Timeline for Renovation

A typical renovation project in Hong Kong takes about 3 months, obviously depending on the magnitude of the project, effectiveness of your execution team and other foreseeable (public holidays etc) and unforeseeable (humidity, typhoon etc) factors. In my experience, the estimated time suggested by your contractor, plus 2 to 4 weeks is about when you can move in.  

Below is a modification of the renovation timeline I extracted from about.com. For the full article, refer to 

Timeline for Renovation by Lee Wallender

1. Design and Planning

It is ideal to start this as soon as you can, even before your agreement is settled and keys are handed over. The key is to confirm they layout, without that you can't even move onto demolition. 

In a perfect world, you will ok-ed the very first very first layout idea, which means this phase will only take a week or so. In reality, you probably spend the most time going back and forth. 

To make it even trickier, once you start knocking things down, you might discover 'surprises' which will need you to go back to your drawing board. This will include walls and pillars that cannot be removed, things that need replacing immediately, internal wiring and pipping that cannot be reroute.   

In my current project, there are a lot of these 'surprises', which had cost us some extra time to make amendments.

2. Demolition

Once you get the keys you can start gutting. This took up roughly 2 weeks for our current project by removing nearly all internal walls and digging up the existing floor. The floor then has to be re-paved for a smoother foundation. 

Try not to show your face at this stage because this is the beginning of the noisest phase. 

Select and sign-up with a kitchen specialist. You will need to discuss kitchen ideas with him at this point. 

3. Structural Carpentry 

It is worthwhile to sneak in to your flat and confirm all the layout before new walls are built. Your contractor should be able to mark the line on the floor for you to get an idea. This wont be easy, as your flat will appear much smaller without walls and looking at the lines on the floor, you will feel like you have just bought yourself a match box. 

New walls will be built. This will take a week to week half. 

Meanwhile, more fine-tuning of your design; more decisions to be made on things such as build-in fixture, electricity switches & sockets, pipping, and internal layout. The earlier you can confirm these things the better, because material needs to be ordered as well. 

4. Electrical & Plumbing

This will continue to be a very noisy process. Beg your neighbors to bear with you for at least 2-3 more weeks on this. 

Decide on color, material, structure of your build-ins, doors, and windows. By now, you should have detail drawings of all fixtures. If not, pick up the phone and chase them. If you are in Hong Kong like me, chasing works, the more you chase the more effective they will become. If you are in North American where I came from, chasing probably is a waste of time, save it for better things such as browsing for ideas on pinterest. 

5. Insulation & Drywall

Insulation will be added before closing up the walls. By now 6 to 8 weeks should have gone by. 

Time to go furniture shopping. Furniture ordering can take up to months. We went to a furniture shop in Ap Lei Chow a few weeks ago. They told us that, due to Chinese New Year, the couch we want won't be available till April! So now is a good time to check with the shops. You will most certainly need to make sure that your beds and your sofa are delivered before you move in. Other decorative stuff can wait.  

8. Flooring & Windows

Assuming you have already picked & ordered. This should be a relatively painless process. 

9. Fine Carpentry

Install baseboards, molding, trim around windows and doors, built-in elements. (These can also be unpredictable because most of the wood works are done in China nowadays and you know how it is)

Time to order your drapes and blinds. They usually take about 2 weeks to make, longer if the material you want needs back-ordering. It will be rather challenging to move into a new flat without blinds, particularly those for the bedrooms. 

10. Interior Painting, Wallpaper, and Other Surface Finishes

This phase takes longer during rainy season for obvious reason. It is also worthwhile to let some of the paint evaporate before you move in. Start packing and arranging your mover!

For the Lola/Piper Project, we are hoping this will complete as soon as CNY or as late as end of February.