Most renovation advice focuses on what the architect, designer, or contractor will do. Far less is written about what the homeowner should actually be doing in the weeks before work starts — and getting this preparation right makes a genuine difference to how smoothly the first few weeks of a project go.
This is a practical checklist for the period between signing off a design and the first day on site.
Before Work Starts: Paperwork and Logistics
Confirm everything in writing. Before work begins, the scope, price, payment schedule, and start/completion dates should all be documented in a signed contract — not agreed verbally or over email threads alone. This protects both sides if a dispute arises later.
Check your insurance. Standard home insurance policies often exclude or limit cover during significant building work. Contact your insurer before work starts to confirm what’s covered, and whether the contractor’s own insurance (public liability, and for larger projects, contractor’s all-risks insurance) is adequate and verified.
Notify your neighbours. Even for renovations that don’t legally require a party wall agreement, a simple conversation with neighbours before scaffolding goes up or noisy work begins goes a long way toward avoiding friction during the project — particularly for anything running multiple weeks.
Arrange any required permissions. Confirm planning permission, building regulations approval, and (if relevant) a party wall agreement are fully in place before the start date — starting work before these are confirmed risks having to stop, or in the worst case, being required to undo completed work.
Sort out parking and access. London streets are rarely generous with parking or loading space. Confirm where skips, deliveries, and trade vehicles will go, and whether a permit is needed from the local council for a skip or scaffolding on the road.
Before Work Starts: The Physical Space
Clear the work area completely. Rooms being renovated should be fully cleared of furniture, belongings, and fixtures before the first day on site — trades shouldn’t need to work around, or take responsibility for, your possessions.
Protect what isn’t being renovated. Dust and disruption from renovation work travels further than most people expect, especially in properties with open-plan layouts or shared hallways. Discuss with your contractor what protective measures (dust sheets, temporary barriers, floor protection in hallways and stairwells) will be in place for areas not directly under renovation.
Set up a temporary alternative for lost function. If the kitchen is being renovated, plan a temporary kitchen setup (a kettle, microwave, and basic supplies in another room) in advance. If it’s the only bathroom, confirm the plan for access to a working bathroom during the works — whether that’s staggering the work, or making other arrangements.
Take photos and note existing condition. Before work starts, photograph the rooms being renovated and any adjoining areas trades will pass through — this is useful evidence if any pre-existing damage is later disputed, and equally useful for you to reference design decisions against later.
Decide what happens to pets. Renovation sites involve open doors, tools, dust, and unfamiliar people moving through the house regularly. Plan in advance for pets to be kept safely away from the work area, particularly during the noisiest and most disruptive early stages.
Before Work Starts: Decisions You Should Have Already Made
Making these decisions before work starts avoids the most common (and most expensive) cause of delay: waiting on-site for a client decision that could have been made weeks earlier.
- All material and finish selections confirmed — tiles, worktops, flooring, paint colours, hardware — not just the design concept, but the specific products and suppliers
- All fixtures and appliances ordered, particularly anything with a longer lead time (bespoke joinery, imported materials, specific appliance models)
- A final, signed-off design — changing the layout or scope after work has started is one of the most common sources of both delay and cost overrun
- A clear point of contact confirmed on both sides — who to call with questions, and how quickly you can expect a response
During the First Week: What to Expect
The first few days on site are typically the most disruptive, even for smaller projects — protection is being installed, existing fixtures are being removed, and any structural or services work usually starts early in the programme. It’s normal for a project to feel chaotic in week one even when everything is going to plan; the more useful early signal is whether communication is clear and issues are being flagged promptly, not whether the site looks tidy.
Questions Worth Asking in the Final Pre-Start Meeting
- Is there anything still outstanding — permissions, materials, decisions — that could delay the agreed start date?
- What’s the plan for protecting areas of the property not being renovated?
- Who is my main point of contact once work begins, and how should I raise a concern if one comes up?
- What’s the expected noise and disruption level in the first two weeks specifically?
- Is there anything I need to arrange (parking permits, insurance confirmation, temporary living arrangements) before the start date?
Good Preparation Reduces Disruption More Than People Expect
The projects that run most smoothly aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets — they’re consistently the ones where decisions were made early, paperwork was in order before the first day on site, and the homeowner and the team managing the project had a clear, shared understanding of what to expect before anything started. A week of thorough preparation before the build begins routinely saves far more than a week of delay once it’s underway.
At Alborz Groups, we walk every client through exactly what needs to be sorted before their project starts — so the first day on site is the beginning of a smooth process, not the start of avoidable problems. If you’re planning a renovation, get in touch for an initial consultation.
