One of the longest projects I have managed is the transformation of the apartment into the “palace” of my dreams. When I was just starting, I researched a lot about what is the process of an apartment renovation, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find step by step explanation anywhere. So I decided to do it for you, hoping to help many of you in this confusing and at the same time so exciting process. I share with you all of the stages through which my home went through. You should come to understand that renovating your home can be a long process that sometimes can take years to finish. Enjoy!
Disposal of old furniture
The first thing we did was throw away everything unnecessary. Of course, there were some things we kept. Here, where I live, it is a common practice to sell apartments partially or fully furnished. In my opinion, this is great because even if you don’t have money for the renovation you can directly move in and start living. We threw away everything that was unusable. To tell you the truth, I don’t miss this moment very much. It was hard work, but I didn’t expect that the hardest was yet to come.
Breaking down walls and rearranging rooms
Taking down walls… that’s what I was talking about. Apart from the fact that it is the hardest work in the process of the renovation and everything turns to dust, it is also the moment when you do not see the end of the process and get discouraged because everything is so broken and dirty that you start to wonder if your plans will work out. Remember, take it easy in such periods! It’s the dirtiest job. Once this stage is over, the big cleaning begins. When we were done, I saw how things start to take shape again. I said to myself: “It’s worth it! Come on!”. I say this to you too, don’t give up on the dream of creating your fortress, your dream home! It was then when I began to see where would the dining table will go, where the bed and everything became more and more clear to me.
Pipes are laid
An important part of the renovation is to decide the purpose of each room from the beginning. I had to move the pipes for the kitchen to another room from the bath. Needless to say how this should be done from the very start because if you don’t do it, you will have to probably restart the whole process later. The special thing about my apartment is that my washing machine is under the counter and we had to run both a drain and water supply pipes there. Plan this step well and accurately estimate the arrangement of the furniture.
Floor screed
After we have installed the pipes, screed is made on the floor, and so the rooms now get a more finished look. For the screed of the floor choose a good professional, because a lot depends on it. Watch carefully if the screed has cracked, this is a sign that something done by the craftsman is not the right way.
Windows
I am very happy that I chose the right windows. They are soundproof, keep the heat inside, have different ways of opening and are of excellent quality. If you live in a crowded city, you need to pay a lot of attention to the windows. I lived in the country for many years and moving to a city was a shock to me. The noise, the shouting and the constant passing of cars and motorbikes drove me crazy, but windows go a long way in keeping the peace in the apartment, so be aware of the quality and features of the windows in your home. Even if you have to spend more, it is worth it!
Plasterboard, Insulation, El. Installation
To insulate my apartment we used plasterboard and cotton wool. Insulation is important for both cold and warm seasons because it keeps the temperature you want. Combined with the right windows, the effect is even greater. This will have a huge impact on the energy cost of your apartment, so it is a good investment.
After placing the plasterboard, wall putty is applied 3 times, waiting for it to dry between each time.
*A very important part before the insulation is the laying of cables for the electrical installations. In this step, you should also consider carefully where you want to put light fixtures, sockets and light switches.*
Tiles & Sanding process
The more exciting steps in the renovation are coming. For flooring, I used white marble tiles with dimensions 60×120. I truly adore them! Naturally, you can choose both tiles and laminate, parquet or any other options you can think of. You can read more about pros and cons of tiles flooring.
Sanding? You will be wondering if it’s Christmas, because of all the dust falling like snow. Unfortunately, it’s not. Sanding gives that smoothness and perfection to the brilliantly finished walls. A tip: pay more attention to this step, because the more evenly and precisely the walls are treated, the better the color of the paint you have chosen will appear.
Installation of lighting fixtures / sockets / doors / water heater / air conditioners
Select the appropriate little decorations such as lighting fixtures, switches and sockets. They must emphasize the paint and match the color theme of the room. In my case, the heating is via air conditioners. If you are in this situation, pay attention to both indoor and outdoor air conditioning installation, because I have already had a problem with the neighbors hehe.
Furnishing
Let’s talk about the furniture, shall we? Once you reach this stage you are a champion! Now, here a lot of research is done on sites, shops and merchants to pick the perfect furniture for your home. You compare prices and quality and carefully choose the colors that will complement and emphasize your refined taste.
Decorating
The sweetest part of the renovation process. Decorating is my passion, I’m still not completely done with decorating my apartment because I am constantly trying to make it even better. The desire to choose the perfect ornaments slows down the process terribly, but that’s the way it goes. I also want to tell you that you shouldn’t pay attention to other people’s criticisms about colors and furnishings, because it’s your home and you choose how it looks! If you feel the satisfaction of sitting and drinking your coffee in your home while enjoying the interior you’ve created, then you’ve done your job and no other opinion should change that!
I should let you know that for this small apartment (50 square meters) the whole renovation process was in 3 and a half months, so don’t expect things to be done quickly! The other thing is that there will always be problems during the process, you just can’t help it lol. But the most important thing is that with lots of effort and a little bit of patience very soon you will have your dream home. Now you know what the process of an apartment renovation looks like! Thank you for reading guys, you are awesome!♥
