Nine failed renovations out of ten are not technical failures: they are ordering failures. The tiler comes before the electrician, the wood floor arrives before the paint, and everyone comes back twice. Here is the standard schedule that site managers follow, with durations and checkpoints before each phase.
The project timeline
Phase 1 — Demolition and structural work
Removing coverings, demolishing partitions, openings in load-bearing walls (with a structural engineer), replacing external joinery. Checkpoint before phase 2: watertight, airtight, wall moisture diagnosed.
Phase 2 — Services
Electrics (conduits, boxes, board — see our electrical standard guide) and plumbing (PEX, multilayer or copper) go in with the walls open. Checkpoint: 24 h documented pressure test, labelled circuits, photos of every chase BEFORE closing — they are worth gold ten years later.
Phase 3 — Insulation and partitions
Wall linings, plasterboard partitions, suspended ceilings, joint taping. Checkpoint: continuous vapour barrier, reinforcements at future fixing points, joints checked under raking light.
Phase 4 — Substrate floors
Screed or levelling compound as needed, underfloor heating where applicable. The drying times cannot be compressed: 1 week per cm of screed up to 4 cm, moisture ≤ 3 % (0.5 % anhydrite) required before the wood floor. Painting is planned during this drying.
Phase 5 — Painting and wall finishes
Primer + 2 coats before the final floor: a drop of paint wipes off a screed, not off an oiled wood floor. Keep the final touch-up for the very end.
Phase 6 — Finish floors, the wood floor last
The wood floor is the noble covering of the project: it arrives when the dust has settled, humidity stabilised, heating running. It needs 48 h of acclimatisation in the room (packs closed, flat — the protocol here), a compliant substrate, then installation — glued, floating or nailed. Then skirting boards, trimmed doors, paint touch-ups.
Budget and lead times
Order long-lead items from phase 3: joinery, kitchen… and the wood floor. Buying your flooring direct from the mill saves budget for the rest of the project — and our 7-10 day lead times fit a phase 4 finish perfectly. Use our m² calculator to order the right quantity (+ 8 to 10 % waste depending on the pattern).