Where to start an apartment renovation: order of works and planning

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Start with an inspection of the apartment and a clear scope, then follow a fixed order of works: demolition, plumbing, heating and electrical rough-in, walls and ceilings, floors, the bathroom, finishing, and finally the kitchen and built-in furniture. Choose the finishes and agree the estimate before the first wall comes down, because they decide where every pipe, cable and socket goes.

Start with an inspection and a clear scope

Before anything is removed, look at what you have. Check the walls, ceilings and floors, the age of the wiring and the electrical panel, the water and sewer pipes up to the risers, the radiators, the windows and the ventilation. Then decide what stays and what is replaced: that decision is the scope, and everything else follows from it.

Next, put the plan on paper. A measured floor plan with the new layout, sockets, switches, light points and plumbing points is the minimum; larger changes need a designer’s drawings. Choose the main finishes early too, especially tiles, flooring, sanitary ware and the kitchen layout, because they decide where the pipes and cables must end.

The order of works in an apartment renovation

Each stage prepares the ground for the next, and changing the order usually means redoing work. The usual sequence is as follows.

  • Demolition: old finishes, partitions that are coming down, old fittings and the waste they leave.
  • Engineering rough-in: water and sewer pipes, heating, electrical cables and boxes, ventilation; new windows also go in at this stage.
  • Walls and ceilings: new partitions, plastering or levelling, ceiling structures.
  • Floors: screeds or levelling layers, and underfloor heating where it is planned.
  • Bathroom: waterproofing and tiling, then the sanitary fittings.
  • Finishing: filling and painting, floor coverings, doors, skirting, socket and switch covers.
  • Kitchen and built-in furniture: installed last, on finished walls and floors.

Why the sequence matters: rough-in, wet works and drying

Engineering works go in before the walls are closed, because after plastering and tiling every change means breaking finished surfaces. Photograph the pipes and cables with a tape measure in view before they are covered; later, the photos show where it is safe to drill.

Plaster, screed and tile adhesive bring a lot of water into the apartment. Each needs time to dry before the next layer goes on, and that time depends on the material, the thickness and the conditions, so follow the manufacturer’s data rather than the calendar. Wooden floors, doors and furniture go in only once the wet works are dry.

The kitchen and built-in furniture are planned early, so that pipes and sockets end in the right places, but the final measurements are taken on site after the walls and floors are finished.

Renovating in an apartment building: management company and neighbours

An apartment is part of a shared building, and some of the work affects other residents. Tell the building’s management company before you start. It can explain the house rules and the permitted hours for noisy work, how the lift and stairwell may be used, and it is the one to shut off the water or heating risers when they need to be opened.

Changes to load-bearing walls, ventilation shafts, risers or the position of the bathroom and kitchen usually need design documents and approval from the local building authority. Check this before the plan is final, not after demolition.

Let the neighbours know when the noisy stages will take place, protect the stairwell and the lift, and keep construction waste out of the household bins: it leaves in bags or a container.

Budget and estimate: what to agree before work starts

Ask for an itemised estimate based on a site visit and the agreed scope, with units, quantities and a clear list of what is included and what is not. Agree how hidden defects found after demolition will be handled, and keep a reserve for them: uneven walls, worn pipes and weak screeds are common in older buildings.

Agree the schedule and the payments by stage, and decide who buys which materials and when they are delivered. Every change to the scope should be agreed in writing, with its effect on cost and time, before it is carried out. What Else renovates apartments from the first inspection to handover and coordinates the specialists involved.

FAQ

What is the first step of an apartment renovation?
An inspection of the apartment and a decision on what stays and what is replaced. Only then does it make sense to draw the layout, choose finishes and ask for an estimate.
In what order is an apartment renovated?
Demolition, engineering rough-in for plumbing, heating and electrics, walls and ceilings, floors, the bathroom, finishing, and finally the kitchen and built-in furniture.
Do I need permission to renovate an apartment?
Cosmetic work usually needs none. Changes to load-bearing walls, ventilation, risers or the position of wet rooms usually need design documents and approval from the local building authority, so check before you plan them.
When should the kitchen be planned and measured?
Plan it early, so the plumbing and sockets end in the right places, and take the final measurements on site once the walls and floors are finished.
Should the management company be told about a renovation?
Yes. It knows the house rules and the permitted hours for noisy work, and it shuts off the water and heating risers when they need to be opened.

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