Itkovian.net

It has been decided! We are going to rebuild our attic, creating two large rooms and one shower room. The architect we talked to this afternoon figured to it would be best, and cheapest to simply create a completely new roof construction, including the wood, and tiles. This would allow us to place 15 cm thick insulation and yet keep a ventilation space between the insulation and the roof. It would also spare us the cost of having to move several supporting structures that are now obstructing any decent room-forming effort.

Second on the list was how to get to the attic. The retractable staircase that is now in place is obviously not an option. However, a fixed staircase poses its own set of problems. Bottom line: we will probably need to buy three new staircases, such that heads are not making any unwanted (as in unwanted by both its owner and the landlord) acquaintance with either wall or next-floor's staircase.

Ostend city also has to decide if the work to be done can be filed under a small renovation effort or a normal effort. In the former case, not much paperwork needs to be completed and things can be kept easy. In the latter case, we are looking at at least an extra cost of €1000 for an energy-auditor who needs to write a k-page report on the planned insulation and ventilation requirements imposed by the government. Needless to say, we'd rather use that money to do some fun stuff. If the report suggests that we are not compliant, we are looking at an additional fine equal to the amount of money to will cost to put things in order, or something like that. So the 15 cm of planned insulation had better be enough.

Our architect had some more horror stories on the current requirements, amongst which the proposed ventilation to be put into new houses. Basically, the key idea is to create a draught from the grids above the windows through ventilation grids in door (alternatively you can sow off one cm from the door bottom :-) to the obligatory shaft in the bathroom where the air will be sucked outside. Sounds not very healthy to me. Apparently, have a too insulated house is quite unhealthy too. So, theory bumps into practice again, and this time it will probably be with a bang. Truth be told, his vision of things to come has shaken me up a bit. I do believe we need to put a stop to energy waste, but the measures taken seem to be ridiculous and quite ineffective, because the first thing one does when a wind is blowing outside is close any ventilation grids. Duh.

Anyhow, we expect to hear from Mr. Ampe (hi Els ;-) somewhere in January.