When can you do repairs in a new apartment? About shrinkage of houses. The sequence of works during rough, pre-finishing and finishing – where to start in each case. The order of finishing the ceiling, walls, floor. Selection of materials.
In a new building, unlike secondary housing, you cannot start repairs immediately after purchase. Newly built housing has not yet passed the shrinkage stage, so there is a risk of damage to the finish. As a result, money will be wasted.To avoid this, we suggest studying in more detail the topic of starting a phased repair in a new building and where to start the work in general, depending on the stage of finishing.
When to start renovating an apartment in a new building
There is no clear answer to this question – even experts cannot do this. This is because there is simply no universal answer. Each situation is individual, and the solution depends on many factors:
- how well the house is built;
- whether the house has already settled during the construction process or whether it will continue for some time;
- have the neighboring apartments been renovated?
- Do you have the opportunity to wait with the renovation or do you need to move already, etc.
It follows that the start time for repairs to an apartment in a new building cannot be the same for all newly constructed residential buildings. However, based on the experience of specialists and those who have dealt with this issue themselves, several recommendations can be given:
- If there is an opportunity not to rush with repairs and moving in, it is better to wait. It is better to plan the work at least for the time after the first winter from the moment the house is handed over. This will allow you to make sure that the heating is working, all joints are tight, and there is no freezing of the walls and window units.
- It is worth waiting until the neighbors upstairs do the repairs. They are the “main enemy” of your repairs. This is because the neighbors “load” the house with screed and walls (new partitions), which can cause problems with cracks and leaks.
- It is safest to carry out the work last, but in reality this is not always possible, especially in buildings where there are many investment apartments and repairs may not subside even after 7-10 years.
Please note! Cautious builders recommend doing rough repairs, electrical and water work before moving into a new building, and postponing finishing work for a couple of years, when the house has definitely finished settling. Possible leaks in pipes, vibrations from a hammer drill, dust from the ventilation duct and other consequences of mass repairs by all new residents can affect the final repairs.
Features of shrinkage of new buildings
As experts say, warnings that it is better to refuse repairs in the first year are nothing more than a myth.
Due to common stereotypes, many believe that the house needs to “sit down.” But in fact, the time during which construction takes place is enough for structural shrinkage. If cracks do appear in a new house, then most often because the house was initially made poorly, with non-compliance with technologies, or because of the rush to complete the work. And it is difficult to protect yourself from such a situation – there is always a chance of encountering it.
When choosing the time to start repairs in a new building with your own hands, the type of the house itself is of great importance.
In panel and brick houses, the risk of cracks is higher, since the house can settle for a year, and sometimes two. Therefore, in such houses it is better to use materials that are resistant to shrinkage.
In monolithic houses, shrinkage is uniform and insignificant, so repairs can be started immediately after purchase, but with the use of preventive measures for a “walking” building (expansion joints, reinforcement, damper tapes, floating screed).
Who to trust with apartment renovation: individual specialists or a team
The next important question to consider after buying an apartment in a new building is choosing who will do the renovation. Usually, they choose between a comprehensive team and individual specialists. Each option has its pros and cons.
Nuances of working with the company
A construction company that does repairs does all the work, most often on a turnkey basis, i.e. from project development to cleaning the premises after the repairs are completed. But even when ordering from a company and concluding an official contract, there is no guarantee that the repairmen will not want to save money and will not replace the team with a less qualified one, will not delay the deadlines or will not buy lower quality materials.
To obtain a good result, you will have to control each stage of the work. At the same time, the company works under a contract, so in conflict situations it is easier to protect your interests. The main thing is that the contract is as detailed as possible, indicating all the rights and obligations of the parties.
Features of hiring individual specialists
By inviting individual specialists, it is easier to control their work. But in such a situation, the repair may be delayed, because you need to find a repairman for each stage. And here there is always a risk of getting stuck without a specialist at some stages of the repair.
In addition, in some cases, joint cooperation of specialists from different areas is required, so you will have to coordinate their work, which will also take time. At the same time, hiring individual specialists is convenient if you have some proven builders in mind that you trust. But the cost and time of repair will increase by at least 15-20%.
Advice: if you cannot decide between a team and individual specialists, then simply give the main works (partitions, plastering, screed, electrical, painting) to the company, and hire individual specialists for the finishing stages.
Sequence of works during apartment renovation
Knowing where to start renovating a new apartment, you will be able to complete this stage with the least loss of time, effort and money. At the same time, it is important to have an idea of the sequence of work, which depends on the degree of preparation of the housing for finishing.
There are 3 types of apartments in a new building:
- without finishing;
- with pre-finishing;
- with fine finishing.
Without finishing
First of all, let’s figure out where to start rough repairs in a new building.
The stages of work are as follows:
- Plastering the ceiling to eliminate differences and surface defects (sealing seams in a panel house).
- Leveling the surface of walls using plaster or gypsum board sheets.
- Pouring cement-sand screed (floor leveling).
If we talk about where to start renovating a new building without finishing, there is one simple rule. Work is carried out from top to bottom, since this minimizes contamination of the apartment.
If you first pour the screed and then start plastering the walls or even installing drywall, the floor will get dirty during this work.
With pre-finishing
Unlike rough finishing, pre-finishing includes:
- poured screed;
- erected and plastered partitions;
- completed electrical work;
- plumbing, interior doors and other work depending on the developer’s package.
An apartment with pre-finishing is the best option if the housing is purchased for rent or with a mortgage, when there is no extra money for design, no plans to seriously change anything in the layout, and you need to move in right away.
But here you definitely need to look at what package the developer offers, since it may include different works. And this will determine where to start the renovation in a new building with pre-finishing. Usually, the work is carried out in the following sequence:
- Comprehensive check of the level and plane of the ceiling, walls, and poured screed. Check the electrical panel and plumbing connection points. Ring the sockets, if necessary, connect the Internet to the apartment, check the opening/closing of windows, ventilation operation, sewer drain. In winter, the operation of the heating, fogging of walls and windows.
- Purchase and installation of an entrance door.
- Development of a design project.
- Installation of window units, window sills and rain gutters (if necessary).
- Dismantling of partitions and installation of new additional partitions (for those who are not satisfied with the layout).
- Electrification of an apartment with full wiring in rooms*.
- Installation of water and sewer pipes, connection of communications and plumbing*.
- Finishing of floors, walls and ceilings. Laying laminate, linoleum or tiles, wallpapering or painting, installing stretch or suspended ceilings, painting
- Installation of heating devices, sometimes installation of electrical switches and sockets*.
- Identification and elimination of defects, cleaning of the apartment, removal of construction waste.
With fine finishing
Finishing is the last stage of renovation, after which you can bring in furniture and move in. If the quality of the latter does not satisfy you, you will have to make changes: dismantle something, build new partitions, change windows. But most often, in apartments with finishing, almost nothing is changed, with the exception of some finishing materials such as wallpaper or laminate. This is mainly due to the desire to implement your design project, replacing the developer’s ideas with it.
If we talk directly about finishing, it includes the following stages:
- Installation of suspended or stretch ceilings or painting.
- Wallpapering or painting walls.
- Installation/replacement of selected floor covering: laminate, linoleum, parquet, etc.
- Installation of interior doors.
- Assembly and installation of built-in furniture.
- Installation of sockets, electrical appliances, switches, baseboards, door frames.
How long can it take to renovate an apartment?
Like the stages of repair, its duration is always individual. But in most cases it takes at least a couple of months. In reality, those who have done major repairs say that it is better to count on at least six months. And this does not include preparatory work, for example, the development of a design project, for which they turn to design studios or individual specialists.
Conclusions. Expert advice
So, we have considered the topic of the beginning and sequence of repairs in a new building and where to start work at different levels of finishing preparation. Based on all the information, the following conclusions can be made:
- If it is possible to wait at least a couple of months, it is worth doing so and starting the repairs later.
- To minimize the risk of consequences, you need to do the repairs after the neighbors upstairs.
- In a monolithic house, shrinkage is minimal, so you can immediately begin finishing repairs, but with the use of preventive measures.
- In a panel or brick house, it is wiser to first do a rough repair and put off the major repairs for a year or two.
If we talk about the sequence of repairs, it depends on the degree of preparation of the finishing. If the apartment has already undergone rough repairs, then you can proceed to pre-finishing and finishing.
Often, housing in new buildings is sold without any finishing, and then the buyer will have to start with rough repairs. The stages in each case will be individual, but you can easily think them through using the general scheme we offer, where to start a step-by-step repair in a new building with photos and recommendations.