Quick answer: A typical house renovation order starts with assessing the property, agreeing the design and checking approvals. Structural repairs and weatherproofing come before concealed plumbing and electrical work, insulation, plastering and final fittings. Decorating and vulnerable floor finishes usually follow the messiest work. Your builder should adapt the sequence to the property and the materials being installed.
A freshly painted wall is little comfort when an electrician needs to cut into it a fortnight later. Neither is a new floor that has to come up because nobody checked the pipework underneath.
These are the kinds of problems a renovation schedule should prevent. Before booking trades or ordering a kitchen, it helps to understand which jobs depend on others being finished.
There is no single timetable that suits every home. A Victorian terrace with a leaking roof needs a different approach from a modern house receiving a kitchen update. The useful starting point is to plan the whole project, even if you intend to complete it in stages.
1. Assess the Property Before Choosing Finishes
Begin with the condition of the building. Walk through each room and record what needs investigation, what needs repairing and what you simply want to change.
A stain on a ceiling, for example, deserves an explanation before it gets a coat of paint. The cause might be an active leak, an old repair or a problem elsewhere in the building.
For substantial work, commission an appropriate survey and follow up any recommendations for specialist inspections. A general assessment may identify concerns without establishing the full extent of them.
Keep your early notes under three headings:
- Essential repairs: defects affecting safety, weather resistance or the building’s condition.
- Functional improvements: changes to layout, services, storage or comfort.
- Finishes: flooring, decoration, fittings and other visible details.
This gives conversations with builders a clearer starting point than a collection of reference photographs.
2. Agree the Layout and Define the Work
Decide how the rooms need to function before asking contractors to price them.
“Refurbish the kitchen” leaves plenty open to interpretation. A written brief can explain whether you are retaining the layout, moving the sink, replacing appliances or changing the lighting.
Think through ordinary routines. Where will the dining table stand? Will an open dishwasher block a walkway? Is there somewhere convenient to plug in a vacuum cleaner?
These decisions affect work that may disappear behind walls or beneath floors.
Prepare a room-by-room schedule describing what stays, what goes and what needs replacing. Ask builders to quote against the same information so you can compare their proposals properly.
For projects involving significant layout changes, PAD’s guide to whether you need an architect for planning permission provides a useful starting point.
3. Check Approvals Before Booking the Start Date
Planning permission and building regulations approval are separate matters. A project that does not require planning permission may still need building regulations approval.
In England, relevant work can include structural alterations, certain electrical installations and changes affecting drainage or thermal performance. Check the requirements for your particular project rather than relying on what a neighbour was allowed to do.
The government’s building regulations approval guidance explains the distinction and identifies common types of work requiring approval. Different systems apply elsewhere in the UK. GOV.UK
Ask who will arrange inspections and what must remain visible until an inspection has taken place. Write those checkpoints into the programme before walls and floors are closed.
4. Build a Budget That Includes the Unseen Costs
The kitchen quotation is only one part of a kitchen renovation. There may also be removal costs, electrical changes, plumbing, plaster repairs and decorating.
Your working budget should make those supporting jobs visible.
Include professional fees, waste removal, delivery charges, storage and temporary living arrangements where relevant. Check whether quotations include VAT and whether fittings are supplied by you or the contractor.
Keep a contingency separate from the money allocated to finishes. Its purpose is to deal with uncertainty, rather than fund upgrades before work starts.
A useful budget sheet has four columns: agreed cost, approved changes, amount paid and amount remaining. Review it whenever the scope changes.
If you need to reduce spending, revisit optional purchases before removing essential repair work from the schedule.
House Renovation Order at a Glance
| Stage | Main work | Decision to settle beforehand |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Surveys and investigations | What needs repairing? |
| Preparation | Design, approvals and quotations | What exactly is included? |
| Building work | Structural alterations and weatherproofing | What support and inspections are required? |
| Concealed services | Plumbing, wiring and heating routes | Where will appliances and fittings go? |
| Closing surfaces | Insulation, boarding and plastering | Have concealed works been checked? |
| Installation | Kitchens, bathrooms and joinery | Are dimensions and floor levels confirmed? |
| Completion | Decoration, floor finishes and snagging | How will finished surfaces be protected? |
Some stages overlap. Use this as a discussion framework with your contractor, rather than a fixed instruction sheet.
5. Complete Structural Work and Stop Water Getting In
Structural alterations belong early in the programme. They can affect the rooms around them, require temporary support and generate substantial dust and debris.
Do not assume a wall can be removed because it looks thin or sounds hollow. Its role needs assessing before work begins.
The building also needs to be adequately protected from the weather before vulnerable internal finishes are installed. Roof defects, failed flashings and leaking gutters can undermine work completed below them.
If damp is present, establish its cause. Covering a stain does not explain why moisture reached that surface.
Ask the contractor what must be repaired, what needs time to dry and how they will assess readiness for the next stage.
6. Coordinate Plumbing, Electrics and Heating
“First fix” generally describes the installation work carried out before surfaces are finished, including concealed cables and pipework.
Have a marked-up layout ready for conversations with the trades. Show socket positions, lighting controls, radiators, sanitaryware and appliances.
A small change can have wider consequences. Moving a basin may affect drainage; changing the kitchen layout may alter appliance connections.
In older properties, check the existing supply before committing to new fittings. PAD’s guide to checking an older home’s water supply before plastering explores why that timing matters.
Photograph accessible service routes before they are covered and keep the images with your project records. Ask the relevant trades what testing and documentation will be provided.
7. Plan Insulation and Ventilation Together
Renovation can provide access to areas that are difficult to reach once rooms are finished. Use that opportunity to discuss appropriate insulation and ventilation improvements.
The right approach depends on the building’s construction and condition. Avoid assuming that a product suitable for one house will suit another.
Ventilation routes also need space. An extractor fan requires a workable discharge route, and insulation should not obstruct ventilation that the building needs.
For loft work, review these common loft insulation mistakes before installation.
Resolve these details while access is available, rather than after the plasterer has finished.
8. Let Surfaces Become Ready for Final Installation
Once the concealed work has been checked, the relevant walls and ceilings can be closed and finished.
Fresh plaster, screeds and levelling products need suitable conditions and sufficient drying time. Readiness depends on the product and site conditions, so avoid promising the next trade a date based only on how a surface looks.
Kitchen and bathroom installation also needs coordination with finished floor levels, tiling and decorating.
Confirm the sequence with the suppliers and installers. Different flooring systems have different requirements around fitted furniture, movement gaps and preparation.
PAD’s comparison of carpet, laminate, vinyl and wood flooring can help narrow the material choice before those details are agreed.
9. Finish With Decoration, Protection and Snagging
Complete the dirtiest work before exposing delicate finishes to site traffic. Where finished surfaces must be installed earlier, agree suitable protection.
Walk through the completed rooms with a written snagging list. Check doors, drawers, fittings and visible finishes, and ask the relevant installers to demonstrate equipment.
Keep certificates, instructions, warranties and approval documents together. Record any outstanding items and agree who will return to complete them.
For more related guides, browse PAD Magazine’s property and home improvement coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do first when renovating a house?
Assess the building and identify essential repairs. Then agree the scope, budget and necessary approvals before booking work.
Can you renovate one room at a time?
Yes, particularly for cosmetic improvements. Plan shared services first so later work does not require opening up a finished room.
Does rewiring come before plastering?
Concealed wiring generally comes before final plaster finishes. Final accessories are fitted later, with testing and certification handled by the electrician as appropriate.
Should you fit flooring before the kitchen?
It depends on the floor and kitchen system. Confirm the sequence with both installers, especially where a floating floor is involved.
How long does a house renovation take?
The scope, building condition, approvals, deliveries and drying requirements all affect timing. Ask for a project-specific programme showing dependencies and inspection points.
How do you avoid paying for the same work twice?
Settle layouts early, coordinate trades and check concealed work before covering it. Confirm changes in writing, including their effect on cost and timing.
