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Well Renovated or Just Dressed Up? How to Tell if a House Has Really Been Upgraded in 2026

  • Autorenbild: Frick GmbH
    Frick GmbH
  • 25. Feb.
  • 3 Min. Lesezeit

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Udo Jürgens once sang about the "honourable house” – today we take a closer look: How can you tell if a house has really been well renovated?


“Freshly renovated”, “gut renovated”, “everything new” – these phrases sound reassuring when buying a house or apartment, but not every renovation lives up to what the photos promise, and the terminology itself is often fuzzy.


In practice, the spectrum ranges from a simple cosmetic renovation (new finishes, floors, and paintwork) to a genuine gut renovation, where services, the heating system, windows, the roof, and often the entire interior fit-out are renewed. The key question is therefore not which buzzwords appear in the listing but what has actually been done – technically, in terms of energy performance and in the quality of workmanship.


Technology before cosmetics

In a well-renovated house, the substance comes first – not just floors and wall paint. Typical questions:


„Has the heating system been renewed and upgraded to a contemporary solution (for example, heat pump, biomass, modern gas condensing boiler, or underfloor heating)?”


„Are electrical and plumbing installations up to current standards, or has new work simply been done “on top” of old infrastructure?“


A good rule of thumb: if only the bathroom “shines like new” but nothing is said about the technical systems, caution is advised.


Daily spa feeling in our project Gruberau: freestanding bathtub, walk-in rain shower, matte black fittings, and double washbasins.


Energy performance & building envelope

Numbers, not just impressions. One of the most important quality indicators is energy efficiency. A well-renovated house can prove this:


• An Energy Performance Certificate with a transparent energy performance indicator. (“How good is it compared to similar houses?”)


In Austria, a rough orientation is A++ to A (often below approx. 25 kWh/m²a): very high energy efficiency, usually new builds or top-level refurbishments

B (approx. 25–50 kWh/m²a): good energy efficiency, modern new build or very well renovated existing building

C (approx. 50–100 kWh/m²a): average, solid, but often with potential for improvement


• Measures on the building envelope: insulation, new windows (ideally double or triple glazing), roof refurbishment.


If only “low heating costs” are promised without any concrete figures, healthy skepticism is appropriate.



Clean details instead of quick cosmetics

Poor workmanship often shows in the details: crooked joints, sloppy connections, cracks in plaster, badly executed silicone joints, and wobbly fittings. A high-quality renovation, on the other hand, shows the following:

• clean junctions around windows and doors

• well-thought-out transitions (e.g., floor–skirting, tile–parquet)

• no “quick fixes” when it comes to silicone and seals


If you notice small imperfections again and again during a viewing, you are right to question how carefully work was carried out in the areas you cannot see.


Fine, modern design in one of our refurbishment projects © Defrancesco Photography


Floor plan & use

Thought through – or just modernized? Good refurbishment also means adapting the floor plan to today’s way of living: more light, better spatial connections, and sensible storage solutions. Quality indicators include the following:

• opening up narrow, dark rooms and creating larger living-dining areas:

• functional bathroom and bedroom layouts instead of awkward compromises

• clear separation between technical rooms and living spaces


Generous, sun-filled, and openly designed living areas in our Neubau Gruberau – new build project.


Documentation & transparency

A seriously refurbished house has a story you can follow:

• invoices and documentation for the main trades

• plans and photos from the construction site

• information on the materials used (e.g., insulation type, window type, heating system)

If absolutely no documentation is available, that is at least a warning sign.



How we renovate

Our approach to existing properties: • Analysis instead of gut feeling: detailed assessment of envelope, services, structure, and floor plan.

• Refurbishment plan in stages: what needs to happen immediately, what makes sense later, and how do the individual steps interact?

• Honest communication: We clearly show which components are new, which have been modernized, and where we have deliberately left reserves for the future.


This is how projects emerge that do not just look good but also perform strongly in terms of heating costs, comfort, and long-term value.


If you are considering replacing your heating system, carrying out a comprehensive refurbishment, or selling a renovation-needy house in the Kitzbühel Alps, we are happy to support you – from the first assessment through to turnkey handover.




Bmstr. Raphael Frick

Tel.: +43 650/3450236


Frick GmbH

Am Berg 31 / Top 1

A-6391 Fieberbrunn




 
 
 
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