I’m 31, Swiss, born and raised here, and living in the St. Gallen / Eastern Switzerland area. My partner and I are looking to buy a single-family house. The problem is that newer or nicely renovated houses are often very expensive, so I’m increasingly considering buying an older house that needs renovation. I’m a trained electrician, although I haven’t worked in the trade for several years. I could do some work myself, but I work full-time in a management position and don’t have enough time to take on a full renovation. My main concern is that an older house could become a financial black hole due to hidden issues such as asbestos, moisture in the basement, roof or structural problems, old heating systems, poor insulation or unexpected costs once renovations start. I’m not looking at a specific property yet, but I’d like to understand the risks better. For those who bought and renovated an older house in Switzerland: Did the renovation stay close to budget? What problems did you underestimate? What would you definitely have inspected before buying? Would you buy an older house again? Would you recommend bringing in a building expert or architect before making an offer? I’m also wondering whether building new might actually be more predictable, although I know very little about permits, zoning and the overall process in Switzerland. submitted by /u/FrenchyBoy_
Originally posted by u/FrenchyBoy_ on r/Switzerland