Renovation

A renovation begins with evidence. We measure the existing building, trace visible column and beam lines, record cracks and damp, locate service shafts and compare the house with any available sanctioned or construction drawings. Where a structural change, added load or floor addition is being considered, an appointed structural engineer defines the investigation—often opening local finishes, reviewing reinforcement information or recommending tests. A visual walk-through alone cannot certify the capacity of a thirty-year-old structure.

The housing stock across Rohini, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Model Town and Ashok Vihar was built under different briefs and construction systems. Some homes have robust frames but compartmentalised rooms; some builder-floors share stairs, shafts and external walls with other owners; some earlier houses carry undocumented extensions. We prepare an as-built base and divide the wish list into non-structural moves, moves needing engineering, approval-sensitive changes and items that are technically possible but poor value. That feasibility stage protects the design budget from being spent on an impossible plan.

Good renovation design uses the retained building as a constraint and a resource. Wet rooms are planned against viable stacks, new openings respect load paths, floor build-ups account for thresholds and balcony drainage, and storage absorbs irregular walls instead of disguising them with lost space. Daylight improvements may come from widening a non-structural opening, borrowing light through internal glazing or clearing an enclosed rear utility—not automatically demolishing the most substantial wall in the house.

The drawing set distinguishes demolition, retention and new work so pricing is not based on guesswork. It includes temporary protection, making-good at junctions, waterproofing details, service diversions, new layouts and finishes. A room-by-room schedule records what happens to every floor, wall, ceiling, door, window, fixture and built-in. This is especially important in an occupied family property, where “retain existing” must say whether an item is protected in place, removed and stored, refurbished or reinstalled.

Unlike a new build, renovation exposes information as work opens up. We put early strip-out, investigation and sample approvals ahead of final procurement where possible, and carry a defined contingency rather than pretending every concealed pipe and slab edge is known. If a surprise affects structure, waterproofing or approvals, the relevant consultant reviews it before the contractor covers it. Variation decisions record the necessary repair, optional upgrade and programme effect separately so urgency is not used to blur scope.

Phasing depends on whether the family moves out. A full electrical and plumbing replacement, floor removal or extensive ceiling work is rarely compatible with safe occupation. Smaller work may be zoned, but temporary partitions, protected access, usable toilets and daily cleanup need their own cost and time. Society working hours, debris routes and lift restrictions are checked before tender. At the end, we test new services, inspect repaired damp and waterproofing areas, reconcile retained items and issue a snag list with access dates for correction.