Renovating a new-build apartment: the order of work from bare walls to furniture
A new-build apartment looks like a blank page. It is tempting to pick tiles and a sofa straight away, but here the order of work matters more than inspiration. Get the stages in the wrong order and you will be tearing out finished work. This is the sequence that keeps a renovation calm.
1. Handover and measurements
Before any work starts, check the windows, doors, risers, ventilation and how straight the walls are. Report defects to the developer right away, while the apartment is untouched. Then take accurate measurements. The whole project will rest on them.
2. Design
Even a simple layout with an electrical plan saves money. The electrician does not have to guess where the sockets go, and you do not have to move them after painting. If you want a smart home, air conditioning or underfloor heating, decide at this step. All of them need cables and pipes that disappear into walls and floors.
3. Partitions
New walls go up if the design has them. Remember that load-bearing structures must not be touched and changes to the layout have to be approved.
4. Electrics and plumbing
Cables are run, back boxes are fitted, water and drainage pipes are laid. This is the backbone of the apartment, and changing it later is hard and expensive. So check every point against the design. A useful habit: photograph every wall with a tape measure in shot before it is plastered over. A year later you will know exactly where it is safe to drill.
5. Plaster and screed
Walls are levelled and the floor screed is poured. Screed needs time to dry. Flooring laid on a damp base can warp. Drying time depends on the thickness and the mix, and the mix manufacturer states it.
6. Finishing
The dusty and wet work comes first: tiling in the bathroom and kitchen. Then ceilings, painting and wall panels. Flooring goes down near the end so other trades do not damage it.
7. Doors, lights and plumbing fixtures
Interior doors are hung, lights are fitted, and the toilet, basins and taps are connected.
8. Furniture and textiles
Kitchens and built-in wardrobes are often ordered early, during the finishing stage, because making them takes several weeks. The kitchen is still measured against the finished walls.
The most common mistakes
- Buying tiles and furniture before there is a design. Then the wardrobe does not fit the niche.
- Too few sockets. This is the most common complaint a year after a renovation.
- No contingency in the budget. Every site has surprises.
- Laying the floor on a screed that has not dried, because it is time to move in.
We organise apartment and house renovation in Almaty with partner contractors, and you can choose finishing materials in our catalogue. For tips on staying within budget, read our article on renovation budgets.