We tell about the main nuances that it is worth considering during various transformations in apartments, including "Stalinki", "Khrushchev" and "Brezhnev".
Minor repairs
Under small repair, it is usually implied "stream" things that inevitably arise in every home: repair of plumbing, replacement and repair of household appliances, repair of lamps and sockets, fixing furniture. Usually such actions do not require changes to the usual lifestyle, moving from the apartment and large investments.
As a rule, replace the crane or hang a new chandelier can the owner of the house and without the help of third-party helpers. Sometimes this feature performs "Husband for an hour" - a call wizard for fine repair. In any case, a lot of money and time is not required for this, but the need is sooner or later each occurs.
Photo: Artisan Custom Homes
Redecorating
In order to understand what kind of cosmetic repair is enough to "apply" to the indigenous word - cosmetics. It is used to look better, more beautiful, hide the existing shortcomings. The same goal is used at the start of cosmetic repair, only instead of powder and lipstick - wallpaper and glue, ceramic tiles or paint.
Any room with time requires updates, and new curtains no longer cope with this task. As a rule, such a need arises once every 5-7 years in a country house or in a new building, when it makes sense to make a temporary repair first, because often only the built house is subject to "shrinkage" and the capital finish began to begin inappropriate.
Cosmetic Repair is a cheaper way to change the room, and when it does not require complex redevelopment or alignment of the floors, they resort to this method of transfiguration of the apartment.
Design: Bradshaw Designs
What work refers to cosmetic repair
We give a list of works, which, according to specialists, do not require much time and high costs, are related to cosmetic improvements:
Among the ceiling works - staining, ceiling pasting with wallpaper and the creation of simple suspended structures that can be made with their own hands;
Wall works in cosmetic repair may include pasting with wallpaper, spitting, staining of walls;
Among the simple actions with the "refreshment" of the floor, laying laminate, staining of the old coating, repair and laying of the new tile;
Simple work with plasterboard can also be made in the process of cosmetic repair - this is usually the installation of plasterboard shelves or the construction of partitions in the room, for example, for the dressing room in the bedroom;
In the process of cosmetic repairs, you can also go to electrical work if electricity wiring has already been made - replace outlets, connect new light bulbs;
Replacing doors, staining of old doors or windows also refer to cosmetic repairs, replacing windows today is a fairly simple process, takes one day and does not require long preparation.
Design: Bradshaw Designs
The advantages of cosmetic repair
The first and most important advantage of cosmetic repairs - it can be made with his own hands. Simple actions like pasting walls with wallpaper or their painting do not require special knowledge or skills, most families today make it on their own. It may turn out a bright and attractive interior, just to paint the walls just.
Design: MHOUSE INC
The second plus is the flexibility of the budget. A large range of building materials allows you to update the interior without resorting to the services of designers and building brigades. Depending on the work plan, the budget can be very small, for example, several wallpaper rolls and glue. If there is also a replacement of doors or plumbing, then the estimate will increase, but again without complex building manipulations, it can mastered almost every modern family.
What can complicate the process
In the process of repair, you always need to be ready to change the plan in the course of work, what can complicate the process?
First, the quality of the walls. If you decide to punish a new wallpaper or put a tile, you will have to remove the old coating, and depending on the state of the wall to make a further solution. So, if the walls are made of the old shell, they will have to additionally shock or "strengthen" the wall using the reinforcing grid.
Secondly, the floor. If the house is old, perhaps "cosmetics" will not succeed. For example, most of the buildings of the 1940s were built with a floor of wooden beams, and just put a new laminate - not a way out, you will have to make a screed. A good option to speed up the process will be dry screed, and not cement: it is light and allows you to align the floor to perfect smoothness.
Photo: Coswick.
Overhaul
As a rule, in the process of overhaul, the floor and walls are aligned, the replacement of all coatings, the old walls are demolished and new, unite the balcony with a residential room, change pipes and wiring, as well as much more. Overhaul will help to transform an apartment beyond recognition, but it will require money and time, be ready for it. The process rarely takes less than a month or two, and this is at best.We agree in advance that starting overhaul, you can not save on 4 things:
- entrance door;
- good windows;
- electrical wiring;
- Pipes and batteries.
If some of these items be made in a bad quality, it can ruin life long before you decide on new alterations, even if cosmetic.
As a rule, overhaul is required in the so-called "secondary" - apartments in the houses of the "Old Fund", Stalinki, Khrushchev, Brezhnev. Any house built more than 15-20 years ago requires capital intervention at the entrance.
Features of overhaul in "Stalinki"
The so-called Stalinants are a broad definition. These include all the buildings laid down in the days of Stalin, but most often, saying "Stalin's", we mean beautiful architectural ensembles in ampir style. The history of this architectural period has absorbed a lot of experiments, among whom were not very successful, so they will have to eliminate them if you want to live with comfort and make an apartment, respectively, modern standards.
The first difference is overlaps. As a rule, they were made with wooden beams, rarely metallic. The second is the material of the exterior walls. If they are made of ceramic bricks are good, slag blocks and clay - already worse, as the safety of such buildings is questioned. Ordinary recommendations for such houses - to open everything, examine, clean and strengthen. And only after that conduct decorative work, otherwise the repair will have to repeat, and very soon.
Ancient pipes, poor ventilation are also characteristic of houses, which in accelerated mode were built into the first shock "five-year plates". Most often in apartments of such buildings are high ceilings (3-3.2m) and thick walls, as well as large windows. In addition, the planning in Stalinki is also good: rarely there are adjacent rooms and rooms spacious - these are very good advantages for the future interior of the room, they should not be not appreciated.
Paul in Stalinka should be disassembled, it is better to spend time at this time, get to the "base" - naked concrete of overlaps, and do everything again. Yes, expensive and long, but necessary, especially if it is the first floor, a former communal apartment, a kitchen or an entrance hall.
The wiring will also require a replacement, and since we have agreed not to save on this point, you will have to be thus investigated. The main problem of houses built in the Stalin Epoch is the lack of power of electrical networks for modern use. Boilers, washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, kettles and other household appliances require sufficient electricity, and during the construction of "Stalinok" a limit of no more than 3 kW was allocated to any apartment. You will have to reinforce the wiring to use all devices with comfort.
By the way, in such houses there can be a gas column in the bathroom. Modern requirements such a location does not match, you will have to carry it into the kitchen.
Photo: The Sofa & Chair Company
Features of overhaul in "Khrushchev" and "Brezhnevka"
If the house is not an emergency and does not get first of all renovation, the overhaul will surely need a major overhaul. Plan a solid rework you need to consider the features of the planning. Compared with the architectural ensembles of the Stalin Times, the ceilings "Khrushchev" and "Brezhnev" are low, up to 2.5 meters, and the kitchens are miniature, often from 5 to 7 square meters. In addition, there are often layouts with adjacent rooms.
Given the modern necessity, most likely wants to expand the kitchen, and inside the apartment to make redevelopment.
Design: TESS BETHUNE INTERIOR
According to the rules, it is impossible to make the kitchen from the residential room, you can only combine two rooms and make the kitchen-living room, but to transfer all communications to another room the official bodies will not be allowed, but it is better not to risk themselves better - there will be problems with neighbors, and with subsequent sale.
As for the floor - at that time, the builders have not yet put a linoleum or parquet directly on the concrete screed, usually there is a floor between two coatings, and it performs the function of additional sound insulation. If you change the coating, it is better to check the safety of this flooring and replace if necessary.
Walls between apartments are usually bearing, and sound insulation is not bad. Wiring, if made of copper, can still serve, but aluminum wires need to be changed, especially if a large number of home appliances are planned after repair.
Heating and pipe batteries will also have to be replaced. Today, metal elements are no longer relevant, much stronger and durable special plastic.
In the process of overhaul, removing the old wall covering or replacement of doors may turn out to be a naked wall or an old door can serve in your new interior. For example, in the style of Loft, it will be interesting to look at the "naked" brick or gray concrete, and in the Scandinavian style aged door, a sinner and painted fresh paint, it will complement the interior, add vintage and chic. Try to notice such moments, some finds will make your new apartment even more beautiful and more interesting.
Design: Studio Ggem
