Getting renovation steps in the wrong order means drilling through work you've already paid for. Here is the order most renovations follow, why it works, and the furniture decisions to make before the walls close up.
Renovation is a long list of trades — hacking, wiring, plumbing, aircon, ceiling, flooring, carpentry, painting. Each one is straightforward on its own. The expensive mistakes happen when they are done in the wrong order.
Put in a false ceiling before the aircon piping, and someone has to cut it open. Lay the floor before the plumbing is tested, and a leak means lifting tiles. You pay twice for the same square metre.
The rule of thumb
What goes inside the walls, before what goes on them. Anything hidden behind a surface goes in before that surface.
The usual sequence
- Hacking and demolition — walls, tiles and anything coming out
- Wiring, plumbing and aircon — every pipe and wire that will be hidden
- Ceiling and flooring — close it up once everything behind it is tested
- Carpentry, then paint — built-ins first, walls last
- Furniture and move-in — the final step, though you should order it earlier
Your contractor or interior designer may sequence things slightly differently for your flat. That is normal. What matters is that you understand the logic, and that you get the schedule in writing at quote stage.
Each step, and why it's where it is
01 · Hacking and demolition
Anything that is coming out comes out first: walls being removed, old tiles in resale flats, built-ins you don't want. Hacking is dusty and heavy, so nothing finished should be in the room yet.
02 · Wiring, plumbing and aircon
This is the most important stage to get right, because everything installed now will be hidden later.
- Electrical points and concealed trunking go in now.
- Plumbing for the kitchen and bathrooms is routed and pressure-tested before it's covered.
- Aircon piping and trunking are run before the false ceiling or box-ups close over them.
03 · Ceiling and flooring
Once everything behind the surfaces is installed and tested, the ceiling and floor go in. Flooring usually comes after most of the heavy, messy work, so it isn't damaged.
04 · Carpentry, then paint
Built-in wardrobes, kitchen cabinets and TV consoles are fitted, then the walls are painted last so marks from installation can be touched up.
05 · Furniture and move-in
Furniture is the last thing to enter the flat — but not the last thing to decide. If your sofa or dining table is built to order, it needs to be ordered weeks before this point. See our guide on when to order furniture for your BTO.
The part people miss: decide the furniture before the walls close
Sockets, aircon points and light positions are easy to place during stage 2. Moving them after the walls are finished is a hassle and a cost. And where they should go depends on your furniture.
Where does the sofa go?
If you don't know, a socket can end up hidden behind it, or the only point in the room is on the wrong side. Decide the sofa's position — and its length — before wiring.
Where is the TV wall?
The TV wall needs power points and, usually, concealed trunking for cables. It also decides where the sofa faces.
Where does the dining table sit?
A pendant light looks best centred over the table, not the room. Decide the table's size and position before the light point is set.
Plan around the pieces
The simplest way to do this is to know the size of your key pieces before stage 2 starts. Every Vella size is listed upfront, so you can plan points and lights around the actual piece.
| Piece | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Voado | Sofa · 3 lengths | 210–310 cm |
| Pullo | Sofa · 2-seater, also 3-seater | 170 cm (2-seater) |
| Mesi | Dining table · 5 lengths | 140–220 cm |
| Semia | Dining table · extendable | 140→200 / 160→240 cm |
Every Vella piece is built to order and delivered in 30–35 business days, and carries a 2-year warranty.
Frequently asked
- What is the correct renovation sequence for a BTO?
- Broadly: hacking, then wiring, plumbing and aircon, then ceiling and flooring, then carpentry, then painting, then furniture. Your contractor may adjust it slightly.
- Should aircon be installed before the false ceiling?
- The piping and trunking should be run before the false ceiling closes over them, so the ceiling doesn't have to be cut open later.
- When should I decide my furniture layout?
- Before electrical works start, so that sockets, TV points and light positions match where your sofa, TV and dining table will go.
- Is furniture the last step of renovation?
- Furniture is the last thing delivered, but built-to-order pieces need to be ordered weeks earlier — usually around the time carpentry starts.
- Why paint after carpentry?
- Installing built-ins can mark the walls. Painting last means those marks can be covered in one go.
- What should I ask my contractor about sequencing?
- Ask for the full schedule in writing at quote stage, including when each trade starts and when you need to confirm decisions like socket positions.
