In what order do you renovate a home?
A renovation follows a fixed construction order: from demolition to landscaping. Reverse it and you pay twice — think of finishes you have to reopen for pipes, or a new terrace wrecked by the building site. Here's the recommended order in six phases.
1. Demolition and strip-out
First you tear out what has to go. That way you start with a clean structure and surprises — damp, asbestos, cracks — surface right away, before you invest in them. An honest demolition phase prevents costly surprises later.
2. Structural work
Foundations, load-bearing walls, drainage and damp treatment determine the home's stability. They must be done before anything that goes on top — you simply don't finish on a wet or unstable base.
3. Building envelope: roof, insulation and exterior joinery
Make the home wind- and watertight and insulate the shell before you finish the interior. That way you never work in a wet or draughty space and no finishing is wasted. Roof, insulation and windows therefore belong together, early in the planning.
4. Services
Wiring for electricity, heating, ventilation and plumbing is fitted before plastering and finishing cover them. Reopening a wall afterwards for a forgotten socket or pipe is expensive and avoidable.
5. Finishing and interior
Plastering, floors, interior doors, painting and the kitchen come last — once the services are tucked away and everything is dry. This is the phase where your home finally looks the way you imagined it.
6. Landscaping
Driveway, terrace and garden come at the end, so site traffic and heavy machinery no longer damage your new outdoor work. Laying a beautiful terrace while bricks and containers still pass through is money wasted.
The order of a renovation is not a detail but a cost item: structure before envelope, services before finishing, landscaping at the end. DomiReno shows a recommended phasing in the Pro report based on the work you chose.
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