The Right Order of Renovation Work: From Rough to Finish

The sequence of work from demolition to handover, and why it matters: dirty before clean, wet before dry, and hidden before visible.

Getting the sequence wrong is one of the most common — and most costly — renovation problems. Cutting into a freshly painted wall for a cable, mixing plaster on top of newly laid parquet or replacing a pipe after the tiles are on all mean doing the same job twice. The logic of the right order rests on a few simple principles.

Four basic principles

Every apartment is different, but a sound sequence follows from these rules:

• dirty, dusty work comes before clean work;
• wet processes (plaster, screed, tile adhesive) come before dry finishing;
• everything that will end up inside a wall is finished before the wall is closed;
• work runs from top to bottom wherever possible: ceiling first, then walls, floor last.

Knowing these principles helps a client understand the schedule a contractor proposes and spot in good time when something is out of order.

Preparation and demolition

Work begins with stripping old finishes, unnecessary partitions, old sanitary ware and doors. Removal of construction waste should be planned at this stage too, because dust and debris directly affect the quality of everything that follows.

Before demolition starts, the water and power supply must be made safe, and anything that is staying, such as radiators or window sills, should be protected. Shared areas of the building, the lift and the stairwell also need covering against dust and knocks.

Once demolition is done, walls and floors are exposed and hidden defects come to light. This is the best moment for a final check of the design: positions of new partitions, door openings and service routes are marked out on site.

Rough work: partitions, services and windows

New partitions are built in masonry or plasterboard. Then the electrical cables are run and socket and switch boxes set, water and drain pipes installed, along with air-conditioning and ventilation lines. If windows are being replaced, do it before plastering so the reveals can be finished to suit the new frames.

To place electrical and plumbing points accurately, the furniture and appliance layout should already be settled at this stage. Cables run before anyone knows where the kitchen units, washing machine, TV and bed will go end up needing extension leads and extra chasing later.

At the end of this stage the concealed work is photographed, the pipes are pressure-tested and the wiring diagram is updated. Once the walls are closed this record is invaluable: when you hang a cabinet or drive a nail years later, you will want to know where the pipes run.

Wet processes: plaster and screed

Walls and ceilings are plastered and the floor screed is poured. These steps bring a lot of moisture into the apartment, and the materials must be given time to dry. Drying time depends on layer thickness, the type of mix, ventilation and the season, so following the manufacturer’s guidance matters.

Rushing finishes onto a surface that is still damp can later cause cracks, patchy paint and warped timber flooring. If the pause is built into the schedule from the start, nobody will treat it as “wasted time”.

Ceilings, tiling and finishing

After plastering, plasterboard ceiling structures are installed. In bathrooms and kitchens waterproofing is applied and then the tiles are laid. Walls are smoothed with base and finishing skim coats, primed, and painted or wallpapered.

Moisture-sensitive floor coverings such as parquet or laminate are laid only after all wet work is complete and humidity in the rooms has stabilised. The final coat of paint goes on either before the flooring or afterwards with the floor properly protected. A stretch ceiling is usually fitted once the walls are finished.

Final fit-out and handover

Finally, interior doors, skirting boards, socket and switch plates, light fittings and sanitary ware are installed. A thorough clean follows, and the work is inspected: wall flatness, tile joints, how the doors open and close, and whether every circuit and pipe works.

Minor defects found at handover go on a written snag list, and a deadline for fixing them is agreed with the contractor. Photos of the concealed work, the wiring diagram and the names of the materials used should be kept together in one folder: you will need them for future repairs and any warranty claims.

Zaferoğlu İnşaat carries out apartment and office renovations stage by stage, from design to handover. To build a work schedule that fits your apartment, please get in touch with our office.