Renovation


Renovation is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, or bringing something back to life and can apply in social contexts. For example, a community can be renovated if it is strengthened and revived. It can also be restoring something to a former better state. Renovation is a widespread practice in many regions, often driven by safety upgrades, energy efficiency improvements, and aesthetic preferences. For example, there are more than twenty thousand home improvement projects every year in Hong Kong, affecting more than a million residents.

Phases and process of renovations

The building renovation process can usually, depending on the extents of the renovation, be broken down into several phases. The phases are as follow.
  • Project initiation - The beginning of the project that includes the hiring of construction and design teams, defining the scope of the work, creating a budget, and communicating the needs, expectations, and wants from both the client and building team
  • Existing conditions analysis - This includes measuring, drawing, and analyzing the structure to be renovated, and identifying any major issues with the project that could effect work to be done
  • Initial design - Beginning the design work by testing out concept ideas, designing multiple iterations of outcomes, communicating with the client, and receiving client feedback on the design to make changes
  • Finalizing design - Finalizing the design work by making sure the design is what the client wants, making sure the design works with existing conditions, creating a more detailed design, also could include the beginning of construction or demolition work while the design is being finalized
  • Construction and demolition - Starting the physical work by completing demolition needed, structural repairs needed, building new designed conditions, applying finishes, and trouble shooting any problems or unknown conditions that are brought to light during construction
  • Project finalization - The end of the project which includes turnover to the client, punch listing, walking through with the client, and verifying that project scope and expectations were met
Projects involving renovation require not just flexibility, but a plan that had been agreed upon by multiple parties. The planning process will involve feedback from financial investors of the project, and from the designer. Part of planning will also entail the collection of data for the completion of the project and then the project plan will be revised and given consent before continuing with renovations.
Technology has had a meaningful effect on the renovation process, increasing the significance and strength of the planning stage. The availability of free online design tools has improved visualization of the changes, at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional designer. The decision regarding changes is also influenced by the purpose of basement renovation . Depending on the significance of these changes a professional may be required, especially if any changes other than cosmetic work is required. Many local codes require a professional to complete work in the built environment such as structural changes, new walls, new plumbing, or many others. Doing these changes without hiring a professional can result in health effects, safety concerns, damages, fines, and increased cost due to having to hire a professional after self-work. Most builders focus on building new homes, so renovating is typically a part-time activity for such tradespeople. The processes and services required for renovations are quite specific and, once plans are signed off, building a new home is relatively predictable. However, during renovation projects, flexibility is often required from renovation companies to respond to unexpected issues that arise. Renovations usually require all of the sub-trades that are needed for the construction of a new building.
In case of a so-called "fix-and-flip" objective, an ROI can result from changes to fix a structural issue, to fix design flow yield, or to use light and color to make rooms appear more spacious. Because interior renovation could change of the internal structure of the house, ceiling construction, circuit configuration and partition walls, etc., such work related to the structure of the house, of course, also includes renovation of wallpaper posting, furniture settings, lighting, etc often times an interior designer is required as well.

Reasons to renovate

Homes

Many people renovate homes to create a new appearance. Builders may renovate homes to enhance the home's value as a stable source of income. Homeowners often renovate their homes to increase the re-sale value and to turn a profit when selling. Homeowners may also want to add renovations that make their home more energy efficient, green or sustainable. Also, over time, a homeowner's personal preferences and needs may change, and the home will be renovated for improved aesthetics, comfort, or functionality.

Other properties

Other types of renovations also can be initiated for similar reasons. The user or owner of a building can change which can effect the needs or wants for the space prompting a renovation. This is becoming more popular as buildings owners are renting or leasing floors or sections of the buildings to companies which have different spacial requirements than the previous users causing needed renovation. Renovations can also occur as companies increase size which could lead to needed additional retail, office, or other types of spaces. Similarly to homes other building owners could also want renovations to increased value, make the building more energy efficient, green or sustainable, or to update the building. Sometimes shopping centres or shops are renovated to raise rent later.

Materials

Wood

Wood is considered a versatile and adaptable construction material, often preferred in renovations due to its ease of modification and availability. Few homeowners or professional remodelers possess the skill and equipment that is required to alter steel-frame or concrete structures.
When looking at embodied carbon in building materials wood is often labeled as the most sustainable. This is because it sequesters carbon which if certified sustainably sourced will significantly reduce embodied carbon of buildings. This makes it a low emitting choice for a building material for an overall building and for renovations.
Forest certification verifies that wood products have been sourced from well-managed forests. Most certification programs provide online search options so that consumers can find certified products—the Certification Canada program includes a search option for all of the certification programs that are in use in Canada.
In North America, most structures are demolished because of external forces such as zoning changes and rising land values. Additionally, buildings that cannot be modified to serve the functional needs of the occupants are subject to demolition. Very few buildings on the continent are demolished due to structural degradation.
The Athena Institute surveyed 227 commercial and residential buildings that were demolished in St. Paul, Minnesota, between 2000 and mid-2003. Thirty percent of the buildings were less than 50 years old, and 6% were less than 25 years old. The four top reasons for demolition were "area redevelopment", "building's physical condition", "not suitable for anticipated use", and "fire damage". Lack of maintenance was cited as the specific problem for 54 of the 70 buildings where physical condition was given as the reason for demolition.

Plastics

Plastics are extensively used in the construction and renovation industry. Airborne microplastic dust is produced during renovation, building, bridge and road reconstruction projects and the use of power tools. It is also generated by deterioration of building materials
Materials containing polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and acrylic, can degrade overtime releasing microplastics. During the construction process single use plastic containers and wrappers are discarded adding to plastic waste. These plastics are difficult to recycle and end up in landfills where they break down over a long period of time causing potential leaching into the soil and the release of airborne microplastics. Efforts have been made to reduce plastic waste by adding it to concrete as agglomerates. However, one solution for resolving the problem from the large amount of plastic wastes generated could bring another serious problem of leaching of microplastics. The unknown part of this area is huge and needs prompt investigation.
The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of plastic materials, utilizing approximately 20% of all plastics produced annually. It also accounts for around 70% of global polyvinyl chloride consumption, primarily in applications such as piping, window frames, flooring, and insulation. It is predicted that much more will be produced and used in the future. "In Europe, approximately 20% of all plastics produced are used in the construction sector including different classes of plastics, waste and nanomaterials."

Others

  • Adhesive
  • Asbestos
  • Asbestos#Substitutes for asbestos in construction
  • Cement
  • Concrete
  • Glass
  • Lead paint
  • Metals
  • Paint
  • Plasterboard
  • Solvent

    Tools and equipment

While the type of material used will determine the composition of the dust generated, the size and amount of particulates produced are mainly determined by the type of tool used. Implementation of effective dust control measures may also play a role.
File:Angle Grinder cutting a steel chain - Video.webm|thumb|thumbtime=0:09|upright|Video: An angle grinder is used for cutting through a steel chain. The chain is kept under tension by a second person to avoid a blockade of the grinder. Large amounts of potentially harmful particulates
Use of angle grinder is not preferred as large amounts of harmful sparks and fumes are generated when compared with using reciprocating saw or band saw. Angle grinders produce sparks when cutting ferrous metals. They also produce shards cutting other materials. The blades themselves may also break. This is a great hazard to the face and eyes especially, as well as other parts of the body.