French version: www.richardsander.canalblog.com

The restoration technique for apartment, or for build a villa, requires methodology and technical abilities in the various building trades.To supervise a project with a successful conclusion require to establish very precise specifications and a planning, followed by the capacity to manage the construction. Depending on whether the work realization is carried out by the owner, delegated to companies, or managed by an Architect, it will be necessary to use the services of a professional manager who has the ability to coordinate the contractors and the various steps of realization, hence the profession of:

PROJECT MANAGER

As a prelude to this lecture................
Welcome on my site dedicated to the restoration and works in villas, appartments and buildings. It is my passion reflect for this activity, and I wish to share it with all those which have a passion for architecture. It is possible for you to get in touch with me via my email address. I wish to exchange my knowledges, to learn from others enthusiasts, and answer to the technical questions that some people can be posed. This site is in a way my forum.Many photographs illustrate the articles. Click on them for have it full screen. Thus all the details will be visible.Do not hesitate to get in touch with me over: richardsander@free.fr

DREAM OFFICES

These design offices were carried out inside a space in its rough state. Before we started the works, the floor was dug, in order to increase the height under ceiling with the aim to create a mezzanine for have a double floor area. The building, 100 years old, is built on the rock. The digging was carried out with a rock breaker machine. The slab of the mezzanine was laid on steel throughs wich are set on iron beams and iron columns.

So the surface was increased over to 90m ², for reach a total area of 200m², and also the height under ceiling was conform in accordance with the Monaco's constructing rules.

It was in this rough state that we started the project.

The existing main staircase, like the one leading to the mezzanine, was not conform in accordance with the standards. We redrew it and submitted it to the engineering office, then we built it with lighthings set inside the risers. This concept was also done for the two staircases leading to the mezzanine. The floor is covered with an Italin tiling.

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The glazed partitions as well as the glazed doors are carried out with glass stadip (laminated glass). The shape wave design is carried out by sanding. Lighting spot rails are fitted under the ceilings. Wall lamps are fitted on the walls, conferring a soft and efficient light. The false beams are made out of staff, and integrate the ducts for the VMC system.

Two staircases give an access to the mezzanine. The company in charge for the glazed doors also supplied and fitted the stainless steel. The use of stainless steel for the parapets, the banisters, the handrails and the edge covering slab give to this mezzanine a deck ship look. This aspect is reinforced with the floating flooring.

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On the left side of the mezzanine, a false ceiling in BARRISOL blocks the view on the cut fire flocking. This cut fire flocking is a firewall for protect the wood beams and the wood floor structure of the level above. The walls and columns are painted in stucco.

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On the right side of the mezzanine. The other side of the ship. Through the windows we have a view on the avenue. The opposite windows look onto the shopping arcade. The whole windows are equipped with wood venetian blinds, wich are linked with the home automation system.

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On the ground floor a wide corridor leads to the living space. On the right side we have the access to the directorial office. Also we have a view on the second staircase leading to the other side of the mezzanine. Under this half-space stair, is located a cupboard. Its fire-door is half an hour firebreak in accordance with the safety rules.

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A high-tech kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, a refrigerator, an electric oven, a ceramic hob. This equipement gives a practical comfort to this office area.

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In the bottom are located two toilets, women and men separate, increasing the comfort of the office. The toilets are separated from the living area by an airlock, which is equiped with a wash-hand basin. The W-C is a suspended model. Stainless steel is still present. The directorial office is equipped with private toilets and shower.

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Inside the technical wall cupboard are fitted the electric general control panel , the sound system, the Internet equipment and phone equipment, the box for TV distribution, and several technical equipments. The air-conditioning system heats and cools the air for provide a soft comfort.

For built these offices we did not used the abilities of an designer architect. The owner had his personal design project. As a project manager I leaded the weekly meetings, wrote the minutes of meetings and sent it to the contractors. During the starting of the works, I leaded the meetings concerning the technical networks . Also I coordinated all of the works and checked the quality works according the rules for build. At the end of the works I managed the meetings of acceptance for works for the various trades, and also I was the owner representative during the meeting of the safety commission.
Started in February 2004, the works were finished in December of the same year.

BEFORE… DURING… AFTER…. The building site for the renovation of an apartment in the town center of Monaco. This apartment with an area of 293m ², and a terrace roof with an area of 230m ², has 1 living room / dining room, 4 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 3 bathrooms, 1 guest toilet, 1 staff room equiped with a bathroom, peripheral terraces arround the apartment, 1 terrace roof with a winter lounge and a veranda. This very old apartment had been uninhabited during 5 years. It was the subject for a total rehabilitation. The bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, staff room were demolished for a full restoration. The marbles of the apartment were all preserved. The parquet floors inside the rooms were restored. Two rooms separated by a partition wall were putted together, for become the master's room.




View on the living room before works and after works.

View on the corridor towards the rooms and bathrooms. Before works and after works.

View on the Master's bathroom. The partition wall was moved 1 meter on the left for increase the area in order to incorporate the new sanitarie furniture in it. The partition wall was rebuilt with waterproof plaster blocks.

The former summer lounge on the terrace roof is became a winter lounge. The floor has been covered with wood imitation tiling. The sliding door leading to the terrace was entirely renovated by our carpenter. In bad state, it has recovered its yesteryear splendour.

View on the guest toilets . The basin bowl is set down on the marble topwork “full black”.

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The marble staircase leading to the hall on level up. the exit towards the patio on the terrace roof.

The terrace roof . On the left picture a view on the entry to the winter lounge. On the southern side we have a view on the Mediterranean sea. On the right the view to the patio. To be continued in the next article ................... the restoration of the parquet floors of this apartment

Renovation of a parquet floor....................... When I arrived in the appartment, I noted that the parquet floors were in bad state and I had doubt about to restore them in the four rooms. On add at that the owner wished to remove the partition wall between two rooms with different design of parquet floor. In this room, part of the mosaic missed with the removing of an old chimney. This room was used as an office. .

The close room had a parquet floor with a different design with the office.

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For these two rooms we had an another problem. Because a no-compliance with the rules of construction, the rainwater had damaged the parquet floors along the french windows. We redone the waterproofing of the sills before to put the new french windows.

Regarding that the parquet floor was not the same between the two rooms, concerning the difficulty to manufacture a small area, we decided to create a new design parquet floor arround the room and also between the two parquet floors, in the goal to make a contrast between what exists and the new one. We cut up a band of parquet floor arround the rooms, in order to create carpets. This way allowed us to salvage wood elements for replace some damaged units and also to soften the view on the difference between the two rooms after demolition of the partition.

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During the examination of the parquet floor in one of the rooms, we discovered a wood in a perfect state of conservation. We protected the parquet floor until the day of the intervention of the contrator. For this surface only a simple sanding, follow-up with a varnishing were necessary.

At the end of the works the parquet floors had recovered their yesteryear gloss.

METHODOLOGY FOR THE RESTORATION OF AN APARTMENT.
The restoration of an apartment requires to coordonate all together of the contractors. We are going to shox you the different steps following the order of the works. The selected example is an apartment of which I managed the restoration in 2005. This apartment was built in 1970. Before to start the works I drew up a work list . I invite you to visit the flat.

The living room has an old-fashioned aspect. Faded paintings, although remade a few years before, the skirtings are made out of wood. They will be replaced by marble skirtings. The joineries of the doors will be checked. The ceiling has some cracks. We are in a building IGH with anti-earthquake structure concrete.



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The marble of the living room is in perfect state. It will be treated at the end of the works. The stone floor is a Perlato Royal marble. The skirtings will be ordered in the same career for match the new skirtings with the stone floor. After 35 years the Italian craftsmen are able to find the identical marble.

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The tiling of the kitchen is the same since 1970. The wall tiling will be replaced and the floor tiling also. We will take advantage of it for replace the pipes of water. The hung window will be replaced by a sliding window with sound and thermal insulation. The roller blind will be replaced by an electric model. The heating pipes will be checked (1,5 times upper the operating pressure). If any leak happens, the heating pipes will be treated.

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Like the same way as the kitchen, the wall tiling and the floor tiling of the toilets will be replaced. The W.C., the wash-hand basin and the accessories will be brought to the rubbish for destruction.




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The bathroom will be also entirely renovated.

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The loggia. The floor tiling will be replaced. The wall plasten on the right and on the low wall under handrail will be redone, as well as the greser under ceiling. Concerning the handrail, the foots inserted inside the concrete will be checked and the travertino caps on the low wall which have cracks will be replaced. The framing travertino of the sliding windows and the windows will be sanded and waxed.
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The bedroom. Like as the same way as the living room, we will replace all the wood skirtings by marble skirtings; The wall presents a defect about the painting. The coatings have been remade but without a primer. Consequently the paint applied directly on the substrate was flaky. This defect exists in several points of the apartment. So we have to made a complete checking for the substrates in order to have a good quality of the substrates before to carry out the painting. The chests of the radiators as well as the chests of the travelling shutters are made with plaster, which presents many cracks. The company in charge to carry out the paint will have to put up a sheet glass “ fine gauge” in order to reinforce the plaster and to hide these cracks. The sliding windows and the windows will be replaced by double glazing “stadip”.

In the toilets, also in the bathroom and the kitchen, the extraction inlets will be replaced by automatic control extraction inlets. This work is carry out by the heating company.



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The list for the works is drawn up. We can write the schedule for the restoration to this apartment. This apartment is part of the project for the restoration of several apartments inside a building “IGH”. The future resident (leaseholder) have not require specific works, so the apartment will be restored in the standard of the building. The various trade companies having to intervene will be:
- Masons: The pack masonry will have the responsibility for protect the remainded elements (landing door, marble), the demolition, the evacuation of the rubble, the concrete screed , curbstones, the skirtings, the tiling, the greser coat and the plasten coat in loggia. This work will be under the responsibility of the foreman building site.
- the plumbers: The pack plumbing will have the responsibility for to remove the sanitary elements and the evacuation to the rubbish of it, the replacement of the pipes, the treatment for the heating pipes, to supply and to put on the new sanitary elements.
- the electricians: The pack electricity will have the responsibility to cut of the electricity before the demolition, to supply the temporary electricity for the building site, to replace the wires, to replace the former switchboard by a new one, to update the new wiring according the new rules for electric fittings, to supply the electric power to the roller blinds.
- The carpenter: The pack joinery will remove all of the accessories, will do the checking of the doors and the whole of the joineries, the soundproofing for the boxes of the roller shutters, will put on the cover strip on the edge of the wall tiling around the doors inside the bathroom and the toilets, will fit the new handles on the doors, the fitting of the accessories, the supplying and fitting of the equipment for the wall cupboards. Also the fitting of the new door stops.
- Mirror dealer: will have to remove the roller shutters, the windows and also the aluminium joineries. He will take it to the rubbish dump. He will supply and fit the electrical roller shutters and also the new aluminium joineries equipped with a double glazing stadip. Also the mirror dealer will have the responsibility for the checking of the feet of the railings inside the concrete and to replace it if the concrete has swollen with the rust.
- Painting: Treatment for the totality of the walls, joineries and radiators. With the responsibility to lay glass sheet on the boxes of the roller shutters and also on the walls if it is necessary.
- Heating and ventilation: Remove the old CMV extraction inlets. Cheking during 24h the network of heating after demolition of the floors. Remove the radiators for the painter. At the end of the building works to supply and to lay new CMV extraction inlets, put back the radiators and check the network of the heating.
- Cleaning: The contractor for the cleaning will carry out a perfect cleaning of the apartment. The marbles will be treated and finished by a perfect polishing.
- Finishing of the works: An inventory of fixtures with the tenant will be done at the end of the building works.

The whole of this works have to be carried out with a chronological order as well as a perfect coordination between the contractors. I use the planning system Microsoft Project. With it, it is possible to write the whole of the tasks and also the possibly to connect them together. Take a look on the picture attached.






Once the project is ready, we will have to send the orders and the planning to the contractors and also the dates for the weekly meetings. The technical rules we will use for the preparation of the building works and the way to check the quality of the works will be treated in a next article. We will also follow the methodology to carry out the building works.
Richard SANDER
To be continued ..........