One of the most common questions at the start of any renovation is: how long will this actually take? The honest answer depends on the type and scope of works. Here are realistic timelines — not the optimistic promises you hear at the start, but numbers based on how things typically go.
Minor works — timelines
- Bathroom painting (walls + ceiling) — 1–2 days
- Replacing sanitary ware (toilet, washbasin, taps) — 1 day
- Replacing a door — half a day to 1 day per door
- Replacing a tap or a section of pipe — 2–4 hours
- Laying laminate in one room (15–20 m²) — 1 day
Medium projects — timelines
- Painting a whole flat (60 m²), with skim coat — 7–14 working days (including drying time between layers)
- Bathroom renovation — partial (new tiles + sanitary ware) — 7–10 days
- Full bathroom reconstruction (from concrete up) — 2–4 weeks
- Tiling a kitchen or hallway (10–15 m²) — 3–5 days
- Replacing electrical installation in one flat — 5–10 days depending on flat size
Tip: always ask the tradesperson how many people will be on site. One tiler lays 10–15 m² per day; two will halve the time. The number of workers directly affects the timeline.
Full reconstruction — timelines
- Full flat reconstruction (60 m²) — 2–4 months
- Full reconstruction (larger flat, 90–120 m²) — 3–6 months
- Reconstruction of a flat in an older building with installation replacement — add 2–4 extra weeks to any estimate
The biggest time-consumers in a full reconstruction are not the visible works — they are the drying and curing times. Screed takes 3–4 weeks to dry. Skim coat needs 2–3 weeks per layer. Waterproofing must cure before anything is laid on top. These waits cannot be skipped without compromising quality.
What slows down works
- Materials not ordered in time — tiles or parquet that need to be ordered can take 2–4 weeks to arrive. Order before works begin, not during.
- Hidden problems — old installations, dampness beneath tiles, damaged concrete — each adds days or weeks once discovered.
- Bad weather — in winter, drying times for wet works (screed, plaster) extend significantly.
- Tradesperson working on multiple sites — common and not necessarily a problem, but worth clarifying upfront how many days per week they will be on your site.
- Decisions made too late — if the client doesn't decide on tile colour, door model or paint shade in time, works stop and wait.
Warning: if someone tells you a complete renovation of a 60 m² flat will take 2–3 weeks — ask how many workers will be on site simultaneously. Without a large team working in parallel, that timeline is physically impossible when you factor in drying times.
How to plan without stress
- Add 30% to whatever the tradesperson estimates. This is not pessimism — it's how most renovations actually go.
- Order all materials before works begin. Don't let the renovation wait for a delivery.
- Make all decisions about materials and finishes in advance. Choosing tiles mid-renovation causes delays.
- Build in a buffer before any hard deadline (moving in, renting out, a visit from family). If you need to be in by 1 September, aim to finish by 15 August.
Looking for a tradesperson for your renovation? On Brzix you can find an electrician, plumber, tiler or painter — describe your project and see who is available.
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