A Step-by-Step Guide to Renovating a Flat

Renovating a flat feels more complicated than it needs to be, mostly because people don't know in which order things should be done. The right order is actually the key to everything going smoothly without unnecessary delays.

First come the rough works — removing or building partition walls, if you're planning any — followed immediately by electrics and plumbing, since these are fitted inside the walls before the walls are closed up and finished.

Only after that come plastering and tiling, in that order if both are being done in the same space, since plastering dust is easier to clean before tiles are laid, not after. Painting usually comes after tiling, to avoid damaging freshly painted walls while laying the tiles.

Furniture and kitchen installation is always the last phase, once all the "messy" work is finished. If you follow this order from the start, you'll avoid situations like damaged tiles from later masonry work, or dirty furniture from painting that should have been finished earlier.