House Renovation - order

[fempsych]

Probably the first post of many as we start house renovations and I realise I know zero about it!

We are completing the living room first (1930s house with square bay window) and hoped somebody might be able to give me a vague order in which to do the following:

• hang a curtain rail for the bay window
• rip out the gas fireplace and put in a log burner including new mantelpiece
• skim walls and ceiling (ceiling is wood chip)
• new sockets, light switch by door (staying in same place) and new ceiling light (staying in same place but needs different fitting)
• build alcove cupboards (might have to be later as too expensive now)
• move location of tv aerial
• sand and stain floor boards (carpet is already up)
• walls are already stripped and back to plaster
• new door
• picture rails put back up
• walls and ceiling painted
• skirting boards sanded and painted

Any help or things we have missed gratefully received.

Start at the top of the room and work down, do destructive stuff first and then rebuild.

So you want to get the rewiring (first fix) electric and TV, done and take the fireplace out first. You could remove skirting and get it dipped at this point. Then skim and put skirting back in and picture rail and fireplace. Paint ceiling and walls, second fix electrics I. E socket from and new ceiling light then do the floors and replace the door.

Start at the top. Insulated the attic ?

Hilarious. Hope you feel really warm and fluffy about how nice you are didi

Strip out fireplace, open up for log burner, reline chimney (if needed) rewire, move tv cables,sand skirting boards, skim walls and ceiling, install new door, put up picture rails, put up curtain rail, sand floor boards, paint ceiling and walls, stain floorboards.

Amazing - thanks

Don't forget to get your chimney swept once you've opened up the fireplace.

We're in the process of doing some very similiar renovations to our living room, including installing a log burner. We're just waiting for our plaster work to dry out at the moment...

Work from messiest to tidiest. Then you won't wreck lovely new work with dust/rubble

• rip out the gas fireplace and put in a log burner including new mantelpiece
• first fix on new electrics (do this properly - change old cables and have new ones chased in, get sockets at the right height for new regs) and tv aerial
• skim walls and ceiling (ceiling is wood chip)
• sand floor boards and skirting
• second fix on new electrics
• stain floor boards
• new door and picture rails
• walls and ceiling and skirting painted
• hang a curtain rail for the bay window

Yes to fireplaces first but even before that get the chimney swept as there could be a lot of soot/muck up there that you can eliminate before you start.

If you're having a logburner, they will probably need to install a flu - check whether they will sweep to do this, as you don't want to pay twice!!

whiskyowl's order is the way I would do it - final fix is things like curtain rails and switches (covers) which go on after decorating is done to get the best finish.

First, check with the electrician if he needs to renew the wiring or just extend it to the new socket /switches.
He may want to put the wires in before the ceiling and walls are plastered.
Assuming he does, it's ceiling down, fire place out, (you need someone registered to work with gas to remove the gas fire) skirting boards off.
Wiring (first fix- the socket fronts are fitted later).
Chimney lining/sweeping. You will need to use a HETAS registered fitter and probably have this inspected by the building inspectors- the installer should arrange this for you.
Rebuild fire place.
Skim walls and ceiling.
Put up any dado or picture rails or coving. Refit skirting boards.
Sand floor. Seal up the doors, this will make a lot of dust!)
Install wood burner
Decorate
Curtain pole
Floor finish.

Invest in floor protection for your hallway, plasterers and builders don't take their boots off going in and out so cover it up!

Good luck.

Forgot to add, second fix electrical work : after plastering.

Thanks all - super helpful and think I have the idea now