Renovation of an old wood villa."It was cheaper than 60 m2 in Krakow"

Real estate is more expensive at a very fast pace, especially in large cities.According to Eurostat data, in the years 2010–2020 the average prices of flats in the EU went up almost 29 percent.In Poland, these increases were very similar to the EU average, but in countries such as Estonia, Luxembourg or Hungary, the differences are even greater (+113 percent respectively., +100 percent.and +91 percent.).That is why alternative ways to your own angle, which we show in the "Live different" series, are so popular.So far we wrote M.In about year -round yurts or houses for notification.

Live differently: a wooden house in the countryside for renovation

Now we talked to Indulis Kreslins, who together with his family moved out of the Krakow apartment and renovated the old wooden villa in the Podkarpackie village.

Drewniana willa na podkarpackiej wsiFoto: Indulis Kreslins

I know that you have lived in large cities for years.Why at some point did you decide to renovate the old wooden house in the countryside and move there with your family?

Indulis Kreslins: In fact, I grew up in Riga, then studied in London, where I met my wife, with whom I moved to Krakow.We have only been living in the Podkarpackie village for seven years.Why did we move there?Initially, we bought this house as a summer.We partially renovated it and came here for weekends and holidays, but we did not want to go back to the city that we finally decided to stay here permanently.In Krakow, we had a rather spacious, 5-room apartment, but the house turned out to be much more comfortable.However, this is a 120-meter free-standing village villa, which in the 1930s.The twentieth century was built by a railway engineer, so its architecture was completely different than the rest of the surrounding houses.This can be seen not only after the area and very good proportions, but also the number and size of windows, which in ordinary huts were much smaller, because the glass was then a very expensive, luxurious commodity.

SypialniaFoto: Indulis Kreslins

In addition, I have always dreamed of my own garden, which I could use throughout the year, not just during weekends.The health of our children, which suffered quite hard in the type of allergic asthma associated with smog and in Krakow, we had a problem with their cough, while it was not.

Why did you decide to renovate an old wooden house, was it not easier to buy something newer or put a completely new one?

It certainly wouldn't be easier nor cheaper.Besides, I always wanted to have a house with character.I spent a lot of time in Great Britain, where respect for historical buildings is much greater than our region.

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The family lives in the house for a notification."He was cheaper than a studio"Foto: Robert Becker

The family lives in the house for a notification."He was cheaper than a studio"

We chose the village of Rogi in Podkarpacie, which is located 6 km from Krosno, where my wife still has parents, so we have been here very often.We bought this house from the children of his previous owner, who did not need him after her death.The building required a thorough renovation, but from historical tissue it was possible to save the entire window, interior door, beams, load -bearing elements and craating.When we repaired the roof, I found historical tiles, it was the same with the so -called.gąsiors.I just like this atmosphere.

Say more about the renovation of your home.

We did not interfere in the facade or windows that were simply cleaned, sanded and painted.It was also necessary to replace about half of the windows that were cracked.Thanks to this, from the outside, the house looks identical as during construction, which was confirmed by a neighbor from the opposite direction, who is the cousin of the previous owner.

Drewniana willa w czasie remontuFoto: Indulis Kreslins

I did not agree to anything that would interfere with the historical tissue and visual appearance of this building, although many people told me that I should insulate it with polystyrene and plaster, and the windows change to plastic.It was extremely important to me.One of the reasons why I fell in love with this house was also a beautiful old roof.However, it was a bit damaged, so you had to replace about 200 tiles and all Gąsiui, but as I mentioned, I was able to find those that fit.

What about the interior?

Here, too, one of the conditions for me was to leave the entire internal door joinery in the original condition.

Oryginalna stolarka drzwiowaFoto: Indulis Kreslins

Of course, she was also cleaned and painted, but exclusive with old -fashioned oil paints that shine, not some modern mat or something like that.The arrangement of the rooms was also the same as before.

What is the character and interior of the interior?

We focused on the rural style because everything had to fit together.We have, for example.A bed forged by a blacksmith with Art Nouveau, rural decorations.We also have oak dressers from the 1930s.

Komoda z lat 30.Foto: Indulis Kreslins

Children's rooms look a little different because we had to think about functionality here.On a good morning we installed, for example,.historic wardrobes, but they didn't work because they were just too small.So you had to make large nickel wardrobes in which our 17-year-old daughter takes place for all her clothes and various trinkets.

Szafa wnękowa w jednym z pokojów dla dzieciFoto: Indulis Kreslins

It is similar in his son's room, but he has at least a desk from the era.For my daughter I couldn't find a similar one anymore, because she needed one at 2.5 meters long, and she didn't want.In the children's rooms there is a little less of this rural decor, but in the dining room, living room or our bedroom we managed to maintain this style.

How much money did you put on buying real estate and renovation?

We bought a house with a plot of land that has 22 ares for 135,000.zloty.The building, however, was in such a state that we spent about 200 thousand on renovation.zloty.Everything together cost a little less than at that time you had to pay for a 60-meter apartment in Krakow.But we have a really large house, which is 120 m2 on the ground floor and about 100 m2 in the attic, where you could easily make an attic, but there was no such need.For this we also have a covered terrace, which is up to 36 m2.

TarasFoto: Indulis Kreslins

As for the costs of renovation, you have to be aware that it was not just cleaning and painting the whole.It was a villa in a terrible condition, from which everything had to be wiped, pour new concrete, lay the floors and insulate the walls from the inside.Besides, all electrics, which was installed in the 1930s, was replaced.using dangerous aluminum cables.It was similar with the gas system and water heating.We also had to dig a new deep well.There was an old well here before, but so much that it was not enough for the whole family with children, washing machine, etc..

Wnętrze willi przed remontemFoto: Indulis Kreslins

What is the difference between a flat in the countryside and a flat in the city?

It is different, but it suits me very much.There is certainly a much greater sense of community.Most people have lived here for a long time and everyone knows each other because they are related, they are friends or work together.It is also safer.The Krosno poviat is the most safe poviat in Poland when it comes to forensic statistics.So we were never afraid, for example,.to play children on a bicycle to a school a few kilometers away, we just didn't have to worry about it at all.I don't have to talk about the fact that it is more green, because it's quite obvious.

OgródFoto: Indulis Kreslins

Did your children also like a flat in the countryside?

Daughter not too much.Initially, she liked it here, but as she grew up, she began to say that she would prefer to live in Krakow or another big city.He is now going to the 3rd grade of the high school in Krosno, but so far it does not bind his future with these areas.Maybe it's age, I didn't think about living in the countryside.

Składany basen na podwórkuFoto: Indulis Kreslins

It is completely different in the case of our 12-year-old son.Sometimes, of course, he has such ideas that he would prefer to a large city, but he integrated much better with this place, because he was only 4 years old when we moved.It is often in Krakow or Warsaw and he likes it very much, but he also likes to come back.

What are the disadvantages of living in such an old house?

Our historical windows are some difficulty.They are constructed so that there is one opening glass first, then a 20 cm break and the other open to the glass.As a result, washing them is not comfortable, which with their number is a downside.The second issue concerns interior architecture.We have a similar layout as it was in old manor houses.Therefore, all rooms have between 12 and 18 m2, which is why one really large one, which could fit, for example.A spacious table with space for 20 people.We solved this problem by buying another old hut in Podkarpacie.I arranged a summer museum "woolen house" with a large open space in the middle and a collection of Polish weaving that I collect.We often go there, but from time to time we also rent it to those willing.

After such experience, do you have any universal advice for people who think about a similar investment?

Let's start with the fact that I renovated the first old house in 2011.and the second in 2018.So I know that something that you definitely need to do in such a situation and what I did not do is to estimate prices at the current level.I burned a lot on this because the work hour of the builder in 2011. kosztowała jakieś 14-18zloty, tymczasem w 2018 r. już około 35zloty.The prices of building materials came, which increased much more than in the case of other products at that time.Therefore, before the renovation, you need to do a really deep research.

"Wełniany Dom"Foto: Indulis Kreslins

It is definitely worth sireing for the opinion of a specialist.For example.It came to the fact that I would have to replace the entire roof and all windows and strengthen the building structure, it would cost all more.That is why the important thing I did when buying the first house was to bring an architect and a construction engineer who made me a full inventory.I got a document from them on 26 pages, in which the arrangement of rooms was drawn with a detailed description of what it is in, what you need to do, etc..Thanks to this, the renovation was much simpler, because I didn't have to call the construction site every now and then.I just knew where I was standing, i.e. what are the window openings, what are the holes for the door or how many boards I need for the floor.This is very important, especially if you want to keep historical tissue.

Drewniana willa na podkarpackiej wsiFoto: Indulis Kreslins

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