Restoration, renovation and rehabilitation of old buildings

When the time comes to work on a building to improve its appearance, solidity or comfort, whether it's a detached house, apartment block, commercial building or historic building, the work can involve several different trades: changing windows or external insulation, adding a new storey, converting attic space, building a veranda, or even rebuilding after partial or total demolition.

This work can be considered as restoration, renovation, eco-renovation or rehabilitation.

• Catering

  This involves restoring a building to its original state, while respecting its construction logic. The aim is to halt the process of deterioration of a property, while at the same time consolidating it and bringing it up to new standards. Once the work has been completed, the building will be as good as new (figure 1 ).

• Renovation

  It involves making something new out of something old, and can lead to destroying everything if the need arises. Renovation is said to be "heavy" when it involves work that affects the structure: rebuilding the foundations, redoing a floor, knocking down a load-bearing wall, rebuilding the framework, replacing the roof, etc. Whether it's to maintain or refurbish a building, renovation improves its interior comfort and energy performance. Light or partial renovation involves work such as replacing plumbing and HVAC systems, refreshing the facade (figure 2 ), insulating the roof, etc. Complete renovation, on the other hand, involves redoing the entire interior of the building. It encompasses the work listed above, as well as the creation or removal of interior walls, changing partitions, etc. Renovation can be undertaken when buying a property, or when selling or letting a building. In this case, a complete renovation will enhance the value of the property. Interior renovation can also be considered in response to a particular event, such as a loss of autonomy requiring the installation of special equipment.

  Energy renovations can reduce a building's energy consumption. Better insulation of attics (figure 3 ), floors and walls can provide optimum thermal and acoustic comfort, while eliminating problems of dampness and cold.

• Ecorenovation

  It's an approach that suits all homeowners wishing...