My parents still live in our old family house near Dunajská Streda. It’s a typical 1960s house cold in winter, hot in summer, windows that rattle when the wind blows. For years they kept saying they’d “fix it one day,” but of course, life kept happening and nothing changed. Last year I finally decided to help them renovate, because it was obvious the house wouldn’t stay in good condition much longer.
I work as an urbanist, but most of my projects are in Austria, so I spend a lot of time commuting or working abroad. Even with my background, I have to admit the renovation paperwork in Slovakia was overwhelming. We planned to insulate the house, replace the old wooden windows and repair the roof, and I wanted to apply for a subsidy it just made sense financially.
But in reality, it was almost impossible for me to manage. The deadlines were tight, some documents had to be submitted in person, and every time I tried to call the helpdesk, I spent half an hour on hold. When I finally got someone on the phone, the information was often different from what I read online. Because I wasn’t physically in Slovakia most days, I couldn’t keep up with every request, correction or missing file. After a few months of trying to chase signatures, certificates and changing forms, I gave up. Without someone doing the paperwork full-time, we didn’t stand a chance.
So we ended up renovating without any subsidy. It was more expensive than we hoped, but we kept it simple: new windows, basic insulation, small roof repairs. My parents’ house is far from a “perfectly renovated” building, but even these smaller changes made a huge difference. The house finally holds heat; my parents say they don’t feel that constant cold draft anymore. Their gas bills dropped noticeably, and the humidity problems they had for years are gone.
The whole process made me realise how inaccessible energy renovations still are for many people. If I, with a technical background and experience in planning, couldn’t navigate it while working abroad, I can’t imagine how a pensioner or someone with no housing knowledge is supposed to manage. The system requires time, patience and presence all three things I simply didn’t have.
What helped us in the end was family cooperation. My brother handled contractors, I handled the design and technical choices, and my parents did what they could. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. If I had one message for others, it would be: don’t be intimidated by the idea of a “full renovation.” Even small improvements matter. And don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Renovating an old house especially for ageing parents is emotionally and practically heavy, and doing it alone is unrealistic.