Two tips to keep in mind if you plan to renovate an old building

Posted on: 8 September 2018

Renovating a very old building can be extremely challenging. Here are some tips that should help you with this process.

Make sure the plumbing system is in good working order before the electrical contractors rewire the building

Due to the fact that the electrical wiring in a property will usually deteriorate quite a lot over the course of a few years, you will probably need to have some electrical contractors replace your building's wiring. However, before you do this, you should closely inspect the condition of the existing plumbing system, and then fix or replace any damaged sections of pipes that you discover. 

If you install a new electrical wiring in a house with a very old and worn-out plumbing system, there is a risk that when the water is switched back on after the electrical work has been completed, a pipe may either leak or burst open.

If this should happen, some or all of the new electrical system could be destroyed by the water from the burst pipe. This could not only be very dangerous for anyone who happens to be in the house at the time (as they could be electrocuted if they come into contact with this water), but would also result in you having to replace the brand-new electrical wiring, repair the broken part of the plumbing system and pay to have any water damage fixed, too.

In short, failing to examine the condition of the plumbing system before your electrical contractors rewire the building could have disastrous and very expensive consequences.

Check the stability of the flooring systems before performing work on upper floors

Most flooring systems are made up of timber components. Over time, these components may weaken if they are exposed to water (in the form of dampness, flooding, leaks or humidity) or if they are attacked by termites.

The older a building is, the more likely it is that its flooring systems will be in poor condition and will, as a result of this, be very unstable. Because of this, it is vital to check the stability of the building's upper flooring systems before you instruct your renovation team to start working on them.

If you don't and one of the upper floors is unstable, there is a chance that it might collapse under the weight of your team's bodies and their heavy equipment. This could result in several of these people being very badly hurt.

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