A project plan and timetable for renovating property

The Order of Works

Here I have shown the approximate order in which the tasks will occur during your project. There will be some variation according to your specific project, but if things are being done in a different order to that shown you should be sure that it is not causing problems for future works.

I have not attempted to estimate the time required for each part of the project because it will vary too much between projects. Few projects should take more than six months to a year in total.

You may have additional tasks such as an internal heat circulation system, geothermal heating, air conditioning, built in sound system etc that you will need to build in to the project as necessary.

Before the project even starts, you should have a moving-in date in mind. You should also have a reasonably detailed understanding of how that date will be achieved, and which jobs should be finished by which date. Clearly some degree of delay might be unavoidable, due to weather conditions, injury, etc. But you need to be in a position to follow these delays, so a plan based initially on the list of tasks below might give you a starting point. Don't let your project be the one that is always put to the back of the queue because you don't make a fuss!

 

Approximate Chronological Order

 

Site Clearance

Masonry: structural walls, new openings for doors and windows, concrete floor, outflow pipes from sinks and toilets etc, some buried conduits for the later addition of electricity and water systems, installation of septic tank system

Roof:  Should be completed as soon as possible after the walls, so the property has a dry interior. Chimney exits to be considered. Timber treatment.

Plumbing and Electrics: making channels in the walls for buried pipes and wires, putting most conduits in place for carrying the electrics and water

Heating: Some heating systems will require work, especially those with underfloor heating systems or concealed pipework

Doors and Windows and Shutters: As with the roof, useful for keeping the interior dry

Internal walls: Start construction, usually before the screed/chape is laid on the internal floors. Plasterboard one side only.

Electrics and plumbing: placed in the internal walls

Internal walls and Ceilings: Can now be completed - plastered, pointed and so on

Flooring: screed for tiling can be laid

Heating and Plumbing and Electrics: Can all largely be finalised. Certain elements e.g. radiators or sinks may need to wait until floor tiling is completed.

Kitchen and Bathrooms and Internal doors

Tiling: one of the last jobs, in part because you want to avoid the risk that the floor is damaged by building works

Heating and Plumbing and Electrics and Kitchen and Bathroom: any final work required after tiling

Painting and decorating

Check work with workers see HERE

Move In: Live happily ever after