How long does an apartment renovation take
Updated: · SIVRCE editorial team
By SIVRCE norms, a full renovation of a 65 m² old-stock apartment takes 101–132 days (≈3.3–4.3 months); from a white frame, 69–91 days (≈2.3–3.0 months). The biggest factors are the area, the scope of works and the drying of the screed.
Timeline by area and condition
The table shows calendar days from the start of works to the end of the last stage, Standard grade. The two figures are the optimistic and the planned timeline.
| Area | Old stock | Black frame | White frame | Cosmetic refresh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 m² | 74–94 | 69–88 | 48–63 | 48–63 |
| 65 m² | 101–132 | 94–122 | 69–91 | 69–91 |
| 90 m² | 120–157 | 111–145 | 85–111 | 85–111 |
| 120 m² | 139–182 | 128–168 | 98–128 | 98–128 |
A cosmetic refresh and a white frame take almost the same time: neither has rough works, so the finishes set the pace. Old stock and a black frame add demolition or partitions, wiring, plaster and the screed's drying time.
How to read the table: the first figure is the fast scenario, the second the planned timeline with a reserve. The contract schedule is built on the second: a timeline that breaks at the first delay is not a promise.
A bathroom on its own is shorter: a 6 m² bathroom takes 28–33 days. It has a thin screed, the waterproofing cures in 3 days, and the tiles do not wait for the whole apartment's screed.
How the timeline is calculated
The plan is built stage by stage, in the same order and with the same dependencies as in the guide to renovation stages. Each stage has a norm: how many working days a crew of 2–3 people needs per 10 m².
| Stage | Days per 10 m² | Curing, days |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition | 0.5–0.9 | — |
| Partitions | 0.6–1.2 | — |
| Rough electrical | 0.8–1.5 | — |
| Rough plumbing | 0.6–1.2 | — |
| Plastering | 0.9–1.5 | 7 |
| Floor screed | 0.3–0.6 | 42 |
| Waterproofing | 0.2–0.4 | 3 |
| Tiling | 0.8–1.4 | — |
| Ceilings | 0.5–0.9 | — |
| Wall finishing | 1.5–2.5 | — |
| Finish flooring | 0.5–1.4 | — |
| Doors | 0.2–0.4 | — |
| Final fit-out & cleanup | 0.5–0.9 | — |
- The plan uses the slow scenario, not the midpoint: a midpoint timeline slips in the first week in every other renovation.
- A 15% reserve is added on top — for late materials, waiting for the client's decisions, a contractor off sick.
- Working days become calendar days with a six-day week and real-world downtime.
- A large project gets more crews, but not proportionally: one crew up to 75 m², then by the square root of the area, at most 4. Curing is not divided between crews.
What makes a renovation longer
Screed drying. A 50 mm layer needs 42 days, and the finish flooring waits for it. It is the longest wait in an apartment renovation.
A load-bearing wall. Modifying load-bearing walls requires a structural report + redesign drawings (prepared by a licensed structural engineer), 30–90 days. It is the only permit without which work does not start. Everything else — moving a bathroom, the facade — is done and legalised afterwards, and the renovation does not stop for it.
Decisions. A tile not yet chosen and material not yet delivered hold things up just like any work does.
Permits: which ones stop the start and which do not
| Work | Time to obtain | Blocks the start? |
|---|---|---|
| Modifying load-bearing walls | 30–90 days | Yes |
| Relocating kitchen or bathroom | 21–60 days | No |
| Facade changes (windows, balcony) | 30–120 days | No |
| Merging apartments or premises | 45–120 days | No |
| Change of use (apartment → office) | 30–90 days | No |
Documents are prepared and filed in parallel, so the wait is the longest of those ticked, not their sum. Only what work cannot start without pushes the start back. If you tick such a work on the estimate page, the timeline is recalculated to include the wait.
Your share of the timeline
Some downtime comes from the client's decisions. The plan has a reserve for them, but not an endless one:
- Choose tiles, laminate and doors before their turn comes: a contractor cannot start a stage without the material.
- Answer on handed-over stages: reminders come on day 2 and day 4, and from day 5 an administrator sees the stage.
- Decide on estimate changes: each carries its own days, and until it is decided the contractor does not know whether to do the work.
- Move a site visit in advance: a missed visit is marked with a reason and a new time is set from scratch.
What sets the timeline: the longest chain
Stages partly run in parallel, so the timeline is set not by their sum but by the longest chain. In an older building it is usually: demolition → partitions → rough plumbing → screed and its 42-day drying → finish flooring → doors → final fit-out.
That is why hurrying the tiler does not help while the screed in the rooms is still drying. The timeline gets shorter when a work drops out of the chain — in a white frame, for example, where the developer has already poured the screed.
Houses and offices
Houses and offices follow the same norms, but the area is larger and there are more crews. House 140 m², Office 90 m² — existing building, Standard grade:
| Property | Area | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| House | 140 m² | 144–190 days (≈4.7–6.3 months) |
| Office | 90 m² | 120–157 days (≈3.9–5.2 months) |
What happens before the works start
The first line of the contract schedule is "Preparation for works": from the day of the chosen contractor's visit to the start of works. The crew is assembled, materials are bought and, if needed, a permit is awaited. This stage is neither handed over nor accepted — it closes itself when the first work stage starts.
How to keep to the timeline
- The plan becomes a promise on the day of the contract. Before that it is an estimate.
- Dates change only with both sides' agreement: an edit is a proposal, and the plan changes with two signatures.
- An estimate change carries its own days: before approving it you see how far the end date moves.
- If a stage falls behind schedule, SIVRCE notifies both sides.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a one-bedroom apartment renovation take?
40 m² of old stock: 74–94 days (≈2.4–3.1 months).
How long does a two-bedroom apartment renovation take?
65 m² of old stock: 101–132 days (≈3.3–4.3 months); from a white frame: 69–91 days (≈2.3–3.0 months).
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
A 6 m² bathroom takes 28–33 days including curing. Details in the bathroom guide.
Why does screed take so long to dry?
A week per centimetre up to 40 mm, then two weeks per centimetre. 50 mm takes 42 days. Flooring laid earlier traps the moisture.
Can a renovation be sped up?
The work can, with more crews, though not proportionally. Curing cannot.
How long does renovating a new build take?
65 m² from a white frame: 69–91 days (≈2.3–3.0 months); from a black frame: 94–122 days (≈3.1–4.0 months). Details in the new-build guide.
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