Forest stands out for its blend of converted industrial architecture, 19th-century bourgeois houses, and garden cities, reflecting its working-class past and its transition.
Region: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale URL: https://cula.be/renovation/forest
In Forest, CULA transforms your renovation ideas into reality, with particular attention to detail and quality finishes. We offer you comprehensive expertise to enhance every corner of your property.
Forest mixes workers' houses near the centre and Forest-Midi station, 1920s to 1950s houses with Art Deco touches, apartment buildings and greener residential areas towards Altitude 100 and Forest Park. Places like Forest National or Wiels, a former brewery turned contemporary art centre, recall its industrial past.
Insulation and roofing for 1930s houses, damp on the ground floor, kitchens and bathrooms, converting lofts, turning industrial or commercial buildings into homes or workshops.
An industrial or commercial building turned into a home changes use: a planning permit is compulsory, with habitability standards to meet. On an Art Deco house, façade features (brickwork, bay windows, ironwork) should be preserved. On Forest's slopes, access for the lorry and skip is planned in advance.
In Forest, projects range from workers' houses to Art Deco homes in the residential areas. For the projects we see most often here, expect in general: a full renovation of 110 m² (standard range): €140,000 to €175,000; insulating 70 m² of roof (standard range): €3,000 to €6,500; a complete 5 m² bathroom (standard range): €12,000 to €16,000. Amounts include 6% VAT (home over 10 years old), for a site in average condition. The exact price depends on the property's condition: we set it after the free visit.
The RENOLUTION grants will not return: the 2027 regional budget, agreed on 4 October 2026, plans zero-interest loans for energy renovation instead, expected in spring 2027. On obligations, every Brussels home will need an EPB certificate and must reach class E (275 kWh/m²/year) by 1 January 2033 at the latest. And since 1 June 2025, no oil boiler may be installed during works.
How do I insulate a 1930s house in Forest?
Start with the roof, then the windows and the ground-floor slab; walls, often solid brick, are insulated from the inside if the façade has to be preserved. Damp is dealt with before insulating.
Can the loft of a house in Forest be converted?
Yes if the head height and the stairs allow it. Converting without changing the volume is often simpler administratively; a dormer, a raised roof or a façade change in principle needs a permit.
Where do you start to reach class E in Forest?
Usually with the roof: it gives the biggest gain for the budget. Then come the windows, then the heating. A recent EPB certificate shows where the biggest losses are.
CULA (CuLa Enterprise General) is a general renovation company founded by Tomasz Cutter, based in Dilbeek on the outskirts of Brussels. We operate throughout Belgium for residential and commercial renovation projects.