DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET
How much can you afford to spend to get the look you want? If your budget is tight, concentrate on basics fireplace, doors, flooring, moldings, and woodwork and upgrade any cheap accessories later. Allow for a contingency of at least 10 percent in addition to your proposed budget.
PLAN THE LAYOUT
Draw a scale plan with doors or walls to be moved or removed, windows added, or fireplaces installed, and where electrical receptacles, lights, light switches, TV antenna, built-in audio, phone jacks, and the flue for a wood-burning stove will go.
CONSIDER THE HEATING
If you are replacing radiators, are they currently in the best position and big enough for the room? Will removing walls or doors mean you need to increase the heating in the room? Or think about removing radiators altogether in favor of underfloor radiant heating.
SCHEDULE TRADESPEOPLE
Contact an electrician, HVAC contractor, carpenter or millworker, and painter to get quotes. You may also need a general contractor if you are knocking down walls. Ask how the work other tradespeople will be doing might impact their jobs so you can get everyone in at the right time.
GET APPROVAL
If you are making structural changes, get approval from your local building department. The same applies if you plan to replace original windows, for example, and live in a historical preservation area.
PLACE YOUR ORDERS
Once your quotes are in, order flooring, doors, woodwork, radiators, and windows. Paint, wallpaper, carpet, and light fixtures can all be ordered later.
GUT THE ROOM
Strip any wallpaper to see if the walls or ceiling need to be patched. Rip out old flooring, woodwork, moldings damaged beyond repair, unwanted fireplaces (or unblock a fireplace, if needed), old electrical wiring, radiator pipes, and walls you have approval to demolish (be sure to provide appropriate supports to keep the room safe).
INSTALL NEW HEATING—ROUGH-IN
Has plumbing been installed for water-fed underfloor heating or new radiators first, since this is a disruptive job?
INSTALL THE ELECTRICAL WIRING—ROUGH-IN
The electrician will install wiring beneath the floors and into the walls and ceiling for all the electrical fixtures. If you are having a security system installed, have this system wired now.
INSTALL THE FIREPLACE—ROUGH-IN
Wiring, gas piping, or a chimney lining for a fireplace happen now, so a mantle and/or gas fireplace can be installed after the walls are patched—or get an existing chimney swept.
INSTALL NEW WINDOWS
Install new windows, or prepare existing windows now so they’re ready to be painted.
PATCH THE WALLS AND CEILING
Patch and repair openings in sheetrock or plaster walls. Apply plaster skim coating and sand in preparation for the wall finish.
LAY THE FLOORING
Lay tiles or a wood floor—or a subfloor if you are having carpet laid.
TACKLE THE MILLWORK
When the plaster is dry, install baseboards, crown trim, doors, door trims, and chair and picture rails. Make sure the carpenter knows the position of all plumbing and wires.
DECORATE
Fill fine cracks, paint ceilings, walls, and woodwork, and wallpaper—in that order.
ORGANIZE THE FINAL INSTALL
The electrician and HVAC contractor can return to install radiators, light fixtures, and electrical receptacles, and finalize underfloor heating. The fireplace can be finished off.
ADD FINISHING TOUCHES
Put up curtain rods or blinds, attach door hardware, and lay the carpet to finish the room.
