Guide
The order of renovation work, room by room
Work from the structure out to the finish: structural and layout changes first, then first-fix electrics and plumbing, then plastering and drying, then floors, joinery and second fix, and decoration last. Each trade finishes before the next starts on top of it, so nothing finished is damaged by the work that follows.
Updated 2 min readBy the Solubius team
Many renovation problems come from work done in the wrong order: a floor laid before the plastering, a fitted cupboard built against a wall that later moves, a room painted before the electrician has been back. That usually happens when trades are booked one at a time.
We plan renovations in the order below. It is a general sequence, and every house adjusts it.
1. Survey, scope and approvals
Before anything is booked: what the house needs, what is structural, what needs planning permission or Building Regulations approval, and what is out of scope. The answers go into a written scope, with the order of the work. Structural work and anything needing approval is designed and approved first, because everything else depends on it.
2. Strip out and repair
Old fittings, damaged plaster and failed finishes come out. Cracks are raked out and filled, loose plaster is cut back, and anything that would undermine the finish, such as damp, is found now rather than after decorating.
3. Layout and first fix
New non-load-bearing partitions go up, door openings are formed, and the first fix happens: the cables, pipes and back boxes that will be hidden inside walls, floors and ceilings. The consumer guide Which? describes first-fix carpentry, plumbing and electrics as the stage before plastering.
4. Plastering, then drying
Walls and ceilings are boarded and skimmed. New plaster has to dry before it is decorated. How long depends on the thickness, the temperature and the ventilation, so we check it rather than go by the calendar. Which? puts drying at about a week before second fix.
5. Floors, joinery and second fix
Once the wet and dusty work is done, the finished floors go down and the skirting goes on. Fitted joinery is built to the finished walls and floor, so it sits tight against them. The electrician and plumber come back to do the second fix: sockets, switches, lights, radiators and taps.
6. Decoration
New plaster is sealed with a diluted first coat (a mist coat) so the finish coats bond. Then the rooms are painted. Decoration goes last because it is the easiest thing to damage.
7. Snagging and handover
Every room is checked against the scope, small faults are put right, and the house is cleaned and handed back.
Lived in or empty
In an empty house, the whole sequence can run through every room at once. In a lived-in home, we plan it room by room. You always have somewhere to live while the rest is done, and floors and furniture are protected before each stage starts.
Sources
Common questions
From the structure out to the finish. Structural and layout changes come first, then first-fix electrics and plumbing, then plastering and drying time, then floors, fitted joinery and second fix, and decoration last. Each stage finishes before the next starts on top of it. That stops finished work being damaged by the trade that follows.
Floors usually go down before the final decoration but after all the wet and dusty work, such as plastering. The finished floor then sets the level for skirting and fitted joinery. Decorating comes last and the floor is protected while it happens. Paint is easier to touch up than a damaged floor is to repair.
It depends on the plaster thickness, the temperature and the ventilation, so it is best checked rather than timed. The consumer guide Which? allows about a week before second fix. New plaster is then sealed with a diluted mist coat so the finish coats bond properly, rather than painted straight over.
Planning home improvements work?
Send the address, a few photographs and what needs to change. We will tell you what applies to your property.