Complete bedroom refurb, best order of work?

noelphobic

I am hoping to have my bedroom refurbed within the next couple of months. The ceiling is presently artexed and I want that plastered over. I will probably be getting fitted bedroom furniture although not completely sure yet. The carpet will either be replaced with laminate or the floorboards will be renovated. Wallpaper will be coming off and either replaced with new wallpaper or painted. Some electrical work will be required - re-siting or replacement of sockets and replacement of existing ceiling light fitting, possibly re-siting that also.

I'm completely useless at DIY so will be getting people in to do the work for me. What is the best order to have the work done in? I can move into another bedroom while the work is going on so it doesn't matter if it's unusable for a short period of time.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

martinsurrey

I would go with,

1) Clear out - remove everything from the room - inc carpets

2) strip walls - (so you can get an idea of the quality of the plaster underneath

3) electrical first fix (so chase walls and install new boxes in new positions

4) Plaster room

5) electrical second fix

6) flooring (assuming you are NOT taking skirting up)

6) paint

noelphobic

martinsurrey wrote: »

I would go with,

1) Clear out - remove everything from the room - inc carpets

2) strip walls - (so you can get an idea of the quality of the plaster underneath

3) electrical first fix (so chase walls and install new boxes in new positions

4) Plaster room

5) electrical second fix

6) flooring (assuming you are NOT taking skirting up)

6) paint

I hadn't thought about the skirting boards. If I did decide to change them when do you think that should be done? Also, I've heard of electrical first and second fix but not sure what that means. Could you explain in more detail please, especially about the second fix.

Thanks for your really helpful advice so far. Now the only problem I have is finding people to do the work for me! I had a nightmare with a builder last year and my house, my bank balance and my mental health are still recovering! However, I have taken voluntary redundancy recently and would have the money to pay for it (within reason) and will probably not be working until the New Year at the earliest, so it is the best time to get as much work as possible done.

I know a joiner and a plasterer who I think I can trust, but don't think the joiner would actually do the whole fitted bedroom, he seems to be more for small jobs. Speaking of which, another silly question, if I'm replacing the bedroom door, where should that be done in the order of works?

Thanks again for you advice. :T

wallbash

I will probably be getting fitted bedroom furniture although not completely sure yet

First , make up your mind. Know exactly where the furniture will go , also heights and widths, this enables you to plan the electrics. Always go for the maximum you think you will require. Nothing is worse than having to resort to adapters in a new 'build'

ps , think of a socket above dressing table hight for a hair dryer?
If a keen reader ( in bed) extra lights attached above headboard, bed side lights are often a 'pain' in the neck whilst reading.

martinsurrey

noelphobic wrote: »

I hadn't thought about the skirting boards. If I did decide to change them when do you think that should be done? Also, I've heard of electrical first and second fix but not sure what that means. Could you explain in more detail please, especially about the second fix.

if I'm replacing the bedroom door, where should that be done in the order of works?

Thanks again for you advice. :T

electrical first fix is running the cables to where they need to go, it involves cutting holes in walls and putting metal/plastic boxes in the walls in the position of sockets/lights/switches.

after the first fix you DO NOT have working outlets, unless your spark connects temporary fixtures

electrical second fix is connecting the wires to the bits of the sockets/switches you can see, and getting the whole system working again.

the reason for the break between first and second fix is that making good (plastering) involves a lot of water, and to get a good finish needs to go behind the sockets, which could damage the plasterer and or switches if they were live.

If you're removing the skirting and door, take them off as part of the room clear and add them back as the last part of the flooring stage (if using laminate or real wood).

noelphobic

martinsurrey wrote: »

I would go with,

1) Clear out - remove everything from the room - inc carpets

2) strip walls - (so you can get an idea of the quality of the plaster underneath

3) electrical first fix (so chase walls and install new boxes in new positions

4) Plaster room

5) electrical second fix

6) flooring (assuming you are NOT taking skirting up)

6) paint

A couple more silly questions! If I do get fitted bedroom furniture when would that go in? Also, when would be the best time to have the ceiling painted - before the flooring is done?

Alan_T_2

I'd say that until the room is cleared you won't know what will need done fully. For example the floorboards could be a right state underneath current covering. If you can sleep in another room I'd suggest getting it cleared and making up full size templates for the furniture going back into the room as you can then get a much better idea of how it would work, this will allow you to also figure out if the sockets are actually where you need them to be for living like that.

For me it's pretty close to the 2nd post. However I would suggest a couple of alterations. Firstly find lead time of furniture as this is likely to be the longest period in the whole transformation. I'd swap flooring for painting/papering as it's easy to spill and wreck a new floor covering...also means if keeping the skirting boards and repaiting then its easier to paint right down to the bottom edge without getting it on the new flooring. Personally I'd plan on stripping, priming and painting the skirting, door, and architrave as this will look better than applying another coat of paint on top...but allow time for the gloss to properly harden and set first before fitting flooring after.

noelphobic

Alan_T wrote: »

I'd say that until the room is cleared you won't know what will need done fully. For example the floorboards could be a right state underneath current covering. If you can sleep in another room I'd suggest getting it cleared and making up full size templates for the furniture going back into the room as you can then get a much better idea of how it would work, this will allow you to also figure out if the sockets are actually where you need them to be for living like that.

For me it's pretty close to the 2nd post. However I would suggest a couple of alterations. Firstly find lead time of furniture as this is likely to be the longest period in the whole transformation. I'd swap flooring for painting/papering as it's easy to spill and wreck a new floor covering...also means if keeping the skirting boards and repaiting then its easier to paint right down to the bottom edge without getting it on the new flooring. Personally I'd plan on stripping, priming and painting the skirting, door, and architrave as this will look better than applying another coat of paint on top...but allow time for the gloss to properly harden and set first before fitting flooring after.

I think the floorboards are in pretty good condition, but as you say I can't be sure until the room is stripped out. Sleeping in another room won't be a problem luckily.

Now I just need to find someone to do the work! I've just had my guttering, soffits and fascias replaced. The builder gave me the card of someone he knows who does fitted kitchens and bathrooms and said he may do bedrooms as well, although it doesn't say that on his card. Do kitchen/bathroom people generally also do bedrooms? Obviously I can phone him up and ask him! If I could get someone reliable to oversee the whole project it would make life much easier than having to find a decorator, plasterer, joiner, electrician etc and coordinate timings and materials.

martinsurrey

Alan_T wrote: »

For me it's pretty close to the 2nd post. However I would suggest a couple of alterations. Firstly find lead time of furniture as this is likely to be the longest period in the whole transformation. I'd swap flooring for painting/papering as it's easy to spill and wreck a new floor covering...also means if keeping the skirting boards and repaiting then its easier to paint right down to the bottom edge without getting it on the new flooring. Personally I'd plan on stripping, priming and painting the skirting, door, and architrave as this will look better than applying another coat of paint on top...but allow time for the gloss to properly harden and set first before fitting flooring after.

if the skirting is coming off, you really have to do flooring before you paint, otherwise you'll be re cutting in after painting/sealing the skirting.

if the skirting isnt coming off, and its laminate, you can paint first, but the workmen are going to have to be really careful when swinging boards around, otherwise scuffs are going to ruin the look. (but i think that laminate with the beading around skirting looks terrible anyway!)

if the floor boards are being restored, I would get that done before painting as well, as the sanding machines are going to scuff the skirting, and the amount of dust means you'll be washing the walls, which could leave marks...

all in all, its far easier to put down sheets to keep the floor clean, and paint last, than risk damaging the most visable part of the job (the paint) IMO.

exarmydreamer

Be careful with the artex, old artex could contain asbestos. Get someone to have a look at it first before touching, if it is all intact you might want to just knock off the tips (if there are any) and skim over. We found asbestos in our victorian bay walls.

We have just finished our bedroom (last room in the house), and we started at the top of the room and worked downwards.

wallbash

Be careful with the artex, old artex could contain asbestos.

But more likely doesn't