What Order to Do a Full Home Renovation: Where Painting Fits In
The correct sequence for a full London home renovation, with a clear explanation of where painting fits in the workflow. Avoid costly mistakes by understanding why order of trades matters.
Getting the renovation sequence right
One of the most common and costly mistakes in a London home renovation is getting the order of trades wrong. Doing the painting before the plumbing is complete. Having the decorator come in before the plasterer has fully dried out. Laying the new floor before the skirting boards are painted. Each of these sequencing errors either creates rework or forces a compromise — and in London, where labour costs are high and tradespeople's diaries are full, rework is expensive.
Here is the correct sequence for a full renovation of a typical London terraced house, with a clear focus on where painting fits and why.
The correct sequence
1. Structural and drainage work first
Before anything cosmetic happens, any structural work — wall removals, steel beams, underpinning, drainage alterations — must be completed. This work creates the most disruption, the most dust, and the most potential for accidental damage to finished surfaces. Nothing should be decorated until all structural work is signed off.
2. First-fix plumbing and electrics
After structural work, the plumbers and electricians come in to run new pipes, cables, and conduit through walls and floors. This involves chasing out plaster, running pipe runs through joists, and creating access holes throughout the building. All of this happens before walls are plastered or decorated. Again, any decoration done before first-fix is wasted.
3. Plastering
Once first-fix is complete, any new walls can go up and all surfaces can be plastered. This is a critical stage for decorators because the drying and curing of new plaster takes time — typically four to six weeks per centimetre of plaster thickness before it is ready to receive a mist coat. Rushing this stage and painting over plaster that is still releasing moisture causes blistering, poor adhesion and colour variation. In London's climate, allow more time rather than less.
If you are working to a tight programme, consider using a dehumidifier in newly plastered rooms to accelerate drying — but do not use heaters that create surface-dry conditions while the body of the plaster remains wet.
4. Second-fix plumbing and electrics
After plastering, the plumbers and electricians return to fit outlets, switches, radiators, sanitaryware, and kitchen appliances. Some of this work inevitably involves final adjustments to the fabric — a pipe run that needs a slight reroute, an outlet position moved by 50mm — so it should happen before final decoration where possible.
For kitchens, the sequence is usually: kitchen units fitted, second-fix appliances, then final decoration around and behind units. For bathrooms: sanitaryware fitted in final position before painting so that we can cut in accurately around it.
5. Floor screeding and floor preparation
If you have a new concrete screed or are having underfloor heating installed, this happens after first-fix and before decorating. Screeds also need drying time and will release moisture into the building fabric if rushed.
6. Decorating: the right moment
Painting should happen after second-fix is complete, all plastered surfaces are fully dried and the building is watertight. This is typically the penultimate phase before floor finishes and soft furnishings.
The specific sequence within the decorating phase on a London terraced house is:
Ceilings first. Always paint ceilings before walls so that any splatter or overspray falls onto an unpainted surface. We use roller sleeves with low-spatter formulations, but no amount of care eliminates every drop — starting with ceilings is simply correct procedure.
Walls second. Once ceilings are done, walls are cut in and rolled. The cutting-in line at ceiling junction is done first, the field of the wall rolled afterwards.
Woodwork last. Skirting boards, door architraves, door faces and window boards are always painted last. This is because any touching of wall surfaces (inevitable when cutting in around skirting) can smear wet emulsion onto gloss or eggshell — and a partially dried eggshell surface marks very easily. Doing woodwork last means that small smears from wall painting can be sanded off and covered cleanly in the final coats.
For staircases, the sequence is: handrails, newel posts and banisters first (while the staircase is in use from the opposite side), then stair strings and risers, finally the treads.
7. Floor finishes
New timber floors, engineered wood, and tiling should be laid after painting is complete. Newly painted skirting boards are protected by the decorator's tape during floor laying, and any small splashes from grout or adhesive can be touched up easily on a recently painted surface.
Laying floors before painting means that the decorator must work over a finished surface — which increases the risk of floor damage and requires additional time for careful protection.
8. Soft furnishings and fixtures
Curtain poles, blinds, light fittings and hardware are fitted last, once all decoration is dry and cured. This avoids any risk of plaster dust contaminating a new blind mechanism or paint splatter on a polished fitting.
Common sequencing mistakes we see in London
Painting before the plaster is ready. This produces blistering within weeks and requires a full strip-back and repaint. It is one of the most predictable causes of early paint failure and it is entirely avoidable.
Radiators fitted before painting. Painting behind a radiator that has already been fixed to the wall is very difficult. Either the decorator cannot get access, or access involves moving the radiator (which requires a plumber). Fitting radiators before final decoration is a sequencing error made surprisingly often.
Floors down before painting. We see this regularly on projects where floor laying was prioritised to allow early occupancy. It results in floors covered in tape-and-sheet for the entire painting phase and still occasionally results in damage to the new floor finish.
Kitchen units before painting. The walls and ceiling visible in a kitchen should be painted before units are installed, with only a small amount of cutting-in required once units are in final position. Trying to roller a kitchen ceiling with units and appliances in place is slow, difficult and produces inferior results.
Our role in the renovation
Belgravia Painters works with architects, project managers and direct clients on full renovation projects. We are used to slotting into a wider programme of works and are flexible about access scheduling. If you are planning a renovation and want to discuss how to sequence the painting phase, we are happy to advise — at no charge — as part of the initial consultation. Contact us to arrange a visit or call.