Renovation works in Val-de-Travers

Renovating in Val-de-Travers: what to know

Planning works in Val-de-Travers, canton of Neuchâtel? Before requesting quotes, local context helps: climate drives the value of insulation and heating, cantonal rules govern boiler replacement, and tax deductions can noticeably reduce the bill.

Local housing stock

The federal building register lists 2'571 residential buildings with 6'097 dwellings in Val-de-Travers. 77% were built before 1980, before serious insulation standards, and 62% are still heated with oil or gas.

77 %built before 1980

62 %heated by oil or gas

9.8 %electric hot water

12.8 %with declared solar thermal

Age of residential buildings

Before 191948 %
1919–19457 %
1946–19608 %
1961–19708 %
1971–19806 %
1981–19909 %
1991–20005 %
2001–20104 %
Since 20115 %

Main heating energy

Heating oil38 %
Gas24 %
Heat pump15 %
Wood14 %
District heating7 %
Solar thermal2 %

Heating and hot water: which energies?

Energy	Heating	Hot water
Gas	24 %	20 %
Heating oil	38 %	31.5 %
District heating	7 %	6.3 %
Heat pump	15 %	10.7 %
Electricity	0 %	9.8 %
Wood	14 %	9.6 %
Solar thermal	2 %	12.1 %

Each line gives the share of buildings using that energy, separately for heating and for hot water. The two columns do not always reach 100%: some buildings combine two systems, or reported none.

Type of heating system

Boiler (unspecified)67.2 %
Heat pump14.9 %
Heat exchanger (district)6.9 %
Stove5 %
Condensing boiler3.6 %

A standard non-condensing boiler is usually older and less efficient.

Houses or apartment buildings?

Single-family houses54.7 %
Two-dwelling houses16.8 %
Apartment buildings (3+)28.4 %
Other0.1 %

16.4 % of buildings mix housing with shops or offices.

The typical building

storeys (median): 2
median footprint: 162 m²
median dwelling area: 90 m²

Dwellings by number of rooms

3 %1 rm

13.1 %2 rm

31.5 %3 rm

28 %4 rm

24.3 %5+ rm

Dwellings per building

1 dwelling54.9 %
2 to 432.1 %
5 to 911.4 %
10 to 191.5 %
20 or more0.2 %

Renovations, heritage and volumes

For renovation planning in Val-de-Travers, official building register figures show that 5 out of 2571 buildings are protected under heritage status. Owners must consult the municipality early to address permit requirements. Furthermore, with a median house volume of 790 m3 based on 47 units measured via the SIA 416 standard, you can better estimate the scale of heating or insulation upgrades. Please note that data coverage is partial regarding volume measurements, and no specific renovation year data is currently recorded. Utilizing these insights helps you navigate regulatory expectations and project scope for your home improvement effectively.

buildings flagged as protected

status known for 71 of 2'571 buildings; check with the municipality

790 m³

median house volume (SIA 416)

measured for 47 of 1'407 houses

Source : OFS — RegBL (export communal complet). Existing residential buildings; percentages of recorded values.

Rules of the canton of Neuchâtel

These rules apply across the whole canton, not only in Val-de-Travers.

Choose your works in Val-de-Travers

Nearby municipalities : Neuchâtel · La Chaux-de-Fonds · Le Locle · Val-de-Ruz · La Grande Béroche · Milvignes · Boudry