Presbytery roof renovation

The church council (Fabrique d’église) approved the presbytery roof renovation project in early 2024 due to significant water infiltration issues. These had led to moisture buildup and mold in the bedroom of Father Marek Sitár, posing a health risk and causing damage both to the building itself and to a neighboring property. The neighbor also reported the infiltration to his insurance company, which further underscored the urgency of the situation.

Several companies were invited to submit price quotations for the works. In total, seven companies responded, with offers ranging from €56,961 to €132,357. The council entered into direct talks with the two lowest bidders – SD Build Renove Sprl (Seretan) and Gauthier Lebrun – to ensure comparability of their offers, as the initial proposals differed in scope of the proposed works. After receiving revised quotations, the church council selected Lebrun at its meeting in October 2024. Although his offer was higher, it was chosen based on proposed technical solutions and a significantly shorter estimated duration of the works (10 vs. 30 days by Seretan).

At the same time, the council completed the necessary administrative procedures with the Brussels Region, including approval of the project, the selected contractor, and the planned private loan. To support financing, a €50,000 private loan was secured at the end of 2025, with a five-year term and semiannual repayments.

The works were initially scheduled to begin in March 2025. However, the Lebrun company postponed the start date several times—first within March and then to August—before ultimately ceasing all communication. The situation appears to have been related to personal and family issues affecting the company’s owner.

In light of these developments, the church council began seeking alternative solutions in the second half of 2025. SD Build Renove (Seretan), the original lowest bidder, was recontacted. After obtaining renewed approval from the Brussels Region and confirmation from the contractor, the works finally commenced in March 2026.

The total planned budget amounted to approximately €76,223. The final cost rose to €86,718 due to additional works that could not reasonably have been foreseen at the outset (such as the discovery of a second layer of roofing tiles), as well as modifications decided during the works, including replacement of the rear cornice, repainting of the front cornice, and high-pressure cleaning of the façade.

A major part of the project—€50,000—was financed through the loan, as planned, while the remainder was covered by the council’s own resources. The renovation also included roof insulation in addition to tile replacement, significantly improving energy efficiency by reducing heat loss through the roof. The full breakdown of costs is provided in the table below.