Apartment renovation: the useful order of work

An apartment renovation brings several trades into an often small footprint. The right order of work determines the quality and the duration of the site.

Check the rules before opening a wall

In a condominium, some interventions require the approval of the general meeting or an urban planning permit. Check the real condition of the networks before fixing the budget.

Verify first:

• the condominium rules;
• the permits for facades and load-bearing walls;
• the state of the electrical and plumbing networks.

A wall taken down without approval may have to be restored at the owner’s expense.

Sequence the work from the shell to the finishes

Demolition and chasing first, electricity and plumbing next, plaster, tiles and paint afterwards, then floors and fixtures last. Each stage should be validated before the next one covers it.

Following this sequence avoids doing the same surface twice.

Organize daily life during the site

An apartment is sometimes occupied while the work runs. Seal the work zones with dust sheets, protect the floors and schedule water and power cuts with the contractor.

Group the noisy tasks into agreed time slots and keep one refuge room with the bare essentials. A clear organization limits dust, disruption and delays.