Renovating an apartment in a new building: where to start and how much to budget

Rough, pre-finishing, turnkey — what these stages mean and how to plan a renovation without overpaying.

An apartment in a new building is almost always handed over without finishing — and this is both freedom and a headache. The correct sequence of work saves up to a third of the budget, because nothing has to be redone.

Determine the stage of readiness

"Rough" — bare walls, no screed, no wiring: plan for a full cycle of work. "Pre-finishing" — screed, plaster, and wiring are already there, only the final finishing remains. Both the budget and the deadlines depend on the stage: a full renovation of a two-room apartment usually takes 2–4 months.

The correct sequence

First, everything "wet" and dirty: redevelopment, electrics, plumbing wiring, screed, plaster. Then tiles, ceilings, final wall coverings, floor coverings — and only at the end doors, baseboards, and furniture assembly. A classic mistake is to glue wallpaper before finishing work with the ceiling.

Where you can't save

Electrics, pipes, and waterproofing of bathrooms — what is hidden under the finish. Redoing any of these systems after renovation costs more than doing it well right away. It is wiser to save on what is easy to replace: lamps, faucets, decor.

Estimate and reserve

Add a 15–20% reserve to any estimate — unforeseen work always pops up in renovations. Fix agreements with the crew in writing: volume, deadlines, payment stages. Payment for completed stages disciplines better than any promises.

"Turnkey" option

If you don't have time to manage the construction, consider a turnkey renovation with a contract and a guarantee. ROYAL HOME does renovations with a 2-year guarantee: a design project, an estimate before work begins, and weekly photo reports — you see what you are paying for.