How to decide what stays
It makes sense to keep whatever is in good condition, does not get in the way of new services, and is the reason you chose the flat in the first place. Everything else gets replaced. The decision is made before strip-out, element by element, comparing the full cost of both options.
In Eixample and Gràcia flats the conversation is usually about the same things: hydraulic tile floors, ceiling cornicing, timber doors and windows with inner shutters, exposed beams and Catalan vaulting. Each has its own risks, covered below.
Hydraulic tile floors
Patterned cement tiles are the main reason people buy flats in old Eixample. They can stay in place, be ground and sealed. But pipes often need replacing underneath, and moving partitions leaves "scars" where the walls stood.
The other option is to lift them carefully and relay them in one or two rooms, or use them as a rug-like panel in the middle of a new floor. Some tiles break when lifted, so you first work out how many you need and lift extra. Missing pieces can sometimes be found through restorers, or similar ones made to order, but the colour will never match exactly.
Cornicing and high ceilings
Ceiling cornicing clashes with modern services. Ducted air conditioning, ventilation and recessed lighting need a dropped ceiling or bulkheads, which hide the cornicing. If you want to keep it, the routes go through the corridor, bathrooms and dressing areas, where the ceiling is lowered anyway, and rooms with cornicing get wall grilles or a different climate system.
Cracks and loose sections are assessed before work starts. Vibration from demolition nearby can bring down a weak piece, so it is secured beforehand or taken down for restoration.
Doors, windows and shutters
Old panelled doors are often more beautiful than new ones and made of better timber. Restoring them means stripping layers of paint, repairs, adjusting them to the new floors (the floor level almost always changes) and new ironmongery. All of that must be costed before comparing with a new door.
Old windows are trickier. They preserve the look of the facade but insulate poorly. The options are restoring them and adding secondary glazing inside, replacing the glass with slim double glazing if the frame can take it, or replacing the whole window. In protected buildings, changing external windows may need approval, which is worth confirming with the ajuntament before you decide.
Beams and vaults: condition first, looks second
Exposed timber beams with Catalan vaulting look wonderful, but under the plaster they may hide rot from old leaks or signs of woodworm. Before deciding whether to leave them exposed, the beams are inspected, especially next to bathroom walls and at the facade.
If strengthening is needed, a qualified technician designs it. Sometimes it can be hidden, sometimes it changes the look of the ceiling. Better to know that before the design shows a perfect exposed ceiling.
Radiators, the bathtub and small details
Cast-iron radiators can be removed, flushed, pressure-tested and repainted. They work well with a new boiler or heat pump if the system is sized for them. But they are heavy and take up space under the window, which you need to remember when planning furniture.
An old claw-foot bath can be restored with a new enamel finish, but first you check that the floor can take its weight when full, and what state the drainage is in underneath. Brass handles, espagnolette bolts and window catches are usually kept: restoring them costs less than finding a good copy, and they carry most of the flat's character.
Compare complete solutions and protect what stays
Keeping is not free. Its cost includes restoration, protection during the works, adapting to the new elements and junctions with new floors and walls. Replacing includes removal, disposal, new material and finishing. Comparing "new parquet versus zero" is almost always misleading.
The approved list of retained elements, with photos and positions on the plan, goes to everyone working on site before strip-out. Each element is protected, and one specific person is responsible for it; on our projects, the person in charge of the job. We work in Russian and Spanish, prepare the quote after the site visit and measurements, and take staged payments under the contract. We reply to enquiries within an hour.