How long does a complete house renovation take?

Completely renovating your house is an exciting prospect, but it can also be daunting. There are lots of variables, which means it’s impossible to have a one-size-fits-all approach to overhauling your entire home. However, there are ballpark figures and estimates that can help you get an idea of the length of time a home renovation takes. Here’s how long each part of the house renovation process can be.

Consultation and site meeting: up to 4 weeks

Our process starts with an initial conversation about your project, including the location, size and work required. We then arrange a visit to your home to cover all of the finer details and carry out inspections in person. This part of the process can happen relatively quickly.

Designs, plans and quotes: 2-3 months

Many homeowners forget about this lengthy part of a remodel, but this is a crucial aspect of the project, and can take quite a long time. Once you’ve decided on the exact changes you want to make, you’ll need to have an architectural design and structural plans drawn up.

The next step is to ask construction firms to provide quotes. Any good company will give you a very detailed quote that lists everything separately, showing exactly what is and isn’t included. Our proposals are typically 12-18 pages long, striking the perfect balance between simple language and enough detail. You’ll need to factor in time to fully evaluate your options and ask questions, before signing contracts and setting up payment schedules.

Permissions: up to 2-3 months

Certain kinds of work (major changes and some extensions) require planning permission, as do particular types of buildings (listed) and areas (conservation). If your choices don’t fall under Permitted Development Rights, you’ll need to make an application. Usually you’ll get a decision in eight weeks, but it can take 13 weeks.

Building work: 3-9 months

The actual physical changes to the space are what many homeowners think of when imagining the start to finish dates. We provide an in-depth schedule of works, so you know exactly what is happening and when. Refreshing rooms with an overhaul of flooring, windows, walls, doors, décor, etc. won’t take as long as changing the internal layout by removing or adding walls, or adding space with loft conversions and extensions.

Tiling on your roof might only take a couple of days, decking might take a week, a bathroom remodel could take three weeks, a new kitchen could be as little as 3 weeks or as much as 3 months, loft conversions can be 2-3 months, an extension could be 6 weeks or 16 weeks.

Factors that affect a house refurbishment timeframe

There’s a range of things that dictate the timeline of a project, and a delay in one area can have a knock-on effect on the progression of the whole undertaking. Some of the elements that can have an impact on how quickly your renovation comes to fruition include:

• Scope of work: a larger, more complex overhaul that involves several different workers and products will take longer than a smaller, simpler remodel.
• Availability of labour: property refurbishments are in big demand, so a shortage of skilled tradesmen can lead to a lengthy wait, or sub-contracted electricians and plumbers might be running behind schedule or tied up on another project.
• Availability of materials: renovations require a steady flow of items and people being available at the right point, so if materials have a long lead time, are out of stock or take ages to arrive this can slow everything down or even bring the activity to a halt.
• Weather: roof replacement, decking, extensions, windows and any other outside work can be postponed due to adverse conditions, like extreme temperatures, rain, ice or snow.
• Unexpected structural issues: this could be rotting wood, mould, water damage, foundation problems, dangerous previous work with electrics, etc.

Here at Fittra Construction we work hard to avoid any delays by assessing existing services (heating, drainage, plumbing, etc.), timetabling the project, coordinating workers and planning around disruption. Cleaning, snagging and certification are all factored in to our timelines. Our project management and end-to-end service takes the stress away from you, so you can leave your house renovation in our hands. Contact us today to discuss your ideas.