work together and under no circumstances should an electric shock occur. The design and installation of the fuses should be done by a professional. A main fuse is required to protect the entire electrical system. In addition, the circuits are provided with individual fuses.

Modern systems look better in the exposé

It is advisable to completely replace older security systems with new components. This not only serves the security, but also has a positive effect on the resale value of the house. Modern systems from the field of energy and technology find a special mention in the exposé and increase the purchase price for the property. Potential buyers are willing to pay a little more for a house that is technically up to date.

Further information on the subject of house building

Here you will find further information and tips on the subject of house building.

Building materials: concrete, wood, stone, glass and plastics

Building materials are indispensable for the new construction of a house, but also for the renovation. Materials such as wood, stone and concrete are predominantly used. But plasterboard, glass and various plastics are also used. Building owners can influence the type of building materials. Basically, it is important that you pay attention to high quality. It doesn’t matter whether you are overseeing the construction of a new house or opting for the renovation of an existing building. The building materials used are usually used for decades. They are exposed to a very high degree of stress, both on the outside and inside. When using building materials that have qualitative limitations, minor renovations are often necessary at short intervals. You can prevent this by selecting high-quality building materials.

• Click here for the article Building Materials.

Interior fittings for new buildings and renovations

The interior finishing of the house includes the design of the walls, ceilings and floors. In addition, the installation of the electrical systems, the heating and the water circuit takes place. Stairs and doors are installed and fixed fixtures are integrated in the kitchen and bathroom. When building a house, interior finishing takes about the same amount of time as the construction of the building up to the topping out ceremony. The interior fittings can be very individually designed by the builder. Not only with a new building, but also in the context of a reorganization a new planning of the interior fittings is possible. If an extensive renovation with a change in the internal structure of the house is planned, the house should be empty for the period of the construction work. Otherwise, the renovation will be difficult.

• Click here to go to the interior design article.

Insurance for house construction – for your safety

Most people are not aware that builders are generally liable for damage and accidents regardless of actual fault. Some insurances must therefore be taken out in advance to protect against risks so that the dream of owning your own home does not become a nightmare. But which insurances are obligatory to take out before the start of construction so that you can protect yourself?

Builder’s liability insurance – protection against accidents

Although your home is normally built by an external company, you are still liable for any damage caused by the construction site. If the excavation pit is not properly secured and a child falls in and breaks an arm, you are liable for the damage, even though it was not your fault. As the builder, you are legally obligated to ensure that the construction site is safe and to restore it if necessary. Private liability insurance does cover such damage, but only for very small construction sums up to 50,000 euros. In the case of a conversion or modernisation, this sum is sufficient, but you cannot build a new building from it. Therefore, protect yourself in advance with a so-called builder’s liability insurance. This takes over such damages and covers a building sum of usually 250,000 – 300,000 euros. Better be on the safe side, because an accident can happen faster than you think. Even if you have convinced yourself of the safety, you are probably not a professional and cannot assess the risk that exists. So that you do not expect any unpleasant surprises, take out the insurance before you start building.

Fire shell insurance – 2 in 1 insurance

Since the construction of a house usually takes a few months, the shell is exposed to a fire hazard. Damage to the shell by fire, lightning strikes or even explosions can cost the builder several 10,000 euros and delay the construction enormously. A lightning strike which causes a fire can lead to the fact that with the house building again completely from the beginning must be started. A bad idea, which is unfortunately more often reality, than one thinks. So in order to protect yourself as a builder against this danger, there is the fire shell insurance. With a normal house such damages would be covered by the building insurance, but not with a shell construction. Many insurance companies therefore offer fire shell insurance, which transfers directly to home insurance once the build is complete. A very good deal, then, in which you can cover many insurance claims during and after construction with one insurance policy. However, such insurance is not only important for you for financial and security reasons, but is also often required by banks in the loan, so that the construction loan is approved at all. Find the best rates: mortgage rates.

Construction work insurance – additional protection

A supplement to the fire shell insurance is the building performance insurance, because this takes over further cases that are not included in the fire shell insurance. Here, cases are insured, such as storm or flood damage, but also vandalism or construction and material defects are included. If materials are stolen from the building shell or if there is a riot in the building shell or things are broken into and destroyed, the building performance insurance will pay for the damages. These cases also happen more often than expected and it is better to protect yourself against them and play it safe than to run the risk of incurring additional costs.

Construction worker accident insurance – Insurance for helpers

When finishing the interior of the house, many builders rely on construction helpers, who can be friends or acquaintances, to save money. Acquaintances, family and friends who have experience in the field and know a thing or two about interior finishing are happy to help and thus facilitate the budget of the builder. However, it becomes problematic if the construction helpers get injured. If someone falls off a ladder or injures themselves with a tool, the first question is what insurance will cover it. In professional construction companies, the workers are covered by public liability insurance and accidents or injuries are covered by this. With construction workers, this is not the case and legally, the builder is liable first for accidents that happen in his home. Depending on the accident there can be huge costs to builders that were not factored in. So, anyone who is thinking of saving construction money by enlisting the help of friends or acquaintances to help with the interior work should consider in advance whether construction worker’s compensation insurance is not an option that should be used. It is better to invest a little money in insurance than to run the risk of being liable for damages yourself.

Liability insurance for land – Insuring against construction delays

Before the construction of a house can begin, a suitable plot of land must first be found. Since the plot is usually the first thing that is acquired, it is also the area that stands empty the longest. So, due to construction delays or the like, the already purchased plot is sometimes empty for months. Nevertheless, you are the owner and as the owner you have obligations that you must follow even if you are not yet using the property or living on it. For example, as the owner, you are required to shovel snow and clear and grit the sidewalks in the winter. If you don’t do this and someone slips and is injured, you are liable for the damage that occurs on your property. So take out liability insurance for your property when the start of construction is delayed or when there is a risk of such damage, for example when building in winter.

Compare insurances – find the best offer

In order to protect yourself from risks and additional costs besides the enormous costs for your own home, you should therefore consider some insurances that make sense for you depending on your life situation and house construction. Before you take out these insurances, however, you should find out exactly what is really included in the respective insurance and which offer is the best for you. Both online and with consultants, you can compare different insurance with each other and thus increase your chance of a cheap insurance. Even if the benefits of different insurance companies are usually similar, the insurance premiums differ enormously, which is why it is worth looking closely and compare. So play it safe, compare insurances and find the perfect one for you that can protect you from all possible risks and unexpected expenses.