Want to know what the main renovation works that go on during a renovation are? Here’s an easy guide for a home owner who is renovating for the first time.
If this is your first time doing a major overhauling of your HDB flat or condominium, you might be interested to know what goes on during your renovation. There are proper steps to the chaos you see, so that the renovation can go on smoothly. We’ve listed them out here for you so that you have a better idea of your home overhaul process.
1. Hacking and drilling (3 to 5 days)
As homes get smaller in size, home owners are beginning to embrace the idea of an open-concept living space. Some may choose to give up one bedroom to have a bigger living area, or to knock down a wall to fit in a kitchen island, or even combine two rooms for a connecting walk-in wardrobe. If you’re re-tiling your home, this is when the drilling happens too.
As a good neighbour, you should inform those who will be directly affected by the hacking work, especially those above. below, and beside you. If you’re a resale home owner, this is also a good time to get to know your new neighbours!
Your contractor should have applied for and received a renovation notice and have placed it at your lift lobby so that your neighbours are informed of the noise.
2. Tiling and other floor coverings (15 to 20 days)
This is when you start to see the colours slowly appearing in your home. The uneven concrete floors will fill up with your chosen flooring and the bathroom will start to take shape. If you’ve chosen tiles, the period could also be a noisy one as your contract has to cut them to fit into your space, so it’s best to avoid visiting your home during their work hours. However, should you happen to see a contractor at work, they’ll likely be happy to let you watch them at their craft, and even explain to you how to best maintain your selected floor covering! Good and experienced contractors are often very proud of their work and enjoy giving you a tip or two.
3. Erecting of structures and plastering (5 to 10 days)
Any built-in items or erecting of new walls will happen at this stage. All these will be permanent structures so a lot of detailing will need to be settled at this stage. Make sure you’re happy with how smooth the plastering on your walls or ceiling is because once the tiles and painting work are done, it will be troublesome to rectify any issues.
4. Plumbing and Wiring (5 to 7 days)
If you have decided to re-wire and re-run pipes for your home, the plumbers and electricians will now start on their work after the contractors have removed what needs to be removed. Of course, all measurements would already have been made beforehand with your interior designer around, so these skilled professionals will already know what to do once they start. If they encounter an obstacles here, such as an uncovered pipe or are unable to run cables on a certain area, they would be able to inform your interior designer right away.
5. Door and window fittings (5 to 7 days)
Once the floor tiles and other coverings have settled in, the doors and windows experts will step in to take measurements of any sliding doors, door and window frames that are required for your home design. This is when you start to have a clearer view of the spaces you have created and will be living in. Choosing your door and window design, as well as the locksets and handles are also a very fun part of the renovation process. Be careful of decision fatigue at this point! Your interior designer will be able to help you with your decision.
6. Painting (3 to 5 days)
You know you’re almost at the end of your renovation journey when your interior designer makes an appointment to meet with the painting contractor. Before any built-in furniture or carpentry can be fixed onto the walls, the paint should be ready and dry.
A professional painter will know to protect your new floor as well as the light switches and electrical sockets that the electrician has installed. If you have chosen several colours for the different rooms in your home, make sure to check that they have been applied correctly.
7. Carpentry (15 to 20 days)
You’d be surprised to know that carpentry can take up the majority of your home renovations, in terms of time and budget. Depending on how much you’d like to customise your storage, furniture and kitchen, carpentry can take two weeks to a month. Most homeowners prefer to customise their wardrobes, TV consoles, bathroom vanities, and kitchen cabinets and islands according to their lifestyles and needs.
If you have a look that you aspire to have for your new home, your interior designer can help you achieve that look with textures, colours, and themes, such as Scandinavian or mid-century modern furnishings. Get creative with your interior designer to brainstorm ideas, especially if you would like to entirely revamp the look of your walk-in wardobe or to transform an awkward corner in your kitchen to maximise storage space (important for that minimalist look!). The possibilities are endless!
Your carpentry will likely be the last to be complete. This is because of the detailed work that is often done off-site at a workshop, then fitted in from smaller, transportable pieces. Make sure your kitchen ovens and hobs have been delivered before the carpenter steps in, so that the installation process can be a smooth one.
Since the detailed carpentry work usually takes a long time, the experts would usually have taken measurements and started on your project early on in the renovation process so that they can be ready in time for installation once the paint is dry.
8. Light and water fittings (2 to 3 days)
The electrician and plumber will be making a second trip to your home, this time to fix up your lights and bathroom and kitchen items. Make sure you have all your ceiling lights ordered and delivered at this point. The plumber will install your bathtubs, basin, faucets and all other items that require their expertise. Also, since they have the proper drilling tools, get them to help with fixing your mirrors in the bathrooms too!
Once these eight renovation works are done, and your interior designer sends in the professional cleaners to give your home a chemical washing, your home renovation is complete! Well, almost. Once all your essential furniture is in, you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of labour you and all the professionals have put in. We hope this guide has given you a better idea of the renovation process, no matter how much you choose to be involved. It’s an exciting period for you, so make sure you choose the right interior designer to make sure your renovation journey is a smooth one!
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Get in touch with our designers at info@sevenheaven.asia or make an appointment with us at +65 6746 0018.
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