More than 3 years were needed to carry out the ecological renovation of the house and transform it into an eco-friendly holiday cottage
Between the start of the renovation work and the opening of the cottages, more than 42 months elapsed. And even then, everything is not finished after these 3.5 years of work.
So, what happened? Why such a long delay ?
The answer is simple: we did a good portion of the work ourselves, through self-build, alongside our professional activities. Of course, we also hired specific tradespeople (roofing, windows and doors, electricity, plumbing). But for the rest, everything was done by ourselves.
And the rest is no small feat: demolition and waste removal, with the building stripped bare (including the plastering, some floors, etc.), interior and exterior insulation, wall refurbishment and plastering, internal partitions and doors, floor coverings, ceilings, etc., not to mention all the finishing touches.
We also carried out some exterior improvements, such as digging a trench for the electrical cable connecting the solar panels to the meter, building two terraces, and installing a 10 m³ rainwater cistern.
We'll let you in on a secret: we completely underestimated how long the work would take. Initially, we thought we'd finish the renovation in a year and a half. It ended up taking more than double that!
A long and arduous process, some stages and highlights of which we present below. Long and sometimes difficult work, but one we do not regret.
An eco-friendly renovation to create healthy, low-carbon accommodation
We also deliberately opted for an eco-friendly renovation of this house.
Our aim was to make this house environmentally friendly, and also to offer its occupants not only modern comfort but also a healthy living environment. We opted for ecological and healthy materials, both for insulation and paints.
This eco-responsible approach aims to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact by prioritizing natural and bio-based materials. This approach led us to install solar panelsto provide renewable energy in the cottages. We also installed a rainwater harvesting systemto supply the toilets and laundry facilities.
While waiting to return to this work in more detail, we offer you a first overview, through several slideshows that illustrate the work carried out.
First, we break it down and remove it
(Click on ONE photo to see the ENTIRE slideshow)
Next, we re-agree and isolate
(Click on ONE photo to see the ENTIRE slideshow)
Two cottages in Dinant , completely renovated using ecological and artisanal methods
We took great care in renovating this house, prioritizing healthy and ecological materials.
As a priority, we focused on insulating the dwelling as best as possible, using natural or bio-based materials: lime hemp blocks, wood wool and cork panels.
This is all done with the aim of offering you the best comfort, while using energy efficiently. In particular, through insulation, we have sought to keep the heat inside in winter, but also to prevent it from entering… in summer.
In particular, we opted to coat most of the walls with clay. This natural material creates a pleasant atmosphere, and we hope you will appreciate the natural comfort of this coating.
Whether on the walls or on the woodwork, the paints used are natural.
Sustainable water management is also one of our concerns. Discover our article dedicated to installinga cistern to collect rainwaterfor use in toilets.