A full renovation is disruptive by nature. But how you prepare in the weeks before we arrive on site makes a huge difference to how smoothly it runs. Here is our step-by-step preparation checklist for homeowners across the West Midlands.
Six weeks before we start
Decide where you will live during the build
On a full renovation, you almost certainly cannot stay in the house. Options include:
- Rented accommodation (typically £1,500–£2,500 per month in the West Midlands)
- Staying with family
- Serviced apartments if the build is shorter than 3 months
- Purchased caravan or on-site accommodation (some clients use garden buildings)
Utilities
Notify your energy supplier of the change of occupancy dates. If you’re not in the house, you can move to a low-usage tariff. Some suppliers will pause direct debits.
Insurance
Buildings insurance during a renovation is a specialist product. Standard home insurance normally excludes unoccupied properties or those undergoing structural work. Speak to your broker.
Post
Set up post redirection via Royal Mail. Six months redirection is around £80.
Four weeks before
Furniture and possessions
- Everything you use daily — take with you to your temporary home
- Everything you use monthly — storage unit (typical cost £100–£200/month for a 3-bed household’s contents)
- Everything you use annually — consider whether it’s worth keeping at all
Ruthless decluttering before a renovation is your only chance in years to genuinely reset. Charity shops, freecycle and skip.
Photographs of everything
Before you move things out, photograph every room, especially any built-in furniture, tiling patterns and how rooms connect. Useful for insurance and to remember original details you may want replicated.
Two weeks before
Final decisions and specifications
By this stage, all specifications should be locked in:
- Kitchen: brand, model, colour, worktop
- Bathrooms: sanitaryware, tiles, tap brand
- Flooring: material, colour, direction of laying
- Paint colours (though this can be decided later)
- Door and window styles
- Electrical layout — where do you want every socket and switch?
Late changes are the biggest source of overruns. Once you’ve signed off, resist the urge to change.
Meter readings
Take photos of all meter readings the day you leave. Useful for utility disputes and for tracking spend during the build.
The day we start
Keys and access
Provide a full set of keys plus alarm codes. Our team needs uninterrupted access — delays from having to fetch keys cost you money.
Parking
Discuss parking with neighbours in advance. Skip permits from Redditch/Birmingham/Solihull council take a few days to arrange.
Facilities
Make sure there is water and electricity to at least one point on site for the trades. A working toilet is helpful (or we bring a portaloo).
During the build
Weekly check-ins
We recommend one weekly on-site visit with your project manager. Same day and time each week works best. Bring a notebook and any questions.
Change requests
Put them in writing (email is fine). Verbal changes get forgotten. Every change goes through a small variation process so cost and time impact are agreed before work happens.
Snag list
Keep a running snag list on your phone as you notice things. Share it at the weekly meeting.
Getting ready to move back in
Book the removal company a week later than you think you’ll need. Renovations very rarely finish early — and if we do, we have proper deep clean time. Nothing worse than trying to bring furniture in while the site clean is happening.
Free planning conversation
If you’re planning a full renovation across Redditch, Birmingham, Solihull or Warwickshire, we offer free initial consultations. Call 01527 521835.
Serving homeowners across Worcester, Malvern, Redditch, Gloucester and the wider region.