🇬🇷 Renovating OUR 1970's Home in Athens, Greece. Budget, Plans, Costs. Video 1.

[@stefanieplumley4955]

Thanks for sharing - I’m looking forward to seeing the process!

[@GreeceExplored]

we start properly with builders 109th March, I hope that work will be complete by easter and then fit out (me) will be May and June. Need to finish by end June, I want to go to the Beach! (and it will be too hot).

[@jpaleas]

How exiting! Best of luck with the reno , I hope everything goes smoothly! Going a little over budget is always expected with renovations as there’s always hidden surprises! Those old buildings have amazing bone structures. I love the floors as well and had ikea in mind when you started to talk kitchen so 👍🏻on that ! Looking forward to see it all happen!

[@GreeceExplored]

Thank you, I am hoping so too, we will see, inevitably I suspect I will have to adapt and amend as we go!

[@slkonnaris8477]

It will be like night and day once you’ve finished the essentials to modernise things & have a bit more openness when the wall is removed. Exciting stuff - I really hope it all goes nice and smoothly & then you and your family can have the summer to relax. Having good contacts for doing the works has to be a big help

[@GreeceExplored]

I hope so too, starting with the builders 10th March, a little stressful I suspect until we get properly into it!

[@JohnAleman1]

Interesting hope it all goes well and of course will be interesting to see the finished result 🍻

[@GreeceExplored]

I am hoping to!...........

[@boomme3598]

New subscriber. Looks like a great plan and i am looking forward to following along. What makes you want to spend time in Athens in the off season?

[@GreeceExplored]

We spend most of out time in the Peloponnese, but November to March it is a bit dead around us, everything closes and the place is really quiet, we are not in a big town, Nafplio is about 25 mins drive.

[@estelsaradop492]

It's terribly depressing 😢 Can't wait to see your transformation. Please be armed with PATIENCE 🙏

[@GreeceExplored]

Thank you, it needs to be moved on, as such.

[@nm5612]

We are all Going through these struggles

[@GreeceExplored]

Yep, need to move it on

[@mresuport]

Very nice apartment, it has all you need, almost. I was thinking before you say it to link the kitchen with living, your plan sounds great but dam there will be a lot of headache ! Wish you all the best !

[@GreeceExplored]

Thanks, it has potential, my challenge is not to over invest in it, which I will absolutely do, in fit out, lighting (v important) some bathroom and kitchen detailing I guess.... starting 10th March (I hope) and will have regular update vids on it, - drama makes views, but I don't really want any!

[@Jughead24]

Looks ready to live in to me. But what fun to remodel

[@GreeceExplored]

Maybe the camera doesn't show just how, old it is, plus it has no kitchen!

[@bernadettehumby7844]

Nice one Andrew, good luck with the renovation, here in the Netherlands you would probably have to double your costs ,and some more, it’s good that you have a great contact as here, getting work done is a bit of a nightmare regarding time schedules . Will you be spending more time in Athens ? Looking forward to watching your progress Andrew ,All the very best. 👍👍

[@GreeceExplored]

Thanks, Time management id my biggest concern, I am hoping to get the foundational work completed by easter, and then move onto to fit out after, we will see, plus I need to run every day and film.... will probably spend more time in Athens off season, yes.

[@87gpad]

Gr8 job m8

[@GreeceExplored]

Time will tell... what needs to be done stresses me a little.

[@ganoostermoppy4325]

I swear by IKEA, I would not use any other supplier, people don’t realise how good the product is. Please make this a separate series of every bit of work done with costings and also all the delays that might happen as well as the unforeseen, Greece has a reputation for ‘drama’ and I’m hooked for the ride. I renovated my mom’s apartment in Athens last year and that was an eye opener.

[@GreeceExplored]

I like Ikea too, and for once I have 2 close to me, before it was a 4 hours round trip... I am hoping becuase my friend is organising, the delays will be minimised, we wills see.... I do plan to cover the reno with several vids!

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

@@GreeceExplored Hmmm... I feel it's the opposite. IKEA cupboards and furniture are built to a cost and intended to last for a couple of years - maybe more if you do not punish them (read: use) much. They are not cheap either. Since you still have access to the entire apartment, you can check the original kitchen cupboards and compare their construction (probably made with a solid wood frame and perhaps either solid wood or hollow construction door panels because that was normal in the '70s) and then check and compare to those made by IKEA. The same applies to the hallway wardrobes you are planning to rip out. Making these today would cost you (random guess) a cool three grand, if you could find someone to do the work and I doubt it would ever be to the same standard. Compare these to IKEA wardrobes? There is no comparison. Apartments built in the '70s were generally very good constructions. Two main weaknesses: no external wall insulation and lesser earthquake resistance (due to less concrete and steel used and different laws and rules) although general building skills and concrete quality back then could be argued to be superior. Having said that, external doors and windows are made of good quality wood and would have offered great insulation if they had been made with double glazing (not a thing back then). Aluminium windows must have a thermal interruption construction to offer similar thermal insulation on their frame (plain aluminium frames do not offer thermal insulation on their frame, quite the opposite, but you probably still save heat overall due to the superior double-glazing glass panes). These are more expensive than regular aluminium windows and have a theoretically shorter lifetime. Unfortunately, adding double glazing to the existing wooden windows is probably neither feasible nor economical. There are modern solutions with engineered wood but these are fantastically expensive.

[@GreeceExplored]

@@Stelios.Posantzis Look nothing is made of the same materials as in the 70's. I worked in the furniture / home manufacturing industry for 10 years, and Ikea is generally great value for money, as long as you know what you are buying. for the money, their kitchens are some of the best. Our aluminium windows are thermally broken and the original wooden 53 years old and are shot. I much prefer good aluminium over uPVC or wood. Wood can be great, but god the maintenance... I agree re. earthquake concers, it worries me, but can't really do much about it, 1996 was when the rules re. tying foundation beams together were first introduced (as draft 2000 full law). I have considered external insulation and render, but out Structural engineer has advised agains ti, fur to moisture concerns and being able to rectify, spot damage if needed... Hoping the windows actually closing will help a lot...

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

​@@GreeceExplored I agree with your engineer's assessment: insulation (generally made of plastic) creates a moisture barrier which usually means moisture problems down the road. If your wooden windows are shot, then aluminium is the most economical replacement. uPVC can last only so long before they need replacement again and are not significantly cheaper. As for IKEA, at one point nearly all my furniture was IKEA so I have strong opinions on this. Yes, I totally agree with you that you need to know and understand what you're getting for your money when you buy IKEA. You also need to account for all the cyclic HCs that their particle boards, MDF, paints etc. emit which you will come to notice if you have many such pieces in an enclosed space: make sure you ventilate the rooms often. Having said all that, there are IKEA pieces that can make economical sense: it's hard to argue with the prices for the Ektorp sofas, some of their beds, tables or chairs, or the Ivar shelves (the last are not cheap, but are good value for money), etc. However, all their melamine coated stuff generally do not wear well and any particle board shelving/drawer/closet units, well, I consider them overpriced. The problem is that solid wood alternatives cost a lot more when bought new, though they will last for a lifetime. Buying second hand furniture can be an economical option but many people reject it out of hand, so it's not a solution for everyone.

[@howardsportugal]

Not sure if these costs & EPCs apply to all of Greece but that is crazy expensive compared to Portugal - Sending you all the best!

[@niko-time]

May I make a suggestion? I think you're knocking down the wrong bedroom wall. Keep the room with the 2 beds as your bedroom, as it gives you more privacy being down the hall. I don't like walking past bedrooms to get to the living areas. Connect the kitchen to the room with the TV/1 bed by knocking down that wall as well as getting rid of the sliding door portion to open it up more. That way you have a nice open space when you first enter the unit!!! Best of luck either way. Nic from Kalamata

[@GreeceExplored]

We considered it, the layout was originally that, but to knock through the other wall is potentially expensive, all the services currently run though it, and the Structural Engineer told us we would likely need an RSJ which is expensive... where as the other wall needs no support for above as there is already a structural lintel. We also decided that we want to use the largest room for the living space, the back room is 25% larger. the entire apartment is to the back of the building so hopefully will be as quiet as it will get in Athens. We don't plan to live there full time, just use it to have a place in Athens, we live in the Peloponnese usually.

[@1297klr]

Very helpful and thank you Andrew. We have an apartment in Athens that was also built in the 70s I think. We bought it 6-7 years ago. The apartment is in Zografou I am debating whether to sell or renovate it so that it can be used for our visits to Athens. Now the apartment is rented and the return is really good. And the renovation prices in Athens are not cheap at all. I am following what you are posting and it is really interesting.

[@GreeceExplored]

The estate agents we consulted were desperate for us to sell it as is, which tells me there is money to be made in renovating, though we plan to keep it and use it as an off season bolt hole, at least for the foreseeable. I did read a recent article stating the average increase in value on an appropriate 70's renovation in Athens is 58%, area and size dependant.

[@geogeo2299]

Kalispera Andrew! Yep, that is a typical 70s apartment, and my guess is that 20k is a realistic budget for re-shaping it! I'd maybe add 5k more for safety!

[@GreeceExplored]

Yeah, I think we will be in at about 22k, but in the end it depends on what we want to finish with furniture wise etc. had a bit of a hit on legal costs, but more on than next video.

[@geogeo2299]

@@GreeceExplored Well sure thing is you're going to find yourself in the position of choosing between multiple fixes to a given problem, and you'll be thinking "Since I got into building it, I'd better build it once and for all" - then opting for the more expensive and quality solution because hey, it's your dear home! PS- and the wife will be pleased too!

[@GreeceExplored]

@@geogeo2299 Yes exactly, and I am a sucker for a nice light, or smart light bulb, lighting makes all the difference and I like a smart home, (Home Assistant if you know that) control and manage from a tablet etc. never comes cheap but buy once, buy right.

[@geogeo2299]

@@GreeceExplored Ouch, the budget is rising dangerously 🤣 One can easily spend 2k on hiring a lighting expert to design the proper lighting for his space.... Looking forward for updates my friend!

[@Siss2012]

Oh no, don’t rip out the toilet, I adore this seventies vibe of your it! Toilet and floors should stay as they are imo!

[@GreeceExplored]

I did think about the tiles, but they have to come out to access the plumbing, plus many are cracked.

[@Siss2012]

@ ok, you are right!

[@ann-marieseidou6601]

In which area of Athens is the property located?

[@howardsportugal]

@@ann-marieseidou6601 no KZbinr gives exact locations 😑

[@GreeceExplored]

Northern Suburbs ;)

[@nm5612]

You definitely need aluminia as the first Reno, and I think the living room should be in the front of the house you don’t want guest walking all the way down the corridor

[@GreeceExplored]

the end room is larger and we don't anticipate a lot of guests, wit will be a weekend or short term place for us o crash when in Athens, The structure means it is very expensive to go through the wall into the other room.

[@dkib2006]

Αre you going to remove the double ceiling in the bathroom?

[@GreeceExplored]

No, I planned to, but then when I looked at it I realised it is made of 4 inches of reinforced poured concrete... (storage above)... v expensive to do, and then replace higher because an 18 inch concrete lintel runs along the length in the middle above it.

[@MM-lw3ve]

Leave it as it is it might come back in fashion.

[@GreeceExplored]

It needs some improvement, the floors though, I plan to mostly keep.

[@E-T18]

Can you pass along the business information for you electrical engineer contact?

[@GreeceExplored]

I will ask him

[@issith7340]

You are good ng to spend more than 20.000 euros for what you want to do. Nobody is making electrics and plumbing fir 5000 only.

[@GreeceExplored]

The prices are already agreed, actually 4.5k plus materials, abut 5k total - mates rates.

[@alexandros6000-l6w]

I think it will all cost you 25-30 thousand

[@GreeceExplored]

I think we will end up at about 22k, I have costed it pretty accurately... had a bit of a hit, but more on that next video.

[@alexandros6000-l6w]

@@GreeceExplored Renovations in Greece are relatively cheap. For sure IKEA is a great place for interior. Wish you to enjoy the renovation and thank you for your nice videos

[@survive-1-day-at-a-time]

The product is good? And ugly and low quality