Most full house renovations take between three and nine months on site, but the honest answer depends on the size of the property, how much structural work is involved and how quickly decisions get made. Here is a realistic breakdown based on the work we do across Croydon and South London, so you can plan properly rather than hope for the best.
For a straightforward cosmetic refurbishment, where the layout stays the same and you are replacing the kitchen, bathroom, flooring and decorating throughout, expect eight to twelve weeks for a two or three bedroom house. Once you add rewiring, replumbing and replastering, which most older properties need, a three bedroom terrace or semi usually takes three to five months.
A full strip back to brick with structural changes, such as removing walls, a rear extension or a loft conversion done at the same time, typically runs six to nine months. Larger four or five bedroom houses, common in areas like Sanderstead, Shirley and Purley, can stretch to twelve months when everything is being done in one go. These figures cover time on site and assume the design and approvals were sorted before work started.
The build itself is only part of the timeline. Design drawings, structural calculations and quotes typically take four to eight weeks. If you need planning permission from Croydon Council, allow eight weeks from a valid application, and longer if the property is in a conservation area such as Webb Estate or parts of Addiscombe. Many renovations fall under permitted development, but it is worth confirming this in writing before committing.
Party wall agreements catch a lot of people out. Most Croydon housing stock is terraced or semi detached, so removing a chimney breast or building near the boundary usually triggers the Party Wall Act. Serving notice takes a minimum of two months if a neighbour dissents and surveyors get involved. Building control sign off runs alongside the build, but the applications should go in beforehand.
A full renovation follows a fairly fixed sequence, and each stage depends on the one before it. Strip out and any demolition come first, usually one to three weeks. Structural work, damp proofing and roof repairs follow, then first fix, which is the electrics, plumbing and any new stud walls. Plastering comes next and needs proper drying time, typically one to two weeks before decorating, longer in winter.
Second fix covers sockets, switches, radiators, sanitaryware and the kitchen fit, followed by flooring, decorating and snagging. The stages that most often take longer than expected are plastering drying times, kitchen and bathroom deliveries, and anything uncovered during strip out, such as rotten joists or old wiring that was not visible when quoting.
In our experience the biggest delays are rarely the building work itself. Late decisions on kitchens, tiles and fittings hold jobs up more than anything, because items like made to order kitchens can have six to ten week lead times. Ordering everything before the build starts, or at least before first fix, keeps the programme moving.
Older Victorian and Edwardian houses, which make up much of Croydon, tend to hide surprises: no lintels above openings, ancient lead pipework, or floors that are far from level. A sensible contingency is ten to fifteen percent of the budget and two to four weeks on the programme. Finally, changing your mind mid build is your right, but every change costs time as well as money, so it pays to finalise the design properly before work begins.
For a cosmetic refurbishment done room by room, living in is uncomfortable but doable. For a full renovation with rewiring and replumbing, we would generally advise against it: the water and power will be off for extended periods, floorboards come up throughout and dust gets everywhere despite protection. Moving out also lets the trades work faster, often shaving several weeks off the programme, which can offset a good chunk of the rental cost.
Only if it is genuinely cosmetic, with no rewiring, replumbing or structural work, and all materials are ordered in advance. For most older properties in Croydon, three months is the realistic minimum once the walls are opened up.
Yes, to a degree. Plaster and screed dry more slowly in winter, and external work such as roofing or rendering can be held up by weather. Builders also tend to be busiest from spring to autumn, so lead times to start can be longer then.
Ideally three to six months ahead. That allows time for quotes, planning or party wall matters, and ordering long lead items, and reputable local builders are often booked up several months in advance.
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