When we talk about apartment renovation in Portugal, we can talk about the specifics of renovation in each location separately. And in this article we would like to talk about the specifics of renovation in Matosinhos – a small area of the Greater Porto area.
Matuzinhos is not a historical center. It is a relatively small and relatively modern area, which has a pretty good location. So it is located in close proximity to the ocean coastline, the largest park in the city of Porto is nearby, the metro goes there and in the area itself there are many schools, shops, cafes and other necessary institutions for convenience.
So, what are the features of renovation in this microdistrict of the city of Porto?
The first thing you should pay attention to is the proximity to the ocean. Therefore, problems with humidity and dampness are inevitable companions of renovations in this area. We advise you to pay close attention to this at the stage of buying an apartment.
If the apartment is bought and the house in which it is located does not have a "kapoto", that is, external insulation, you should think about insulation from the inside of the room. So it would be a good idea to hem the ceilings with plasterboard and insulate them with mineral wool. This will not only improve the thermal insulation of the room, but also sound insulation. As for the external walls, we recommend, where the internal space allows, insulating them with XPS material 2 cm thick, and then processing it under the mesh. If there is really a lot of space, you can also cover the outer walls with plasterboard and insulate it from the inside with mineral wool. However, unlike the first option, it will take up much more space - about 7 cm from each wall.
As for the floor, the most desirable covering is often natural wood. Due to its structure, it provides good heat and sound insulation. But you can also use other materials that will provide thermal insulation. And here, first of all, a cork underlay comes to mind. Such an underlay can be used under laminate or parquet board. But first, both we and the manufacturer recommend covering the floor with film. As for the PVC surface, it is advisable to lay it on a thin special underlay. This is the least heat and sound insulating material, but also the most practical and wear-resistant material. Remember that in the case of using laminate or PVC covering, you can also equip the room with an electric heated floor. It can be both the main source of heating, and an additional source of heating to water heating or air conditioning. We describe heated floors in more detail in our article about heated floors.
Features of repairs in Matosinhos are largely determined by the price of apartments located there. So Matosinhos is one of the most expensive areas in the greater Porto area and apartments there are not cheap. Naturally, the renovation of the premises must correspond to the price that buyers pay for it. Therefore, repairs are usually more expensive and of higher quality there.
However, if we are talking about individual cottage construction, then there is very little of it in the Matosinhos area. Especially few new cottages. This is a rather big difference between Matosinhos and Vila Nova de Gaia, where cottage construction is very common and houses are often located on the ocean shore. You can read about this in our new article dedicated to the features of apartment renovation in Vila Nova de Gaia.
