How to start repairs correctly

Do you have renovations coming up? We sympathize... But in general, this procedure sooner or later affects everyone. Whether you are renovating your home yourself or have found craftsmen with good recommendations, intend to transform the apartment you live in, or are preparing to move into a purchased living space, then in any case, the main thing is not to make mistakes at the very beginning of the procedure. And since repairs can be different, this process has several “starts”!

How to start preparing for repairs

So, repairs cannot be avoided, so let’s not put it off, but let’s start preparing for it.

Apartment owners who have undergone the housing renovation procedure ironically say that the most important thing is to ensure the financial basis for the upcoming event. Save money, find out in advance where you can be guaranteed to borrow the required amount, because good repairs require large investments.

But we leave this outside the scope of preparation. And the initial stage of preparation includes such actions.

• Step 1. Determine the amount of work that needs to be done. If you need to update your home, make the walls, floors, and ceilings look good, you will have cosmetic repairs. It may also include work to replace some parts or structures. If you purchased an apartment without finishing or your home requires a thorough transformation with replacement of communications and coatings, a major overhaul awaits you.
• Step 2. Having assessed the volume, draw up an “image” of your future home. Try to imagine in detail what your apartment will look like after all the work is completed. Think about what materials you would like to use, how different materials will be combined, what color scheme is preferable.

Advice. When deciding on materials, be guided not only by personal preferences, but also by expert advice. They know how the selected building materials behave during operation. It is also useful to get acquainted with the reviews of those who have already used such materials.

• Step 3. Decide who will do the work. If you are making cosmetic repairs and want to do everything yourself in order to save money, objectively evaluate your capabilities. If you lack experience, the result may not please you. It may be worth slightly increasing costs by inviting specialists to perform some operations.

Major renovation

You can't handle a major renovation on your own! Even if you know how to hang wallpaper or paint perfectly, you will need the help of plumbers, electricians, etc. But the participation of specialists does not mean that you do not need to know where they should start. You will have to control and accept their work.

Where it all begins

The order of work depends on the type of housing: whether the apartment belongs to the secondary housing stock or is a new building without finishing.

• If there are no redevelopments in the secondary building, they begin with preparing the surfaces. Old finishing materials are removed from the floor, ceiling, and walls. The surfaces are thoroughly cleaned, degreased, leveled, eliminating minor defects. If necessary, replace worn parts or elements.
• When remodeling, they begin with dismantling partitions and installing new structures.

Important! If the redevelopment makes significant changes to the original project (with the transfer of internal partitions, partial change in floor height, transfer of plumbing equipment, etc.), you will need documents authorizing its implementation.

• In a new building, internal partitions are also first erected, which are then prepared for finishing work.

Work order

If the above steps are completed, your repair has begun. But in the future, a certain procedure must be followed.

After the construction of the partitions, the work is carried out in the following sequence.

• Electrical work: wiring is laid, sockets are installed, conclusions are made for the split system.
• Plumbing work: replacement or installation of water and sewer pipes, heating system pipes.
• Windows and doors: windows are installed first, then the front door.
• Ceiling and walls: surfaces are leveled and prepared for finishing work.
• Rough work on the floor: screed, installation work, if a “warm floor” system is provided.
• Laying tiles on walls and floors.
• Finishing walls and ceilings, installing radiators, installing flooring and skirting boards.
• Installation of plumbing fixtures, interior doors.

Redecorating

If you are planning to refresh and update your home, it will require less effort, cost and time.

Cosmetic repairs are often done without moving out of the apartment. Therefore, proper organization becomes important to reduce the inconvenience of living in housing under renovation.

Which room is better to start with?

Important! The basic principle of planning is to complete the dirtiest work first.

Recommended sequence of actions:

• bathroom;
• the room farthest from the front door;
• movement from the renovated room towards the kitchen.

Where to start updating a room

The procedure for working in each room is similar to that indicated for major repairs.

• We remove old finishing materials.
• Replacement of the window unit, if provided.
• Leveling surfaces, preparing for finishing.
• Clean finishing of walls, ceiling, floor.

After this, all that remains is to install the furniture and forget about the duration of the repair, enjoying its results.