Where to start renovations in a new building: stages of work

Renovation in a new building: what is important to consider

Where does apartment renovation begin? Before starting work, it is important to analyse the following aspects:

1. Redevelopment and partitions. Think about whether you want to change the layout of the apartment, demolish old partitions or install new ones. Determine what changes are to be made in the room and how this will affect utility systems and the interior.
2. Furniture and interior. Before starting renovations, determine what kind of furniture you plan to supply. This will help you place sockets, switches and other items correctly. Choose any interior design and style you like.
3. Finishing materials. Determine what materials you plan to use for your floors and walls, such as tile, laminate, paint, and other finishes, based on your budget and style.
4. utility lines. Plan the installation of utilities such as electricity, water supply, heating and ventilation. It is important that all systems work efficiently and meet your needs.

If you find it difficult to develop a plan and design project on your own, seek help from specialists. Architects, designers and engineers will help you create a full-fledged project, taking into account your wishes, and draw up an estimate for the work. This will help you make a preliminary assessment of costs and plan a budget for renovating an apartment in a new building.

Who carries out renovations in a new building?

Owners of apartments in a new building are faced with a dilemma: whether to do the repairs themselves or to hire professionals. Both options have their pros and cons.

• Do-it-yourself repairs. This option gives you the opportunity to personally control all stages of the renovation, including levelling walls, painting, laying tiles, etc. This way you can save money if you have the necessary skills. However, it also requires a lot of time and effort.
• Working with repair teams. Hiring professionals will increase the efficiency of repairs, you will save your own time and be confident in a high-quality result. However, this option usually involves additional costs for materials and team work.

When choosing a renovation method, consider your skills, budget and time. We will separately consider options with rough repairs, fine finishing, and no renovation at all.

Rough repairs

Rough repairs are an important step in making a home ready. Its purpose is to prepare the room for subsequent finishing work. Let's consider the main aspects of the repairs:

• Construction of partitions: At this stage, internal walls and partitions are created according to the layout.
• Laying sewer and water pipes: carrying out preparatory work for further connection with water supply and sewerage systems.
• Installation of electrical wiring and other communication systems.
• Levelling ceilings and walls.
• Pouring floor concrete screed.
• Installation of heating radiators: installation of heating devices, their connection to the central heating system.

It is important to pay close attention to rough work, because their quality directly affects the quality of further finishing work.

Fine finishing

Fine finishing is the final stage of repair involving the following steps of final decoration:

• Coating of walls for subsequent painting or wallpapering.
• Installation of window sills.
• Painting the ceiling or installing tension covering.
• Painting walls or wallpapering.
• Flooring (with laminate, parquet, tiles, etc.).
• Ceramic tiling in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Plumbing works: bathtub, washbasin, toilet installation.
• Installation of interior doors and baseboards.
• Lighting fixtures installation.
• Built-in furniture and air conditioners installation.

No renovation

Some apartment owners may decide to leave the premises without any repairs. Finishing work can be carried out in the future at the request of the owner.

Basic features of the premises without renovation:

• No finishing works.
• Basic functional status.

Please bear in mind that an apartment without renovation will require additional time and finishing costs in the future. This option may be convenient for those who plan to personalize the interior to suit their needs and preferences later.

Renovation in a new building: where to start

Before you begin renovating your apartment, it is important to carefully plan the sequence of work. This will help avoid further unnecessary delays and problems. Let's consider the renovation in a new building milestones.

Inspection of the apartment

The first and important step before starting renovation work in a new building is a detailed inspection of the apartment. During the inspection, you should carefully check the condition of all premises, make sure that the indicated area and geometry of the rooms are correct. To do this, you must have an apartment layout, as well as an understanding that the data stated in the layout corresponds to reality and there are no errors in the calculation of square metres. You should also check the functionality of ventilation ducts and windows. All data obtained is important for further planning and execution of repair work.

Drawing up and approval of a design project for an apartment in a new building

Regardless of whether you order a professional designer or develop a design project yourself, this stage is important for successful renovation in a new building. A design project helps you clearly visualize what your apartment will look like after renovation. The project must provide parameters for the subsidence of the apartment, which helps to avoid deformation of materials during the subsidence process. Besides, a design project allows you to draw up an estimate of all the necessary work, determine the order of their implementation, and coordinate the order of materials.

Purchase and preparation of tools and building materials

Regardless of whether you are going to do the repair yourself or delegate it to professionals, preparing tools and purchasing building materials are the main steps before repairing. If you decide to do the repairs yourself, make sure you have all the necessary tools, including a drill, hammer drill, buckets, saws, brushes, etc. If you turn to professionals, you also need to equip them with the necessary tools.

As for building materials, you’d better buy them in accordance with the work schedule approved in the design project. This way you will avoid cluttering the space, and the materials will not be damaged by moisture or other factors. It is recommended to order wallpaper, tiles and plumbing fixtures immediately to avoid shortage of the material of the selected shade or texture.

Rough and finishing stages of repair

Rough work includes:

• Electrical wiring installation

The first step in the rough work after the preparatory stages is the wiring routing. In most cases, apartments in new buildings are offered without electrical wires, so this is an important stage. Determine the exact location of sockets and switches in all rooms.

• Sewerage and plumbing pipes

What is also important as far as the rough work is concerned is routing plumbing pipes and sewer systems. Temporary taps and toilets can be used at the beginning, and once the piping and wall finishing is completed, permanent plumbing fixtures can be installed.

• Ceiling finishing

Finishing the ceiling is the next stage after completing the rough work. The choice of ceiling finishing method can vary from coating to drywall installation. Each method has its own advantages and features, and your choice will depend on your preferences and interior design.

• Wall decoration

Apartment renovation in a new building is usually carried out from top to bottom, starting from the ceiling and ending with the floor. Therefore, after finishing the ceiling, they move on to the walls. Repairing walls in an apartment, choosing materials and deorating methods can have a significant impact on the overall appearance of the interior, so you should choose them carefully, taking into account the design and style of the premises.

• Flooring

Once the screed is complete, it's time to select and install the floor covering. This can be laminate, tile, parquet, wood board or other covering, depending on your preferences. After flooring, skirting boards are usually installed.

• Installation of interior doors

The choice of interior doors is important not only from a design point of view, but also from a functionality and ergonomic point of view. Consider the overall style of the interior and select doors that are in harmony with the colour and style of the premises. The door material can also vary, choose it taking into account practical and design aspects.

How much is it to renovate an apartment from scratch?

The cost of renovation in a new building is determined by various factors and can account for a significant part of the real estate cost. The renovation estimate, in particular, includes wages for builders, costs for materials, installation of plumbing fixtures, utility systems, interior doors installation, as well as costs for transportation, unloading and delivery of materials to the site.

In some cases, when buying an apartment, you can discuss finishing options with the developer and receive a ready-made, renovated apartment. However, if you want to implement your own design project and make your own changes, you should carefully develop a renovation plan that takes into account all possible risks and costs. Beware that the budget for such repairs can be significant. Experience has proven that when buying an apartment in a new building without finishing, you should expect that the costs can be approximately 20-50% of the cost of housing.

Renovation in a new building: recommendations from RIEL Real Estate Corporation

If you would like to make your dream apartment in a new building, consider contacting a designer who will develop a detailed design project or provide the necessary advice. Sometimes an expert's opinion is quite useful and valuable, even if you are going to do the renovation yourself. Creative solutions can lead to cost savings in the future.

One of the advantages of apartments in new buildings is open space. Designers recommend using this space rationally due to proper layout.

First of all, the project making depends on your budget and the area of ​​the apartment. In small spaces, experts can offer many ideas for improving functionality. If you have significant financial resources, you can consider different interior styles, such as classic or techno. If you are on a limited budget, it is better to opt for modern minimalist solutions, such as loft or Scandinavian style.

To provide ergonomics, you should avoid round walls that reduce usable space, especially in small apartments. Drywall can be perfect for making partitions, because it is easy to work with and can simply be coated with paint or wallpaper. As for flooring, porcelain stoneware or tiles are durable materials that are well suited for kitchens, bathrooms and hallways.

Lighting plays an important role in design and helps create a cosy atmosphere. For this, you can use chandeliers of different shapes and sizes. It is important to consider the purpose of each room and choose suitable light sources.

Choosing colours to decorate a room is one of the most difficult parts of design. In the bedroom it is better to avoid bright colours and use pastel ones. Warm colours and textures can be used in the living room, while light colours open up the space in the kitchen. Colours and textures can be combined to create a harmonious interior.

When choosing furniture, give preference to comfortable and viable options that are easy to clean. Furniture that combines several functions saves space successfully. The quality of the furniture is also important as it is a long-term investment.

If you would like to view the available layout options in our new buildings, we have a large selection of available listings for you to choose from. You can view different apartment layouts and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget using this link.

Our team is also ready to provide you with additional advice and answer all your questions.